SAC: ALA Annual Report 2016
Orlando, FL, June 24-28, 2016 Reports from: ALCTS-CAMMS Subject Analysis Committee (SAC) SAC Subcommittee on Genre/Form Implementation (SGFI) Linked Library Data Interest Group Faceted Subject Access Interest Group PCC Participants Meeting (Selected for interest to MLA) Subject Analysis Committee Presentation: “Pre-Coordinate vs. Post-Coordinate Subject Access: Pros and Cons and a Real Life Experience” Peter Fletcher (UCLA) discussed the relative merits of pre- and post-coordinate subject systems. Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is the prime example of a pre- coordinate system, while PRECIS as an example of a post-coordinate system. Among the arguments in favor of pre-coordination are: sophisticated context, which is needed for disambiguation, suggestibility and precision (Elaine Svenonius); and, a stable, comprehensive, globally-used vocabulary (in the case of LCSH). Among the arguments in favor of post-coordination are: more structurally sound; more amenable for Linked Open Data uses; and, inconsistent syntax rules cause difficulty for clean, faceted interfaces (Kelley