The University of Tennessee (University of Tennessee, School of Information Sciences)

The University of Tennessee, alongside the University of Missouri and Dominican University, will employ a user-based approach to better understand and meet the needs of LGBTQ+ library users, focusing specifically on the role of metadata in library cataloging. The project team will employ user studies, analysis, and focus groups to better understand how adult LGBTQ+ library users make use of current library catalogs and metadata, and how this metadata could be enhanced to better reflect the language, needs, and uses of this diverse group of library users. This project will reduce barriers associated with library use and increase access to information, while also offering insight and practical suggestions to librarians for how to better provide resources to the LGBTQ+ community. The results will benefit libraries and LBGTQ+ community members and provide a blueprint for future studies involving other marginalized communities.