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This article provides an overview of a presentation given at the Committee on Technical Processing Session, which focused on equity, diversity, inclusion, and anti-racism engagements at the University of Washington Libraries. The presentation discussed efforts to address offensive and harmful language in bibliographical and archival descriptions, including the importance of choosing subject headings critically and suggesting alternative vocabularies. The University of Washington Libraries has taken steps to replace controversial subject headings and form a working group to address bias in archival description and catalog records. The implementation of critical librarianship and archival practice aims to be more transparent, accountable, and inclusive in organizing knowledge. Mechanisms for public feedback on problematic descriptions are being developed, and a statement on critical cataloging and archival description has been published on the EDI hub page. The article also addresses concerns about the impact of replacing subject headings on searching in other library catalogs. [Extracted from the article]

Genre/Form headings are an important means by which librarians provide users with contextual or descriptive information. To facilitate the discovery of resources with important provenance characteristics, the Marion E. Wade Center added terms from a controlled vocabulary to bibliographic records representing items in the C. S. Lewis personal library collection. The selected terms focus on features that have historically been of interest to visitors. The addition of these headings in the bibliographic records allows users to use these keywords to conduct a search or narrow their results, resulting in more flexibility to locate and select the resources that best meet their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Michigan State University Libraries (MSUL) digital repository contains numerous collections of openly available material. Since 2016, the digital repository has been using Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) subject headings as its primary subject vocabulary in order to streamline faceting, display, and search. The MSUL FAST use case presents some challenges that are not addressed by existing MARC-focused FAST tools. This paper will outline the MSUL digital repository team's justification for including FAST headings in the digital repository as well as workflows for adding FAST headings to Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) metadata, their maintenance, and utilization for discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital repository migrations present a periodic opportunity to assess metadata quality and to perform strategic enhancements. Lafayette College Libraries implemented OCLC FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) for its digital image collections as part of a migration from multiple repositories to a single one built on the Samvera Hyrax open-source framework. Application of FAST has normalized subject headings across dissimilar collections in a way that tremendously improves descriptive consistency for staff and discoverability for end users. However, the process of applying FAST headings was complicated by several features of in-scope metadata as well as gaps in available controlled subject authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History is dominated by men; therefore, most of recorded history has been dominated by men, and the history of women has been ignored. The history of women in science and technology fields is particularly difficult to trace and fewer books have been written on the topic in relationship to the number of books on male scientists. Despite rising academic and public interest in the history of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), libraries continue to face the lack of books for purchase as well as online catalogs that are inadequate in capturing the breadth of works on women in STEM. When people try to locate library books about women in STEM, they may run into barriers with subject headings and author-assigned keywords, making accessing these stories difficult without knowing specific titles. This study aims to determine the relationship between author-supplied keywords and Library of Congress Subject Headings on books about women in science. The ramifications for STEM librarians and collection development are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stamp collectors frequently donate their stamps to cultural heritage institutions. As digitization becomes more prevalent for other kinds of materials, it is worth exploring how cultural heritage institutions are digitizing their philatelic materials. This paper begins with a review of the literature about the purpose of metadata, current metadata standards, and metadata that are relevant to philatelists. The paper then examines the digital philatelic collections of four large cultural heritage institutions, discussing the metadata standards and elements employed by these institutions. The paper concludes with a recommendation to create international standards that describe metadata management explicitly for philatelic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) capstone project at the University of Washington School was to help weed the Washington State Anytime Library to patrons of the Washington Digital Library Consortium (WDLC), a group of forty-five public libraries in Washington state, using the OverDrive Libby interface. It mentions that consider guidelines library standards, and taught as part of a library science curriculum for collection management.

Copyright of Adab Al-Basrah is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In 2019, a new position of Authority Metadata Librarian was created at Northwestern University Libraries. Authority work is an important process that allows for the disambiguation of subjects and names in order to provide consistent, accurate access points in our discovery systems. The Authority Metadata Librarian was charged with setting ongoing authority control workflows and cleaning up the backlog of problems that had accumulated in the four years since migrating to the Alma library services platform (LSP). While still contributing records to the Library of Congress Name Authority Cooperative Program (NACO), Northwestern had not implemented local authority control workflows in Alma since the migration. This presentation offers a review of the strategic approach the Libraries employed for reinstituting authority control processes in its catalog: first, creating a process for ongoing workflows to realistically maintain authority control when new records are added to the collection and second, dealing with a backlog of problems from years without authority control processes in place. The presentation began with an assessment of the catalog's authority control environment. It included approaches to performing authority control, using tools such as Alma Analytics, Python, and MarcEdit. It also covered some authorities projects done while working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries have been forced to adjust their services in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has necessitated changes in patron behaviors. With shelf browsing no longer viable, discoverability of materials via the online public access catalog (OPAC) is more important than ever. However, works of fiction often lack subject or genre headings that enable users to locate them in this manner. This article examines a small sample of fictional works that are about epidemics, and looks at whether or not they are discoverable by conducting a subject search for epidemics in ten major southeastern library systems. It examines how the works are cataloged, what subject headings are used, and also suggests directions for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Certain platform designs can inadvertently affect the quality of access to e-journals adversely. Sally Glaser, Chair of the Standing Committee on Presentation and Identification of E-Journals (PIE-J) for the National Information Standards Organization (NISO), presented how the NISO recommended practice provides guidelines on how best to avoid problems. Julie Zhu shared how Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers has been striving to incorporate the PIE-J recommendations and some of the successes or hindrances they have encountered. Heather Otrando of Cambridge University Press described how upgrades to the Cambridge Core platform created an opportunity to more fully align their presentation of e-journal content with PIE-J recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our purpose is to adapt a statistical method for the analysis of discrete numerical series to the keywords appearing in scientific articles of a given area. As an example, we apply our methodological approach to the study of the keywords in the Library and Information Sciences (LIS) area. Our objective is to detect the new author keywords that appear in a fixed knowledge area in the period of 1 year in order to quantify the probabilities of survival for 10 years as a function of the impact of the journals where they appeared. Many of the new keywords appearing in the LIS field are ephemeral. Actually, more than half are never used again. In general, the terms most commonly used in the LIS area come from other areas. The average survival time of these keywords is approximately 3 years, being slightly higher in the case of words that were published in journals classified in the second quartile of the area. We believe that measuring the appearance and disappearance of terms will allow understanding some relevant aspects of the evolution of a discipline, providing in this way a new bibliometric approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although fiction plays a prominent role in the interdisciplinary field of medical humanities (MH), it is physically and intellectually isolated from non-fiction in academic health sciences libraries. Using the Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database (LAMD) as a tool for selection and subject analysis, we suggest a method of integrating fiction with non-fiction through the application of non-literary classification numbers and subject headings to improve physical and bibliographic access to medical humanities collections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Manitoba School Library Association (MSLA) Advocacy with Library Archives Canada regarding changes to AMICUS and the impact on Canadian school libraries. How AMICUS Was Used by School Libraries AMICUS had long been used by our school libraries to access MARC records for their catalogues, with the capability to download these directly into most Library Management systems. Loss of AMICUS In the spring of 2017, the Manitoba School Library Association (MSLA) became aware of the changes coming to Library and Archives Canada (LAC) and their catalogue AMICUS. Thanks to Library and Archives Canada The Manitoba School Library Association expresses our sincere thanks to Monica Fuijkschot and the LAC staff for their attention to the concerns of school libraries across Canada. [Extracted from the article]

This article explores the potential of geospatial visualizations of subject matter content in urban planning books at the University of Illinois Chicago. Using ArcGIS, the visualizations explore gaps in the collection and provide analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the collection and explore the collection at different levels. The analysis is then used to create ordering and weeding priorities and highlight parts of the collection. Overall, the study finds weaknesses in metadata standards do create limitations, but the visualizations make comprehensible many aspects of the collection that can drive collection development decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terry Reese taught two pre-conference workshops on MarcEdit at the NASIG 32nd Annual Conference: a full day session titled “A Beginner’s Guide to MarcEdit” and a half day session titled “Beyond the Editor: Advanced Tools and Techniques for Working with Metadata.” Attendees were given slides and sample files so that they could follow along or work through the exercises later at their own speed. The first day covered everything from installation and settings, to how to work with vendor records, and direct integration with library systems. The second day covered using OpenRefine and the features related to linked data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In late 2013, Hesburgh Libraries at the University of Notre Dame embarked on an audacious journey to renovate its iconic fourteen-story building. Driven by an immediate pressing need to reduce the footprint of physical collections in the library, a massive project commenced in the fall of 2014 to prepare approximately one million volumes for transfer to an off-site high-density mobile shelving storage facility. The project was carried out in two large phases that involved coordination of work and schedules between the renovation committee, vendors, and multiple library teams, including the Collections Preparation Team that was responsible for ensuring that all items moving off-site had accurate catalog records and were barcoded. This article provides background information about putting the project together and describes how the work to prepare titles for transfer was organized and completed under a very short deadline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the implementation of ProQuest’s usage assessment tool, 360 COUNTER [Counting Online Usage of Networked Electronic Resources], at Yale University Library, and the subsequent methods used by Yale’s E-Resources Group to assess the accuracy of its reporting output compared to the original data seen in COUNTER reports. The assessment of the usage reporting tool took place in multiple phases, and involved working closely with ProQuest to understand how COUNTER data were being normalized behind the scenes for consolidation to the Authority Title. The assessment method used to evaluate the reporting accuracy can be adapted and modified for other usage assessment tools. This article also discusses how Yale has begun to modify the use of 360 COUNTER over time, using it in combination with a home-grown system built within Tableau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relative effectiveness of three web-scale discovery (WSD) tools in answering health sciences search queries. Methods: Simple keyword searches, based on topics from six health sciences disciplines, were run at multiple real-world implementations of EBSCO Discovery Service (EDS), Ex Libris's Primo, and ProQuest's Summon. Each WSD tool was evaluated in its ability to retrieve relevant results and in its coverage of MEDLINE content. Results: All WSD tools returned between 50%-60% relevant results. Primo returned a higher number of duplicate results than the other 2 WSD products. Summon results were more relevant when search terms were automatically mapped to controlled vocabulary. EDS indexed the largest number of MEDLINE citations, followed closely by Summon. Additionally, keyword searches in all 3 WSD tools retrieved relevant material that was not found with precision (Medical Subject Headings) searches in MEDLINE. Conclusions: None of the 3 WSD products studied was overwhelmingly more effective in returning relevant results. While difficult to place the figure of 50%-60% relevance in context, it implies a strong likelihood that the average user would be able to find satisfactory sources on the first page of search results using a rudimentary keyword search. The discovery of additional relevant material beyond that retrieved from MEDLINE indicates WSD tools' value as a supplement to traditional resources for health sciences researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the use of the Māori Subject Headings (MSH) in the libraries of New Zealand which aims to provide a structured path to subjects that can be used by Māori customers for finding materials in libraries including addition of metadata and providing reference and research services.

Semantic technologies are in the process of revolutionizing the way we store, access, and communicate digital information. It is vital that information professionals be conversant in the foundational concepts upon which these technologies are based. This article uses two implementations of semantic technologies, the semantic web and the Semantic MEDLINE project, to introduce the key ideas of semantic technologies to readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the second part of an initiative of the authors on researching classification systems with the conceptual model defined by the Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data (FRSAD) final report. In an earlier study, the authors explored whether the FRSAD conceptual model could be extended beyond subject authority data to model classification data. The focus of the current study is to determine if classification data modeled using FRSAD can be used to solve real-world discovery problems in multicultural and multilingual contexts. The article discusses the relationships between entities (same type or different types) in the context of classification systems that involve multiple translations and/or multicultural implementations. Results of two case studies are presented in detail: (a) two instances of the Dewey Decimal Classification [DDC] (DDC 22 in English, and the Swedish-English mixed translation of DDC 22), and (b) Chinese Library Classification. The use cases of conceptual models in practice are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Swedish Library Association's Fiction Indexing Committee was founded in 2005. The subject headings consist of two separate lists, subject headings of fiction for children and subject headings of fiction for adults. The Committee consists of librarians working at different types of libraries and at BTJ, a bibliographic agency. This enables the development of a standard for indexing fiction that is useful to different libraries and institutions. Cooperation means that the lists will be deployed in a consistent way. The participation of a bibliographic agency ensures a wide implementation in the catalogs of public libraries and school libraries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The German Integrated Authority File (Gemeinsame Normdatei, GND), provides a broad controlled vocabulary for indexing documents on all subjects. Traditionally used for intellectual subject cataloging primarily for books, the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek (DNB, German National Library) has been working on developing and implementing procedures for automated assignment of subject headings for online publications. This project, its results, and problems are outlined in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article draws an up-to-date picture of subject analysis and cataloguing in the union catalogue of the Austrian Library Network. As the focus is on quantitative aspects and development, data from 2005 to 2013 are presented. The following tools are discussed in detail: German-language subject headings, Library of Congress Subject Headings, classification systems such as the Basic Classification, the Dewey Decimal Classification, and the Regensburg Classification Scheme. Also, recent catalogue enrichment projects using concordances and data transfer from a German consortium are described, both concerning the Basic Classification. In addition, some newly implemented features for searching and displaying of classification data elements in the consortium's OPAC and search engine are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the benefits and problems associated with tagging biomedical information. Tagging is considered in relationship to online and open access information, as well as with a library's traditional cataloging system. The discussion includes background information on tagging and social classification, as well as a comparison of natural language and controlled vocabulary. Success stories of biomedical tagging are shared and possible solutions to the problems caused by tagging are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The paper presents the results of five years of application of Colon Classification (CC), 6. ed., in the Library of the Natural History Museum of Udine, Italy. Research confirms that CC still presents those positive characteristics that gave fame to it. The paper compares CC and the Dewey Decimal Classification by means of a special indicator (resolution power), and it shows how the use of CC could greatly help Italian cataloguers using Nuovo Soggettario, the new thesaurus developed and used at the Biblioteca Centrale Nazionale di Firenze, where Bibliografia Nazionale Italiana is also produced. Use of CC6 during these five years demonstrated that a faceted classification offers great advantages in organizing documents in a modern library, even if CC is surely in need of updating and revision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bosniaca is the property of National & University Library of Bosnia & Herzegovina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the decision-making challenges that face librarians while cataloging library materials. According to the author, information seeking behavior has changed due to use of the internet search engine Google and therefore requires more attention from librarians. Noted decisions facing librarians include metadata requirements, outsourcing work, and data headings. Other topics discussed by the author include cataloging research in areas such as keywords and controlled vocabularies, evidence-based practice in cataloging, and librarians collaborating with researchers to design and conduct relevant searches.

The article reports on the March 2010 4th Leipzig Congress for Information and Libraries which focused on the topic of web-based subject indexing. Topics covered in the meeting included improved automatic document retrieval, multi-lingual access to subjects, Library of Congress subject headings, and the European Multilingual Access to Subjects (MACS) Project.

With the current information environment characterized by the proliferation of digital resources, including collaboratively created and shared resources, Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is facing the challenges of effective and efficient subject-based organization and retrieval of digital resources. To explore the feasibility of utilizing LCSH in a digital environment, we might need to revisit its basic characteristics. The objectives of our study were to analyze LCSH in both syntactic and relational structures, to discover the structural characteristics of LCSH, and to identify problems and issues for the feasibility of LCSH as an effective subject access tool. This study reports and discusses issues raised by the syntactic and hierarchical structures of LCSH that present challenges to its use in a networked environment. Given the results of this study, we recommend a number of provisional future directions for the development of LCSH towards further becoming a viable system for digital and networked resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the U.S. Library of Congress subject headings (LCSH) as coming under increasing criticism for being too syntactically cumbersome, demanding too much expertise to apply, and not being conducive to "automated authority control." Such were the May 2009 conclusions of a project group of the University of California Libraries, which recommended greater flexibility in LCSH rules. Alternative methods are explored.

The electronic thesis/dissertation (ETD), a technological product of the last two decades, streamlines the student submission and approval process, greatly alters cataloging practices, and renders this type of scholarly research much more widely and readily available than the traditional print thesis/dissertation (TD). The ETD possibly comprises and even more significant segment of academic literature than did its print counterpart. Thus, libraries seek to enhance access to the ETD and its current research results through quality cataloging. This chapter presents information on literature and summarizes results of several surveys conducted to study aspects of treating and cataloging ETDs. The literature and survey results present current cataloging practices regarding access points such as classification and subject headings, additional MARC fields to describe the electronic nature of the ETD, and use of student-submitted keywords. The authors also present ways in which catalogers can learn more about ETDs such as use of listservs and attendance at ETD-related conferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the explosion of feminist knowledge production of the last 40 years encounters the expansive potential of the digital age, the outlook for ease of access to women's studies research materials seems bright indeed. However, this bright new picture for women's studies information-seeking remains complicated. Too many choices have brought women's studies researchers confusion over the most efficient ways to find relevant material. Commercial database vendors dictate the subject headings assigned to articles that are therefore frequently too broad to be of use. And new feminist forms of publication, such as zines, have created challenges for librarians in collecting these materials for future researchers. Issues such as these make it imperative that the women's studies community as a whole step back and examine the current structure of women's studies information-seeking in order to more effectively influence its future. This paper outlines seven major areas in need of critical reflection and further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) launched the Archival Research Catalog (ARC) in 2002. ARC was the first centralized system for describing materials held throughout NARA's nationwide system of archival repositories. ARC's complicated development involved the entire agency, as staff wrestled with years of distinct descriptive practices. NARA evaluated external and internal standards, established a consensus-based decision-making structure, and through teamwork, successfully put into practice shared data structure, data content, and data value standards. This article addresses the selection or creation, implementation, and maintenance of the authority files and thesauri that provide data values for ARC access points to ensure consistent and precise retrieval of archival descriptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Folksonomies are systems of collaborative end-user metadata of digital assets. This paper explores how folksonomies could be used in public library catalogs to enable end users to (1) organize personal information spaces, (2) supplement existing controlled vocabularies, and (3) create online communities of interest. The benefits and shortcomings of folksonomies are discussed, as well as customizable features in existing library catalog systems. A research agenda for the study of folksonomies is presented that focuses on a quantitative and qualitative analysis of folksonomies, as well the study of end users' metatagging behaviours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Normalization rules are essential for interoperability between bibliographic systems. In the process of working with Name Authority Cooperative Program (NACO) authority files to match records with Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and developing the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) subject heading schema, the authors found inconsistencies in independently created NACO normalization implementations. Investigating these, the authors found ambiguities in the NACO standard that need resolution, and came to conclusions on how the procedure could be simplified with little impact on matching headings. To encourage others to test their software for compliance with the current rules, the authors have established a Web site that has test files and interactive services showing their current implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This introduction to Africana reference describes the populations of researchers, the kinds of questions they ask, and how librarians-both specialist and generalist-may respond. It explores issues in "known-item" searches, including name authority and access to material in collected works and series. Choices made by authors, publishers, indexers, librarians, and researchers themselves have an impact on topic searches. Terminology for African languages, ethnic groups, place names, and topics cause problems for novice researchers, but library policy decisions can also impede access. Errors of all kinds-minor or major-can block access to information. The speed of electronic desktop publishing seems to have encouraged reduced care with proofreading, indexing, and verification of quotations and citations. The need for accurate information about Africa is great, but the market for publications and electronic resources focused on Africa is relatively small. This low market share can result in less coverage of Africa in indexes and reference tools. Despite the difficulties encountered in researching Africa, researchers and the librarians who assist them benefit from the tools, services, and initiatives of specialist Africana librarians and from a number of commercially produced resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study summarises the epoch-making recognitions, theories and methods of the history of the collocating function of the catalogue over several centuries. In the 17th century, the processes that nurtured the collocating function of the catalogue could be revealed through the development of the Bodleian Library's catalogues. Thomas Hyde's theories regarding the form and choice of entry headings and organising headings continue to be in accordance with the current tendencies in information organisation that reinforce the role of the authorised headings and indirectly, the collocating function of the catalogue. Theories of the standardised headings cannot be separated from the theories of the object of the cataloguing process, the work itself. In the 1960s, Ákos Domanovszky, the recognised Hungarian theorist of the efforts towards an international cataloguing code, gave a precise definition of the functions and objects of the catalogue as well as a concept of "a work". In his view, collecting the works of an author and collocating the editions of the works of an author should be regarded as two separate basic functions and not as one function in the general sense. Domanovszky's concept of work continued to influence the theories that have emerged around the millennium. The post-modern approach to the concept of work takes into consideration the diverse manifestations of the same intellectual content, the various media-containers as well as the different social and cultural contextual spaces. In the Frankfurt Principles (2003), the principle of collocation is incorporated as an implicit presupposition rather than an explicit recommendation. The principle allows of various interpretations and applications, making sure that catalogues are capable to collocate multiple data set elements according to varying demands. The study also touches upon the contacts of Hungarian fellow scholars of the 17th century with the Bodleian Library and Thomas Hyde. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Library of Congress Subject Headings schema (LCSH) is the most commonly used and widely accepted subject vocabulary for general application. It is the de facto universal controlled vocabulary and has been a model for developing subject heading systems by many countries. However, LCSH's complex syntax and rules for constructing headings restrict its application by requiring highly skilled personnel and limit the effectiveness of automated authority control. Recent trends, driven to a large extent by the rapid growth of the Web, arc forcing changes in bibliographic control systems to make them easier to use, understand, and apply, and subject headings are no exception. The purpose of adapting the LCSH with a simplified syntax to create FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) headings is to retain the very rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use. The schema maintains compatibility with LCSH-any valid Library of Congress subject heading can be converted m FAST headings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussions of the reference transaction generally assume one staff member and one patron, but this is not always the case in practice. This paper reports on data collected from users' descriptions of public and academic library reference transactions in which more than one staff member played a part. It analyzes users' evaluations of effective and ineffective staff behavior in three aspects of the reference transaction: the initiation of the reference encounter, collaboration between staff members, and serial encounters with more than one staff member. It suggests some ways that guidelines for reference desk behavior might be extended to accommodate multi-staff transactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principle of specificity for subject headings provides a clear advantage to many researchers for the precision it brings to subject searching. However, for some researchers very specific subject headings hinder an efficient and comprehensive search. An appropriate broader heading, especially when made narrower in scope by the addition of subheadings, can benefit researchers by providing generic access to their topic. Assigning both specific and generic subject headings to a work would enhance the subject accessibility for the diverse approaches and research needs of different catalog users. However, it can be difficult for catalogers to assign broader terms consistently to different works and without consistency the gathering function of those terms may not be realized. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]