Faceted Application Of Subject Terminology Research Articles

From Uncontrolled Keywords to FAST? Attempting Metadata Reconciliation for a Canadian Research Data Aggregator

How aggregators reconcile repositories’ user-supplied subject keywords is a growing challenge in the metadata profession. While aggregators allow users to search across multiple databases to find information, the search capability is only as good as the supplied metadata. This paper is a case study of a project to reconcile harvested metadata keywords within a research data discovery service. The Federated Research Data Repository (FRDR) Discovery Service is a national, bilingual platform for discovering Canadian research data that harvests metadata from over 90 repositories. This paper outlines the work of a cross-Canada, volunteer group of experts who attempted to develop a semi-automated workflow to map the FRDR subject keywords to Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) to improve discoverability. The authors, who were members of the working group, discuss why the project failed, the problems encountered, and their thoughts on the future of automated metadata reconciliation.

FAST the Inside Track: Where We Are, Where Do We Want to Be, and How Do We Get There?

This is an overview of the development of FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) from its inception in the late 1990s, through its development and implementation to the work being undertaken by OCLC and the FAST Policy and Outreach Committee (FPOC) to develop and promote FAST. FPOC members explain how FAST is used by institutions in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States. They cover their experience of implementing FAST and the benefits they have derived. The final section considers the value of FAST as a faceted vocabulary and the potential for future development and linked data.

FAST Headings in MODS: Michigan State University Libraries Digital Repository Case Study

The Michigan State University Libraries (MSUL) digital repository contains numerous collections of openly available material. Since 2016, the digital repository has been using Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) subject headings as its primary subject vocabulary in order to streamline faceting, display, and search. The MSUL FAST use case presents some challenges that are not addressed by existing MARC-focused FAST tools. This paper will outline the MSUL digital repository team’s justification for including FAST headings in the digital repository as well as workflows for adding FAST headings to Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS) metadata, their maintenance, and utilization for discovery.

User Study: Implementation of OCLC FAST Subject Headings in the Lafayette Digital Repository

Digital repository migrations present a periodic opportunity to assess metadata quality and to perform strategic enhancements. Lafayette College Libraries implemented OCLC FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) for its digital image collections as part of a migration from multiple repositories to a single one built on the Samvera Hyrax open-source framework. Application of FAST has normalized subject headings across dissimilar collections in a way that tremendously improves descriptive consistency for staff and discoverability for end users. However, the process of applying FAST headings was complicated by several features of in-scope metadata as well as gaps in available controlled subject authorities.

Implementation of FAST in Two Digital Repositories: Breaking Silos, Unifying Subject Practices

This study traces evolving approaches to the use of the FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) in digital repositories at Atkins Library at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where changes in staffing, the launch of an institutional repository, and efforts to address problematic language in metadata have necessitated a shift from an in-depth indexing approach to FAST to a lightweight “tagging” model more suited to present-day metadata needs. Despite the subject schema’s apparent simplicity, Atkins’ experience with FAST has shown that it still requires significant time, effort, and experimentation in order to deploy it to best effect.

Comparisons of Aboutness of OCLC FAST Headings and IMDb “Plot Keywords” for Documentary Films

This study analyzed OCLC Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) headings and Internet Movie Database (IMDb) “plot keywords” for a shared set of documentary films to determine how well the aboutness identified by the former was reproduced by the latter. A randomized list of documentary films held at the Iowa State University Library, a large academic research library, was created. The FAST headings were compared to each “plot keyword” used in the corresponding IMDb record to determine if they met one or more of the match types defined for this study: exact match, close match, broad match, narrow match, and closely-related match. In total, 604 FAST headings from 100 OCLC records were analyzed. This data was used to calculate breakdowns of average recall and average precision evaluating the IMDb records using the OCLC records. This study found that relatively little of the aboutness expressed by FAST headings was represented by the “plot keywords” in the corresponding IMDb records. The average recall and average precision of the IMDb records, judged as an attempt to reproduce the FAST headings, was 23.38% and 18.89%, respectively. By comparing OCLC and IMDb subject metadata for documentary films, this study advances scholarship on the relationship between professionally-created and user-created metadata.

Subject Indexing at the National Library of Latvia: New Approach, Challenges, and Benefits

The rapid development of information technologies and various information resources in the Internet environment, cultural heritage digitization, and Linked Data significantly affect the need for changes in library catalogs. Libraries need to look for new opportunities to reflect the content and form of a variety of information resources. This article introduces the main aspects of implementing the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) at the National Library of Latvia. It describes how form/genre headings are adopted from FAST for different information resources at the National Library of Latvia and the main challenges and benefits.

The Fast and the FRDR: Improving Metadata for Data Discovery in Canada

The Federated Research Data Repository (FRDR), developed through a partnership between the Canadian Association of Research Libraries’ Portage initiative and the Compute Canada Federation, improves research data discovery in Canada by providing a single search portal for research data stored across Canadian governmental, institutional, and discipline-specific data repositories. While this national discovery layer helps to de-silo Canadian research data, challenges in data discovery remain due to a lack of standardized metadata practices across repositories. In recognition of this challenge, a Portage task group, drawn from a national network of experts, has engaged in a project to map subject keywords to the Online Computer Library Center’s (OCLC) Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) using the open source OpenRefine software. This paper will describe the task group’s project, discuss the various approaches undertaken by the group, and explore how this work improves data discovery and may be adopted by other repositories and metadata aggregators to support metadata standardization.

Social Tags of Select Books Written by Mahatma Gandhi a Comparative Study of Library Thing Tags and OCLC Fast Subject Headings


 
 
 Retrieval to specific information is critical to user satisfaction in today’s semantic web environment. Users use various terms, nomenclatures and words for aiding mnemonic value to identify concepts for future access and sharing with community members. Social tagging has emerged as a popular option for the millennials to address this issue Tagging is a convenient way used by today’s users for naming their web resources in their own terms. In this study a comparative study was carried out between the standardised Online Computer Library Centre (OCLC) Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) Subject headings and the popular user-generated tags observed on the LibraryThing website for select books written by Mahatma Gandhi, the iconic Father of Modern India, who was also a prolific writer. M K Gandhi wrote many books, letters, newsletters, essays and edited journals on various subjects like health, vegetarianism, diet, religion and social reforms. A close examination of the subject headings and tags given by users to works authored by M K Gandhi reveal that there is a vast amount of difference between the standard terms assigned using OCLC FAST Subject Headings and tags assigned by the users. The study reveals that neither subject headings nor tags are perfect systems by themselves, but they may complement each other in library catalogues. The inclusion of user-generated keywords into catalogues will greatly enhance representation, organisation and retrieval of resources in a library environment.
 
 

User search terms and controlled subject vocabularies in an institutional repository

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the search behavior of institutional repository (IR) users in regard to subjects as a means of estimating the potential impact of applying a controlled subject vocabulary to an IR.Design/methodology/approachGoogle Analytics data were used to record cases where users arrived at an IR item page from an external web search and subsequently downloaded content. Search queries were compared against the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) schema to determine the topical nature of the queries. Queries were also compared against the item’s metadata values for title and subject using approximate string matching to determine the alignment of the queries with current metadata values.FindingsA substantial portion of successful user search queries to an IR appear to be topical in nature. User search queries matched values from FAST at a higher rate than existing subject metadata. Increased attention to subject description in IR records may provide an opportunity to improve the search visibility of the content.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to a particular IR. Data from Google Analytics does not provide comprehensive search query data.Originality/valueThe study presents a novel method for analyzing user search behavior to assist IR managers in determining whether to invest in applying controlled subject vocabularies to IR content.

New Approaches to Subject Indexing at the British Library

ABSTRACTThe constantly changing metadata landscape means that libraries need to re-think their approach to standards and subject analysis, to enable the discovery of vast areas of both print and digital content. This article presents a case study from the British Library that assesses the feasibility of adopting FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) to selectively extend the scope of subject indexing of current and legacy content, or implement FAST as a replacement for all LCSH in current cataloging workflows.

Subject Metadata Development for Digital Resources in Latvia

The National Library of Latvia (NLL) made a decision to use the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) in 2000. At present the NLL Subject Headings Database in Latvian holds approximately 34,000 subject headings and is used for subject cataloging of textual resources, including articles from serials. For digital objects NLL uses a system like Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST). We succesfully use it in the project “In Search of Lost Latvia,” one of the milestones in the development of the subject cataloging of digital resources in Latvia.

Using Authorities to Improve Subject Searches

Authority files have played an important role in improving the quality of indexing and subject cataloging. Although authorities can significantly improve searching by increasing the number of access points, they are rarely an integral part of the information retrieval process, particularly end-users’ searches. A retrieval prototype, searchFAST, was developed to test the feasibility of using an authority file as an index to bibliographic records. searchFAST uses Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) as an index to OCLC's WorldCat.org bibliographic database. The searchFAST prototype complements, rather than replaces, existing WorldCat.org access. The bibliographic file is searched indirectly; first the authority file is searched to identify appropriate subject headings, then the headings are used to retrieve the matching bibliographic records. The prototype demonstrates the effectiveness and practicality of using an authority file as an index. Searching the authority file leverages authority control work by increasing the number of access points while supporting a simple interface designed for end-users.

Is FAST the Right Direction for a New System of Subject Cataloging and Metadata?

ABSTRACT The Subject Analysis Committee Subcommittee on FAST of the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS) was established in the fall of 2004 to explore issues related to the implementation of the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) subject heading schema. FAST is being developed at the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) and is derived from the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) with a simplified syntax. This paper is based on comments by the Subject Analysis Committee Subcommittee on FAST, which reviewed a sample of 5,000 bibliographic records with both LCSH and FAST headings. It provides the library community with some understanding of FAST, a new system of subject cataloging and metadata.

Converting Ulrich's™ Subject Headings to FAST Headings: A Feasibility Study

ABSTRACT This paper presents a study that assessed the feasibility of applying the approach of the Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST), an initiative of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC), to records in the Ulrich's Periodicals Directory.™ The goal is to determine whether a simplified application of Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), as illustrated by FAST, would benefit the Ulrich's system. This feasibility study found that although a few problems were encountered in the process, overall the FAST database was useful for converting Ulrich's subject headings into FAST headings.

FAST: Development of Simplified Headings for Metadata

SUMMARY The Library of Congress Subject Headings schema (LCSH) is the most commonly used and widely accepted subject vocabulary for general application. It is the de facto universal controlled vocabulary and has been a model for developing subject heading systems by many countries. However, LCSH's complex syntax and rules for constructing headings restrict its application by requiring highly skilled personnel and limit the effectiveness of automated authority control. Recent trends, driven to a large extent by the rapid growth of the Web, are forcing changes in bibliographic control systems to make them easier to use, understand, and apply, and subject headings are no exception. The purpose of adapting the LCSH with a simplified syntax to create FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) headings is to retain the very rich vocabulary of LCSH while making the schema easier to understand, control, apply, and use. The schema maintains compatibility with LCSH–any valid Library of Congress subject heading can be concerted to FAST heading.

FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology): a simplified vocabulary based on the Library of Congress Subject Headings

Le Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) est de loin le vocabulaire matiere d'utilisation generale le plus utilise et approuve. Toutefois, son utilisation est restreinte a cause de la complexite de sa syntaxe ; elle necessite un personnel hautement qualifie et limite l'efficacite des systemes automatises de controle d'autorite. Le but de l'adapter en un schema a facettes ayant une syntaxe plus simple est de conserver la richesse du vocabulaire du LCSH tout en le rendant plus facile a comprendre, a controler, a appliquer et a utiliser. Le schema FAST maintient une compatibilite avec le LCSH, ainsi tout ensemble de vedettes-matiere provenant du LCSH peut etre converti en vedettes-matiere FAST. Le schema FAST consiste esentiellement en 8 facettes. Des notices d'autorite furent creees pour chaque vedette-matiere, exception faite pour la facette chronologique. La version initiale du fichier d'autorite FAST contiendra environ deux millions de notices d'autorite.

Subject metadata from the other side. Sponsored by SIG CR

AbstractProfessional indexers are often preferred for creating high quality subject metadata because of their expert knowledge (Weinheimer, 2000), but they are costly and limited in availability (Griffin & Thomas, 1999). This fact, together with the continued rapid growth of the World Wide Web (web), have encouraged other classes of persons' to be involved in subject metadata production (Lynch, 1997). Precedent exists in the print environment where authors contribute subject keywords and abstracts to scientific and scholarly publications, which are then used in commercial information systems. Can authors create good quality subject metadata for web‐based digital resources? What other classes of persons, without professional training, might assign subject metadata to digital resources? What tools are there to assist non‐professionals in producing subject metadata? This panel examines these questions. Specific topics addressed include the creation of subject metadata by government employees and research scientists who have subject expertise but no professional training in metadata creation, implicit subject metadata found on a sample of webpages documenting Central America, and an overview of FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology), a tool that makes Library of Congress Subject Headings' (LCSH) rich vocabulary easier to understand and use.

A Faceted Approach to Subject Data in the Dublin Core Metadata Record

SUMMARY The enormous volume and rapid growth of resources available on the World Wide Web and the emergence of numerous metadata schemes have spurred a re-examination of the way subject data is to be provided for Web resources efficiently and effectively. For the Dublin Core metadata record, a new approach to subject vocabulary is being investigated. This new method, called FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology), is based on the existing vocabulary in Library of Congress Subject Headings (LC), but applied with a simpler syntax than that currently used by libraries according to Library of Congress application policies. In the FAST system, non-topical (i.e., geographic, chronological, and form) data are separated from topical data and placed in different elements provided in the Dublin Core metadata record.