[SAC-FAST] [Fwd: RE: FAST subcommittee]

Sherman Clarke sherman.clarke at nyu.edu
Wed Dec 12 11:45:44 EST 2007


Duh, you're right (the algorithm is right). The LC record has "Macedonia" but should have "Macedonia (Republic)." I've put it on my bfm pile.

Thanks.
Sherman

----- Original Message -----
From: "O'Neill,Ed" <oneill at oclc.org>
Date: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 9:44 am
Subject: RE: RE: [SAC-FAST] [Fwd: RE: FAST subcommittee]
To: Sherman Clarke <sherman.clarke at nyu.edu>
Cc: sac-fast at mailman.yale.edu, "Arnold,Anya" <arnolda at oclc.org>, "Bennett,Rick" <bennetr at oclc.org>, "Childress,Eric" <childree at oclc.org>, "Clopton,Kay" <cloptonk at oclc.org>, "Dean,Becky" <deanr at oclc.org>, "Kammerer,Kerre" <kammerer at oclc.org>, lelh at loc.gov, loischan at uky.edu, "O'Neill,Ed" <oneill at oclc.org>, "Vizine-Goetz,Diane" <vizine at oclc.org>


> Hi Sherman,
>  
>   
>  
>  For Macedonia, in LCSH Macedonia (from the scope note) is used for 
> "works on the ancient country and kingdom of Macedonia" and Macedonia 
> (Republic) is used for the former Yugoslav Republic.  With very few 
> exceptions, the mapping for geographic names for LCSH to FAST is 
> one-to-one so that:
>  
>   
>  
>  Macedonia --> Macedonia
>  
>  Macedonia (Republic) --> Macedonia (Republic)
>  
>   
>  
>  i.e., the unqualified form is assumed to the ancient place.  While I 
> haven't looked carefully at the item, it is certainly possible that 
> the LCSH heading is wrong.  During the mapping, we verify that that 
> the heading is valid (established) but not that it is appropriate for 
> the title.
>  
>   
>  
>  As you point out, since most ancient places predate modern states and 
> often have were different boundaries, we used the continent for most 
> ancient jurisdictional names but not for natural features.  Otherwise 
> we found ourselves equating the Roman Empire with Italy.  
>  
>   
>  
>  We can discuss more in Philly, Ed 
>  
>   
>  
>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: Sherman Clarke [mailto:sherman.clarke at nyu.edu] 
>  Sent: Wednesday, December 12, 2007 8:17 AM
>  To: O'Neill,Ed
>  Cc: sac-fast at mailman.yale.edu; Kammerer,Kerre
>  Subject: Re: RE: [SAC-FAST] [Fwd: RE: FAST subcommittee]
>  
>   
>  
>  Ed,
>  
>  A couple followup questions/comments at this point.
>  
>   
>  
>  On the Macedonia example, how does the algorithm attempt to determine 
> ancient or modern Macedonia? (You can explain this in person at 
> Midwinter.) The title in this case is about an earlier 20th century 
> revolutionary. The use of continent for ancient places is interesting: 
> most ancient places predate modern states and our LCSH-informed bias 
> is for current geographic name; does this only apply to countries? I 
> checked Lascaux in the FAST authority file and found "France -- 
> Lascaux Cave." Checking gaul, I found "Europe -- Gaul." In the VR 
> arena, folks like the idea of using the TGN hierarchy but I don't 
> think anyone feels the need for the whole hierarchy for, say, Paris, France:
>  
>  World (facet) - Europe (continent) - France (nation) - Île-de-France 
> (region) - Ville de Paris, Département de (department) - Paris 
> (inhabited place).
>  
>   
>  
>  My first reaction on the value of FAST author/title headings is that 
> they're probably not valuable. For something famous like Huck Finn 
> (FAST = Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (Twain, Mark)), the FAST 
> heading is ok but I'm not sure that "Ben and me (Dodds, Terry)" is 
> very helpful.
>  
>   
>  
>  On to Philadelphia.
>  
>   
>  
>  Sherman
>  
>   
>  
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  
>  From: "O'Neill,Ed" <oneill at oclc.org>
>  
>  Date: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 12:16 pm
>  
>  Subject: RE: [SAC-FAST] [Fwd: RE: FAST subcommittee]
>  
>  To: Sherman Clarke <sherman.clarke at nyu.edu>
>  
>  Cc: sac-fast at mailman.yale.edu, "Kammerer,Kerre" <kammerer at oclc.org>
>  
>   
>  
>   
>  
>  > Hi Sherman,
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Thanks for the comments.  The algorithmic mapping is still an earlier
>  
>  > beta version and this helps us identify the problems.  I have added 
> my
>  
>  > thoughts below. 
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Happy holidays; See you in Philly,
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Ed
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > -----Original Message-----
>  
>  > From: sac-fast-bounces at mailman.yale.edu
>  
>  > [mailto:sac-fast-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Sherman Clarke
>  
>  > Sent: Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:41 AM
>  
>  > To: sac-fast at mailman.yale.edu
>  
>  > Subject: Re: [SAC-FAST] [Fwd: RE: FAST subcommittee]
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Qiang and all--
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > I printed out about 20 pages of sample records and looked at them. 
> Below
>  
>  > some comments with the ocm number of relevant record indicated:
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > ocm36513477: "Early works to 1800" in LCSH became "Early works" in 
> FAST;
>  
>  > interesting, not a problem, probably to consolidate variations on "Early
>  
>  > works to ..."?
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >       Exactly
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > ocm00073477: title of book includes 1970s, LCSH has Economic
>  
>  > history--1945-1971 and Economic history--1971-1990; alas, that results
>  
>  > in FAST 648 of 1945-1990; I think this wouldn't happen in real
>  
>  > application of FAST where you give dates of coverage but it is rather
>  
>  > unfortunate in algorithmic translation of LCSH
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >       For algorithmic mapping, FAST simply uses the LCSH periods.  
> If
>  
>  > the period heading was manually assigned, 1970 - 1979 would be
>  
>  > preferable.
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > ocm22243477: LCSH has --Macedonia which becomes Europe--Macedonia in
>  
>  > FAST; why is Macedonia divided indirectly but most places aren't, e.g.,
>  
>  > Nepal, Germany, Argentina (among the records I have, as well as U.S.
>  
>  > places which I understand) - is this because of difference of Macedonia
>  
>  > in Greece and Macedonia in former Yugoslavia (FAST thesaurus also has
>  
>  > Macedonia, Iowa)? FAST also has places within Macedonia (Republic)
>  
>  > divided from Europe without intervening Macedonia (which goes back 
> to
>  
>  > decision to do two levels for geographics?)
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Ancient and extinct places are entered indirectly under the continent.
>  
>  > It this case, the algorithm assumes that the LCSH heading represented
>  
>  > the ancient country and kingdom of Macedonia rather than the current
>  
>  > jurisdiction.  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > ocm35903477: LCSH has author/title (Lawson, Robert, 1892-1957. Ben 
> and
>  
>  > me) which doesn't get translated into FAST; no author/title conversion?
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > We do author/title conversions but there is no LC authority record 
> (and
>  
>  > therefore no FAST heading) for "Ben and me".  Currently we only 
> create 
>  
>  > a
>  
>  > FAST UT authority if (1) the author/title is established in the LC/NACO
>  
>  > file and (2) it has been used at least once as a subject in WorldCat.
>  
>  > We are considering establishing additional FAST titles for established
>  
>  > authors based on WorldCat usage but have not yet done so.  Any thoughts
>  
>  > on the value of adding titles based on usage? 
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > ocm41313477: all of the LCSH have $x Estimates (this subdivision is 
> $x
>  
>  > in the free-floating publication) but it really looks strange in the
>  
>  > FAST breakout - ambiguity of form/topic for this subdivision is
>  
>  > exaggerated somehow when you're thinking facets - also, it makes me
>  
>  > realize I still think it's a bit strange that topical subdivisions 
> stay
>  
>  > with their base topic; it often makes sense but when it's repeated 
> on
>  
>  > multiple basic topics, it looks redundant
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > The form/topic ambiguity is a problem.  However, since Estimates is 
> not
>  
>  > valid as a form in FAST (or LCSH), it is treated as a topic and retained
>  
>  > with the main heading.
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > ocm06803477: one of LCSH has $y Cretaceous but it didn't become 
> FAST 648
>  
>  > - there is a FAST authority record for Cretaceous Geologic Period
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > This is a FAST conversion error which will be fixed in the next version
>  
>  > of the conversion software.
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Happy holidays and see you in Philadelphia.
>  
>  > 
>  
>  >  
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > Sherman
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > _______________________________________________
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > SAC-FAST mailing list
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > SAC-FAST at mailman.yale.edu
>  
>  > 
>  
>  > http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/sac-fast
>  
>  > 
>  
>  


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