Abstract
This article describes a reparative description initiative at an academic library aimed at improving access to women’s archival collections. By hiring a metadata specialist through grant funding, the project revised legacy MARC records to update, expand, and standardize collection descriptions. Prioritizing inclusive language and accurate subject headings, the team addressed gaps that previously hindered discovery of women’s materials. Over two years, 818 records were remediated, enhancing creator, topical, and genre/form access points. The article discusses project challenges, strategies for respectful description, and the resulting improved discoverability, offering a replicable model for reparative archival work.
Author Biography
Allison McCormack is the Original Cataloger for Special Collections at the University of Utah's Marriott Library. Hallie Oines is the Catalog and Metadata Librarian at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. She previously held the position of Metadata Specialist at the Marriott Library.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Recommended Citation
McCormack, Allison and Oines, Hallie
(2026)
"More than a Name: Reparative Description for Women’s Archives,"
Journal of Western Archives: Vol. 17:
Iss.
1, Article 6.
DOI: 10.59620/2154-7149.1204
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/westernarchives/vol17/iss1/6
