Comp G | Classification & Cataloguing Systems

Demonstrate understanding of basic principles and standards involved in

organizing information such as classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, metadata schemas or other systems for making information accessible to a particular clientele

Section A | Definition of Competency

To verify competency G, definitions and evidence will demonstrate an understanding of basic principles and standards in organizing information and the application to create access to a particular clientele. Using course readings and an online library dictionary by J.M. Reitz to understand information organization through controlled vocabulary, and collaborative tagging, and their function within cataloguing systems.

Controlled vocabulary are descriptors of the content and “usually listed alphabetically in a subject headings list or thesaurus of indexing terms” (Reitz, 2013). These terms improve search results because, “one-third of records retrieved by successful keyword searches would be lost if subject headings were not present” (Gross, 2005). Therefore, controlled vocabulary is an important standard for access, relevancy and capacity of information retrieved.

The controlled vocabulary presented in evidence are official standards, Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) and Thesaurus for Graphic Materials (TGM) are both regulated by the Library of Congress and included in the photographic metadata. Metadata is “structured information describing information resources/objects” (Reitz, 2013), and the subject terms are metadata elements to improve findability.

Another controlled vocabulary is the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) content categories used in a digital music library catalogue. The CRTC is “an administrative tribunal that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in the public interest” (CRTC, 2020). These categories are useful to organizing collections and capture music by general genre types and serve as a reference that is required for reporting on programs. However, regulated controlled vocabulary is slow in change and development and other unofficial tagging systems are developed by and for the user. Contributors to the music library use a genre heading to collaboratively tag and improve descriptions of generic subcategories like ’21 - pop, rock, and dance’ which connect with keywords like dancehall reggae and psychedelic pop. Collaborative tagging serves as a responsive solution and “describes the process by which many users add metadata in the form of keywords to shared content” (Golder, 2005).

These descriptors selected to organize information within cataloguing system demonstrate awareness of official standards as well as principles to make information accessible based on the type of user and content within that system.

Section B | Background to the Competency

To demonstrate competency G is to demonstrate understanding of basic principles and standards of systems that organize information and build access for particular clientele. This is knowledge and application are presented in the definitions as well as the following course syllabi and study:

· INFO 202 Information Retrieval Systems Design

· INFO 240 Information Technology Tools and Applications

· INFO 287 Problem Solving with Data

· INFO 246 MySQL

In addition, INFO 287 Digital Libraries evaluation project along with INFO 202 Metadata Elements discussion offer more evidence of competency G regarding best practices in organizing information in physical and virtual environments.

Section C | Discussion of Evidence

INFO 202 | Metadata Elements

Document Available to Academic Advisor Only

Metadata Elements was a group development to design a standard cataloguing system for Alexandria Bombardment of 1882 Photograph Album. This system is for materials in a physical environment and uses LCSH and TGM for controlled vocabulary. This document verifies competency G with best practices in organizing photographic archives in a physical environment, as well as the application of standard organizational systems for researchers and other users to access historic artifacts.

INFO 287 | Digital Library Evaluation

https://medium.com/@kejobuchanan/digital-library-evaluation-cjru-9ec8f480bca5

This digital library evaluation examines controlled vocabulary for music libraries used at a broadcasting institution with both official and community developed terms, CRTC content categories and collaborative tagging system. These systems are applied in spreadsheet catalogue to describe a digital collection that is virtually accessible. The evaluation offered an opportunity to satisfy competency G by redesigning the cataloguing system and apply more principles through merging the data and creating filters to increase the accessibility of the information for fellow radio programmers.

Section D | Conclusion

Competency G is satisfied through definition of systems, course studies, metadata development and a digital library evaluation. Demonstrating and understanding the principles and standards in organizing information is a timeless library science skill that will continue to evolve in our automated AI system environment.

Section E | References

Buchanan, K. (2017). Discussion 2: Metadata Elements [Unpublished assignment]. San José State University.

Buchanan, K. (2020). Digital library evaluation: CJRU The Scope new music library archive. Medium. https://medium.com/@kejobuchanan/digital-library- evaluation-cjru-9ec8f480bca5

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). (2020, May 13). Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. Canadian Heritage, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/home-accueil.htm#org

Golder, Scott A. & Huberman, Bernardo A. (2005). The structure of collaborative tagging systems. arXiv.org. Retrieved from arxiv.org/ftp/cs/papers/0508/0508082.pdf

Gross, T. & Taylor, A. (2005). What have we got to lose? The effect of controlled vocabulary on keyword searching results. College & Research Libraries, 66(3). Retrieved from http://crl.acrl.org/content/66/3/212.full.pdf+html.

Reitz, J.M. (2013). ODLIS: Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science. ABC-CLIO. Retrieved from https://products.abc- clio.com/ODLIS/odlis_about.aspx