Review of the year in art cataloging, 2024-2025
(prepared for possible discussion during CPDG 2025)
ARLIS/NA Cataloging Section, 22 May 2025
DESCRIPTION & ACCESS
* LC is practicing "Modern MARC." Some of the most visible changes are less duplication between fixed and variable fields, more identifiers, and the wider use of genre/form headings rather than subdivisions. This is in support of Linked Data and BIBFRAME.
https://www.loc.gov/cds/downloads/ModernMARC.pdf
* CAC had a discussion about 500 vs 585 for exhibition information. We support using 500 for "Published on the occasion of ..." notes with 585 being used to record how and where the cataloged resource has been exhibited.
* LC catalogers (all languages and scripts) are now working in production in BIBFRAME though the MARC record is still the "source of truth." That will probably be the case until everybody can handle BF. As they say, MARC is an exchange format.
* I am often skeptical about RDA but I thought the NARDAC Update in April was quite a reasonable discussion of implementing the Official RDA. The recording is available.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK_4EdUW5k8
* The Special topics in art cataloging refresher for RDA (2011) has not been updated for the change of practice for conventional collective titles (CCTs). Does anyone still check that Special topics refresher? Does anyone regret the loss of CCTs?
https://www.loc.gov/aba/rda/Refresher_training_dec_2011.html
* When the Morgan wants to have the full (curatorial) form of an artist's name in a bib record and the LC/NAF version is different (e.g., Parmigianino vs Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola), they use a 545 note with caption: Biographical Data.
Example: http://corsair.themorgan.org/vwebv/holdingsInfo?searchId=788&recCount=50&recPointer=16&bibId=108853
SUBJECT & GENRE/FORM HEADINGS
* Calli asked in the Commons group what folks were doing about Mexico, Gulf of and Denali, Mount (Alaska). LCSH is tied to the Board of Geographic Names, an agency in the U.S. Department of the Interior. Some Alma/Primo users are going to use normalization feature to display traditional name.
* LCSH editorial work is on a pause as LC works on transition from Voyager to FOLIO. CIP and other rush headings are being handled but other SACO contributions are not being processed at the moment. LC hopes to be up on FOLIO by the end of the summer.
* For the last year or two, the LCSH Editorial Meeting has rejected several proposals for ... in art headings that were conceptual or don't match the TGM and Prints & Photogaphs practice.
https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/saco/cpsoed/ptcp-2407.pdf
This practice has been a succinct and expeditious way to cover motif in art. It is the old ISness and ABOUTness discussion, and motif is neither. LC said in the Summary of Decisions for list 2409 that they were going to look at this.
https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/saco/cpsoed/ptcp-2409.pdf
* Homosaurus released version 4 that includes the Spanish version.
* LC published Subject Headings Manual instruction sheet H 1922 on offensive language.
https://www.loc.gov/aba/publications/FreeSHM/H1922.pdf
* OCLC has replaced cancelled headings that included offensive words and replaced them with the heading English language--Slurs.
* The validate box on the subject heading proposal form in Minaret does a validation of coding but not checking for adherence to subject heading practices and policies.
* SACO participants are expected to do 12 proposals a year. This does not apply to funnel participants. If you have an art heading that needs to be established or revised, you can propose it to Art SACO via the terminology suggestion form.
https://sites.google.com/site/artsaco/terminology-suggestions
The Cataloging Advisory Committee has a similar form focused on problematic headings.
https://catablog.arlisna.hcommons.org/2023/03/27/inclusive-subject-headings-for-art-collections/
* The Subject Analysis Committee has established three working groups on scope notes (William Blueher has joined that group), genre/form terms rather than subdivisions (of special concern to comics and literature catalogers), and local authorities (what to do with headings like America, Gulf of and McKinley, Mount (Alaska)). The "Question" Working Group has investigated the issue (subject heading with the word "question" such as Irish question) and will be looking at how to fix those that are problematic. Chloe Misorski is on this working group.
* The RBMS vocabularies have been consolidated and they are working on a crosswalk from the old vocabularies to the consolidated version. They are also investigating western bias in the vocabulary.
* SHM H 1250 has an example with the heading Jews--United States--In art. Both Calli and I think that is wrong and the two concepts probably have to be handled as two headings, i.e., Jews in art and Jews--United States.
* Karen sent me a question about College students' art that I had never seen and had done workarounds. It has been in LCSH since 2008.
* Karen also asked if I did chronological subdivision on Installations (Art). And if you subdivided geographically, was it the artist's nationality or the location of the work?
OTHER & MISCELLANEOUS, ETC.
* Maddie asked me about how to classify a work about two or three (or more) artists. Did it make more sense to go general by nation, media, time, etc. or class with the first named?
* The Getty Vocabulary Group is transitioning to a new editorial system that may expedite the process of contributing new or revised headings. They are moving from XML web services to Linked Open Data and other methodologies.
* ULAN has been adding records for women and for African and Asian names.
* The MARC Advisory Committee is looking at adding 655 to the Holdings format.
* Testing with Internal cataloging staff at OCLC is underway to enrich bibliographic records with AI, with the focus on using AI to predict Dewey Decimal classification, LCC, and LCSH.
https://www.oclc.org/go/en/events/cataloging-community-meeting/february-2025.html
LINKS & RESOURCES
Catablog: https://catablog.arlisna.hcommons.org/
ALA reports: http://artcataloging.net/alagen.html
Summary of Decisions from LCSH Editorial meetings:
https://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/saco/cpsoed/cpsoeditorial.html
I find these instructive on how a decision is made to include or reject or change a proposal.
Compiled by Sherman Clarke