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The Library of Congress > Cataloging, Acquisitions > PCC > SACO > Summary of Decisions > Editorial Meeting Number 1410

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October 20, 2014

PSD policy specialist responsible for this list: J. Young

CLASSIFICATION

B765.P16-.P164

The work being cataloged is a criticism John Pagus’ criticism of Aristotle’s Categoriae.  CSM G 340 sec. 5 states that a criticism/commentary of a criticism/commentary should be classed with the original criticism. The original criticism classes with Aristotle’s Categoriae in B438, so this work should, too. The proposal was not approved.

PJ7632.H75

According to the cataloger’s note provided in the proposal, the work consists of humorous Arabic poetry on the topic of marriage.  In most cases, humorous poetry on a topic classes with the topic, not the form. This follows the general principles of classification presented in CSM F 10. A proposal for PJ7632.M+, in which the cutter represents marriage, should be prepared.  If there is an extraordinary reason for classing the work as humor, though, then the caption proposed for PJ7632.H75 should be “Humorous poetry,” since the work is humorous poetry, and not about the topic of humor. The proposal may be resubmitted.

PL2687.B35

This proposal does not reflect the subject heading assigned to the work, nor does it match the class number provided in the bibliographic record.  Judging by the subject headings, the correct class number may be PL2343, the history of ci during the Song dynasty. The proposal may be resubmitted if necessary.

TP492.7.A-Z; TP492.7.T47

This proposal was made to change the “Miscellaneous special topics” caption at TP492.7 to “Miscellaneous special topics, A-Z.”  Since LC’s database contains over 170 works in that number, all arranged by main entry, it is not advisable to superimpose an A-Z arrangement at this late date.  Instead, the meeting has determined that it would be best to add a special topics arrangement for machinery at TP495+, and substitute proposals have been prepared. The proposals were not approved.

SUBJECT HEADINGS

Subdivisions to be added to lists of free-floating subdivisions:

H 1180, Plants and crops

$x Effect of altitude on (May Subd Geog)

H 1195, Vehicles

$x Transmission devices $x Parts (May Subd Geog)

$x Transmission devices, Automatic $x Cooling systems (May Subd Geog)

Subdivisions to be deleted from lists of free-floating subdivisions:

H 1103, Ethnic groups

$x Industries

Announcement:

H 1103, Ethnic groups

The subdivision –Industries, which was limited to preliterate peoples, has been deleted from H 1103.  An analysis of the 113 unique [ethnic group]—Industries combinations in LC’s catalog (e.g., Bamun (African people)—Industries) showed that the subdivision was almost uniformly assigned to peoples who are literate.  Moreover, in cases where the literacy status of a particular group could not be readily determined, the group still exists. Therefore, it seems safe to assume that members of the group might be preliterate today, but literate in the future.

The meeting determined that the application of the subdivision is so problematic that it will be removed from LCSH altogether (i.e., it will not be separately established under individual headings).  Instead, other headings that are specific to the work should be assigned instead (e.g., Amzugo art; Basket making; Industries, Primitive). 

Removing the subdivision –Industries will bring us closer to being able to include an 072 Subject Category Code in the authority record for every ethnic group established in LCSH. 

SHM H 1103 will be updated, and the individually established LCSH combinations (e.g., Indians of North America—Industries) will be cancelled on a future list.  The bibliographic records will be adjusted as time permits.

Other decisions:

Biochemical reactions

The meeting agrees that a biochemical reaction constitutes a “discrete, identifiable concept,” as required for establishing a new topical heading (SHM H 187). The concept, however, is not a new one and it would be impossible from a practical standpoint to determine which of the 600+ records in LC’s database cataloged with the heading Chemical reactions should have the heading Biochemical reactions instead.  The meeting prefers to continue the current practice of assigning Chemical reactions along with any one of a number of other headings for biological processes, as appropriate to the work in hand (e.g., Biochemistry; Bioaccumulation; Biothermodynamics).  The proposal was not approved.

Biochemical reactions—Thermodynamics

A UF Biochemical thermodynamics will be added to the existing heading Biothermodynamics.  The proposal for a separate heading was not approved.

Children of emigrants

In LCSH, the heading Immigrants is used for emigrants (see the UF on Immigrants), in part because it is dependent on perspective, i.e., an emigrant from one country is an immigrant to another country. The heading Children of immigrants exists and should be assigned to the work being cataloged.  The proposal was not necessary.

Deretaphrus; Bothrideridae; Colydiidae

The proposal for Colydiidae was made to remove the UF Bothrideridae, which should be a separate heading.  However, ITIS indicates that Colydiidae has been renamed Colydinae and it should have a BT Zopheridae, which needs to be established.  The proposals may be resubmitted.

Expertise

A proposal for Faculty expertise appeared on List 1408 (August 2014) and was not approved.  The Summary of Decisions stated, “Expertise is subject- or discipline-based, and tends not to be based on a job title or classification.  The works being cataloged may be assigned the heading Expertise along with either [name of university]—Faculty (in the case of a single institution) or Universities and colleges—Faculty (for multiple institutions). A subject heading for the subject area of the expertise may also be assigned, if applicable.”

The current proposal was made for the same work, and requests that a UF Faculty expertise be added to the existing heading Expertise.  The meeting did not wish to make this upward reference because faculty expertise is not related closely enough to expertise in general.  It also reaffirmed its recommendation to use the heading Expertise with either [name of university]—Faculty or Universities and colleges—Faculty, as appropriate to the work.  The proposal was not approved.

Families of emigrants

As noted above under Children of emigrants, in LCSH the heading Immigrants is used for emigrants.  The conflation of the two closely related concepts is a particular problem in the case of families.  The existing heading Immigrant families refers to entire families that move to another country.  Families of emigrants refers to families in which one or more members emigrated while the rest of the family remained in the home country. 

The meeting made the practical decision to use the heading Immigrant families for both concepts, and will add a scope note indicating that decision. The meeting will also make an exceptional UF Families of emigrants.

The proposal was not approved.

Ḥammām al-Sharāybī (Cairo, Egypt)

This proposal was made to cancel the subject heading in favor of a corporate name heading. According to SHM H 405, ancient public baths are established as subject headings.  In addition, modern-day public baths are established as subject headings (see the list of individual public baths at Public baths—[place]). Ḥammām al-Sharāybī does not appear to have been needed as a descriptive access point and therefore is not covered by the provisions in DCM Z1 sec. 1.2.(e) and sec. 3.1. The proposal was not approved.

Her Majesty’s Theatre (Adelaide, S.A.)

The information provided indicates that there have been two theaters named Tivoli in Adelaide.  The UFs for Adelaide Tiv, Tiv, and Tivoli Theatre therefore need to be qualified by the street name (H 1334 sec. 3.c), meaning that the street name has to be proposed. The proposal may be resubmitted.

Jewish partisans (Holocaust)

Many works have been written about the Jewish partisans in World War II, and they have been cataloged with the heading World War, 1939-1945—Jewish resistance.  The meeting wishes to continue that practice, and will add a UF for Jewish partisans to the existing heading. The proposal was not approved.

Komarów, Battle of, Komarów-Osada, Poland, 1920

LCSH contains the heading Zamość, Battle of, Zamość, Poland, 1920 and the Dictionary of Battles and Sieges (2007) indicates that Komarów and Zamość are two names for the same battle.  Unless evidence that they are in fact two different battles can be provided, a UF should be added to the existing heading. The proposal may be resubmitted.

Masques, German

A masque is an entertainment in which masked guests dance, perform dramas, etc., but the work being cataloged is about German puppet and marionette theater.  The proposal was not necessary.

Meitheis (Indic people)

This proposal was made to add a UF for an alternate spelling, but no evidence of that spelling was provided in the 670s. The proposal may be resubmitted. 

Police brutality victims

The meeting does not wish to establish a separate heading for the victims of every crime.  The work is adequately cataloged with the headings Victims of violent crimes—Biography and Police brutality. The proposal was not approved.

Quinta de Recreio dos Marqueses de Pombal (Oeiras, Portugal)

There are several technical problems with this proposal.  Neither of the two reference sources consulted use the form of name that was proposed as the heading, which was used only in the work being cataloged and looks like an appellation or a description, not a formal name.  The form of name used in the heading should therefore be revised or adequately supported. Second, the final UF proposed, Palácio do Conde de Oeiras, is not supported by the reference sources and needs to be. Finally, numerous UF references should be made to bring the significant words into the initial position, according to SHM H 1334 sec. 4. The proposal may be resubmitted.

Rosenberg, Lords of

SHM H 1574 states, “Individual aristocratic or noble families are established as [ . . . ] family, for example, Malatesta familyTokugawa family.” The source citations provided indicate that the Lords of Rosenberg were an “influential family,” not a ruling family.  It appears that the heading Rosenberg family should be assigned to the work being cataloged.  If this family was indeed a royal house, then evidence of that fact should be provided in a resubmitted proposal.

Scheherazade, Queen, consort of Shahryar, King of Persia (Legendary character)—In motion pictures

This proposal was made to revise the existing heading Scheherazade (Legendary character) in motion pictures.  The subdivision –In motion pictures free-floats under names of individual legendary characters per SHM H 1095, so the existing heading should be cancelled, not revised.  The revision proposal was not approved and a cancellation proposal was substituted for it.
Please consult the PDF version of H 1095 when proposing cancelled or revised headings for individual legendary, mythological, and fictitious characters, deities, and named animals.  The PDF version, available at http://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeSHM/H1095.pdf, contains the most current information about free-floating subdivisions used with those types of headings.  The PDFs are now updated on an as-needed basis, whereas revisions to the Cataloger’s Desktop version of the SHM are made on a fixed schedule and therefore may lag by several months.

Sulawesi (Indonesia)

This proposal was made to revise the existing heading Celebes (Indonesia), and there was no BFM submitted.  The proposal may be resubmitted with BFM.