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The Library of Congress > Cataloging, Acquisitions > PCC > SACO > Summary of Decisions > Editorial Meeting Number 1211

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November 19, 2012

PSD policy specialist responsible for this list: L. Dechman

CLASSIFICATION

B2433.F47-.F474

Luc Ferry writes prolifically about political science, religion, culture, and philosophy.  However, his philosophical books are usually general philosophical treatises or critical works about other philosophers. A similar work by Ferry has been classified in BD436, which would be a better number for this work as well.  The proposal was not approved.

DK693.5.T73

This proposal may be resubmitted with the subject proposal for Tsakhurs (see discussion below).

LG173.A56

This school is a secondary school, which should be classed in LG174.A-Z instead.  The proposal was not approved.

PG3328.Z7C64

The work being cataloged should be classed with other items on Dostoyevsky’s religious ethics in PG3328.Z7R4.  The proposal was not approved.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND REMINDERS: SUBJECT HEADINGS

These reminders were issued on previous Summaries of Decisions. Because several proposals on this list had similar issues, the meeting decided to re-issue the reminders here.

Proposals of marginal utility (from Summary of Decisions for Monthly List 27 of 2011)

Over the past several months there has been a significant increase in the number of proposals that seem to be made only for the sake of technical correctness (e.g., modifying qualifiers on existing headings for airplane models from the plural form to the singular, or to make the qualifier more specific, such as revising the qualifier Fighter plane to Jet fighter plane). The meeting is also seeing more proposals made for the sake of adding UF references that are marginal in terms of validity and/or usefulness (e.g., see below the discussions of the proposals for Organoaluminum compounds, etc.; and Sea cucumbers--Culture and culture media), and many of the proposals do not cite a work being cataloged. Given the current economic climate, in which many libraries are operating with reduced resources, the meeting would like to encourage catalogers to consider using their limited time to propose new concepts for LCSH and to provide comments on the Tentative Monthly Lists.

Source citations (from Summary of Decisions for Monthly List 23 of 2011)

The number of proposals for new and revised subject headings that include a Wikipedia citation has grown recently. While Wikipedia can be useful, more authoritative reference sources are usually readily available and should be consulted and cited instead of, or in addition to, Wikipedia.

One method for finding such authoritative sources is to examine the bibliographies at the end of Wikipedia articles, which often provide links to official web sites, standard online dictionaries and encyclopedias, and so forth. When the original source of the information is freely available, it is best to consult and cite the original source because information sometimes becomes abbreviated or garbled in the retelling. This has been the case with some recent proposals for biological names. In these cases, the Wikipedia articles cited ITIS (www.itis.gov), a standard database in the field, but misrepresented some of the information found there. Because the catalogers relied on the Wikipedia articles alone, the proposals needed to be revised heavily.

Other methods of finding more authoritative sources are to examine Internet search engine results pages (which usually list authoritative resources near the top) and to search authoritative subscription resources and printed sources.

Additionally, some Subject Headings Manual instruction sheets provide lists of recommended or required reference sources for proposals in particular subject areas (e.g., H 690, Formulating geographic headings; H 1332, Biological names; H 1631 Genealogy and family names).

If Wikipedia alone is cited without an indication that other sources were consulted (i.e., there are no other 670 fields or a 675 field included in the record), then subject policy specialists must either research the proposal themselves or mark it resubmit and send it back to the cataloger. The latter option, which prolongs the time for a proposal to be approved, has been used more frequently of late.

For more information on the research required for subject proposals, please see SHM H 202, Authority research for subject heading proposals.

SUBJECT HEADINGS

258 new proposals and 243 proposed changes appeared on this list.

Aleuts--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945

The dates chosen for a heading of this type should be supported by the work, and reference sources.  However, the proposal did not provide any of this evidence.  The proposal may be resubmitted with citation(s) to research that supports the choice of dates.

Alkali metal chlorides; Lithium compounds; Sodium compounds; Alkaline earth oxides; Strontium compounds; Barium compounds; Calcium compounds; Calcium hydroxide; Lime

These proposals lacked a citation to a work cataloged, and provided no justification to support the changes.  The proposals may be resubmitted with supporting citations.

American essays--Italian American authors; American essays--Mexican American authors

The scope notes should be added to the hierarchy only at the literature level (American literature--Italian American authors).  Since essays are narrower terms under literature, the note is not necessary on these headings.  The proposals were not approved.

Apples--Postharvest diseases and injuries

This heading was proposed to provide a BT for the heading Apple scald.  However, the more appropriate BT would be the existing heading Apples--Storage--Diseases and injuries, which will be added as the BT on Apple scald instead.  The proposal was not approved.

Arab American essays

The scope note appears at the literature level of the hierarchy in the Arab American literature heading.  The scope note should not be added to the narrower terms under that heading. The proposal was not approved.

Chiese River (Italy)

There is conflicting evidence that the variant form Kloúsios may refer to the Chiese River or to the Oglio River (of which the Chiese is a tributary).  Most of the evidence that was found by PSD indicated that Kloúsios is another name for Oglio.  The proposal was not approved.
                       
Children, Balinese

The work seems to be about children in Bali, not Balinese children in another country.  The heading assigned should be Children--Bali. The proposal was not necessary.

Wooden family

According to the Dictionary of American family names (Hanks, 2003), the name Wooden is a variant of the established family name Woodin.  The variant Wooden family will be added as a UF on the existing heading.  The proposal was not approved.

Darent Valley (England)

This proposal was to add a UF for the variant spelling “Darenth” to the existing heading Darent Valley (England). However, the variant spelling is already found as a UF on the heading for the river.  Therefore, this proposal was not necessary.

Ecovillages

The proposal cited only Wikipedia as a source for this term.  The cataloger might consider looking at other websites, such as the Ecovillage Network, and in environmental dictionaries. 

One definition of Ecovillages, found on the Global Ecovillage Network website, states: “Ecovillages are urban or rural communities of people, who strive to integrate a supportive social environment with a low-impact way of life. To achieve this, they integrate various aspects of ecological design, permaculture, ecological building, green production, alternative energy, community building practices, and much more.”  The concept of Ecovillages overlaps with other concepts existing in LCSH, including, Communal living and Sustainable livingSHM  H 202 states, “The information recorded in the authority record serves as a record of how the cataloger decided on the terminology selected for the heading and UF references.  In addition, definitions of terms that are not readily available elsewhere, information on the intended scope and usage of the proposed heading, its relationship to, and distinction from, similar existing headings, and any peculiarities or other pertinent information about the heading are recorded here.  This information is used to guide the proposal through the editorial approval process. The online subject authority record serves as a permanent record for future reference and consultation.” (Emphasis added.) 

Differentiating the new heading from existing ones would be necessary. The meeting suggested that the proposing library might choose to assign a combination of existing headings instead.

The proposal may be resubmitted, if desired. 

Epicedia, German; Epicedia, Latin (Medieval and modern)

The BTs for qualified headings should match the BTs on the base heading: Funeral hymns and Laments. The meeting does not choose to begin a pattern of qualifying Funeral hymns or Laments by language or nationality.  Laments can be geographically subdivided, and so can Dirges, which are closely related to Epicedia.  Therefore, the base heading Epicedia will be authorized for geographic subdivision.  The proposals for Epicedia qualified by language or nationality were not approved.

Organoaluminum compounds; Organoboron compounds; Organofluorine compounds; Organogermanium compounds; Organoantimony compounds; and other similar proposals

These proposals were made to add UFs that begin with the word “Organic” or with the hyphenated prefix “Organo-.”  The meeting preferred to make general references for these variants instead of adding UFs like these to each record.

The proposing library did not consult with PSD before making over 50 similar proposals on this List.  Contributors are encouraged to consult with PSD in situations such as this to save time and effort for all concerned.

Other changes on proposals in this group, such as addition of an 053, changing geographic subdivision status, or addition of a broader term, were approved as justified.  However, the proposals to add UFs beginning with “Organic” or “Organo-” were not approved.

Law--Greece--Athens--History--To 146 B.C.

Ancient Greek law is represented by the heading Law, Greek with "no decision" about geographic subdivision.  Modern Greek law is represented by the heading Law--Greece.  Ordinarily, specific history ranges are established under countries only for aspects such as --Social life and customs, --Politics and government, --Civilization ,etc., not under topical headings.  One exception is Constitutional history--Greece--Athens--To 146 B.C.  However, the meeting chose to treat that heading as exceptional, not as a pattern to follow. The proposal was not approved.

Melchior family

The Dictionary of American family names (Hanks, 2003) indicates that Melchior has a variant, Melcher, for which a heading already exists.  The heading Melcher family will be changed to Melchior family, which is the more common usage.  The proposal was not approved.

Motion picture publicity designers

The base heading, Publicity designers, would need to be established.  LCSH includes some headings without a base heading, such as Motion picture producers and directors, but those headings are exceptional, and should not be considered as a pattern to follow.  A description of the job from a source such as the Dictionary of Occupational Titles or other reliable sources would be appropriate.  The proposal may be resubmitted.

Plant varieties

LCSH principles call for specific, traced references from the next broader term in the hierarchy whenever possible, and all the added examples in this proposal already have them (e.g., BT Common bean--Varieties on both of the last two example headings).  Any existing varietal plant headings that may lack such BTs should be revised to add the BT.  The proposal was not approved.

Puzzle films

This proposal appears to be unfinished.  There is no BT, and there is no support or research provided to define what is meant by puzzle films.  The proposal may be resubmitted.

Pyralidae

The proposal included no citation to support the change.  The proposal may be resubmitted with a citation of supporting evidence included.

Sea cucumbers--Culture and culture media

The UF being proposed uses the same lead-in language as the heading. Additionally, the UF includes the word “aquaculture,” which was considered unnecessary, because the base heading Sea cucumbers is in the hierarchy of Marine invertebrates, making the reference to aquaculture redundant.  The meeting prefers not to add references of this type to all marine or freshwater animal culture headings. The proposal was not approved.

Spey, Strath (Scotland)

This proposal was resubmitted from List 8.  The additional information provided was sufficient to make it clear that Strath Spey [proposed] and Spey River Valley [already established] are the same feature.  Identical Geonet citations were provided in the two records, and UF Strathspey appears on both records.  The proposal for Spey, Strath (Scotland) was not approved.  A UF Strath Spey (Scotland) will be added to Spey River Valley (Scotland).

Sports schools

More research should be done to support this proposal. It is seldom sufficient to cite Wikipedia alone.  These schools are often called “Sports academies” and perhaps have other appellations as well, which should be added as UFs.  The concept of “sports schools” should be differentiated from schools or colleges that are well-known for their emphasis on sports.  Additionally, the concept should be differentiated from the heading Sports facilities, which often represents the place one would go to learn a sport.  The meeting suggested that the proposing library might choose to assign a combination of existing headings, such as Sports facilities and Sports--Study and teaching, instead.

The proposal may be resubmitted, if desired.
                       
Tsakhurs

There was no support provided for the heading or variants (citing "Internet" is not sufficient).  In addition, the BT should be: Ethnology--Russia (Federation).  The proposal may be resubmitted.

Two thousand eleven, A.D.

SHM H 620 sec. 2.c., states that headings for specific time periods should be assigned to general works on the time period not limited to specific topics. The work being cataloged is about the specific topic “world politics.”  Therefore, the proposal was not necessary.

Zemstvos

Zemstvos are a type of local legislative body in Russia, which should not be authorized for geographic subdivision.  Instead, the name heading for the legislature should be assigned, along with the unsubdivided heading Zemstvos.  Also, the proposal does not cite a work cataloged.  The proposal was not approved.

Zhou family

This family name is a variant of the established family name Chou. According to the Dictionary of American family names (Hanks, 2003), Chou is a variant of Zhou, Qiu, Zou, and Cao.  The existing heading Chou family will be changed to Zhou family. Also, a UF Chou family will be added to Zou family.  The proposal was not approved.