Webinar: Centering LGBTQ+ Voices in Catalog Research: Insights from the Inclusive Catalog Use Lab

Description

In recent years, libraries and other cultural heritage institutions have shown an increasing awareness of the barriers faced by members of marginalized communities when accessing information, resulting in a number of projects and initiatives designed to aid these users. A frequent site of intervention in libraries has been the catalog and its metadata, where work has focused on improving current systems for subject representation or developing alternatives. However, user-based research and assessment of such solutions has been slow to catch up. This presentation covers work being done by the Inclusive Catalog Use Lab (ICUL) to address this gap. Since 2021, this multi-institutional research group has been focused on inductive, user-based approaches to better understanding and meeting the needs of members of the diverse LGBTQ+ community. Lab members Dr. Karen Snow (Dominican University) and Dr. Brian Dobreski (University of Tennessee, Knoxville) will provide an overview of work conducted by the ICUL and share details of the lab’s current, multi-year research project based around user studies and focus groups with members of the LGBTQ+ community. Through this webinar, the presenters hope to share insights and foster discussions about user-based research and supporting marginalized users.