Brock University Library provides access to a diverse range of materials in our collections and those of other libraries. We describe these collections, which are discoverable in Omni and other library search tools, using national and international controlled vocabularies and standards. These standards have been developed over a long period of time and include outdated language to describe marginalized communities. We acknowledge that these outdated terms are inequitable, offensive, or harmful and recognize that their continued use upholds the library’s place as a colonial institution that contributes to white supremacy, ableism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination and bias. 

In line with the Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, the guiding values of inclusivity, diversity, equity, reconciliation, and decolonization articulated in Brock University’s 2018-2025 Strategic Plan, and the Cataloging Code of Ethics, we are committed to making the way we describe our collections more inclusive, accurate, and respectful of the communities, people, and knowledge represented in them. Our goal is not to erase harmful and offensive terms from Omni and other library search tools as part of the historical record, rather it is our intent to intervene and create updated descriptions that are equitable, diverse and inclusive.  

We approach this work with cultural humility and an understanding that improving our descriptive practices is a complex and ongoing process that requires reflection, continual learning, and engagement with the communities represented in our collections. The actions we are taking include: 

1. Engaging in ongoing discussions locally about our descriptive practices and monitoring or participating in decolonizing initiatives organized by the Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) and other national and professional organizations. 
2. Providing seed funding to NIKLA (National Indigenous Knowledge & Language Alliance), in support of their Respectful Terminology Project to create a national platform for respectful terminology.
3. Where appropriate and feasible, making use of alternative vocabularies and standards that more accurately and respectfully describe marginalized communities, including the First Nations, Metis and Inuit – Indigenous Ontologies, CRKN Interim Indigenous Subject Headings, and the Homosaurus. 
4. Reviewing feedback we receive and incorporating this feedback into our discussions and decision-making. 

If you encounter language that you find discriminatory in our website, collections, exhibitions or elsewhere, and if you have feedback, please email libhelp@brocku.ca or complete this form. 

This acknowledgement draws on the work of many others, including Carleton University Library, Western Libraries, OCAD University Library, and the University of Michigan Library, and will be reviewed and updated periodically.