Tenure Track Faculty Candidate Visit, Simmons College, Boston, MA

Posted November 29, 2017

The SLIS Community is invited to a presentation by SLIS Faculty Candidate: Heather Moulaison-Sandy, Ph.D., Associate Professor, iSchool at the University of Missouri.

Knowledge organization systems: How universal? What diversity?

Organization of information is a pillar of library and information science. As part of the process of making materials discoverable in retrieval systems, information professionals employ knowledge organization systems (KOSs) such as Library of Congress Subject Headings and Dewey Decimal Classification notation. Universal systems like these are ultimately functional, but shoulder the burden of a mainstream, Western bias that limits their usefulness 1) by diverse users 2) for access to non-mainstream resources. In these cases, subject searching on the part of the user is fraught, and classification has the potential to group in ways that are meaningless. Drawing from both conceptual and empirical research projects, this presentation explores universal KOSs as stalwart systems that serve to organize and provide access, yet fundamentally questions their usefulness other than for mainstream users and resources. Specialized KOSs and alternative methods of providing access are explored, along with considerations and recommendations for going forward. 

2:00 PM ▪ Thursday, December 7, 2017

LEF*L005 

A binder containing the candidate’s C.V. and publications is available in the SLIS student lounge. Please contact COCIS OPS at [email protected].

Scheduled time-slots for Staff/Students: