Towards a High-level Thesaurus? Dennis Nicholson: Centre for Digital Library Research, Strathclyde University

Models 11 and SCONE n Timing n Earlier: no problem n Later: results to report n Opportunity: n Official support and Illumination? n Wider involvement?

SCONE Group n SCONE, CAIRNS, RIDING, M25, MLO, BUBL n Cross-sectoral groups in Scotland: SAGIA: NGfL Scotland, SLAINTE, SCRAN, SUFI, GTN n Agreed way forward on a common subject scheme n Agreement to work together one achievement

Dynamic Clumping n Origin of problem: CAIRNS and dynamic clumping n Mechanism to aid user navigation n Based on Conspectus exercise n RCO database n CAIRNS and Dynamic clumping n n Depth of hierarchy

Conspectus Hierarchy n 25 Divisions n 250 Categories n 7000 subjects n E.G.: PHYSICAL SCIENCES n PHY PHYSICS n PHY 88 Relativity n Physics clump too large and hides real strengths

Expanding CAIRNS n Already includes more than RCO n Aim is: Scottish cross-sectoral distributed union catalogue n An integrated part of a UK distributed catalogue n Large clumps: dynamic clumping: using a common subject scheme n But, Conspectus? Not likely: 3 reasons

Conspectus Divisions n AGRICULTURE n CARTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS n ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY n EDUCATION n GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS n MILITARY SCIENCE n PHYSICAL SCIENCES n PSYCHOLOGY

Conspectus Categories n PHY 1-50 MATHEMATICS n PHY ASTRONOMY n PHY PHYSICS n PHY CHEMISTRY n Not unusual n Best chance for mapping?

Conspectus Subjects n PHY 78 Physics (General) n PHY 79 Periodicals n PHY 80 History, biography n PHY 81 Mathematical physics n PHY 82 Study and teaching n PHY 83 Weights and measures n More unusual mix?

SCONE RSLP Project n Influence on SCONE: deliverables: n Expanding RCO/dynamic clumping n Examining alternative methods of measuring collection strength n Providing tools to support CCD n Mapping Conspectus to other subject schemes: Recognition

Mapping to what? n Alternative preferred scheme n UK orientation and control n Acceptable across sectors in Scotland and to other clumps n Preferably encompassing RAE headings n BUBL LINK subject scheme

BUBL scheme? n Not original intention but attractive: n Based on DDC and LC n Adapted to UK terminology n Covers all subject areas n Under community control n Live and developing; Examples n May solve maintenance problem

BUBL Subjects n 170 top level terms n 1400 loosely related sub-terms n Used for 12,000 BUBL LINK internet resources n including subject gateways in RDN n Familiar to UK users within and beyond academic sector

BUBL Top Level n Accounting n Advertising n Aerospace Engineering, Aeronautics n Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries n Anatomy n Anthropology n Archaeology

BUBL Lower level n Minorities n Modern art n Molecular biology n Molecular modelling n Molluscs n Mixed: several levels: not perfect: will adjust

Initial agreement n Proposal put to clumps projects n RAE, M25 80% mappings n Music Libraries Online: depth n RIDING prepared to examine n SAGIA group general support n NERIS merge work: schools> n Approach worth examining further

What now? n SCONE work at early stage n BUBL funding not a problem n Detailed work needs to be done to tailor BUBL scheme to fit needs n This has to be done at subject terms level - cant be done at a workshop like this n But: agree a structure?

Thesaurus needed? n Scone work: suggests thesaurus n BTs and NTs (various degrees) n Related terms (different approaches) n Grouped terms (shape and space) n Synonyms (geometry) n Document types/user levels etc

DDC Top 100? n Not adequate n Insufficient depth to cope with 3 level Conspectus hierarchy n Depth needed for dynamic clumping (think about MLO) n Even top level BUBL terms go deeper into Dewey e.g. Anatomy 611 Electronics 621

Requirements n General requirements: concerns: n Sustainable maintenance n Widely and officially accepted n Fit for purpose: user adaptability and effective navigation and…? n Last is most important and is still being researched within SCONE

MODELS 11 link n Key question: are we addressing the same problem? n If not, SCONE will take account of MODELS and aim for community input anyway n If we are, SCONE resources can help contribute to a solution n RSLP extension possible?