FAST: Faceted Application of Subject Terminology

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FASTFaceted Application of Subject Terminology

• Edward T. O'Neill,
• OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc.
• Subject Metadata from the Other Side
• ASIST 2002, Philadelphia, PA
• November 21, 2002

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Schema Requirements

• Suitable for metadata,
• Simpleusable by non-catalogers and in
  non-library environments,
• Semantic interoperability enabling users to
  search across discipline boundaries.

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Synergy
OCLC Team
Lois Mai Chan
Lynn El-Hoshy
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Options for Metadata
We were limited to three basic choices in
selecting an indexing/subject heading schema for
metadata

• The use an existing schema(s),
• Adapt or modify an existing schema,
• Develop new schema(s).

We elected to adapt the Library of Congress
Subject Headings (LCSH)
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Advantages of LCSH

• Rich vocabulary covering all subject areas,
• It has the strong institutional support of the
  Library of Congress,
• Synonym and homograph control,
• Has been extensively used by libraries, contained
  in millions of bibliographic records,
• Has a long and well-documented history.

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Card Format

• LCSH was originally created for card catalogsa
  3x5 card environment,
• Cards required pre-coordinated vocabulary,
• Cards restrict the limits number of entries.

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Objective of FAST Project

• Develop a new subject heading schema by faceting
  LCSH that
• Is easy to use, understand, and maintain,
• Is suitable for metadata,
• Minimizes the construction of headings,
• Simplifies the syntax,
• Retains the richness of the vocabulary,
• Is upwardly compatible with LCSH.

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8 Facets
Topical Information scientists

• Personal Names
• Kraft, Donald H.
• Corporate Names
• American Society for
• Information Science
• and Technology
• Conference/Meetings
• Uniform Titles

Geographic OhioDublin
Form (Genre) Bibliography
Chronological 1901 - 2000
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FACET Topical

• LCSH main headings from topical headings (650),
• All associated general (x) subdivisions from any
  type of LCSH heading,
• Period subdivisions containing topical aspects
  from any type of LCSH heading,
• Hierarchy (Subdivisions) is retained within
  facets.

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FAST Topical Headings
Industrial project managementData
processing Colombian poetry BlacksmithingHistory
Epic literatureHistory and criticism Pets and
travel Quartets (Pianos (2), percussion) Natural
gas pipelinesEconomic aspects School
psychologists Blood banks LoudspeakersDesign and
construction
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FACET Geographic

• Geographic name will be established and applied
  in indirect order, OhioColumbus not Columbus
  (Ohio),
• First level geographic names will be limited to
  names from the Geographic Area Codes table (e.g.,
  Ohio, France, Great Lakes, etc.) Other names will
  be entered as subdivisions under the smallest
  first level name in which it is fully contained
  (North AmericaMaya Forest)
• Geographic Area Codes will be added to all
  authority records for geographic names,
• Information from the Geographic Names Information
  System (GNIS) including feature type, county,
  latitude, and longitude will be added to
  geographic authority records.

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Example of Faceting
LCSH Topical Heading Architecture, Modern y20th
century z Illinois z Chicago v Guidebooks.
Derived FAST Headings Architecture, Modern
(Topical) Illinois z Chicago (Geographic)
1900-1999 (Chronological) Guidebooks (Form)
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Authorities

• A proposal to modify the MARC 21 bibliographic
  and authority formats to accommodate FAST has
  been approved by MARBI,
• Authority records will be created for all FAST
  headings except chronological chronological
  authorities will be created only when required
  for references,
• Approximately 2 million FAST authority records
  will be created in Phase I.

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FAST Geographic Authority Record
Leader 00262nz 2200109n 4500 0 001 503522
1 003 OCoLC 2 005 20021104132539.0 3 008
021104nneanzbabn n ana d 4 040
?a OCoLC ?b eng ?c OCoLC ?f fast 5 043 ?a
n-us-mi 6 151 ?a Michigan ?z Charlevoix 7
670 ?a GNIS, Nov 4, 2002 ?b (Charlevoix,
Mich. populated place Charlevoix 45?1905N
85?1530W) 8 751 0 ?a Charlevoix (Mich.)
?0(DLC)n 82062705
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Summary

• LCSH Vocabulary,
• Faceted,
• Hierarchical,
• Headings will be fully established,
• Compatible with LCSH.

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Questions?wcp.oclc.org/FASToneill_at_oclc.org