FAST Headings for ETDs at Brown
by Jeanette Norris & Joseph Rhoads (Brown University Library)
This presentation will discuss the evolution of the use of FAST headings for the description of Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETDs) in the Brown University Repository from the perspectives of a repository developer and a metadata librarian. Brown University Library collaborates with the Brown Graduate School to collect describe, preserve and make available the theses and dissertations for graduates of Brown University. The ETDs are self-deposited using a web application designed through a collaboration between Cataloging, Repository Services, and the Graduate School. The self-deposit application has evolved since it was first created in 2008, when users' were asked to record any keywords, which were uncontrolled, to 2015, where the self-deposit form automatically performs a lookup to the Assign FAST API, providing an opportunity for authors to use a controlled vocabulary without training. The use of FAST has provided the Brown University Library the ability to integrate ETDs from the Repository seamlessly with theses and dissertations described in the catalog. The team of Repository developers and Metadata librarians, are now assessing the effectiveness of this approach in terms of the voluntary use of FAST, the accuracy of the vocabulary assignment, and the maintenance required to keep labels updated.
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Lucas Mak
Metadata & Catalog Librarian
Michigan State University
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