Competency G
Understand the system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures and apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge
Introduction
In LIBR 202 I learned a system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures. To learn how to create databases using InMagic database software, I created subject headings, indexes, controlled vocabulary and thesauri. I also learn about classification schemes and standard cataloging rules. This introduced me to the basics principles of information retrieval and their application to information systems and services.
To accomplish their mission, libraries rely on the use various intellectual tools. These help arrange knowledge to promote retrieval of information. In order to facilitate retrieval, libraries have developed a series of systems of standards and methods to control the creation of metadata. The intellectual tools that promote retrieval include: classification systems, controlled vocabulary including thesauri and list of subject headings, the library catalog including the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, indexes, abstracts, bibliographies, and electronic information retrieval systems.
Classification Systems
Classification is the act of organizing the universe of knowledge into a systematic order. It provides a descriptive and explanatory framework for ideas and structure of the relationships among ideas. Classification schemes perform a direct function, providing a basis for the physical arrangement and a means of organizing library materials. There are two classification systems that are predominately used in American libraries: Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and the Library of Congress Classification (LLC). The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system was developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876 and is widely used in public and school libraries. This is a hierarchical system that divides all knowledge into ten large classes that are then further subdivided to the object level. Another popular classification system is the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system. This system was developed by the United States Library of Congress and is widely used in academic and research libraries. This system divides knowledge into twenty large categories, then subdivides those further by increasingly specific subjects.
Subject Headings
Subject headings are predominant themes or topics. They have a special relationship to the classification system and provide an additional means of retrieving information. Libraries assign subject headings to assist the public in finding materials on a particular topic when an author or title is not known. Libraries strive for consistency in subject heading use so that all items with the same subject will be listed together in the library catalog. The most authoritative list consulted by librarians to determine appropriate headings and cross-references is the Library of Congress Subject Headings(LCSH). LCC uses these headings in MARC records. These headings highlight their importance in providing complete access to library collections.
Controlled Vocabulary
Controlled vocabulary is a list of preferred and non-preferred terms produced by the process of vocabulary control. A controlled vocabulary imposes some order to ease the finding of the stored information, and reduce the duplication of effort that arises because existing information can’t be found. In a controlled vocabulary, synonyms are identified and linked so information searches using one term can still find relevant information. A basic element of a controlled vocabulary is called a Thesaurus. Thesauri are usually hierarchical or faceted in structure, and will have the following basic elements: TERM; An accepted element in the controlled vocabulary, DEFINITION/QUALIFIER; An optional descriptive paragraph that serves to either distinguish terms that are homographs or precisely define terms that may have multiple meanings, RELATED TERM(S); An element or elements also in the controlled vocabulary that an indexer may prefer to the one listed, BROADER TERMS; Elements in the controlled vocabulary that are higher in the hierarchy than the element listed, NARROWER TERMS; Elements in the controlled vocabulary that are lower in the hierarchy than the element listed, USE; This follows an uncontrolled listing, and points the indexer to an accepted term in the controlled vocabulary, USED FOR; This is the reciprocal of the USE reference and accompanies the term to which the, USE reference refers.
Anglo-American Cataloging
Library catalogs contain information about all materials owned by the library. The information that describes each item is referred to as a bibliographic record or catalog record. Cataloging is the process followed by librarians to create the bibliographic record. To perform catalog work means to systematically record details about a published item, such as, title, author, publisher, date, physical description, subject headings, edition, and call number. A set of standardized rules for cataloging and transcribing information about library materials governs the cataloging process. These rules are published in the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR) are the primary code used to create bibliographic description for catalogs. AACR1 includes rules for choosing access points for description and for cataloging nonbook materials. AACR2 incorporates international standard book descriptions (ISBD) standards.
Bibliographies/Indexes and Abstracts
Bibliographies, indexes and abstracts are other organizational devices that play an important role in identifying and locating materials in the library. Bibliographies are a list of materials usually restricted in some way, such as subject, form or coverage. They are intended to lead the user to the sources they identify. Bibliographies are a form of collection, comprised of two types: systematic and analytical. Systematic bibliographies generally focus on a particular subject, while analytical bibliographies list items that carefully focus on the physical aspects of the item so that historical and comparative analysis can be affected.
An index is a systematic guide designed to indicate topics and features of documents in order to facilitate retrieval of documents or parts of documents. Indexes consist of five components: terms, rules for combining terms, cross-references, a method for linking headings, and a particular order of headings, or search procedure. They are viewed as an alphabetized list of items that direct the searcher to further information. Abstracts are a brief and objective representation of the contents of a document or an oral presentation. They usually include bibliographic citations indicating where entire texts can be located. Abstracts are arranged so they can be accessed by index terms. They are especially useful knowledge location tools.
The main function of bibliographies, indexes and abstracts is to centralize bibliographic information for materials that may exist in a variety of physical or digital locations, are arranged in a systematic way, and often provide the information needed to locate the items for use. Information professionals must understand that all intellectual technologies and tools have their deficiencies and should not rely on just one to find the information needed to satisfy an information need.
Electronic Information Retrieval Systems
Electronic Information Retrieval Systems include a wide variety of tools. Online catalog, electronic databases and periodical databases are just a few tools that house information. Due to the technology boom and the continue explosion of digital information these tools are an integral component of information access in libraries and will only grow in importance in the future within the library and remotely through the web. As a result of the amazing growth of the web comes the concept of "metadata." As digital collections and libraries emerge as a major source of information, metadata has become the means of locating and using them. Librarians are now functioning more then ever in an electronic driven environment. For example, metadata performs the same function as the elements of cataloging but in an electronic environment. It describes and creates access points for electronic resources. There are basic types of metadata used; descriptive, structural and administrative. Like traditional cataloging standards, metadata standards are being developed. The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative is the most prominent and defines a set of elements for resource description in the online environment.
Tagging/Foksonomies
Tags that label data, bookmarks, websites (metadata) and graphics allow search engines to find content that can be arranged into bookmarks. Content may have one or more tags. For instance one bookmark can be tagged with education, learning and students. In the past, if you linked a URL under a browser window, you would find the bookmark in only one folder. Tagging allows users to attach meaningful keywords to content and catalog or categorize digital resources. "Foksonomies" are the tags that each of us creates. Tag clouds are when these tags are arranged into concept maps showing the most frequently used tags. This offers libraries insight about how their users organize information.
Social bookmarking sites like Diigo and Del.icio.us will help you create tags or labels based on tags that others have suggested. This helps organize content and enhances analytical skills. Favorites can become portable as well as public or used in social media. As a result, users can browse others' favorites to discover new resources. Commonly used in blogs, site authors attach keyword descriptions, called tags, to identify images or text within their site as categories or topics. Web pages and blogs with identical tags can then be linked together allowing users to search for similar or related content. If the tags are made public, online pages that act as a Web-based bookmark services are able to index them. Tags can be created using words, acronyms or numbers. Tags are also called tagging, blog tagging, folksonomies, or social bookmarking. This allows library users to save website resources as well as library catalog information, database abstracts and much more.
Experience
It is very important for information professionals to understand how information structures work and how to apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge. In LIBR 202, I was assigned a project to learn how to build a database. Using citations from the course readings I created a database that includes controlled vocabulary. The assignment gave me the tools that I needed to design, test and use a database that I created to understand how databases work. My first piece of evidence is a subject guided portal Emerging Technologies LibGuide that was produced out of a citation collection assignment for LIBR 287, Emerging Technologies. The class was divided into two. One half produced citations pulled from database and indexes within the library and information science subscriptions at SJSU related to emerging technologies. The other half of the class had to collaborate and sort the citations into subjects (like subject headings) and create a LibGuide to present to the class. My second piece of evidence is my blog thespunkylibrarian. I created my blog in LIBR 282, Seminar in Information Science, which has an emphasis on the use of technology. We were to post interesting resources pertaining to current technologies that would or could impact libraries. My blog is a collection of articles, videos, website postings and other informative resources that are currently hot topics in the library world. I use tagging to highlight themes throughout my postime making it easy for readers and followers to read posts on one specific topic. Since then I have continued to post interesting resources and informative articles about libraries, information technology, social software and emerging technologies. I have eighteen followers. I continued my brand on twitter, e-mail and business cards.
Conclusion
The explosion of knowledge and information available to people today and their demands for effective and efficient access to that information has put pressure on information professionals and institutions to be highly organized and responsive to their needs. The efficient and effective organization of knowledge will come to be a central challenge for those in the library and information science field. Librarians must show that through their expertise and use of technologies they can and will meet and exceed the needs of their users today and in the future.
Introduction
In LIBR 202 I learned a system of standards and methods used to control and create information structures. To learn how to create databases using InMagic database software, I created subject headings, indexes, controlled vocabulary and thesauri. I also learn about classification schemes and standard cataloging rules. This introduced me to the basics principles of information retrieval and their application to information systems and services.
To accomplish their mission, libraries rely on the use various intellectual tools. These help arrange knowledge to promote retrieval of information. In order to facilitate retrieval, libraries have developed a series of systems of standards and methods to control the creation of metadata. The intellectual tools that promote retrieval include: classification systems, controlled vocabulary including thesauri and list of subject headings, the library catalog including the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, indexes, abstracts, bibliographies, and electronic information retrieval systems.
Classification Systems
Classification is the act of organizing the universe of knowledge into a systematic order. It provides a descriptive and explanatory framework for ideas and structure of the relationships among ideas. Classification schemes perform a direct function, providing a basis for the physical arrangement and a means of organizing library materials. There are two classification systems that are predominately used in American libraries: Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) and the Library of Congress Classification (LLC). The Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system was developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876 and is widely used in public and school libraries. This is a hierarchical system that divides all knowledge into ten large classes that are then further subdivided to the object level. Another popular classification system is the Library of Congress Classification (LCC) system. This system was developed by the United States Library of Congress and is widely used in academic and research libraries. This system divides knowledge into twenty large categories, then subdivides those further by increasingly specific subjects.
Subject Headings
Subject headings are predominant themes or topics. They have a special relationship to the classification system and provide an additional means of retrieving information. Libraries assign subject headings to assist the public in finding materials on a particular topic when an author or title is not known. Libraries strive for consistency in subject heading use so that all items with the same subject will be listed together in the library catalog. The most authoritative list consulted by librarians to determine appropriate headings and cross-references is the Library of Congress Subject Headings(LCSH). LCC uses these headings in MARC records. These headings highlight their importance in providing complete access to library collections.
Controlled Vocabulary
Controlled vocabulary is a list of preferred and non-preferred terms produced by the process of vocabulary control. A controlled vocabulary imposes some order to ease the finding of the stored information, and reduce the duplication of effort that arises because existing information can’t be found. In a controlled vocabulary, synonyms are identified and linked so information searches using one term can still find relevant information. A basic element of a controlled vocabulary is called a Thesaurus. Thesauri are usually hierarchical or faceted in structure, and will have the following basic elements: TERM; An accepted element in the controlled vocabulary, DEFINITION/QUALIFIER; An optional descriptive paragraph that serves to either distinguish terms that are homographs or precisely define terms that may have multiple meanings, RELATED TERM(S); An element or elements also in the controlled vocabulary that an indexer may prefer to the one listed, BROADER TERMS; Elements in the controlled vocabulary that are higher in the hierarchy than the element listed, NARROWER TERMS; Elements in the controlled vocabulary that are lower in the hierarchy than the element listed, USE; This follows an uncontrolled listing, and points the indexer to an accepted term in the controlled vocabulary, USED FOR; This is the reciprocal of the USE reference and accompanies the term to which the, USE reference refers.
Anglo-American Cataloging
Library catalogs contain information about all materials owned by the library. The information that describes each item is referred to as a bibliographic record or catalog record. Cataloging is the process followed by librarians to create the bibliographic record. To perform catalog work means to systematically record details about a published item, such as, title, author, publisher, date, physical description, subject headings, edition, and call number. A set of standardized rules for cataloging and transcribing information about library materials governs the cataloging process. These rules are published in the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules. Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR) are the primary code used to create bibliographic description for catalogs. AACR1 includes rules for choosing access points for description and for cataloging nonbook materials. AACR2 incorporates international standard book descriptions (ISBD) standards.
Bibliographies/Indexes and Abstracts
Bibliographies, indexes and abstracts are other organizational devices that play an important role in identifying and locating materials in the library. Bibliographies are a list of materials usually restricted in some way, such as subject, form or coverage. They are intended to lead the user to the sources they identify. Bibliographies are a form of collection, comprised of two types: systematic and analytical. Systematic bibliographies generally focus on a particular subject, while analytical bibliographies list items that carefully focus on the physical aspects of the item so that historical and comparative analysis can be affected.
An index is a systematic guide designed to indicate topics and features of documents in order to facilitate retrieval of documents or parts of documents. Indexes consist of five components: terms, rules for combining terms, cross-references, a method for linking headings, and a particular order of headings, or search procedure. They are viewed as an alphabetized list of items that direct the searcher to further information. Abstracts are a brief and objective representation of the contents of a document or an oral presentation. They usually include bibliographic citations indicating where entire texts can be located. Abstracts are arranged so they can be accessed by index terms. They are especially useful knowledge location tools.
The main function of bibliographies, indexes and abstracts is to centralize bibliographic information for materials that may exist in a variety of physical or digital locations, are arranged in a systematic way, and often provide the information needed to locate the items for use. Information professionals must understand that all intellectual technologies and tools have their deficiencies and should not rely on just one to find the information needed to satisfy an information need.
Electronic Information Retrieval Systems
Electronic Information Retrieval Systems include a wide variety of tools. Online catalog, electronic databases and periodical databases are just a few tools that house information. Due to the technology boom and the continue explosion of digital information these tools are an integral component of information access in libraries and will only grow in importance in the future within the library and remotely through the web. As a result of the amazing growth of the web comes the concept of "metadata." As digital collections and libraries emerge as a major source of information, metadata has become the means of locating and using them. Librarians are now functioning more then ever in an electronic driven environment. For example, metadata performs the same function as the elements of cataloging but in an electronic environment. It describes and creates access points for electronic resources. There are basic types of metadata used; descriptive, structural and administrative. Like traditional cataloging standards, metadata standards are being developed. The Dublin Core Metadata Initiative is the most prominent and defines a set of elements for resource description in the online environment.
Tagging/Foksonomies
Tags that label data, bookmarks, websites (metadata) and graphics allow search engines to find content that can be arranged into bookmarks. Content may have one or more tags. For instance one bookmark can be tagged with education, learning and students. In the past, if you linked a URL under a browser window, you would find the bookmark in only one folder. Tagging allows users to attach meaningful keywords to content and catalog or categorize digital resources. "Foksonomies" are the tags that each of us creates. Tag clouds are when these tags are arranged into concept maps showing the most frequently used tags. This offers libraries insight about how their users organize information.
Social bookmarking sites like Diigo and Del.icio.us will help you create tags or labels based on tags that others have suggested. This helps organize content and enhances analytical skills. Favorites can become portable as well as public or used in social media. As a result, users can browse others' favorites to discover new resources. Commonly used in blogs, site authors attach keyword descriptions, called tags, to identify images or text within their site as categories or topics. Web pages and blogs with identical tags can then be linked together allowing users to search for similar or related content. If the tags are made public, online pages that act as a Web-based bookmark services are able to index them. Tags can be created using words, acronyms or numbers. Tags are also called tagging, blog tagging, folksonomies, or social bookmarking. This allows library users to save website resources as well as library catalog information, database abstracts and much more.
Experience
It is very important for information professionals to understand how information structures work and how to apply basic principles involved in the organization and representation of knowledge. In LIBR 202, I was assigned a project to learn how to build a database. Using citations from the course readings I created a database that includes controlled vocabulary. The assignment gave me the tools that I needed to design, test and use a database that I created to understand how databases work. My first piece of evidence is a subject guided portal Emerging Technologies LibGuide that was produced out of a citation collection assignment for LIBR 287, Emerging Technologies. The class was divided into two. One half produced citations pulled from database and indexes within the library and information science subscriptions at SJSU related to emerging technologies. The other half of the class had to collaborate and sort the citations into subjects (like subject headings) and create a LibGuide to present to the class. My second piece of evidence is my blog thespunkylibrarian. I created my blog in LIBR 282, Seminar in Information Science, which has an emphasis on the use of technology. We were to post interesting resources pertaining to current technologies that would or could impact libraries. My blog is a collection of articles, videos, website postings and other informative resources that are currently hot topics in the library world. I use tagging to highlight themes throughout my postime making it easy for readers and followers to read posts on one specific topic. Since then I have continued to post interesting resources and informative articles about libraries, information technology, social software and emerging technologies. I have eighteen followers. I continued my brand on twitter, e-mail and business cards.
Conclusion
The explosion of knowledge and information available to people today and their demands for effective and efficient access to that information has put pressure on information professionals and institutions to be highly organized and responsive to their needs. The efficient and effective organization of knowledge will come to be a central challenge for those in the library and information science field. Librarians must show that through their expertise and use of technologies they can and will meet and exceed the needs of their users today and in the future.
Evidence Summary and Artifacts
#1 LIBR 287 Emerging Technologies
This guide covers Web trends and emergent technologies used to engage library patrons in information sharing. It culls from academic journals, blogs, social and multimedia. The Guide was produced 11/23/10 by students in San Jose State University's LIBR 287 - Topics in Web 3.0 and Emerging Technologies taught by Professor Jeremy Kemp. The class of 20 graduate students divided the work into two parts with half contributing citations and half creating this guide.
http://libraryschool.campusguides.com/content.php?pid=159230&sid=1347567
#2 The Spunky Librarian blog
http://thespunkylibrarian.tumblr.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/spunkylibrarian
This guide covers Web trends and emergent technologies used to engage library patrons in information sharing. It culls from academic journals, blogs, social and multimedia. The Guide was produced 11/23/10 by students in San Jose State University's LIBR 287 - Topics in Web 3.0 and Emerging Technologies taught by Professor Jeremy Kemp. The class of 20 graduate students divided the work into two parts with half contributing citations and half creating this guide.
http://libraryschool.campusguides.com/content.php?pid=159230&sid=1347567
#2 The Spunky Librarian blog
http://thespunkylibrarian.tumblr.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/spunkylibrarian
References
Farkas,M. (2007). Social Software in Libraries.New Jersey: Information Today.
Rubin, R. (2004). Foundations of Library and Information Science. New York: Neal-Schuman.
Rubin, R. (2004). Foundations of Library and Information Science. New York: Neal-Schuman.