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Vocabularies Annual Report: 2017

Submitted by Casey Mullin

Members (as of March 2017):
Casey Mullin (Chair, appointed 2014), Jim Alberts (2016), Rebecca Belford (2014), Kirk-Evan Billet (2015), Reed David (2015), Ralph Hartsock (2016), Joshua Henry (2017), Marty Jenkins (2017), Morris Levy (2017), Jeff Lyon (2016), Jacob Schaub (2015), Ann Shaffer (2015), Kyle Shockey (2017), Hannah Spence (2015), Nurhak Tuncer (2016), Jennifer Vaughn (2015), J. Bradford Young (2014), Nancy Lorimer (SACO Music Funnel Coordinator), Mark Scharff (NACO Music Project Coordinator), Maarja Vigorito (LC Representative), Jay Weitz (OCLC Representative)

We thank Matt Ertz and Janelle West, who rotated off of Vocabularies Subcommittee in February 2017. We welcome Joshua Henry, Marty Jenkins, Morris Levy, and Kyle Shockey, who joined Vocabularies Subcommittee in March 2017.

Report on activities:

Standing task groups:
Types of Composition List Maintenance (West (coordinator through February 2017), Levy (coordinator since March 2017), Belford, Young, Alberts, Henry)

The following new and modified terms were vetted (in alphabetical order):

Bagatel’: Added as reference to Bagatelle
Ballate: Changed Italian plural from Ballatas to Ballate
Bambuco: Added as a type
Cantiga: Revised entry
Coranto: Added as a reference to Courante
Cradle song: Added as a type
Duo concertante: Now treated as distinctive in all cases; added a historical statement about previous treatment as a type for pre-20th century works
Invence: Added as reference to Invention
Nocturnal: Added as a distinctive term
Peca: Added as a reference to Piece
Sinfonietta concertante: Added as a type, with reference to RDA 6.14.2.5.2.1 Choice of Language exception
Stuckchen: Added as a type
Symphony concertante: Added as a type, with reference to RDA 6.14.2.5.2.1 Choice of Language exception
Tanulmány: Added as a type, with reference to RDA 6.14.2.5.2.1 Choice of Language exception
Tirana: Added as type
Tricinium: Revised entry to bring into alignment with similar entry for Bicinium
Wiegenlied: Now treated as a type (was distinctive)
Zene: Added as a type

The entire subcommittee discussed incorporating a functional definition of “cognate” into official documentation; it was decided to add content to the MLA RDA Best Practices at 6.14.2.3.1 and 6.14.2.5.2.1.

LCMPT/LCGFT Maintenance (Billet (coordinator), David, Shaffer, Hartsock, Jenkins) Commenced “Hymns” project in order to respond to need for a way to distinguish free-standing hymn texts from hymn music while retaining broad pan-religious scope. Complexity of the project eventually called for discontinuing work in favor of “Musical texts” project. Provided feedback on the LCSH form subdivision mapping document prepared by the ALA/CaMMS Subcommittee on Genre/Form Implementation.

Prepared LCGFT mappings for MARC form of musical composition codes.
Completed initial LCGFT mappings for LCSH music headings, as well as demographic, geographic and chronological mappings for same. Prepared a draft textual algorithm for these mappings and sent to Gary Strawn for programming and feedback. In July 2017, Strawn subsequently prepared a complete algorithm document and accompanying spreadsheet for both the 382 and 655/etc. components, which the task group has been evaluating and providing feedback on it. Analyzed the output of a test of the algorithm on a set of tens of thousands of score and sound recordings, in February-May 2017, identifying gaps and discrepancies in the algorithm.

In June 2017, The ALCTS/CaMMS/SAC/SGFI Working Group on Full Implementation of Library of Congress Faceted Vocabularies (chaired by Mullin) submitted the final draft of a white paper entitled “A Brave New (Faceted) World: Towards Full Implementation of Library of Congress Faceted Vocabularies”, the first draft of which was reviewed by SGFI and SAC at ALA Midwinter in Atlanta. The paper is slated to be released widely in Fall 2017.

Other:
Mullin gave a presentation at SAC Forum at ALA Midwinter in Atlanta entitled “Faceted Vocabularies for Music: Dispatches from the Front Lines.” He reiterated the rationale for implementation of the new vocabularies, demonstrated the MLA best practices for LCMPT and LCGFT through several examples, and summarized ongoing efforts to retrospectively generate faceted terms in legacy bibliographic records.

List of previous goals and progress made toward each goal:

  • Prepare an operational definition for the term “cognate” (which is not defined in RDA), and prepare a complete set of working procedures for maintaining the TOC list and vetting proposed additions and modifications – promotes core values of collaboration and expertise of members
    Status: Completed
  • Complete project to add Musical texts and a complement of narrower terms in LCGFT, which will include Librettos and Hymn texts — promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members and access
    Status: Completed
  • Investigate encoding MLATI as Linked Data and registering it as an official RDA vocabulary – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members and access
    Status: Deferred, based on issues raised at the VS business meeting in Orlando in February 2017.
  • Finish developing specifications to programmatically derive 655 fields from 6xx fields and fixed field data in bibliographic records. Continue to collaborate with Gary Strawn (Northwestern University) to design a program that can–along with the 382 specifications already developed in 2015–be run on entire databases of bibliographic records – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members and access
    Status: Initial specifications finished. Robust testing and iterative revision of the algorithm has been underway since Spring 2017.
  • Continue to serve as a vetting body for the Music SACO Funnel – promotes core values of collaboration and expertise of members
    Status: Ongoing.

List of goals for the next year and how they relate to the MLA Strategic Plan:

  • Continue testing the LCSH derivation algorithm (including batch tests and the associated OCLC toolkit); release a stable version of the program and toolkit for widespread testing and public comment by January 2018 or soon thereafter – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members and access
  • Continue investigating encoding MLATI as Linked Data and registering it as an official RDA vocabulary – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members and access
  • Complete LCGFT Rap/Hip hop project and commence LCGFT Romances project, as well as 2-3 additional projects to be determined – promotes core values of collaboration and expertise of members
  • Continue to serve as a vetting body for the Music SACO Funnel – promotes core values of
    collaboration and expertise of members

Respectfully submitted,
Casey Mullin
9/8/17