Sanford Berman

ction Librarian!

Sanford Berman

1933, October 6 : Born in Chicago, IL

1961: MS in Library Science from Catholic University of America

1971: Writes “Prejudices and Antipathies” about prejudicial LC Subject Headings.

1973: Becomes Head Cataloger at Hennepin County Library, MN

1989: Received American Library Association (ALA) Equality Award

1999: “Retires” from Hennepin County Library

The Basics

Gilyard, 1999. Courtesy of Chris Dodge

Berman, S (1990’s)

Sanford Berman

Prejudicial Subject Headings

Sanford Berman

•Demeaning to Women

•Ethnocentric, or Racist

•Christo-Centric

•Ableist

Where People and Cultures were concerned, Berman felt that the Library of Congress Subject Headings were more often than not:

• Hetero-Normative, or Homophobic

•Ageist

•Classist

Sanford Berman

Ethnocentric, or Racist

• Wrong or Offensive Terminology

BUSHMEN, YELLOW PERIL, RED MAN, ORIENTAL, ESKIMO, JEWISH QUESTION, NEGRO…

• Assumed Primary Subject White and/ or European/ North American

Berman, S (1981)

Sanford Berman

HOMOSEXUALITYxx Sexual Perversion

LYNCHINGxx Criminal Justice, Administration of (does NOT link to Homicide)

GIPSIESxx Rogues and Vagabonds

POORxx Trampsxx Begging

Loaded Referral statements:

Berman, S (1993)

Sanford Berman

"Cataloging should be fun. And challenging. And useful."

Roberto, K. R., & Berman, S. (1999). Courtesy of Mitch Freedman.

Sanford Berman

Library of Congress fails to:

• Use updated terminology

• Include recent terms for current events, people or things

• Use known references for terms, even those considered “inappropriate”

Sanford Berman

"Bibliocide by cataloging"

Sanford Berman

Hiding Information• Items are cataloged in unreadable “library jargon”

•Improper cataloging keeps the Reader from finding their intended information

• Unhelpful Subject Headings hide information

• Outdated or refusal to use contemporary terms in Cataloging hides information

• Use of incorrect and prejudicial terms in Headings hides information

Sanford Berman

Warrior, BetsyWorking on wife abuse … 1978.

“Publications and films” p. 64-72.

Wife Beating – Directories. I. Title

Warrior, Betsy.Working on wife abuse … 1978.

Directory of women’s shelters, feminist counseling centers, and “women working on all aspects of wife abuse,” together with an annotated list of “publications and films.”

Scope: United States and Canada

Women’s Shelters -- Directories. Feminist counseling and therapy -- Directories. Battered Women -- Bibliography. Battered Women -- Filmography. Women’s Projects and Services – Directories. Battered Women – Research – Directories. Wife Beating – Bibliography. Wife Beating – Research – Directories. Wife Beating – Filmography. I. Title: Wife Abuse Directory.

Berman, 1981, pg. 139

Sanford Berman

Sommer, Robert.Street Art. Links, 1975.66 pages.Includes 84 unpaged plates, some in color.Mural painting and decoration, American.Graffiti -- United States.Ethnic art -- United states.Radical art -- United States.Art and society -- United States.751.73

Sommer, RobertStreet art / Robert Sommer. New York : Links, [1975]x, 66 p., [42] leaves of plates : ill. (some col.) ; 21 cm.Bibliography: p. 65-66.Art and society -- United States. Art, Amateur -- United States. Street art -- United States. 709.73

Berman, 1981, pg. 9

Sanford Berman

“Sandy Berman is a major pain in the ass. He runs a horse and buggy cataloging operation in Minnesota and he thinks he can tell us how to do our jobs. He’s an insufferable, self-righteous, unrealistic, naïve, head-in-the-clouds idealist who knows nothing about the real world of grind it out bibliographic data.”

-”Fred”Library of Congress

Dodge and DeSirey, 1995, pg. 70Gilyard, B. (1999) Image By Jackie Urbanovic

Sanford Berman

“Sandy Berman has influenced an entire generation of librarians by showing that activism and librarianship can co-exist. He challenged the notion of what it was to be a librarian and expanded the parameters of librarianship… He was an untiring crusader against the racist, sexist, obscure and unclear subject headings…”

-Byron AndersonHead of Reference Northern Illinois

University

Roberto & Berman, 1999Katia Roberto

Roberto, K. R., & Berman, S. (1999)

BibliographyBerman, S. (1981). The joy of cataloging: Essays, letters, reviews, and other explosions. Phoenix, AZ: Oryx Press.

Berman, S. (1988). Worth noting: Editorials, letters, essays, an interview, and bibliography. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.

Berman, S. (1990s). Sanford Berman website. Edina MN: Sanford Berman. www.sanfordberman.org

Berman, S. (1993). Prejudices and antipathies: A tract on the LC subject heads concerning people. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.

Copeman, George, Laidlaw and Murray-Ghilarducci (2003) Sanford Berman: Legendary Cataloger. School of Library, Archival and Information Studies: University of British Columbia.

Dodge, C., DeSirey, J., & Berman, S. (1995). Everything you always wanted to know about Sandy Berman but were afraid to ask. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co.

Gilyard, B. (1999, June 14). Sandy Berman's Last Stand. City Pages, 971(20). Roberto, K. R., & Berman, S. (1999). Kiss my filing indicators. The Sandy Berman rocks my socks issue #1. Urbana, Ill: Katia Roberto.

Presentation by: Kristin LaLonde