# Presentation: 755436

## Update on Genre/Form Projects at the Library of Congress

- Janis L. Young
- Cataloging Policy and Support Office
- Library of Congress
- January 2008

## Agenda

- Achievements of the moving image project
- Issues and problems encountered
- Future steps

## Achievements

- Records:  Approximately 200 records have been approved and released since September 2007
- Policy:  H 1913, Moving Image Genre/Form Headings, has been drafted, revised, and published
- Positive feedback about the amount and quality of information dissemination and opportunities for comment

## Resolved issues:Moving images

- Moving image works for the hearing and sight impaired
- Reinstatement of headings **Video recordings for the hearing impaired** and **Video recordings for people with visual disabilities**

## Resolved issues: Moving images

- Geographic subdivision
*Arguments against:* not part of the genre or the form; country of production elsewhere in record; possible misinterpretation of meaning
*Arguments for:* system limitations; co-produced works may be hard to find; evidence that users utilize geographic subdivision

## Resolved issues: Moving images

- Geographic subdivision
- Proposed change in policy:  Geographic subdivision of moving image genre/form headings will be permitted, to denote the country of production
- LC may not apply geographic subdivisions
- Should not be interpreted as a precedent for genre/form headings for other disciplines

## Resolved issues: Moving images

- Headings for language
- (*e.g*., **Spanish language films**; **[. . .] films—Spanish**)
*Arguments against: *not part of the genre or the form of a work; language(s) of work available elsewhere in record
*Arguments for:* system limitations; users may find it easier to find works in a specific language by using a heading, rather than limiting a search
- Recommended Policy: There will be no provision for the language of a work

## Moving image issues to be resolved

- “Crossover” terms
- The projects are incremental, and LCSH is very interconnected
- When should headings that belong to more than one discipline be created (*e.g.,* **Opera films**)?
- How far should the BT/NT/RT chains be followed (e.g., **Television adaptations**: BT is **Television scripts**, a literary heading)?

## Moving image issues to be resolved

- Should topical form headings, coded 150, continue to be subdivided in all cases?
- 	Current practice:
- 	650   Horror films—History and criticism.
- 	655   Horror films.
- 	Future practice?
- 	650   Horror films.
- 	655   Horror films.
- If change is made, huge database maintenance and training issues will result

## Overarching issue

- Development being done in a live database
- Policies may appear to be more stable than they in fact are, and changes sometimes lead to confusion
- But, allows for community involvement and provides many opportunities for feedback and collaboration, two goals of the project
- Thank you for your patience!

## Future directions

- Moving images
- More headings will be submitted and approved
- Revision to H 1913, Moving Image Genre/Form headings, will be released in Update package 1, 2008
- Non-musical sound recordings
- SCM memo for radio programs is being drafted and will be posted for comment
- Headings based on the *Radio Form/Genre Terms Guide* (RADFG) are being created
- Future projects?

## Future directions

- SACO genre/form proposals are _not_ being accepted yet
- 100+ additional headings being prepared in CPSO
- SACO libraries may continue to submit headings coded 150, and CPSO will create additional genre/form authority records as appropriate