Core Documents of Our Democracy: Basics on Historical Document Research

At TCU, fostering a strong sense of community is central to our mission of developing ethical leaders and critical thinkers who are prepared to engage with a global society. We are committed to creating an environment where people from all backgrounds can thrive and contribute to our shared goals. A connected community leads to innovation, broader perspectives, and deeper understanding—values that lie at the heart of higher education.

Our library strives to provide descriptions that accurately reflect the richness of our collections while being mindful of the language used. We recognize that some descriptions in our catalog may contain outdated or offensive language, including terms that may be considered harmful. These terms may appear in older records created in previous decades. We are committed to minimizing the use of hurtful language in our catalog and invite you to reach out if you encounter such language.

Harmful or offensive language may appear for the following reasons:

• Some terms originally used to describe historically marginalized communities have been reclaimed by members of those communities.
• Language that was once in common use may no longer be appropriate or accepted by those it describes.
• We use standardized systems like Library of Congress Subject Headings for consistency in cataloging, but some terms within those systems have not yet been updated and may continue to reflect outdated language.
• In some cases, information has been transcribed directly from the original materials, which may include language reflective of past eras.

We understand that we are often describing communities with which we are not personally connected. As such, we are committed to ensuring that our descriptions are respectful and accurate. While we acknowledge that we may not always get it right, we are dedicated to ongoing reflection and improvement in our cataloging practices.

We are taking steps to address these issues, including reviewing and updating existing records and refining our processes for the future. This is a complex and continuous process, but we are fully committed to making progress. If you encounter language that feels hurtful or offensive in our catalog records, please contact us at LIBCataloging@tcu.edu .

This statement was adapted from those of Emory Libraries.  Last updated on 3/20/2025.