Sender: Rare Books and Special Collections Forum <EXLIBRIS@RUTVM1.BITNET>
To EXLIBRIS
>From Sherman Clarke (Amon Carter Museum Library)
Re: photograph cataloging
There are obvious advantages to the user if the same subject
vocabulary (e.g. LCSH, LCTGM, AAT) is used for all formats in a
given catalog. The development of vocabularies beyond LCSH is an
indication of the problems of a general vocabulary, which is trying
to answer the most questions for the most people.
In determining which vocabulary to use for a catalog or part of a
catalog, one must weigh the advantages and disadvantages. Is the
user better served by consistency or specificity of subject
terms? Many art collections have decided that LCSH does not have
all the terms necessary and are using terminology for the Art and
Architecture Thesaurus. It does not however have terms beyond the
broad fields of art and architecture. At some recent art book
cataloger workshops, several catalogers indicated that they
add (or contemplate adding) AAT terms to their standard LCSH
records when LCSH is not specific enough.