BCC2008/Auth/3
Report from the ALCTS-CCS Subject Analysis Committee
And other subject-related meetings
Beth Flood, Chair, Subject Access Subcommittee, MLA-BCC
Genre/Form Headings
CPSO presented a report on the concept and utility of genre/form headings to LC managers, which was approved in early July. The report set out principles to guide work on the genre/form thesaurus projects. It also enumerated recommendations for the management of future projects, one of which is for LC to appoint a project manager to coordinate all future projects. Generally, the approval of this report is the impetus for music and law to fully proceed with genre/form implementation projects.
LC has initiated a pilot project to test PCC-SACO participation in contributing genre-form headings for moving images and radio programs. Volunteers will propose new 155 headings in these two disciplines only. This project is a prelude to expanding genre/form implementation to other areas such as music and will help in developing a workflow for genre/form proposals.
In the motion picture genre/form implementation, the problem of lack of broader terms has now been addressed. CPSO is authorizing “Motion pictures,” “Television programs,” and “Radio programs” as form headings for use with collections of these types composed of multiple genres or forms to which a narrower heading cannot be applied. This allows them to be valid terms, and as such they can be added as broader terms to authority records for headings that do not currently have any (i.e. Survival television programs, Western films, Radio comedies)
ALCTS-CCS-SAC Subcommittee on Genre-Form Implementation
This subcommittee of the Subject Analysis Committee is charged with facilitating communication between the Library of Congress and communities with interest in genre/form terminologies, such as the moving image, music and law communities.
There was much discussion during this meeting about the definitions of “genre” and “form.” It was suggested that “form” should perhaps be considered as two categories – one dealing with physical format and one with intellectual organization. Also, the discussion raised questions such as: are genre/form terms applicable to the work level and the expression level, or just the work level? How much does genre equate to work level, and form to expression/manifestation level?
SACO
A strong suggestion arose from the Subcommittee on Genre-Form Implementation proposing a SACO Genre/Form Funnel, which would serve all the communities undertaking genre/form projects. Coordination of a genre/form funnel would allow procedures to be developed that would take into account the volume of headings (especially conversion of existing 650s) which expansion to other areas would entail. The pilot project to test PCC-SACO participation may be a precursor to establishing a SACO genre/form funnel.
The proposal of a SACO Music Funnel is being discussed, with much support from John Mitchell, SACO Coordinator at LC. Currently, suggestions are being taken by BCC for funnel project coordinators for music. The possibility of the above mentioned Genre/Form funnel would take some of the burden off of a Music funnel, enabling it to focus more on creation of new terms rather than doubling as a funnel for new terms and conversion of genre/form terms. A SACO web training course is being developed at LC which would probably be used by the SACO Music Funnel.
World Music Subject Wiki
The MLA Subject Access Subcommittee has a proposed project in the works to create a wiki addressing subject access to world music. The idea was mentioned during the ALCTS-CCS-SAC meeting, and interest was expressed widely, and particularly from the editor of the Dewey Decimal Classification at OCLC. The wiki will include links to world music related terminologies and a list of persons who could serve as resources for specific areas of world music.
LC News
In June, LC management approved the CPSO report, "Library of Congress Subject Headings : Pre- vs. Post-Coordination and Related Issues." The report supported the continued use of pre-coordinated subject headings, and made recommendations to reduce the costs for and further automate the process of subject cataloging.
Due to production problems, the 31st edition (2008) of the Library of Congress Subject Headings (the "red books") will not be available until spring 2009.
LC is working with the Semantic Web Deployment Working Group of the World Wide Web Consortium to develop SKOS (Simple Knowledge Organization System.) The goals of this project are to support use of classification systems and thesauri on the web, and specifically to encourage experimentation and use of LCSH on the web. More information is available at http://lcsh.info/
Return
to the 2008 Documents Menu
Return
to BCC Historical Documents Menu
Return
to BCC Home Page
Last updated August 21, 2008