Introduction

Having materials is not enough for an information organization; there needs to be some way to organize and locate items. “Library materials that are not organized are essentially lost” (Hoffman, 2019, ch. 1). Cataloging is an important part of the history of libraries and information organizations that was invented in the nineteenth century to “give access to the growing body of scholarly literature that accompanied new models of research and higher education that emerged at that time” (Bolin, 2022). Collections need to use the principles of metadata, cataloging, classification, and controlled vocabularies to provide access to the resources it contains.

Metadata

Metadata is “data about data … the structured data that enables people to find and access information” (Bolin, 2022). Common metadata schemes are Dublin Core (“a standard … that defines metadata elements used to describe and provide access to online materials”), MARC (“a data communications format that specifies a data structure for bibliographic description”), and EAD (“a standard for encoding descriptions of archival resources”) (SAA, n.d.-a, n.d.-b, n.d.-c). MARC is used for library cataloging, while Dublin Core, which is based on MARC, is “widely used to create digital archives” (Bolin, 2022). EAD is “a non-proprietary standard for the encoding of finding aids for use in a networked (online) environment,” maintained by the Library of Congress and Society of American Archivists (SAA) (SAA, 2024). SAA also maintains DACS, “an output-neutral set of rules for describing archives, personal papers, and manuscript collections,” which can be used with MARC, EAD, or any other kind of descriptive output (SAA, 2022).

Cataloging

Cataloging, “the acquisition or creation of bibliographic data for a library catalog or other discovery tool,” falls into the categories of descriptive cataloging, which “deals with what a resource is and who is responsible for it,” and subject cataloging, which “deals with that the resource is about” (Bolin, 2022). Descriptive cataloging includes bibliographic elements like title, author, and publication information. Authority control, which deals with disambiguating terms, is also part of descriptive cataloging. Subject cataloging relies on controlled vocabularies like Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) to describe “a resource’s aboutness” (Bolin, 2022).

Classification and Controlled Vocabularies

Many catalogs allow searching by controlled vocabularies, where “specific words or phrases designated as subject index terms are assigned to each bibliographic record … among possible synonyms, one term is chosen as the subject index term” (Chan & Salaba, 2016, p. 467-468). These predetermined terms are also referred to as subject headings, and a list of these terms is usually referred to as a thesaurus. Subject headings in a thesaurus often link to other terms, labeled broader term (BT), narrower term (NT), and related term (RT) (Chan & Salaba, p. 468). For example, the LC subject heading “Space flight” includes the broader term “Aeronautics—Flights,” the narrower term “Interstellar travel,” and the related term “Astronautics” (LCSH, 2000). LCSH can be searched at http://id.loc.gov; a subject heading’s page also links to matching concepts in other metadata schemes and notes on using the subject heading.

Evidence

Artifact 1

Assignment: Beta Prototype Design Document
Course: INFO 202, Information Retrieval System Design
Description: This assignment is one part of a group project to design and implement a database. In the previous part of the assignment, we created an alpha prototype of a cheese database for our instructor to review. In this part, we had to revise our database and design document so another group could review our work. We needed to include a statement of purpose, a database with working forms for search and submission, and rules for each field. The rules needed the field’s unit of analysis, whether the field is required, if it can have multiple values or only one, if it uses a controlled vocabulary, and definitions or explanations that an indexer would need to understand how to enter data.

This assignment demonstrates my understanding of how to classify information, create rules for indexing records, and ensure the accessibility of information to users of a database. Each field of our database was considered carefully to ensure it would meet users’ needs. We researched the cheese lovers community to understand what fields would be most useful to the greatest number of users. Qualities like firmness of cheese and whether or not it has a rind did not occur to us before doing research; this showed me the importance of user research when working with classification.

Artifact 2

Assignment: Controlled Vocabulary for Target User Group
Course: INFO 202, Information Retrieval System Design
Description: This group project asked us to create a collection of full-text articles for a specific group of MLIS students, design a controlled vocabulary around the collection, and assign terms from the vocabulary to the articles. We chose to create a vocabulary for data science students. After finding 9 relevant articles about data science and information science, we chose the most important concepts from them, grouped similar terms, and created a controlled vocabulary that made sense for our collection.

This assignment demonstrates my ability to design a controlled vocabulary for a collection. Because this assignment is in worksheet format, it is clear what steps our group took to evaluate the articles chosen, and draft and revise our controlled vocabulary multiple times before finalizing it. Comparing the original concepts we chose for the articles versus the assigned descriptions at the end shows how my understanding of classification developed over the course of the assignment.

Artifact 3

Assignment: Change and LIS
Course: INFO 204, Information Professions
Description: This assignment tasked me with writing an essay about change management and library and information science, relating concepts back to the book Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson. Despite the assignment not being directly related to classification and cataloging, it became related through the direction my essay took. Reflecting on change, library and information science, and DEI concepts, my mind went to the Dewey Decimal System and its many problems.

This essay demonstrates my understanding of classification and cataloging as important tools in library and information science that can be weaponized against marginalized groups, either intentionally or unintentionally. By reflecting on how the Dewey system categorizes religions as Christianity or other, I learned how classification can be harmful if not done in a conscientious way. Cataloging and classification are not one-and-done tasks; they must be evaluated over time as the world changes.

Conclusion

The structures of organized information are fascinating to me, and I plan on continuing to learn about cataloging and classification. I am curious about indexing as a potential career path and might take the American Society for Indexing’s training course to further my education. I will be looking to publications like Cataloging & Classification Quarterly and Library Resources & Technical Services.

References

Bolin, M. K. (2022). Metadata, cataloging, linked data, and the evolving ILS. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction. Rowman & Littlefield.

Chan, L. M., & Salaba, A. (2016). Cataloging and classification: An introduction (4th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

Hoffman, G. L. (2019). Organizing library collections: Theory and practice. Rowman & Littlefield.

Library of Congress Subject Headings [LCSH]. (2000). Space flight. https://id.loc.gov/authorities/subjects/sh85125923.html

Society of American Archivists [SAA]. (n.d.-a). Dublin Core. In Dictionary of archives terminology. Retrieved March 28, 2025, from https://dictionary.archivists.org/entry/dublin-core.html

Society of American Archivists [SAA]. (n.d.-b). Encoded Archival Description. In Dictionary of archives terminology. Retrieved March 28, 2025, from https://dictionary.archivists.org/entry/encoded-archival-description.html

Society of American Archivists [SAA]. (n.d.-c). MARC. In Dictionary of archives terminology. Retrieved March 28, 2025, from https://dictionary.archivists.org/entry/marc.html

Society of American Archivists [SAA]. (2022). Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS). https://www2.archivists.org/groups/technical-subcommittee-on-describing-archives-a-content-standard-dacs/describing-archives-a-content-standard-dacs-second-

Society of American Archivists [SAA]. (2024). Encoded Archival Description (EAD). https://www2.archivists.org/groups/technical-subcommittee-on-encoded-archival-standards-ts-eas/encoded-archival-description-ead