Rider University Libraries acknowledges the biased and pejorative nature of the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) “Aliens” “Alien…” and "Illegal aliens" to refer to noncitizens and undocumented immigrants, respectively--and the harm it causes. While a change in terminology was approved by the Library of Congress in 2016, it was not enacted due to opposition by the 115th Congress (2017). As Rider University Libraries uses LCSH as its standard vocabulary, we are currently investigating how to best enact alternative terminology that will still ensure access to all materials on this topic.
