Report title: Annual Report, July 1, 2019-June 30, 2020
Submitted by: Rebecca Belford
Group Name: Vocabularies Subcommittee, Cataloging and Metadata Committee
Special Office: ALA Subject Analysis Committee (SAC) Liaison

Group Members

• Rebecca Belford, Chair (2022)
• Anne Adams (2023)
• Ann Churukian (2024)
• Patty Falk (2024)
• Jenée Force (resigned 2020)
• Joshua Henry (2021)
• Mary Huismann (2024)
• Marty Jenkins (2021)
• Jeff Lyon (2020)
• Leonard Martin (2023)
• Allison McClanahan (2023)
• Jennifer Olson (2023)
• Treshani Perera (2022)
• Kyle Shockey (2021)
• Tracey Snyder (2024)
• Mark Scharff, NACO Music Project Coordinator (2025)
• Beth Iseminger, SACO Music Funnel Coordinator (2025)
• Nancy Lorimer, SACO Music Funnel Coordinator (2020)
• Maarja Vigorito, Library of Congress Representative
• Jay Weitz, OCLC Representative

Previous Goals

1. Continue with defined project list for LCGFT (recordings and moving image projects in particular) and LCMPT (areas identified by best practices revisions) (goal area: value of the profession; MLA FY action 19-20, “Engage with Other Fine Arts Professional Organizations”)
   • Completed: Successful LCGFT proposal for “Studio recordings”; “rapper” approved as LCMPT term; submitted successful scope note changes for LCMPT terms “Band” and “Wind ensemble”; submitted scope note clarifications submitted for “Visuals” and “Mixed media”
   • Completed review of all music-related filmed/televised performance terms in LCGFT resulting in successful cancellation proposals for Filmed musicals and Televised musicals
   • Began group discussions (continuing to 2020-2021) of LCGFT Rap and Hip-Hop hierarchy and terms for Avant-garde/Experimental music
   • Discussed and rejected proposing LCGFT term “Operettas”
   • Discussed following ALA SAC model of regular review of LC Tentative Subject Heading Lists
2. Continue to serve as managing body for the Types of Compositions list and vetting body for the Thematic Indexes list and any proposals referred from SACO to VS (goal area: value of the profession)
   • Types of Composition List for use in Authorized Access Points for Music, vetted 12 new or modified terms (Baladi; Sange; Psen; Pjesme; Kołysanki; Fandanguillos; Melisme; Tondichtungen; Phantasia; Virelai; Madrigaler; Choro; Improvisos)
   • Thematic Indexes work, resolved Rosenmüller, Johann, (Eichorn); Scarlatti, Alessandro (Rostirolla). Work suspended when LC switched and most other workplaces switched to remote work March 2020, leaving members unable to access the relevant thematic indexes.
3. Continue to refine and expand the Music Toolkit; serve as consulting or collaborating body as appropriate for other groups looking to explore similar capabilities (goal area: value of the profession; possibly technical services counterpart to MLA FY action 19-20, “Engage with Other Fine Arts Professional Organizations”)
   • Continued testing, and organization and transfer of correspondence to new task group coordinator. No opportunities for collaboration arose.
4. Continue to maintain LCMPT and LCGFT Best Practices documents (goal area: value of the profession)
   • Major revisions of each document were poste to the CMC website in July 2019 and widely publicized: version 1.2 of Best Practices for Using LCGFT for Music Resources and version 1.4 of Best Practices for Using LCGFT. LCMPT Best Practices version 1.41 uploaded March 31, 2020 to reflect Library of Congress change to authority records. In the Library of Congress update to DCM Z1 in March 2020, instructions for MARC authority field 382 now point directly to MLA’s LCMPT best practices
   • Change log for future revisions maintained
5. Review and document internal procedures for each standing task group to facilitate succession and changes in membership (goal areas: organizational excellence; technology)
   • Working procedures for each task group added to CMC wiki
   • Convened at MLA 2020 meeting with VS chair, VS LC vocabs task group coordinator, incoming CMC chair and incoming SACO coordinator to further refine workflow and division of labor

[Regular activity]

• • Chair serves as liaison to ALA’s CaMMS Subject Analysis Committee (SAC), representing MLA at ALA Midwinter and Annual meetings and reporting on cataloging sessions via the Music Cataloging Bulletin.

Future Goals

1. Implement regular review of music-related LCSH and LCGFT, and LCMPT terms appearing in monthly LC tentative lists with task group, VS LC representative, and the Music SACO Funnel Coordinator; submit comments to LC when appropriate. Continue with defined projects and ad hoc proposals for LCGFT and LCMPT. (Goal areas: Value of the profession. Though not currently a separate, specific goal area in the strategic plan, these vocabularies projects further MLA’s efforts toward Diversity, Equity and Inclusion)
   • Project slate: review scope notes in vocal/choral music LCMPT terms for areas where gender is mentioned, in consideration that some gender-specific language might be able to be removed while maintaining clear scopes; Rap and Hip-Hop hierarchy review
   • Increase collaboration with or handoffs to ALA SAC when scope expands beyond music-specific focus
2. Continue to serve as managing body for the Types of Compositions list and vetting body for the Thematic Indexes list (Goal areas: Value of the profession)
3. Enhance usability of Types of Compositions by adding plural terms, received as request to VS from cataloging practitioners (Goal areas: Value of the profession)
   • Scope: approximately 600 terms for non-preferred types in multiple European languages
   • Project plan: complete in late 2020, consult outside language experts as needed; make changes to website before March 2021
4. Continue to refine and expand the Music Toolkit; explore options for expanding usage of MLA’s mapping work outside of OCLC Connexion Client program (Goal areas: Value of the profession; Education: Technology)
5. Prepare for future revisions to the LCMPT and LCGFT Best Practices documents (Goal areas: Value of the profession; Education)
   • Monitor developments in LCMPT and LCGFT vocabulary work, MARC format changes, announcements from relevant organizations, discussions from music-related lists, and submissions to the Best Practices suggestion box
6. Investigate web-based formatting with improved/validated accessibility for implementation in future major revisions of the LCMPT and LCGFT Best Practices documents (Goal area: while not tied to a specific goal detailed in the strategic plan, this supports Accessibility and Inclusion, which is woven throughout strategic planning efforts)
   • Documents are currently PDFs; integrate next major revisions into website
7. Task group succession planning
   • Coordinators for Thematic Index, Types, Faceted Data/Toolkit all rotate off the committee in March 2021 (Goal area: Operational Excellence)

Together, the goals and work of the Subcommittee supports the MLA mission to “ensure and enhance intellectual access to music for all by contributing to the development and revision of national and international codes, formats, and other standards for the bibliographic control of music.”