LAICMG AGM 2024 keynote by Jane Daniels: The Cataloguing Code of Ethics

An introduction to the Code of Ethics: principles and values that provide an intentional decision-making framework for cataloguers on 26 Feb 2025 17:30 National Library of Ireland

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 17:30 – 19:30 GMT

Richard Hayes Room, National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

Tickets are free and available on eventbrite here on a first come first served basis.

The Library Association of Ireland Cataloguing and Metadata Group (LAICMG) are delighted to host their 2024 AGM in the the National Library of Ireland NLI preceded by a keynote by Jane Daniels on an introduction to the topic of the ongoing work of the Cataloging Ethics Steering Committee.

The Cataloguing Code of Ethics was created by the Cataloging Ethics Steering Committee, consisting of members from cataloguing communities in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, with the assistance of Working Group members from the international cataloguing community. The document is a community response to clearly articulated needs for a code of ethics addressing the specific responsibilities of cataloguers and metadata managers engaged in creating, sharing, enriching and preserving metadata in an increasingly global and technology dominated cataloguing ecosystem.

“The term cataloguing ethics is defined as a set of principles and values that provide an intentional decision-making framework for those who work in cataloguing or metadata positions. A subset of critical librarianship, critical cataloguing focuses on understanding and changing how knowledge organisations codify systems of oppression.

Metadata creation is an ongoing process involving work that is wide-ranging, collaborative, and in a constant state of change. Tension between change and status quo creates opportunity to confront ethical issues within our community of practice.

As cataloguers, we have significant influence over how information resources are represented through the choices we make. This ethics document provides a framework for approaching cataloguing work that will be a useful tool for practitioners, employers, standards’ developers, vendors, students, and educators when ethical situations arise”

– cataloguing Code of Ethics

For more information:

Chan, M., Daniels, J., Furger, S., Rasmussen, D., Shoemaker, E., & Snow, K. (2022). The Development and Future of the Cataloguing Code of Ethics. Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 60(8), 786–806. https://doi.org/10.1080/01639374.2022.2134247

Jane Daniels was Bibliographic Librarian at Cardiff Metropolitan University until her retirement in April 2022. She catalogued a range of resources and also managed metadata received from system, content and service providers. She was also a member of the WHELF (Wales Higher Education Libraries Forum) Cataloguing & Metadata Group; the Jisc NBK Phase 2 Task & Finish Group for Metadata Quality & Standards – Plan M; and the Ex Libris Community Zone Management Group.

Jane Daniels is an active member of the Joint USA, Canadian & UK Cataloguing Ethics Steering Committee, who, working with the cataloguing community of practice, produced the Cataloguing Code of Ethics in 2021. Jane is the past Chair (2018-2020) of the CILIP Metadata & Discovery Group (previously the Cataloguing & Indexing Group.) Since retirement Jane has become a volunteer at her local museum and has become an advocate for the adoption of the Code in the wider cultural sector.

The keynote will be followed by the LAICMG AGM (members only), and an opportunity to network with refreshments

Tickets are free and available on eventbrite here on a first come first served basis.

Schedule :

17.30 Registration and refreshments

17:45 Welcome;

18.00 Keynote;

18.45 Q&A

19.00 AGM

19.15 Networking with refreshments

Dewey Decimal Classification numbers for Irish Travellers/Mincéirí in 2023

Detail of Traveller/Mincéir Caravan Wheel, Buttevant, Co. Cork. 1954
Detail of Caravan Wheel, Buttevant, Co. Cork. 1954 from The Wiltshire Photographic Collection Reproduced courtesy of the National Library of Ireland.

The LAICMG are pleased to announce that their proposal to add a specific class number for Irish Travellers/Mincéirí to the Dewey Decimal Classification system was successful.

Irish Travellers are a distinctive ethnic community based primarily in Ireland. However, throughout their history they have experienced widespread discrimination, exclusion, and stereotyping. This fact was somewhat reflective in the DDC, as Irish Travellers were not specifically mentioned in previous editions of Dewey and so works on this indigenous group were often misclassified.

The project proposal for the new numbers was approved by the  Dewey Editorial Policy Committee  in August 2023, following months of hard work by LAICMG committee members, led by Dean Waters (Assistant Librarian, Griffith College, Dublin) and Ruth O’Hara (Assistant Librarian, Maynooth University). Work on the process included collating lists of publications to establish sound ‘literary warranty’ and putting together a solid proposal which involved consultation with key stakeholders, including Irish Traveller representative groups, library colleagues and academics. 

The new changes are as follows:

  • A new subdivision especially for Irish Travellers (Mincéirí) at T5—91623 Irish Travellers (Mincéirí), under T5—9162 Irish. 
  • Add the resulting built numbers for Irish Travellers in sociology (305.891623) and history (941.500491623) to WebDewey.