intellectual freedom through subject headings: can fast help?

Intellectual Freedom through Subject

Headings:Can FAST* Help?

Emily Dust NimsakontCataloging LibrarianNebraska Library CommissionNLA TSRT/IFRT Spring MeetingMarch 28, 2014

*Faceted Application of Subject Terminology

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Intellectual Freedom and Subject Headings

What’s the connection?

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Inaccurate or biased subject headings

= unintentional barriers to

information

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Online catalogs emphasize catalog access over

interactions with library staff.

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What is FAST?

http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/fast.html

FAST headings in WorldCat Started in September 2013

FAST headings are derived from LCSH.

LCSH FAST

What are facets?

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Why FAST?

• Makes it easier to assign subject headings

• FAST headings are used differently in online catalogs

What’s so difficult

about subject headings, anyway?

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Order of Subdivisions

650 _0 $a Indians of North America $z New England $x Religion. 650 _0 $a Indians of North America $x Missions $z New England.650 _0 $a Indians of North America $z New England $x Ethnic identity.

Not all subdivisions can be used with all headings.

How are FAST headings used in catalog searches?

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Traditional subject

headings work really well with

left-anchored browsing.

The same “facet” can be used in different ways in LCSH.

651 _0 $a Nebraska $x Economic conditions.

650 _0 $a Recreation areas $z Nebraska.

How does FAST work?

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Personal names

Corporate names

Geographic names

Events

Titles

Time periods

Topics

Form/Genre

8 Facets

of FAST

Differences between LCSH and FAST

Enumerative vs. Synthetic

vs.

Enumerative vs. Synthetic

vs.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Enumerated = 8%

Created by catalogers = 92%

Source: Chan, Lois Mai and Edward T. O’Neill. FAST: Faceted Application of Subject Technology: Principles and Application. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.

MARC Fields for FAST Headings

• Topics = 650• Geographic Names = 651• Personal Names = 600• Corporate Names = 610• Time Periods =648• Events = 611• Titles = 630• Form (Genre) = 655

MARC Fields for FAST Headings

650 _7 $a Political science $2 fast $0 (OCoLC)fst01069781

651 _7 $a Europe $2 fast $0 (OCoLC)fst01245064

Tools for working with FAST

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searchFASThttp://fast.oclc.org/searchfast/

assignFAST

http://experimental.worldcat.org/fast/assignfast/

FAST Converter

http://experimental.worldcat.org/fast/fastconverter/

FAST Authority Recordshttp://www.oclc.org/research/activities/fast/download.html

FAST as Linked Datahttp://id.worldcat.org/fast/

Is anyone using FAST?

University of North Dakota http://digital.library.und.edu/

National Library of New Zealand http://innz.natlib.govt.nz/

How does FAST help with intellectual freedom issues?

Lower barrier to entry = more accurate subject heading assignmentMore understandable to catalog users = easier access to information

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Resources

Chan, Lois Mai and Edward T. O’Neill. FAST: Faceted Application of Subject Terminology: Principles and Applications. Santa Barbara, CA: Libraries Unlimited, 2010.OCLC’s FAST web page http://www.oclc.org/research/activities/fast.html (Outputs section has many presentations and articles)ALCTS E-Forum: FAST for Cataloging and Discovery http://lists.ala.org/sympa/arc/alcts-eforum/2013-12/thrd1.html

Questions?

Thank you!

Emily Dust NimsakontCataloging Librarian

Nebraska Library Commission

800-307-2665emily.dust.nimsakont@nebraska.gov

http://delicious.com/enimsakont/fast