The purpose of this project was to research and produce a proposal for implementing the Brian Deer Classification System (BDCS) in the Archives and Library in the Atwood Resource Center at the Anchorage Museum. The intended changes will improve the searchability of library holdings and more respectfully reflect the diverse communities the museum serves and the knowledge that it stewards. This project is in line with the museum’s stated goal to support and implement decolonizing practices.

The Military Legal Resource Collection was adopted by the LoC, originally from the William Winthrop Memorial Library at the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General (JAG)’s Legal Center and School. Over time the collection has grown by building on top of it's legacy information architecture, and thus this project aims to review this collection in its entirety to propose changes for a more uniform, accessible, and comprehensive navigation and user experience for LoC visitors. Additionally, due to the collection's history with JAG, this capstone will be mindful its historical legacy to JAG and make appropriate suggestions with care and respect.

Wex is an open-access legal encyclopedia and dictionary. Wex uses a tagging system adapted from a homegrown system used by LII staff in the late 1990s. Over time, terms have been added/indexed but the tagging system has remained the same. Currently, the organization and navigation for the Wex subject categories is confusing for users to navigate. Due to some constraints, the taxonomy cannot be overhauled completely and research on law taxonomy is limited. This project is the first step in improving the findability of terms for everyday users by updating the Wex taxonomy by adding, deleting and updating categories.

As a major omnichannel apparel retailer, lululemon employs thousands of retail associates across their 700+ stores. With a large and diverse product catalog, new employees must spend significant time learning what to recommend to shoppers. To combat steep onboarding time, we leveraged OpenAI’s latest GPT-4 model to create the lululemon AI tutor. The AI tutor is a web-based, internal platform that assists with the onboarding and training processes for newly hired lululemon in-store associates. The AI tutor utilizes Socratic-style questioning to gauge associate product familiarity and fill in critical knowledge gaps, facilitating efficient and thorough employee onboarding.

This project consists of a review of digital collections on the Library of Congress Law Library website, focusing on increasing findability and accessibility. The specific collections covered by this project are the Statutes at Large and the U.S. Code. Though the two collections carry much of the same information, the accessibility needs are different. I have made a series of recommendations based on user-centered design to update the research guide and other supplemental materials, increase efficacy of metadata, and redesign existing organization of the collections. I have also included suggestions for outreach programs to expand the collections’ use.

For over 100 years, The Daily Utah Chronicle has published the student voices of the University of Utah. Many of these stories have been archived, but there are significant chunks missing. Just over 23% of the Chrony’s work has not been archived, and there are no procedures in place to keep the archive updated. I wrote a manual for them containing an in-depth analysis, a plan of action, and a concise archival process for leadership to implement. This will provide a clear path to archiving the past, and be a good compass for preserving the student voices of the future.

This project evaluated models for the preservation and redistribution of the collocated Law Library of Congress digital collection material within the American Memory Project “Evolution of the American Conservation Movement, 1850-1920” collection, which has been decommissioned, making access to this material difficult. Keeping these materials together and accessible provides users with a historical context for current conservation activities and legal proceedings. The final models selected are sub-pages highlighting the collection on the Statutes at Large digital collection Articles and Essays page, a cascading timeline StoryMap showcasing important years, and In Custodia Legis blog posts promoting the aforementioned models.

We examined the use of the Dewey Decimal System in a K-8 library, with the goal of increasing circulation of nonfiction materials. We provided our sponsor with an organizational framework she will use to reorganize the nonfiction section, as well as illustrated section signage and themed book kits. Our project proved that rethinking Dewey is a worthwhile endeavor, and encouraged Open Window School students to be part of the process of reimagining their library space.

The Seattle Girls’ School (SGS) is an all-girls middle school in the Central District. To support SGS’ ongoing commitment to inclusivity and cultural competency, this project designed library systems that cultivate values of diversity, advocacy, and empowerment. We designed and facilitated four participatory design sessions with students to rework the nonfiction library’s collection development and classification practices. In collaboration with Student Librarians and the SGS staff, we implemented two physical check-out zones to increase engagement with and community responsibility for library materials. As the SGS library grows, this project creates opportunities for student leadership and innovation in community sustained librarianship.