The Morgan Library & Museum is committed to making descriptions of all its collections publicly available. Through the careful construction of our catalog records, we aim to provide everyone, anywhere with the ability to research and explore our holdings. We endeavor to create and review records, always, with our users in mind. Our work aligns with the institution's values, as described in the Morgan's Strategic Plan.
Certain collection items held by the Morgan Library & Museum may include inaccurate or insensitive wording, as well as outdated cultural or geographical references and stereotypes. Such language may negatively impact user experience. In order to preserve and accurately present historical materials, as well as to ensure that attitudes and viewpoints of the past are not erased from the historical record, curators and catalogers will continue to preserve transcribed titles, captions, full-text documents, and inscriptions. We use quotation marks to denote language present in the item or another printed source cited in the record. We also add, where possible, contextual information about the creator, collector, period, and culture of such items to address their inaccurate or insensitive content.
Existing records are routinely reviewed for inaccurate or inappropriate language. In some cases, the original wording of the description may need to be retained in order to facilitate research and discovery. For example, we list unchanged supplied titles that may have been previously cited or appeared in publications. In other instances, inaccurate or inappropriate legacy language in the catalog record is replaced with current language that is respectful to people and events.
Accurate, respectful, and ethical cataloging is a priority in our collection description practice. We are committed to balancing research and discovery needs with sensitive presentation of content. We consider our work an ongoing effort, and we will continue to adapt our approach as cultural norms and language evolve.
If you encounter any inaccuracy or outdated language in Morgan collection descriptions, please contact us at corsair@themorgan.org. We also welcome additional information or observations that enhance our collection descriptions.