Form/Genre Headings Policy

UCSD Libraries’ Policy for Form/Genre Headings
Written by the Form/Genre Subcommittee of the Cataloging Committee
Approved by Cataloging Committee April 11, 2007

The cataloging operations of the UCSD Libraries value form/genre terms as an effective means of identification and discovery of our resources. While we do not have the resources to add appropriate terms to all records that would benefit from them, we are committed to adding terms to our records whenever possible and providing the required authority control.

We will strive to use terms from established thesauri while recognizing that certain situations will require us to use local terms. All local terms will be approved and codified before they are used. Unapproved local terms that creep into the catalog will be converted to established terms.

We will load authority records for form/genre terms that are available from publishing agencies, OCLC, our authority vendor, and other sources. We will only locally key authority records in instances of absolute necessity.

We will rely on our authority vendor to do post cataloging verification of our form/genre strings.

We will explore ways to batch add genre terms to our existing records that lack them.

We will follow standard subject cataloging practices regarding form/genre access in subject strings. It is the current practice of LC, and thus many other libraries, to record form/genre aspects of an item in subject fields, rather than the form/genre field. We will accept this practice and not switch subject headings into form/genre headings. Exceptions to this policy will be made on a case-by-case basis.

We will structure form/genre subdivisions according to the standard practice of the UCSD Libraries or the official practice of the particular thesaurus being used.*

Since we will have terms from multiple thesauri living in the same index, the potential for conflicting terms is very real. In general, we will accept on cataloging copy all terms from established thesauri (with some exceptions noted under departmental policies). We will resolve conflicts using the following guidelines:

For terms that describe subtly different concepts, we will retain both terms and modify the authority records with see also references.
Identical terms that have different meanings in different thesauri (e.g. Atlases), will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.
For terms that describe the same concept but are different in form, we will select one to be the preferred term. We will add a reference to the authority record for the preferred for the unchosen term, also retaining any unique references from the unchosen term’s authority record. Exception: The need to include terms from both LCSH and MeSH guarantees some stylistic conflicts (e.g. singular v. plural forms). We will add see also references for these terms as needed.

All of the above practices will require monitoring and decision making. In order to quickly and best employ these practices, we will have a standing Form/Genre Group.

The Form/Genre Group will report to the Cataloging Committee and be comprised of members with interest and aptitude in form/genre terms, controlled vocabularies, and/or authority control. The group will meet as necessary to resolve conflicts, approve new terms or thesauri, and deal with other issues. The group will consult with others, including appropriate public services contacts, when making their decisions.

Departmental Policies:

The Metadata Services Department (MSD) will accept form/genre terms on existing cataloging copy with 2nd indicators 0, 2, or 7, using load tables to strip out undesired fields.

MSD will verify new form/genre terms that come from copy through our post-cataloging authority control practices.

The Mandeville Special Collections Library (MSCL) will add to both copy and original cataloging terms identified by the relevant selectors. Catalogers may suggest terms not considered by selectors, but must get approval from the Coordinator of Technical Services or the Director.

MSCL will apply terms from the RBMS controlled vocabularies, GMGPC, and AAT for significant conditions of publication and physical characteristics. In cases when necessary, they will also use LCSH and GSAFD.

Form/genre headings in AAL image records are not being considered at this time since they are not part of the form/genre index. If they are moved into this index, we will evaluate them at that time.

*The standard practice still needs to be determined. It is especially necessary in the case of chronological subdivisions (e.g. using both decades and centuries as a subdivision for Artists’ books)