Intercultural Communication in Libraries: Practical Applications of Cultural Competency Principles to Metadata & Cataloging Librarianship is a research paper exploring the ways in which Metadata and Cataloging professionals could stand to benefit from building a cultural competency skillset. I argue that the work of metadata and cataloging librarians is ultimately subjective, influenced by both cultural and societal norms. As such, I assert that the work of professionals in these fields stands to be positively impacted by the utilization of tools for both intercultural and interpersonal communication. Criteria for this project required the application of principles outlined in David Brook’s 2023 book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen.

Jacqueline Jones-Vazquez is a second-year graduate student at SJSU’s School of Information, working towards a Master’s degree of Library & Information Science (MLIS). She is on the Information Organization Pathway, and aims to pursue a career in either Metadata or Cataloging librarianship. Jacqueline received her Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2017. Her interest in enrolling in a graduate course on intercultural communication was influenced heavily by her undergraduate coursework, which focused on the complex intersections of human societal structure, culture, and linguistics. Upon completion of her degree in Spring of 2025, Jacqueline hopes to channel her academic experience into actionable support for equity, diversity, and inclusion initiatives across professional spaces and beyond.