Library of Congress Update

1. Library of Congress Update Authority Control Interest Group American Library Association. Conference (2008 : Anaheim, Calif.) Dave Reser Cataloging Policy & Support Office Library of Congress

2. Library of Congress Catalog • Upgraded to new software release, May 2008 : Voyager 6.5.2 • New authority feature: Keyword indexing of access points on authority records!!! • Some system performance issues: • catalog.loc.gov– resolved • authorities.loc.gov– still tinkering, but hopeful

3. Not about authorities, but … • LCCN Permalink • Persistent identifiers using the “info” URI scheme (info:LCCN) • Allows for creation of permanent URL links to bibliographic records in LC’s online catalog • Provides a simple way for researchers to reference materials from the Library’s collection in blogs, reference guides, Web pages, bibliographies, etc. • Allows several display options: full labeled display, MARCXML, MODS, Dublin Core • More info: http://lccn.loc.gov

5. Authority Documentation Updates • Library of Congress Classification (LCC) • Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)

6. LC Class Schedules New since Midwinter • A (General Works) • B-BJ (Philosophy. Psychology) • C (Auxiliary sciences of history) • J (Political Science) • KD, KDZ, KE, KF, KG-KH, KJ-KKZ, KJV-KJW, KL-KWX (various Law schedules) • L (Education) • PR, PS, PZ (Literatures, belles lettres) • S (Agriculture) • U-V (Military, naval science) • COMING SOON: BL-BQ, BR-BX, DS-DX, R

7. Subject/Class Manuals • Classification and Shelflisting Manual • New in 2008 • Combines former publications • Subject Cataloging Manual : Classification • Subject Cataloging Manual : Shelflisting • Subject Cataloging Manual • Fall 2008, new edition to be titled • Subject Headings Manual

8. LCSH : Print • Delay in publication of 31st Edition • Will be available in Spring of 2009 • Data cutoff will now be December 31, 2008 • Customers who have already placed an order for this edition have the option of leaving their payments in their deposit accounts or requesting a refund

9. LCSH : SKOS http://lcsh.info • an experimental prototype service that makes LCSH available as linked-data using the SKOS vocabulary • Goal of lcsh.info is to encourage experimentation and use, reuse, and interoperability of LCSH on the Web • Semantic Web Deployment Working Group of the WWW Consortium

10. Library of Congress Subject Headings • Pre- vs. Post-coordination report • Report accepted by ABA Managers in Feb. 2008 on recommendations to reduce the costs for, and further automate the process of subject cataloging while retaining the benefits of the pre-coordinated strings of LCSH; available at • http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/pre_vs_post.html • Subject validation string records • main heading + free-floating subdivisions • 29,000 records have been distributed to date

11. LCSH : Genre/Form Authorities • General issues • Report to LC management : progress report to date, principles to guide future work, recommendations for future projects (July) • Moving image genre/form project • Making progress– still examining problematic headings and groups of headings • E.g., performances (of plays, concerts, etc.)– fiction or non-fiction? • Radio program genre/form project • Instruction sheet H 1969.5 draft comments received • First 60 headings approved in May, more coming soon

12. Non-Latin Script Data in Name Authorities • Working with NACO Nodes and other partners, announced agreement on basic outline that will allow for the addition of references with non-Latin characters in October 2007 • Implementation *no earlier* than July 13, 2008

13. Characteristics of NACO Model • Romanized forms of headings are still the authorized forms; non-Latin forms will be treated as variants • MARC 21 "Model B" for multi-script records • Unlinked non-Latin headings in regular MARC fields; not "Model A" as used in bibliographic records with linked fields exported as 880 fields (more info at: http://www.loc.gov/marc/authority/ecadmulti.html) • First Phase • MARC-8 scripts only • Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Hebrew, Arabic, Persian, Yiddish, Greek, Cyrillic • 4XX references and selected notes (667, 670, 675) • No attempt will be made to designate preferred variants

14. First Steps : Pre-population • Exciting first step to make use of extensive intellectual work extant in bibliographic records! • OCLC to harvest non-Latin headings from bibliographic records that correspond to entities in the authority file using data-mining techniques developed for WorldCat Identities project

17. Model B Example(selected references)

18. Characteristics of Pre-Populated Records • References only, no pre-population 670s • Reference evaluation byte (008/29) will be set to "b" (Tracings are not necessarily consistent with the heading) • Permanent 667 note to be added to reflect automatic pre-population as visual ‘flag’ • “Machine-derived non-Latin script reference project”

19. Pre-Population Facts • Approximately 486,000 name authority records may be changed– will take many weeks to accomplish • Personal names and corporate bodies tagged X10 • Begins no earlier than July 13, 2008 • Will reflect varying practices for heading construction • Philosophy: easier to remove (eventually) than to recreate

20. When can NACO catalogers add non-Latin data? • Newly created records • No earlier than July 13 • Existing records • After pre-population • Evidence that pre-population has occurred (667) • No evidence, please wait until pre-population has ended • Goal is to reduce collisions between cataloger activities and pre-population routines • Patience is a virtue

21. Future Discussion: Guidelines for References • White Paper : issues related to non-Latin characters in name authority records • Posted January 2008 • http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/nonlatin_whitepaper.html • Frames many of the issues related to future policies for cataloger-added references to authority records that will follow the automatic pre-population • 6 month time frame after pre-population provides ample evidence of past-practices • Comments to cpso@loc.gov

22. White Paper • Discusses the lack of uniformity in how headings have been formulated in bibliographic 880 fields (variations by language and script) • Proposes possible approaches • Identifies the issues that may need to be addressed in determining 'best practices' for NACO catalogers • Cataloger-added additions to 'match' authorized form (usually specified by rules)-- should they be made? • If so, what script and/or language? • Bi-directional challenges?

23. What policies should NACO catalogers follow for the first six months? • Addition of non-Latin script data is optional • Generally, follow heading practices you’ve been following for non-Latin bibliographic heading fields • Generally, leave programmatically-added references as you find them, except egregious errors • Consult the project Web site for more information • Flexibility will be key – no real ‘right’ or ‘wrong’

24. Non-Latin Project Website • http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/nonlatingeneral.html • Past announcements (project background) • White paper • FAQ • Revised LCRIs, etc. • Links to best practices (coming soon)

25. Questions • Dave Reser dres@loc.gov