Should we control vocabulary? John N. Mitchell NELINET Annual Conference Worcester, Massachusetts November 16, 2007

John N. Mitchell

NELINET Annual Conference

Worcester, Massachusetts

November 16, 2007

Definition Selected words or terms that are “approved” or “authorized” for usage within a list Used to reflect subject content Applied in a variety of controlled vocabularies

Selected words or terms that are “approved” or “authorized” for usage within a list

Used to reflect subject content

Applied in a variety of controlled vocabularies

Examples of controlled vocabularies Subject heading schemes Subject headings Thesauri Taxonomies (hierarchical sets/subsets) Folksonomies

Subject heading schemes

Subject headings

Thesauri

Taxonomies (hierarchical sets/subsets)

Folksonomies

History of controlled vocabularies Reflected arrangement of manual card catalogs Subject heading lists vs. thesauri Pre-coordination Hierarchical / Syndetic structure

Reflected arrangement of manual card catalogs

Subject heading lists vs. thesauri

Pre-coordination

Hierarchical / Syndetic structure

Alternatives Natural language Free text language

Natural language

Free text language

Advantages Ease of searching Efficiency of searching Familiarity Uniqueness Reduction of ambiguity

Ease of searching

Efficiency of searching

Familiarity

Uniqueness

Reduction of ambiguity

Disadvantages Restrictions Effort in maintenance Fewer retrieved results Costs Obsolescence Inconsistencies

Restrictions

Effort in maintenance

Fewer retrieved results

Costs

Obsolescence

Inconsistencies

Controlled vocabularies User warrant Literary warrant Structural warrant

User warrant

Literary warrant

Structural warrant

Summary Do controlled vocabularies provide better access? Are results retrieved through a controlled vocabulary satisfying users? Does a vocabulary dictate collection development policy? Which controlled vocabulary should be used?

Do controlled vocabularies provide better access?

Are results retrieved through a controlled vocabulary satisfying users?

Does a vocabulary dictate collection development policy?

Which controlled vocabulary should be used?

Future Continued use of pre-coordinated LCSH strings recommended by the Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control – final report: November 2007

Continued use of pre-coordinated LCSH strings recommended by the Library of Congress

Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control – final report: November 2007