7. Constructing a Vocabulary Or Authority
7. Constructing a Vocabulary or Authority Constructing a rich and complex controlled vocabulary or authority is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. However, the benefits are worth the cost, because the resulting vocabulary helps to ensure consis- tency in indexing and facilitates successful retrieval. It also saves labor, because catalogers do not have to repeatedly record the same information. The issues discussed in this chapter concern both the construction of a local authority and the construction of a new vocabulary for broader use. Further information is found in Chapter 6: Local Authorities. Given that an authority in this context is also a kind of vocabulary, both are intended by the use of the term vocabulary below. 7.1. General Criteria for the Vocabulary Before beginning the project, the creators of the vocabulary must agree upon and document the intended compliance with standards, construc- tion methods, plans for maintenance, desired structure, types of rela- tionships, display formats, and policies regarding compound terms, true synonymy, and types of acceptable warrant. A first step in resolving these issues is to determine the purpose, scope, and audience of the vocabulary. 7.1.1. Local or Broader Use Is the vocabulary intended strictly for local use or to be shared in a broader environment? Local authorities should be customized so that they work well with the specific situation and the specific collection or collections at hand. Each institution should develop a strategy for creating local authorities customized for their specific collections. However, if the collection is or will be queried in consortial or federated environments, controlled vocabularies should be customized for retrieval across different collections; depending upon the particular situ- ation, the requirements are different and the terminology is broader or narrower in scope.
[Show full text]