Showing papers in "Cataloging & Classification Quarterly in 2004"
TL;DR: The IFLA FRBR study was begun in 1992 in a context of much questioning about how bibliographic records and catalogs would work in changing technology, questions that continue to be relevant even now as technology continues to evolve and reveal new possibilities.
Abstract: Pat Riva is chair of the FRBR Review Group and a member of the IFLA Cataloguing Section Standing Committee. She is also coordonatrice, section des monographies, direction du traitement documentaire de la collection patrimoniale at the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec in Montreal, Québec, Canada. She can be reached by email at patricia.rivabanq.qc.ca T he Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) study [1] was published by the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) in 1998, the final report of a study group reporting to the Cataloguing Section. Much more has been written on the origins and context for the study [2]. The IFLA FRBR study was begun in 1992 in a context of much questioning about how bibliographic records and catalogs would work in changing technology, questions that continue to be relevant even now as technology continues to evolve and reveal new possibilities. The concept of defining functional requirements is user-focused at its center; knowledge of the uses (and users) of the information system to be designed provides a basis for making informed decisions on design options. In daily work this reasoning is often implicit; the FRBR study sought to make these considerations explicit. When applied to bibliographic records, this functional requirements concept emphasizes the importance of understanding the function of the data elements being recorded and how these elements each contribute to meeting user needs. Once the fundamental question \" Why? \" has been answered, there is a sound and principled basis for making recommendations on what should be implemented and how. Users of bibliographic systems include both the end-users of information retrieval systems and the information workers who assist end-users and maintain the databases. The needs of both groups were considered by the FRBR study group as they worked to understand how resource discovery systems are used. Uses which may seem infinitely varied on the surface do have common elements. The IFLA Study Group on the functional requirements for bibliographic records (1998) concluded that, in their most general form, there are four basic user tasks: I to find entities that correspond to the user's stated search criteria (i.e., to locate either a single entity or a set of entities in a file or database as the result of a search using an attribute or relationship of the entity); I to identify an entity (i.e., to confirm that the entity described corresponds to the entity sought or to …
110 citations
TL;DR: The technique of facet analysis has profoundly influenced thesauri evolution and acted as models for two distinct breeds of thesaurus using faceted displays of terms.
Abstract: SUMMARY After a period of experiment and evolution in the 1950s and 1960s, a fairly standard format for thesauri was established with the publication of the influential Thesaurus of Engineering and Scientific Terms (TEST) in 1967. This and other early thesauri relied primarily on the presentation of terms in alphabetical order. The value of a classified presentation was subsequently realised, and in particular, the technique of facet analysis has profoundly influenced thesaurus evolution. Thesaurofacet and the Art & Architecture Thesaurus have acted as models for two distinct breeds of thesaurus using faceted displays of terms. As of the 1990s, the expansion of end-user access to vast networked resources is imposing further requirements on the style and structure of controlled vocabularies. The international standards for thesauri, first conceived in a print-based era, are badly in need of updating. Work is in hand in the UK and the USA to revise and develop standards in support of electronic thesauri.
54 citations
TL;DR: The current state of authority control as compared to the visions of the 1979 LITA (Library Information and Technology Association) Institutes and the 1984 Authority Control Interest Group is discussed in this article.
Abstract: SUMMARY Authority control is necessary for meeting the catalog's objectives of enabling users to find the works of an author and to collocate all works of a person or corporate body. This article looks at the current state of authority control as compared to the visions of the 1979 LITA (Library Information and Technology Association) Institutes and the 1984 Authority Control Interest Group. It explores a new view of IFLA's Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC) and a future vision of a virtual international authority file as a building block for the Semantic Web, and reinforces the importance of authority control to improve the precision of searches of large databases or the Internet.
38 citations
TL;DR: The purpose of adapting the LCSH with a simplified syntax to create FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) headings is to retain the very rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use.
Abstract: The Library of Congress Subject Headings schema (LCSH) is the most commonly used and widely accepted subject vocabulary for general application. It is the de facto universal controlled vocabulary and has been a model for developing subject heading systems by many countries. However, LCSH's complex syntax and rules for constructing headings restrict its application by requiring highly skilled personnel and limit the effectiveness of automated authority control. Recent trends, driven to a large extent by the rapid growth of the Web, are forcing changes in bibliographic control systems to make them easier to use, understand, and apply, and subject headings are no exception. The purpose of adapting the LCSH with a simplified syntax to create FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) headings is to retain the very rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use. The schema maintains compatibility with LCSH - any valid Library of Congress subject heading can be converted to FAST headings.
38 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors define authority control and vocabulary control and their place and utility in modern cataloguing, and propose an international program under the Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC) umbrella, using an international code of descriptive cataloguing.
Abstract: SUMMARY Defines authority control and vocabulary control and their place and utility in modern cataloguing. Discusses authority records and authority files and the use and purposes of each. Describes the creation of authority records and the sources from which authority data are collected. Discusses “metadata” schemes and their manifold and manifest inadequacies; points out the relationship of the Dublin Core to the MARC family of standards and the fact that both are framework standards–the first, simplistic and naive; the second, complex and nuanced. Defines precision and recall as desiderata in indexing and retrieval schemes and relates them to authority control in catalogues. Discusses the problems involved in cataloguing electronic documents and resources, and proposes an international program under the Universal Bibliographic Control (UBC) umbrella, using an international code of descriptive cataloguing, and based on an international name authority file. Calls for urgent action on these proposals.
32 citations
TL;DR: The MACS project is to develop a Web-based link and search interface through which equivalents between three Subject Heading Languages can be created and maintained, and by which users can access online databases in the language of their choice.
Abstract: SUMMARY The MACS (Multilingual access to subjects) project is one of the many projects that are currently exploring solutions to multilingual subject access to online catalogs. Its strategy is to develop a Web-based link and search interface through which equivalents between three Subject Heading Languages–SWD/RSWK (Schlagwortnormdatei/Regeln fur den Schlagwortkatalog) for German, RAMEAU (Repertoire d'Autorite-Matiere Encyclopedique et Alphabetique Unifie) for French, and LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings) for English–can be created and maintained, and by which users can access online databases in the language of their choice. Factors that have led to this approach will be examined and the MACS linking strategy will be explained. The trend to using mapping or linking strategies between different controlled vocabularies to create multilingual access challenges the traditional view of the multilingual thesaurus.
28 citations
TL;DR: Encoded Archival Context promises to enhance access and understanding of records as well as provide an important resource independent of record description, and also promises to enable repositories to share creator description.
Abstract: SUMMARY Encoded Archival Context (EAC) is an ongoing initiative within the international archival community to design and implement a prototype standard based on Extensible Markup Language (XML) for encoding descriptions of record creators: individuals, families, and organizations that create records. EAC is intended to represent the descriptive data prescribed in the International Council for Archives' International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (ISAAR(CPF)). Description of record creators is an essential component of the preservation of the documentary evidence of human activity. A standard for creator description has many professional as well as economic benefits. EAC promises to enhance access and understanding of records as well as provide an important resource independent of record description. EAC also promises to enable repositories to share creator description. Given the costs of authority control and description, such sharing potentially will be a...
24 citations
TL;DR: The most significant result was that users expressed a preference for thesauri employment through interactive processing or a combination of automatic and interactive processing, compared to exclusively automatic processing.
Abstract: SUMMARY While information retrieval thesauri may improve search results, there is little research documenting whether general information system users employ these vocabulary tools. This article explores user comprehension and searching with thesauri. Data were gathered as part of a larger empirical query-expansion study involving the ProQuest® Controlled Vocabulary. The results suggest that users' knowledge of thesauri is extremely limited. After receiving a basic thesaurus introduction, however, users indicate a desire to employ these tools. The most significant result was that users expressed a preference for thesauri employment through interactive processing or a combination of automatic and interactive processing, compared to exclusively automatic processing. This article defines information retrieval thesauri, summarizes research results, considers circumstances underlying users' knowledge and searching with thesauri, and highlights future research needs.
20 citations
TL;DR: New features of ISAAR(CPF) which enhance the possibility of establishing relationships between archival description systems and bibliographic catalogues, sharing or exchanging authority data on corporate bodies, persons, and families which are creators of archives or responsible for the creation or edition of books are described.
Abstract: SUMMARY The International Standard Archival Authority Record (Corporate Bodies, Persons, Families), ISAAR(CPF), is a standard developed by the International Council on Archives for the management of creators of archives in archival descriptive systems. Since 2001, ISAAR(CPF) has been undergoing a revision process which will conclude at the next International Congress of Archives in Vienna in August 2004 when a second edition of the standard will be issued. The draft of the new edition of the standard, prepared by the Committee on Descriptive Standards, contains various changes in comparison with the first edition. The paper describes these changes, discussing their theoretical relevance, methodological implications, and practical consequences in archival descriptive systems. It focuses in particular on the new features of ISAAR(CPF) which enhance the possibility of establishing relationships between archival description systems and bibliographic catalogues, sharing or exchanging authority data on corporat...
18 citations
TL;DR: The history, scope, and functions of the General Material Designation (GMD) are reviewed, and agreement exists that a sound definition for the “mode of expression” is still needed.
Abstract: The history, scope, and functions of the General Material Designation (GMD) are reviewed. Reasons for difficulties in using GMDs, the hybrid nature of GMDs, and their functional nature are examined. Future uses of GMD in an international context are discussed. Agreement exists that a sound definition for the “mode of expression” is still needed.
18 citations
TL;DR: The evolution and current status of tools and resources for authority control of art information are traced, and examples of how the lack of authority control can impede end-user access are given.
Abstract: SUMMARY Until the 1980s, concepts like authority control, controlled vocabularies, and metadata and schemas were all but unknown in the world of art and material culture information. This paper traces the evolution and current status of tools and resources for authority control of art information, and gives examples of how the lack of authority control can impede end-user access. Collection-specific thesauri and subject indexes, and vocabulary-assisted searching and query expansion are also discussed.
TL;DR: This selected bibliography is to introduce issues and problems in relation to thesaurus construction and to present a set of readings that may be used in practical Thesaurus design.
Abstract: SUMMARY The purpose of this selected bibliography is to introduce issues and problems in relation to thesaurus construction and to present a set of readings that may be used in practical thesaurus design. The concept of thesaurus is discussed, including the purpose of the thesaurus and how the concept has evolved over the years according to new IR technologies. Different approaches to thesaurus construction are introduced, and readings dealing with specific problems and developments in the collection, formation, and organisation of thesaurus concepts and terms are presented. Primarily manual construction methods are discussed, but the bibliography also refers to research about techniques for automatic thesaurus construction.
TL;DR: The NACO family of libraries is expanding at a rate of about 50 new members annually as discussed by the authors, which includes institutions from all but four of the 50 U.S. states and 43 institutions in 16 countries within Europe, Africa, Oceania, Asia, and Latin America.
Abstract: The Name Authority Cooperative (NACO), founded in 1976, now encompasses some 395 institutions that have collectively developed and maintained a database of more than 2,000,000 authority records in addition to the more than 3,500,000 records created by Library of Congress staff. The NACO family of libraries is expanding at a rate of about 50 new members annually. The membership includes institutions from all but four of the 50 U.S. states and 43 institutions in 16 countries within Europe, Africa, Oceania, Asia, and Latin America. The NACO model has changed over time to create more cost-effective and user-friendly policies and procedures to meet participants' needs. Increased recognition, especially by library administrators, of the value of authority control also encouraged NACO to flourish. This presentation explains membership requirements, benefits to the participants, as well as the role of the Library of Congress which serves as secretariat to NACO and oversees a variety of training and documentation activities to support program operations. One of NACO's unique features - the opportunity to participate via a Funnel Project in which a group of institutions band together - is also described. Internationally, as the trend towards adopting AACR (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules) and MARC 21 increases, the number of NACO partners outside the U.S. also increases. For countries where other standards prevail or where English is not the official language, NACO can serve as a model framework for a national program to consider while awaiting longer-term development of a more global approach to authority control.
TL;DR: Forty years ago, the ICCP in Paris laid the foundations of international co-operation in descriptive cataloging without explicitly speaking of authority control, and the evolution progressed from the principle of uniform heading to the definition of authority entries and records.
Abstract: SUMMARY Forty years ago, the ICCP in Paris laid the foundations of international co-operation in descriptive cataloging without explicitly speaking of authority control. Some of the factors in the evolution of authority control are the development of catalogs (from card catalog to local automation, to today's OPAC on the Web) and services provided by libraries (from individual service to local users to system networks, to the World Wide Web), as well as international agreements on cataloging (from Paris Principles to the UBC programme, to the report on Mandatory Data Elements for Internationally Shared Resource Authority Records). This evolution progressed from the principle of uniform heading to the definition of authority entries and records, and from the responsibility of national bibliographic agencies for the form of the names of their own authors to be shared internationally to the concept of authorized equivalent heading. Some issues of the present state are the persisting differences among nationa...
TL;DR: A nine-stage procedure to build a thesaurus systematically is presented, using agriculture as the sample topic area and model solutions are given and discussed.
Abstract: SUMMARY A nine-stage procedure to build a thesaurus systematically is presented. Each stage offers exercises to put the theory into practice, using agriculture as the sample topic area. Model solutions are given and discussed.
TL;DR: The activities of the group to build liaison relationships with other sectors of the information community that create and maintain data which are similar to library authority files are described.
Abstract: SUMMARY Discusses the work of the IFLA Working Group on Functional Requirements and Numbering of Authority Records. Describes the activities of the group to build liaison relationships with other sectors of the information community that create and maintain data which are similar to library authority files. Provides a description of the entity-relationship model being developed by the Working Group to extend the FRBR model to cover authority data.
TL;DR: LEAF is developing a model architecture for collecting, harvesting, linking of, and providing access to existing local or national name authority data, independent from their creation in libraries, archives, museums or other institutions and independent from national differences.
Abstract: SUMMARY LEAF tries to enhance search and retrieval facilities by providing high quality access to international authority information for everyone. For this purpose LEAF is developing a model architecture for collecting, harvesting, linking of, and providing access to existing local or national name authority data, independent from their creation in libraries, archives, museums or other institutions and independent from national differences. When a user searches for a name string, LEAF will search the records of all LEAF Data Providers and combine these records to one single LEAF authority record. This record will automatically be stored in a “Central Name Authority File” which will thus contain international name information of high quality and high user relevance, as it will only contain records for which searches were actually done.
TL;DR: The three main arguments assumed for the relevance of the concept of metadata: the growing number of heterogeneous genres of information resources, the new emerging scenarios for interoperability, and issues related to the cost and complexity of current technology are stressed.
Abstract: SUMMARY This paper discusses the concept of “metadata” in the scope of the “digital library,” two terms recently used in a great diversity of perspectives. It is not the intent to promote privilege of any particular view, but rather to help provide a better understanding of these multiple perspectives. The paper starts with a discussion of the concept of digital library, followed by an analysis of the concept of metadata. It continues with a discussion about the relationship of this concept with technology, services, and scenarios of application. The concluding remarks stress the three main arguments assumed for the relevance of the concept of metadata: the growing number of heterogeneous genres of information resources, the new emerging scenarios for interoperability, and issues related to the cost and complexity of current technology.
TL;DR: A survey on randomly selected books in McLennan Library of McGill University is presented to compare the codes of this new classification with the currently employed Library of Congress Classification numbers in the discipline of Library and Information Sciences.
Abstract: This proposed new classification scheme is based on two main elements: hierarchism and binary theory. Hence, it is called Universal Binary Classification (UBC). Some advantages of this classification are highlighted including subject heading development, construction of a thesaurus, and all terms with meaningful features arranged in tabular form that can help researchers, through a semantic process, to find what they need. This classification scheme is fully consistent with the classification of knowledge. The classification of knowledge is also based on hierarchism and binary principle. Finally, a survey on randomly selected books in McLennan Library of McGill University is presented to compare the codes of this new classification with the currently employed Library of Congress Classification (LCC) numbers in the discipline of Library and Information Sciences.
TL;DR: MACS (Multilingual Access to Subjects) allows users to carry out searches in major national library collections in Europe using subject headings in their own languages.
Abstract: SUMMARY Shared authority files and cooperation in the development of national lists, both author and subject, have enabled libraries to share resources and improve access to their collections. As we move from national resource sharing to a more international approach, we face problems accessing catalogues in other languages. By creating links between existing subject heading languages (initially in French, German, and English), MACS (Multilingual Access to Subjects) allows users to carry out searches in major national library collections in Europe using subject headings in their own languages. An operational service will be available in 2004.
TL;DR: In this paper, three workshops were held discussing name authority control in the region in 2001 and 2002, and IFLA's work on UBC/IM as well as FRBR and VIAF were introduced in the workshops to set a framework for regional development.
Abstract: SUMMARY Personal names in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean appear not only in domestic publications but also in publications of foreign regions in original, transcribed, and transliterated forms, and produce misleading searches and confusion among information users. National bibliographic control in China, Japan, and Korea is reviewed to determine the status and common tasks. Three workshops were held discussing name authority control in the region in 2001 and 2002. IFLA's work on UBC/IM as well as FRBR and VIAF were introduced in the workshops to set a framework for regional development. Future regional cooperation was pursued among national bibliographic agencies in East Asia.
TL;DR: The findings suggest that PKUL has two advantages over OCLC and RLIN that would reduce human errors in word division in cataloging and searching.
Abstract: This study addresses how syllable or word division in bibliographic records of Chinese materials affects title keyword searches. Title keyword searches with both syllable division and word division are conducted in OCLC, RLIN, and Peking University Library (PKUL), and results are compared in terms of recall and precision. It is found that with both OCLC and RLIN, the recall and precision percentages vary greatly if the syllables of a keyword in the search are aggregated or not. In contrast, for PKUL, the recall and precision percentages remain high and the same in both ways. The findings suggest that PKUL has two advantages over OCLC and RLIN that would reduce human errors in word division in cataloging and searching.
TL;DR: Basic concepts relevant to controlled vocabularies are defined and criteria for evaluating vocabulary management software are outlined and four representative vocabulary management products are provided.
Abstract: SUMMARY This article defines basic concepts relevant to controlled vocabularies and outlines criteria for evaluating vocabulary management software. A comparison of four representative vocabulary management products is provided in an accompanying appendix.
TL;DR: Examples of ways that information found on the Web can be used to facilitate cataloging processes are discussed and given.
Abstract: Today's catalogers in larger libraries have Web access on their desktops, which puts many resources just a click away. Cataloging tools and documentation are available through Web browser interfaces. Many library online catalogs are accessible for searching class numbers and other cataloging information. Web sites of publishers, governmental agencies, and individual authors abound, providing a wealth of information. Having this information readily available has had an impact on cataloging. The ability to have more than one open window on the desktop enables catalogers to copy and paste cataloging information from multiple sources. Web resources provide critical information about the context for the item in hand, resulting in better cataloging records and more accurate access points. This article discusses and gives examples of ways that information found on the Web can be used to facilitate cataloging processes.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide an overview on the latest developments of Chinese authority control work implemented in Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong, together with detailed statistical data on coverage, size, and subscription rates of individual databases.
Abstract: SUMMARY This research paper provides an overview on the latest developments of Chinese authority control work implemented in Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong. In this research, a variety of authority databases developed by different national libraries and leading academic institutions are featured, together with detailed statistical data on coverage, size, and subscription rates of individual databases. Authority record samples collected from individual databases are also documented. This research study provides materials for discussions that can generate an increased understanding of the practical manifestations of authority control works carried out by different libraries among the regions of East Asia. It is hoped that the research findings documented in this paper can facilitate better cooperative cataloguing and resource sharing of Chinese/Japanese/Korean (CJK) materials among libraries on a global scale.
TL;DR: The relationship between classification/indexing and retrieval is discussed and it is suggested that if the library is not only a place for book collection but is a place where people fill their information needs, and also that librarianship is not mainly about classification,but is a discipline by which the authors retrieve information and receive knowledge, they may see a great change in the retrieval process.
Abstract: In this article the relationship between classification/indexing and retrieval is discussed. In library and information science, classification and retrieval have always been closely associated with each other. But in certain ages, because of a lack of interest in applying knowledge, it was thought that libraries were just a place for gathering and keeping books and other documents as assets. And therefore, people thought that classification was simply for arrangement, in order to have a kind of system for objects that they considered to be luxuries. The reason for this lies in their static view of things, including libraries. Changing attitudes and having a dynamic view of the world of reality will change everything. Thus, if we define that the library is not only a place for book collection but is a place where people fill their information needs, and also that librarianship is not mainly about classification, but is a discipline by which we retrieve information and receive knowledge, we may se...
TL;DR: Since 1951, the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Music Documentation Centres has faced issues of authority control by promoting the publication of an international cataloguing code, through specific working groups (on the structure for uniform titles, on UNIMARC, on the exchange of authority data, and on indexing of music performances), and through international catalogued projects.
Abstract: Music is a global and independent language: its main feature is being performed and disseminated far beyond national boundaries. The cataloguing process takes into account all kinds of documents preserving music and information about musical events: printed and manuscript music, sound recordings, librettos and concert programs, music periodicals, and books on music. International repertories, reference tools, and standards were developed by the mid-20th century. Authority control for music materials focuses on two different groups of problems: common access points like names have to fulfil specific needs, and terms identifying and giving access to the musical content, such as the uniform title, have to be introduced and controlled. Several issues concerning names need to be faced, varying from the different writings of the same name, to transliteration, to attribution and disambiguation. Specific issues concern music materials: access through generic titles such as sonata is often frustrating. There is thus the need to create controlled access points through content-related data such as medium of performance, musical form, thematic catalogue number, and music incipit. Since 1951, the International Association of Music Libraries, Archives and Music Documentation Centres has faced issues of authority control by promoting the publication of an international cataloguing code, through specific working groups (on the structure for uniform titles, on UNIMARC, on the exchange of authority data, and on indexing of music performances), and through international cataloguing projects.
TL;DR: Eight of the most commonly encountered issues and inconsistent practices in Chinese cataloging are discussed and it is hoped that these inconsistent practices can be recognized and avoided in the future.
Abstract: This article addresses some unresolved cataloging issues related to pinyin romanization, vernacular application, field coding, and other aspects of Chinese cataloging in OCLC These issues lead to inconsistencies in the way Chinese materials are cataloged, though cataloging standards and romanization rules are made and the processes of the projects like Pinyin Conversion, Manual Review, and Pinyin Clean-Up have been completed In this article, eight of the most commonly encountered issues and inconsistent practices in Chinese cataloging are discussed Examples from Chinese records created with OCLC CJK software in WorldCat are used to demonstrate the problems they raise With the discussion, it is hoped that these inconsistent practices can be recognized and avoided in the future
TL;DR: The problems in assigning book numbers (Cutter numbers) to printed materials under the LCC System are explored and the existing problems have blocked or invaded the usage of some numbers and letters ruled by the LC Cutter Table.
Abstract: With more than a million books published each year, thousands of books will be cataloged and shelved in libraries. Assigning book numbers efficiently and balancing the distribution of main entries over the LC Cutter Table entries have become critical issues for shelving later entries in libraries using the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system. This paper aims to explore and discuss the problems in assigning book numbers (Cutter numbers) to printed materials under the LCC System. The existing problems have blocked or invaded the usage of some numbers and letters ruled by the LC Cutter Table. The reason is either not following the LC Cutter Table well, or confusion in using the Table. Directly downloading the LC record to the local database adds more questions to the issue.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the commercial services available for providing authority control in online catalogs and identified common reasons cited by libraries for outsourcing authority control and examined in-depth the types of authority control services.
Abstract: SUMMARY This paper examines the commercial services available for providing authority control in online catalogs. It identifies common reasons cited by libraries for outsourcing authority control and examines in-depth the types of authority control services. These include retrospective cleanup of the authority and bibliographic files, ongoing authority control work for newly cataloged bibliographic records and previously cataloged records where headings have changed, and periodic file reauthorizations when there was a one-time retrospective authority control database cleanup, but the library did not contract ongoing authority control services. The three phases of the outsourced authority control process are discussed, including preprocessing, machine matching, and manual record review. Finally, reports produced by the vendors are mentioned and challenges for automated international authority control are discussed.