Classification and Subject Cataloging

Classification and Subject Cataloging Policy Advisory Working Group

Chair

Suzanne Graham
University of Georgia
srgraham [at] uga.edu

2012/2013 Membership Roster

Electronic Discussion List (CSCP Members Only)

ts-cscp [at] aallnet.org (overview and instructions)

Law Genre/Form Project

In September 2007, the Library of Congress began issuing authority records for genre/form headings (MARC21 field 155). The first authority records are for terms in the areas of music and moving images, followed by law. The law terms are being prepared by the members of this Working Group (CSCP) in coordination with the Library of Congress.

The Working Group released a draft of Genre/Form Terms for Law Materials in July 2009. It was adapted from Genre terms for law materials: a thesaurus, compiled by William Benemann (Buffalo, N.Y.: William S. Hein & Co., 2006); some terms were changed, removed, or added to the original list. After receiving comments from the law community, the working group made revisions to the list and in October 2009 the final list was approved by the TS-SIS Cataloging & Classification Committee and submitted to the Library of Congress Policy and Standards Division. In the year that followed the Law Genre/Form Editorial Group and the LC Policy and Standards Division (PSD) worked together to ensure that the terms fit into the structure of Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials (LCGFT), and in October 2010 LC officially announced the integration of the Genre/Form Terms for Law Materials  into its thesaurus (162 KB PDF) (revised February 14, 2013 to exclude non-law terms that have not yet been established by LC).

KF1 Form Table Proposal

TS-SIS Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee members, and interested others, are asked to read the following documents carefully prior to the Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee meeting in New Orleans on Monday, July 16, 2007 at 8:45 a.m. At that meeting, there will be a brief discussion of these documents and a vote of Committee members will be taken on this proposal. Please bring your own copy of these documents to the meeting.

1. KF1 Form Table Letter to AALL (42 KB PDF)
2. KF1 Form January 2007 Draft 1 (74 KB PDF)
3. KF1 Form Table Comments (36 KB PDF)

Mission

1. Advise and make both informal and official recommendations as required to the TS-SIS Executive Board regarding AALL positions on Library of Congress classification schedules and subject cataloging policies and standards, including development and revision of classification schedules, and subject cataloging policies and practices.
2. Advise and make informal recommendations to the AALL Representative to the ALA Subject Analysis Committee (SAC) on subject cataloging policies and standards.
3. Advise and make informal recommendations to the Law Library of Congress catalog liaison and to the Library of Congress/Cataloging Policy and Support Office representative to AALL regarding subject cataloging and classification policies and issues.

Activities

1. Assist the SAC rep in reviewing and commenting on proposals made to SAC members re subject headings, applications, etc.
2. Maintain active communication among Advisory Group members, keeping up-to-date with proposed classification and subject cataloging changes, revisions, etc.
3. Survey TS-SIS membership as needed for members' opinions on proposed classification and subject cataloging changes, etc. Report findings to SAC representative and the Chair of the Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee.

Reporting responsibilities

1. Submit an annual written report of the Group's activities to the Chair of the Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee.
2. Submit copies of the annual report to the TSLL newsletter editor, and to the TS-SIS web manager to post.
3. Give oral report during a Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee Meeting and/or roundtable during annual meeting.
4. Schedule at least one advisory working group meeting during AALL annual meeting.
5. Keep the Chair of the Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee up-to-date with the Group's activities.

Structure

1. Persons may volunteer to serve during annual TS-SIS volunteer survey or during a call for volunteers made by the Chair of the Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee.
2. Members and Chair are selected and appointed by Chair of the Cataloging and Classification Standing Committee in consultation with the TS-SIS Chair and SAC representative.