I've experienced poor cataloguing firsthand, and believe me, it's frustrating. I've wondered why it is...that I know we have an excellent resource on the shelves on a specific topic needed by a student...but the darn book doesn't show up on a simple search of the catalogue. Alas, I've been enlightened!
Subject Access Points: these come from the call number (the numerical "address" for each item in the collection) and assigned subject headings.
Subject Headings: offer an alphabetical "index" to each work. For complete and thorough indexing, sufficient subject headings must be added!
Characteristics of a Useful Subject Heading:
1. user-focused : subjects are written in a language familiar to the majority of patrons. It avoids technical, scholarly or scientific language. It avoids foreign language terms where substitutes exist ie) cooking vs. cuisine.
2. unity & uniformity: using uniform headings groups together all materials on a topic. Lists of subject headings feature controlled vocabulary (standardized words and phrases consistently expressed in the same manner ie spelling & grammar).
3. reflects current usage: subject headings should be expressed in contemporary terms. Updates are frequently added to reflect current usage.
4. direct & specific: narrowing topics can produce a more direct and specific result. For example, "animals" is too broad a topic, whereas "polar bears" or "otters" is more specific.
"It is essential that TL's instruct students to seek information and resources in a logical manner so they can become information literate students."
Personal Note: I have learned from experience that students also need to be reminded of the importance of alternate spellings of words, as well as alternate meanings (homonyms). Often students become frustrated in their searches because they have not considered that a word can have two meanings or spellings. Something as simple as this, including doing searches with too broad a topic, can frustrate and impede their searching, making it less effective and time-consuming!
Authority Control and Subject Headings: "Effective Authority Control occurs when the same term is applied consistently to the same topic using controlled language." For example: a TL does not use both "bugs" and "insects" for subject headings.
IMPORTANT NOTE - American Vs. Canadian spelling-- Eh!: Americanized spelling is used, even in Canadian libraries because standardized lists available to Canadian cataloguers are American in origin. It's too labour-intensive to alter each instance of Americanized spelling. This issue is resolved by providing a cross-reference to the Canadian form.
Assigning Subject Headings: The "How To..."
1. The TL (or cataloguer) searches for suitable subject headings in the selected standardized list--which, in the case of most BC school libraries is the Sears List of Subject Headings and its Canadian Companion. Then the TL decides which heading(s) best align with the work's content. Finally, the TL compares the selected headings with those currently used in the catalogue to ensure unity and uniformity.
2. Accepted Practice: to assign at least one subject heading to each work in the school library collection.
3. FICTION: recent theories suggest that providing subject headings to fiction is recommended and worthwhile. It enables patrons to find fiction selections based on subject areas of interest. In the past, fiction was categorized under broad genres such as: mystery, adventure and science fiction.
4. How Many Subject Headings?: In the past, it was a maximum of 3. Currently, the standard is any number of subject headings as long as they provide direct & specific access to the material.
Some guidelines:
- Supply enough subject headings to index the work appropriately
-Use enough to describe the major topics within the item,
-Don't use more than your library will need
-Providing subject headings to literature (classified by form) for example, offers a broader choice for selection.
- Biography has special rules: ie) include the name of the person featured and the field of endeavour for which they are known
Sears List of Subject Headings...the How to...
Our course notes seem to be a little outdated, stating that the most recent version of Sears is the 18th. However, since I just purchased the 19th edition last year, I'll guess it's the most recent... "Inexpensive" is not a word you would use for a "subject heading" for this particular library resource...
Sears offers two types of subject headings: SUBJECT and FORM
SUBJECT classifications are most common: ie Reptiles, Automobiles, Holidays etc.
FORM headings often refer to literary genres (Fiction, Drama). They may be added to subject headings ie) Lions - Fiction. Encyclopedias and dictionaries may also receive form headings.
There are various structures for subject headings within Sears: Names, single nouns, compound nouns, qualified nouns and noun phrases.
SUBDIVISIONS: can follow and subject headings and are separated by a long dash--, the first letter of the subdivision being capitalized. The most common types are: Topical subdivisions, Form subdivisions, Period subdivisions and Place subdivisions.
Some common abbreviations within SEARS:
UF=used for, BT=broader term, NT=narrower term, RT=related term, SA=see also
What's the process? Although it's still a little fuzzy, here's my understanding...
1. Form a subject statement. (You can assign subject headings prior to assigning a DDC notation, since SEARS acts as an index to Dewey).
2. Verify the subject in Sears--checking to see that it is an accepted subject heading.
3. Check for possible subdivisions.
4. If two DDC notations turn up for the same subject heading, verify with the DDC schedules to see which best represents the work at hand.
5. When the subject of a resource seems to warrant a Canadian approach, refer to the Canadian Companion to Sears.
Alas, it sounds so easy! But I can tell that this is a practice where "practice makes near-perfect much of the time" !
Brief Text Notes: Chapter 6 "Subject Authorities"
Subject Analysis: when "cataloguers determine what items are about...(the) topics covered, genres or styles need to be highlighted".
Subject Headings are also known as: subject authorities, subject descriptors and index terms.
Keywords: using both keywords and subject headings can maximize search results for patrons. While computer programs can index significant words from titles and other content from the catalog record, enabling them to be searched as it they were subject headings, library cataloguers must still supply controlled subject headings. Why? Because computer indexing programs cannot match the level of accuracy and specificity as humans!
Subject keywords are a kind of uncontrolled vocabulary (they often come from the authors' own words) Controlled vocabulary comes from standard subject heading tools like Sears.
Using subject heading tools like Sears give cataloguers many options: sharing cataloguing with other libraries, copying what appears in CIP,& buying cataloguing records from commercial sources.
Brief Text Notes: Chapter 7 "Sears List of Subject Headings"
Some (additional) advantages of using the Sears List of Subject Headings...
1. Smaller libraries can effectively "graduate" to LCSH without much trouble as Sears maintains a uniform structure with LCSH, making it possible to coordinate terms from both lists.
2. Subdivided subject headings are "precoordinated" (put together in advance for the cataloguer).
3. Sears quickly adopts current terminology and alters spelling to conform to current practice.
4. Sears prefers simpler terminology.
5. Sears is a simpler tool to learn and understand than LCSH.
6. Sears offers guidance for assigning Dewey classification numbers.
7. Sears' authorized vocabulary "brings together a desireable number of materials under individual subject headings--on average, enough "hits" to satisfy users most of the time...without overwhelming or disappointing them."
TO NOTE: For Subject headings that may be misinterpreted we use parentheses to provide clarification. For example: Depression (Psychology), Utilities (Computer software).
Finally, we learn that Ms. Minnie Earl Sears attended Melvil Dewey's School of Library Service at Columbia University; therefore, her book of subject headings must be good! ;)
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