intellectual freedom through subject headings: can fast help?
TRANSCRIPT
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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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
http://delicious.com/enimsakont/fast