The ALA Core SAC Subcommittee on Faceted Vocabularies (SSFV) is proud to announce the completion of the first version of a new resource entitled Retrospective Implementation of Library of Congress Faceted Vocabularies: Best Practices for Librarians and Programmers. This resource (several years in the making) describes a set of best practices for implementers wishing to apply LC faceted vocabularies--using purpose-built fields in the MARC 21 bibliographic format--retrospectively to library catalogs, utilizing automated and semi-automated processes. It is also intended to serve as an ever-growing hub of information for all matters related to retrospective implementation of LC faceted vocabularies, including efforts undertaken by specialist communities of practice, library consortia/cooperatives, library systems vendors, etc. Lastly, it articulates a "roadmap" for ongoing work by SSFV and allied communities of practice.
This integrating resource is modular in nature and subject to dynamic, ongoing updates. Early versions of these best practices will be incomplete. At the time of this initial release, some modules have been developed by SSFV or other entities, whereas other modules remain to be developed (and are represented by a placeholder in the summary document). The following modules are available to implementers now:
- Genre/Form: mapping MARC fixed field codes to 655 and 385 fields
- Genre/Form: mapping LCSH form subdivisions (and select topical subdivisions) to 655, 385, 386 fields
- Genre/Form: mapping LCSH music form headings to 655 fields (not SSFV's own work, but a brief description of and links to the Music Library Association's work)
- Medium of Performance: mapping LCSH music form headings to 382 fields (not SSFV's own work, but a brief description of and links to MLA's work)
Two appendices contain links to resources for current implementation of faceted vocabularies, and a bibliography of literature on display and indexing of faceted data, respectively.
SSFV anticipates updating and re-releasing the summary document periodically. However, the modules themselves are even more dynamic and subject to frequent updates, particularly as the LC vocabularies continue to grow and evolve. Implementers are advised to take into account the "last updated" date on each module when consulting that module; this date may be later than the "last updated" date on the summary document.
Feedback sought on summary document: this initial release is characterized as a "draft for public comment." SSFV strives to present the most up-to-date information available, and welcomes feedback and the reporting of errors at any time, for those modules they are responsible for maintaining. SSFV will review and incorporate community feedback prior to publishing a more stable version of the summary document. Feedback on mappings contained within individual modules is also welcome, and will be reviewed and acted upon on an ongoing basis, both before and after the publication of the stable summary document.
Some prompt questions for feedback:
- Are there other methodologies for retrospective implementation that we have not addressed?
- Are there additional modules not already included in the roadmap that SSFV should plan to develop?
- Are there any other high-level considerations we have not taken into account?
- Is your organization/community undertaking any substantial retrospective implementation endeavors that SSFV should be aware of? Are there "lessons learned" or other takeaways from your project that could inform SSFV's work?
- (Particularly if you have programming/coding/scripting expertise): Are you interested in collaborating with SSFV to test any of the mappings we have developed thus far?
A link to the summary document is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1z26hElRDCxXaxum_Or36-Xg5DBNqv2xt0Mfy0sVCKV4/edit?usp=sharing. Please direct your questions and feedback to this Google document, or directly to Casey Mullin, SSFV Chair (caseymullin1@outlook.com).
Feedback will be accepted on an ongoing basis, but responses received by the end of February 2022 will receive priority consideration for the purposes of revising the summary document.
Thank you!
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Adam Schiff
Principal Cataloger
University of Washington Libraries
He/Him/His
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