He attended University of California at Los Angeles, where he earned a BA in Political Science with minors in Sociology, Anthropology, and English, and where he was elected a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
Berman listed 225 headings with proposed alterations, additions, or deletions and cross-references to "more accurately reflect the language used in addressing these topics, to rectify errors of bias, and to better guide librarians and readers to material of interest.
"[8] Berman stated, "The fact that a number of meanings may be assigned to a given word explains why messages are subject to misinterpretation and why our communication is open to misunderstandings."
Berman also thought the use of language in headings should be clear and concise, and should reflect the current use of everyday people rather than only scientific or technical terms.
Libraries were supposed to oppose censorship and provide the widest possible spectrum of cultural, social, economic, political, religious, and sexual information.
Berman also is known for his role in encouraging the Library of Congress to drop such archaic headings as "Water Closet" in favor of contemporary terminology.
[13] During the last six months of 2005, working with the assistance of Steve Fesenmaier, Berman convinced the Library of Congress to create many new subject headings, including "American Dream," "Plutocracy," "West Virginia Mine Wars, 1897-1921," "The Battle of Blair Mountain, 1921," and several others.
[16] With other Minnesota librarians, as well as those nationally and internationally, Berman is known for promoting activist librarianship in which social justice is part and parcel of professional work.
Since 2005, he has led an effort to honor American labor leaders Mary Harris "Mother" Jones and Eugene Debs with commemorative postage stamps.
In December 2019, the Edina Human Rights and Relations Commission recognized Berman's commitment to social justice with the Tom Oye Award.