Edward T. O'Neill, OCLC, Dublin, OH Lois Mai Chan, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY ALA Annual 2004 FAST A Faceted LCSH-Based Subject Vocabulary

FAST Team OCLC Eric Childress, Becky Dean, Anya Dyer, Kerre Kammerer, Ed ONeill, Diane Vizine-Goetz Library of Congress Lynn El-Hoshy ALA ALCTS/SAC Lois Mai Chan

Need for New Approach to Subject Vocabulary for Electronic Resources Phenomenal growth of electronic resources, Emergence of numerous metadata schemes, Need for a new approach to subject access, OCLCs search for a subject access system for Dublin Core metadata records.

Schema Requirements Simple in structure and syntax, Usable by non-catalogers and in non-library environments, Optimal access points, Semantic interoperability to enable users to search across discipline boundaries, Compatible with MARC, Dublin Core, and other popular metadata schemas, Easy to maintain and amenable to automatic authority control and computer manipulation.

Options Three basic choices in selecting an indexing/subject heading schema for Internet resources: Develop a new schema, Use an existing schema(s), Adapt or modify an existing schema. (cf. ALA/ Subcommittee on Metadata and Subject Analysis( ) _Section/Committees3/Subject_Analysis/Metadata_and_Subject_Analysis/Subj ect_Data.htm)

Advantages of LCSH Rich vocabulary covering all subject areas Synonym and homograph control Extensive hierarchical and associative references among terms De facto standard controlled vocabulary, extensively used by libraries, contained in millions of bibliographic records. Long and well-documented history, Strong institutional support of the Library of Congress.

LCSH in the Electronic Environment Syntax based on pre-coordination requires trained and skilled personnel Does not lend itself to automatic indexing or authority control Many pre-coordinated headings assigned to catalog records do not appear in the list

FAST schema LCSH vocabulary Simplified syntax Designed for an online environment A post-coordinated faceted vocabulary Hierarchy is retained within facets Retains the advantages of a controlled vocabulary

Eight Facets Topical -SailingSafety ---measures Personal Names Dewey, Melvil, Geographic FloridaOrlando Form (Genre) Bibliography Chronological Corporate Names American Library ---Association Conference/Meetings Uniform Titles

Authority Records FAST will use MARC 21 formats The MARC 21 bibliographic and authority formats were revised to accommodate FAST by authorizing the x48 (Chronological) fields Authority records will be created for all FAST headings except chronological chronological authority record will be created only when required for references

Topical Headings Secret service Urbanization HospitalsAdministrationData processing CatalogingAnalytical entry PhotoconductivityMeasurement Woodwind trios (English horn, oboes (2)) SailingSafety measures

Topical Authority Record OCoLC nneanz||babn n ana d 040 OCoLC $b eng $c OCoLC $f fast 150 Sailing $x Safety measures 688 LC usage 7 (1999) 688 WC usage 25 (1999) Sailing $0(DLC)sh

Geographic names will be established and applied in indirect order, [FloridaOrlando not Orlando (Florida)] First level geographic names will be limited to names from the Geographic Area Codes table (e.g., Ohio, France, Great Lakes, etc.) Other names will be entered as subdivisions under the smallest first level name in which it is fully contained (EuropeCurzon Line) Geographic Area Codes are included in all authority records for geographic names FACET: Geographic

Geographic Headings Great Lakes [nl] Germany [e-gx] Mars [zma] Japan Tokyo Metropolitan Area [a-ja] MarylandWorcester County [n-us-md] SloveniaMaribor [e-xv] EnglandChilton (Oxfordshire) [e-uk-en] IndiaLimbdi (Princely State) [a-ii] CaliforinaSan FranciscoChinatown [n-us-ca] Alaska Rowan Bay (Bay) [n-us-ak]

Geographic Authority Record OCoLC nneanz||babn n ana d 040 OCoLC $b eng $c OCoLC $f fast 043 n-us-ak 151 Alaska $z Rowan Bay (Bay) 670 GNIS, Feb. 10, 2004 $b (Rowan Bay; bay; 7 mi. N of Tebenkof Bay, on W coast of Kuiu I., Alex. Arch.; Wrangell- Petersburg Census Area, Alaska; 56º40'02" N, 134ºp14'34" W; another Rowan Bay, pop. place in Wrangell- Petersburg Census Area) Rowan Bay (Alaska : Bay) $0 (DLC)sh

Form (Genre) Case studies Abstracts Census Rules Dictionaries Folklore BibliographyUnion lists Periodicals Guidebooks

Form Authority Record 001 [unassigned] 003 OCoLC nneanz||babn n ana d 040 OCoLC $b eng $c OCoLC $f fast 155 Guidebooks 455 Guides 455 Identification 455 Outdoor books 688 LC usage 69,842 (2004) 688 WC usage 335,129 (2004) Guidebooks $0 (DLC) sh

Personal and Corporate Names Headings for persons: Woodward, Bob Dewey, Melvil, Kennedy family Edward II, King of England, Headings for corporate bodies: OCLC Bayerische Motoren Werke United States. Coast Guard Bodleian Library

Chronological (Period) FAST chronological headings consist of only a single date or a date range Limited to a single chronological heading per bibliographic record Authority records will only be established when needed for references or linkages Headings consist of a starting and ending date but will be formatted for display: – 1945 Since B.C A.D. From 500 to 570 million years ago [Cambrian]

Chronological Events Subdivisions In LCSH, it is common to include topical information in chronological ($y) subdivisions: Buffalo (N.Y.) $x History $y Civil War, Grenada $x History $y American Invasion, 1983 For these subdivisions, a FAST topical heading is also created: American Invasion (Grenada, 1983) Civil War (United States, )

Faceting of LCSH FAST American loyalists 650 Revolution (United States, ) 650 Secret service 650 Painters 651 England 651 United States 651 Great Britain 655 Biography 655 History 650 American loyalists $z England. 651 United States $x History $y Revolution, $v Biography. 650 Secret service $z Great Britain. 650 Painters $z United States. LCSH

Authority Control: FAST vs. LCSH In LCSH, while many headings are established; most assigned headings are synthesized by catalogers based on rules For FAST, all headings (except chronological) are established and only established headings can be assigned

Authority Control: FAST vs. LCSH LCSHFAST Many headings are established; most assigned headings are synthesized by catalogers based on rules All headings (except chronological) are established Very large number (billions plus) of possible headings Faceting limits the number of possible headings to a few million Most headings are distinct (based on NACO normalization rules*); some conflicts occur particularly with $x & $v All headings are distinct; tagging and subfield coding provides no unique information *

LCSH Topical Coverage Not established; Not used by LC Not established; Used by LC Established

Valid But Not Established LCSH Established Main heading/free-floating subdivision(s): Burns and scaldsPatientsFamily relationships TravelEarly works to 1800 Free-floating phrase headings Woodwind trios (English horn, oboes (2)) Geographic subdivisions Banks and bankingUnited States Multiples United States. NavyHistoryWar of 1812

LCSH Pattern Subdivisions Free-floating subdivisions controlled by pattern headings are one example of how an established heading can be expanded. The scope of patterns is limited to particular types (patterns) of headings. Burns and scalds $x Family relationships $x Patients By establishing the complete heading in FAST, the complexity of rules under which they were originally established is effectively hidden.

Database: fast.oclc.org Available as an OCLC SiteSearch database The authority file is currently an alpha version it is incomplete, contained known errors, and will be frequently updated and corrected The database may be unavailable for extended periods The current version of FAST is not yet sufficiently developed for use in any type of application; Beta version expected in July

Future Development Plans Update and resynchronize all FAST headings with LCSH Develop the conference/meetings facet Develop the uniform titles facet Expand the geographic names based on usage data Add information from the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) Revise and expand the form (genre) facet

Advantages of FAST Simple syntax A tiered approach to allow different levels of subject representation Accommodate different retrieval models Able to accommodate both precoordinate and postcoordinate indexing and retrieval More amenable to computer-assisted indexing Facilitate computer-assisted authority control Easier and more economical to maintain than a highly enumerated vocabulary Facilitate mapping of subject data and cross- domain searching

Summary LCSH Vocabulary Faceted Hierarchical Fully established Compatible with LCSH

Questions?