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Vocabularies Annual Report: 2018

Vocabularies Subcommittee (VS)
Annual Report, July 1 2017-June 30 2018
Submitted by Rebecca Belford

Members (as of March 2018)

Rebecca Belford (chair, appointed 2018), Kirk-Evan Billet (2015), Reed David (2015), Jenée Force (2018), Ralph Hartsock (2016), Joshua Henry (2017), Marty Jenkins (2017), Morris Levy (2017), Jeff Lyon (2016), Treshani Perera (2018), Jacob Schaub (2015), Ann Shaffer (2015), Kyle Shockey (2017), Hannah Spence (2015), Jennifer Vaughn (2015), Nancy Lorimer (SACO Music Funnel Coordinator), Mark Scharff (NACO-Music Project Coordinator), Maarja Vigorito (LC Representative), Jay Weitz (OCLC Representative)

We thank Casey Mullin, who rotated off as VS chair in February 2018, and other members leaving the subcommittee: Jim Alberts, Nurhak Tuncer, J. Bradford Young. Rebecca Belford rotated off as a member to begin term as chair. We welcome Jenée Force and Treshani Perera, who joined the Vocabularies Subcommittee in March 2018.

Report on activities

  1. Standing task group: Types of Composition List Maintenance (Levy (coordinator), Force, Henry, Belford)
    To provide continuity of access and reduce the need for website edits, a webform was created for submission of requests; the form is accessible by the task group coordinator, VS chair, and CMC chair.
    CMC website referencing requests revised accordingly.

    • The following new or modified terms were vetted (alphabetical order):
      • Berceuse/Berceuses
      • Cantata/Cantatas
      • Duodecet/Duodecets
      • Gletta/Glettur
      • Humoresque/Humoresques
      • Lullaby/Lullabies
      • Pastorella/Pastorellas
      • Prestissimo
      • Sbor/Sbory
      • Tunggal
      • Ukolébavka/Ukolébavky
      • Undecet/Undecets
      • Vuggevise/Vuggeviser
      • Work/Works
      • Zpěv/Zpěvy
  2. Standing task group LCMPT/LCGFT Maintenance (Billet (coordinator), David, Hartsock, Jenkins, Perera, Shaffer)
    • LCMPT: No major projects undertaken. The set of SACO proposals for electronics submitted 2016-02-2018 remains unscheduled. The following LCMPT terms were established or revised (alphabetical order):
      handchime choir [mp2017015017]
      kudyapi [mp2018015008]
      musical saw [mp2017015015]
      nose flute [mp2017015011]
      OOVE [mp2018015003]
      pre-recorded audio [mp2017015003]
      subcontrabass flute [mp2018015006]
      sybyzghy [mp2018015002]
      Talerschwingen [mp2018015005]
      unison chorus [mp2018015001]
      Wagner tuba [mp2017015023]
    • LCGFT. Two projects active as of July 1, 2017 were completed, and three were opened in the past year.
      • Concluded “Underground dance music” project in order to bring LCGFT into alignment with changes made to LCSH. Developed SACO proposal (changed authorized term; hierarchy changes affected 8 other records); submitted 2017-05-23. Terms appear in approved lists 1803 and 1806. Concluded “Rap/Hip-hop” project in order to separate rap from hip-hop since predominant usages acknowledge these as distinct. Developed SACO proposal (2 new terms; 3 terms with adjusted relationships); submitted 2017-12-06. Terms appear in approved list 1803.
      • Opened “Romances” project, a deferred term that corresponds to LCSH that applies to instrumental music. The proposal went through the approval process while still under consideration by the VS task group. Opened “Reductions” project (active) and “Improvisations (Music)” project (active).
      • The following LCGFT music terms/records were established or revised as part of VS work:
        • Hip-hop (Music) [gf2017026156]
        • Hip-hop lyrics [gf2017026157]
        • Rap (Music) [gf2014027037] (split from hip-hop)
        • Rap lyrics [gf2017026007]
      • Work on the set of LCGFT terms for the “Underground dance music” revision project was completed in the previous fiscal year; however, they went fully “live” 2017-18 (revised to “Electronic dance music” in record and as reference for seven narrower terms).
  3. Standing task group Thematic Indexes List (MLATI) Maintenance (Schaub (coordinator), Perera, Shockey, Spence)
    To provide continuity of access and reduce the need for website edits, a webform was created for submission of requests; the form is accessible by the task group coordinator, VS chair, and CMC chair.
    CMC website referencing requests revised accordingly.

    • Completed (Composer (Code) (Abbreviation)): Bridge, Frank (Hindmarsh) (H.); Dušek, František Xaver (Sýkora) (S.) (gained approval from LC for authorized access point use for the Sýkora index); Eckhardt-Gramatté, S.C. (Eckhardt-Gramatté) (E.) (code revision to remove conflict with Liszt code, Eckhardt); Gottschalk, Louis Moreau (Offergeld) (RO); Jongen, Joseph (Whiteley) (W.); Ernst Krenek (Bowles); Franz Liszt (Raabe and Eckhardt); Mettraux, Laurent (Mettraux) (M.); Schoeck Othmar (Vogel); Sibelius, Jean (Dahlström) (J.S.)
    • Requested change by LC: Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Felix, 1809-1847 (Wehner) (MWV) (now approved in limited cases for AAPs)
    • Under review by LC: Margola, Franco, 1908-1992 (De Carli) (C.); Tárrega, Francisco, 1852-1909 (Rodríguez) (R.)
    • Under discussion by MLATI Group: Bax, Arnold, 1883-1953 (Parlett); Scarlatti, Alessandro, 1660-1725 (Rostirolla); Chaminade, Cécile, 1857-1944 (Citron)
  4. Standing task group LCMPT/LCGFT Best Practices Maintenance (Belford (coordinator), Force, Henry, Spence, Vaughn)
    • Mullin prepared revisions to the LCMPT and LCGFT best practices documents. These minor revisions were intended to bring certain factual statements up to date and to reflect the latest MARC coding practices in the examples. Version numbering and the documentation of revision history is also being harmonized between the two documents. LCMPT BPs version 1.3 and LCGFT version 1.1 were both released January 19, 2018.
    • To provide continuity of access and reduce the need for website edits, a webform was created for submission of requests; the form is accessible by the task group coordinator, VS chair, and CMC chair. CMC website referencing requests revised accordingly. Currently, continuing to gather catalogers’ suggestions for future revisions. LCMPT requests include examples to clarify use cases for accompanying material and videorecordings, application of subfield $3,additional coding examples for works with soloist(s). Examples may need to be synchronized to match redefinition of 382$r in MARC21. LCGFT requests include further guidance for arrangements, art songs, and fakebooks/lead sheets.
  5. Special task group: Deriving Faceted Music Terms from LCSH (Mullin (coordinator), Belford, Billet, Hartsock, Jenkins, Lorimer, Lyon, Shockey, Vaughn)
    • We thank Casey Mullin for continued assistance with the project during the transition in VS chairs.
    • The Music Toolkit, developed by Gary Strawn, was released and widely publicized in April 2018. The Toolkit is an OCLC macro that incorporates a program written by Strawn which analyzes existing bibliographic data and generates corresponding faceted terms from the LC Medium of Performance Thesaurus (LCMPT), LC Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT) and LC Demographic Group Terms LCDGT), as well as other faceted metadata such as dates and geographic place names. The Toolkit output is then evaluated and adjusted as necessary by the cataloger, who is responsible for correct application of LC faceted terms and their corresponding MARC fields and, if desired, OCLC WorldCat master record replacement. The underlying algorithm was developed by the MLA Vocabularies Subcommittee. The MLA algorithm, as well as Strawn’s program and Toolkit, are all works in progress, and MLA/VS and Strawn will continue to collaborate to refine and improve it.
    • The announcement and related resources were posted on the CMC blog in April 2018. These include the technical report “Retrospective Implementation of Faceted Vocabularies for Music” (Mullin, April 19, 2018); a link to the Music Toolkit installation package and associated documentation, including the spreadsheet of mappings developed and maintained by MLA; a detailed description of the program and algorithm, “Deriving 046, 370, 382, 385, 386, 388 and 655 fields in bibliographic records for notated music and musical sound recordings” (Strawn, March 10, 2018); a link to the CMC YouTube screencast demo of the Toolkit (January 5, 2018); and a link to the Google form for feedback. Mullin and Strawn gave a presentation on the project, “Deriving Faceted Terms from Library of Congress Subject Headings for Music: Challenges and Possibilities,” at MLA Annual in Portland, February 2, 2018. The CMC FAQ page was updated to include the Toolkit.
    • In July 2017, Strawn prepared a complete algorithm document and accompanying spreadsheet for both the 382 and 655/etc. components. In August 2017, members of VS and CMC began testing the Toolkit, relaying feedback, and discussing adjustments to the algorithm. Refinements are ongoing, with Toolkit revisions released in response to feedback received from catalogers in the field.
  6. Other activity:
    • Mullin and Belford served as liaison to ALA/CaMMS/SAC (Subject Analysis Committee), representing MLA at ALA Midwinter (Mullin) and Annual (Belford). Reports from the meetings were posted to the CMC blog and published in the Music Cataloging Bulletin. Mullin continues to serve on SAC’s Subcommittee on Faceted Vocabularies, and Belford joined SSFV in March 2018.
    • The ALCTS/CaMMS/SAC/SGFI Working Group on Full Implementation of Library of Congress Faceted Vocabularies (chaired by Mullin) released the white paper “A Brave New (Faceted) World: Towards Full Implementation of Library of Congress Faceted Vocabularies” on September 12, 2017 and provided access through the ALA Institutional Repository (ALAIR). Mullin shared the announcement in multiple music community venues.
    • NISO Standard Review. The Music Library Association’s liaison to NISO (Nara Newcomer) was asked to comment on ISO 25964-2:2013, Information and documentation — Interoperability with other vocabularies. A change was proposed to section 20.1.5 Types of subject heading schemes, footnote 12, to reflect developments in music-specific vocabularies since the cited Music Subject Headings: Compiled from Library of Congress Subject Headings

List of previous goals (2017-2018) and progress made toward each goal

  1. Continue testing the LCSH derivation algorithm (including batch tests and the associated OCLC toolkit); release a stable version of the program and toolkit for widespread testing and public comment by January 2018 or soon thereafter – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members, and access
    • Status: Stable version released April 2018. Refinement ongoing in response to public feedback.
  2. Continue investigating encoding MLATI as Linked Data and registering it as an official RDA vocabulary – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members and access
    • Status: not active
  3. Complete LCGFT Rap/Hip hop project and commence LCGFT Romances project, as well as 2-3 additional projects to be determined – promotes core values of collaboration and expertise of members
    • Status: Rap/Hip hop completed. Underground dance music completed.
    • Opened Romances project; pre-empted by non-funnel work on the proposal. Opened Reductions (Music) and Improvisations (Music) projects.
  4. Continue to serve as a vetting body for the Music SACO Funnel – promotes core values of collaboration and expertise of members
    • Status: ongoing

Goals for 2018-2019

  1. Complete LCGFT Reductions (Music) and Improvisations (Music) projects; commence 1-3 other projects to be determined – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members, and access
  2. Continue to serve as a vetting body for the Music SACO Funnel – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members, and access
  3. Continue to support refinement of Music Toolkit in response to user feedback – promotes core values of collaboration, expertise of members, and access; supports increased visibility under goal area value of the profession
  4. Commence revisions of LCMPT and LCGFT best practices — promotes core values of expertise of members, and access; supports increased visibility under goal area value of the profession
Respectfully submitted,
Rebecca Belford
August 1, 2018