Increasing the Discoverability of LGBTQ+ Materials: A Case Study of the Homosaurus and Vendor Automation

Abstract

Following decades of critiques of subject heading terminology, recent years have seen several experimental approaches to updating subject headings in library catalogs. Most of these projects have raised significant questions about scalability, however, as they are both time and labor-intensive. This paper presents a collaborative project between Emory Libraries and Backstage Library Works to add Homosaurus terms to the Emory Libraries catalog through an automated process. Though the experiment produced useful results, it ultimately failed to substantively alter most bibliographic descriptions. The results of this project underscore the need for caution and human oversight of automated processes, as well as more substantive support for cataloging initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion.