Queerly categorized: LGBTQ+ subjects and language in the catalog

Abstract

Libraries are meant to be places where one can find materials to fill all number of information needs, but information on privileged groups has long been overrepresented. Queer materials are infamously difficult to find, especially for inexperienced searchers. The causes of this difficulty are complex, and a concrete solution to this problem does not yet exist. However, one truth is supremely clear: the patchwork solutions of the past are not serving our users well, and recent suggestions to draw on the queer community for answers would be a good way to include our users in the cataloging process, but it is not a replacement for a well-organized, professional method of categorization. We as information professionals have a responsibility to solve this open problem – users deserve a system that allows them to easily access the materials that they need for research, personal growth, and self-exploration. The information community must continue to seek a comprehensive, concrete answer to the question of how queer materials should be cataloged.