sandy berman

We're big fans of Sandy Berman. We were all very concerned when we learned a few months ago that Sandy was in a most painful car accident and faced months of painful recuperation. Well, the news got better with the recent package in my mailbox from Sandy. You see, Sandy has a long-standing old-fashioned listserv that is regularly distributed via snail mail. These packages include articles of interest as well as copies of letters that he regularly sends to Library of Congress suggesting new Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) along with support from the literature. So when that package showed up in my mailbox, I knew Sandy was well on his way to recovery!

Sandy Berman, a man admired by many radical librarians, turns 75 on October 6. I know it's late notice, but if you can fire off a card or letter tomorrow, it might only get to him two days late. (Oops.) Backstory.

Do subject headings still matter? We say they do.

Does the Library of Congress always identify accessible and appropriately named headings and implement them in a timely manner? We say not always. All you have to do is spend one day behind a reference desk to see examples of biased, non-inclusive, and counterintuitive classifications that slow down, misdirect, or even obscure information from library users. As librarians and library workers, providing access to information is important-and classifying it in ways that are inclusive and intuitive strengthens our egalitarian mission.

Between now and Sunday, April 27, Radical Reference invites you to suggest subject headings and/or cross-references which will then be compiled and sent to the Library of Congress. You can either choose one previously suggested by Sandy Berman (pdf or spreadsheet) or propose your own.

This is a chance to positively impact the catalog of the de facto national library of the United States, which also impacts cataloging all over the world! Here's how...

Progressive Library Skillshare
September 7 & 8, 2007 - Pittsburgh, PA
completely FREE and open to everyone

This free two-day event will bring together library workers, library lovers, zine enthusiasts, book artists, publishers, and community members to explore the relationship between library work and social justice. We'll connect each other with alternative information resources while discussing socially responsible, creative ways to share information in our communities. This unconference will encourage us to think critically about information: how it's produced, distributed, and consumed.