HILCC: A Hierarchical Interface to Library of Congress Classification

TLDR: The project's objective was to assess the potential of using the Library of Congress classification numbers as provided in standard catalog records to generate a structured, hierarchical menuing system for subject access to resources in the Libraries' electronic collections.

Abstract: This paper describes the first phase of a project at Columbia University Libraries to create a hierarchical interface to LC classification (HILCC). The project's objective was to assess the potential of using the Library of Congress classification numbers as provided in standard catalog records to generate a structured, hierarchical menuing system for subject access to resources in the Libraries' electronic collections. The classification mapping table -jointly developed by the Libraries' systems, cataloging and reference staff- links each LC classification range with entry vocabulary in a three-level subject tree. Classification numbers and other metadata elements are extracted from catalog records in the Libraries' OPAL on a weekly basis, matched against the HILCC mapping table and then used to create browsable subject category menus to guide users to e-resource subject content.