AN ABSTRACT OF THE THESIS OF Rose Diane Deforge for the degree of Master of Science in Clothing, Textile, and Related Arts presented on December 14, 1979. Title: Classifying and Cataloguing System and Procedure for Cos- tume, Textile, and Slide Collections. Abstract approved: Redacted for Privacy Dr....oily Schrank The purpose of the study was to develop a system and proce- dure for classifying and cataloguing the textile, costume, and slide collections of the Clothing, Textile, and Related Arts (CTRA) Depart- ment at Oregon State University.Investigation was made by letter, personal visit, interview with faculty and curators, and literature research to identify different purpose and use statementsclassi- fying and cataloguing systems, catalogue files, and criteria for evaluating the system and procedure. The investigation resulted in the development of a purpose and use statement based on the col- lection characteristics and user needs; identification of user needs; criteria for evaluating the proposed system and procedure; and the recommended system and procedure. Robert Chenhall developed a system for cataloguing in the computer age. The system contains 91 data fields and can be established as a manual or computerized file.The Chenhall system was adapted for CTRA using 39 of the 91 data fields.Eleven of the data fields were subdivided to meet the expressed needs of the users. Data field definitions and instructions were developed and arranged into a Classifying and Cataloguing Manual. The Manual procedure was tested and revised to meet the established criteria. Sample word lists were developed and reference resources were recommended to maintain vocabulary control.Basic rules were established to provide the cataloguer with a basis for consistency in recording information and use of the system. Procedures were developed and included in the Manual for completing the catalogu- ing process including instructions for the ledger page, catalogue worksheet, donated objects, label preparation, establishing data files such as Documentation File and History of Ownership, and establishing catalogue card files such as Subject-Index File, Registration-Accession File, and Appraisal File. A recommended test and evaluation of the proposed Subject- Index File was established to determine ease of use after the file is implemented. The CTRA department head will review the test and evaluation results to determine if any further changes are needed to improve ease of use of the Subject-Index File for information retrieval. Classifying and Cataloguing System and Procedure for Costume, Textile, and Slide Collections by Rose Diane Deforge A THESIS submitted to Oregon Sate University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science June 1980 APPROVED: Redacted for Privacy Associate -ofessor of Clothing, Textiles, and Related Arts in charge of major Redacted for Privacy Head of D rtment of Clothing, Textiles, and Related Arts Redacted for Privacy Date thesis is presented December 14, 1979 Typed by MarY Ann Airth for Rose Diane Deforge ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To Dr. Holly Schrank, my advisor, deep appreciation and thank you for your patience, advice, encouragement, and positive support. To Dr. Ruth Gates, thank you for your encouragement and support in the classroom and for your input as one of the major collection users. To the CTRA users: Nancy Bryant, Wayne Deveney, Holly Schrank, and Ruth Gates, thank you for testing the system and suggesting changes to improve the procedures. To Lucy Skjelstad and Staff from Horner Museum, thank you for advice and help in testing the system. To curators Virginia Harvey and Barbara Zentner, thank you for the time spent showing me the system and procedures used at the museums. To museum and university personnel who responded to inquiry letters, thank you for the information sent which was vital to the development of this system. To my church family for your love, support and prayers, thank you and may God richly bless each of you. To Judy Keller, Carol Goertz, Jean Peacock, and Terry Hegle, a special thanks for added assistance in the completion of this project. To my husband Maurice, my son Michel, and my family Dad, Mom, Dave, and Men i Kaye, for your love, unselfishness, support, patience, and strength which helped me through this project, words cannot express my gratitude. To my Heavenly Father, adoration and praise. TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction. of the Problem . ..... 3 Purpose. ..... Justification . 6 Evaluation of the Thesis Study and Systems 7 Review of Literature. 9 Introduction.................. ... .. 9 Registration ............ ...... ....... .... 12 Registration Process ................. 12 Methods of Registration ..... ...... 20 Classifying Data Classification System Categories ....... Development of a Classification System 26 Cataloguing ............ 27 Catalogue Files ........... 28 Criteria for Establishing Files .... Criteria for Ei.riluating Files ........ 34 Catalogue Systems ....... .... Computerized Files ............ 3396 Summary 40 Procedure ...42 Development of the Purpose and Use Statement . 42 Identification of User Needs ................. 43 Development of the Classifying and Cataloguing Systems ..... ........ 44 Development of the Classifying and Cataloguing Procedures . .... 47 Eva Illations .. 9 . IV. Presentation of Results. ... 49 Purpose and Use Statement Development... ... 49 Faculty Interviews.. Functions of the Collections 50 Reasons for Cataloguing 51 Use of Collections ....... Letters and Visits Purpose and Use of CTRA Collections....... 54 Identification of User Needs 55 Information Desired by Users 55 Information Desired by Potential Users 57 Second Interviews OOOO . 58 Analysis of Present Systems .... ....... 60 Present Systems Identified ...... 61 Historic Costumes ........ 61 World Costumes, World and Historic Textiles ... 63 Slides.. ...... 64 Evaluation of Present System 65 Development of Criteria for Evaluating the Proposed Classifying and Cataloguing 69 Introduction.. .... 69 Criteria Identified in Literature 70 Criteria Used by Other Institutions 75 System Characteristics Requested by Users....... .... .... ........ 76 Criteria Adopted for Evaluating the Proposed Classifying and Cataloguing System and Procedure 77 Proposed Classifying and Cataloguing System 80 System Proposed for CTRA..... .......... 82 Justification for Data Fields Included in the Proposed CTRA System . 83 Rationale for Excluding Some of Chenhall's Data Fields From the Proposed System. ... ... 91 Data Fields Established to Meet Expressed User Needs .......... 95 Recommended Procedural Steps.. ... ... 97 Rationale for Proposed Procedures 97 Testing Classifying and Cataloguing Proce- dures........................ ..... 110 Recommended Test and Evaluation of Subject- Index File After Implementation 117 V. Summary, Conclusions, and Recommendations.... 120 Summary ...... 120 Conclusions .. 128 Recommendations. To the Clothing, Textile, and Related Arts Department . 128 For Future Study 130 Bibliogra phy Appendix A Historic Costume and Textile Workshop Flyer......... 135 Appendix B Oregon State University Faculty Interview Schedule 136 Appendix C University and Museum Per- sonnel Contacted by Letter. 137 Appendix D Personal Visit and Interview Schedule for Other Institutions. 140 Appendix E Summary of Faculty Interview Responses ..... 141 Appendix F Purpose and Use Statement of the Clothing, Textiles, and Related Arts Collections of World and Historic Costumes, Textiles, and Slides Recom- mended for Adoption... 144 Appendix GSummary of Faculty Interviews Regarding Expressed User Needs 146 Appendix HSummary of Information Users Desire to Have Recorded and Retrievable ..... 14 8 Appendix I Summary of Second Interview Results 150 Appendix Current Historic Costume Classification Categories.. 1 Appendix K Current World and Historic Textile and World Costume Classification Categories.. 153 Appendix L Original Form for Evaluating Proposed System Procedures with Responses Given by Three Users. 155 Appendix MChenhall's Cataloguing System 157 Appendix NProposed Classifying and Cat- aloguing Manual 166 Appendix 0Recommended Steps for Imple- menting the Proposed System .. 244 Appendix P Revised Form for Evaluating the Proposed System Procedures, With Responses from the Two Re-test Users..... 247 Appendix Q Preliminary Draft and Revised Cataloguing Worksheet 249 Appendix R Retrieval Problems to Test Subject-Index Retrievability after Implementation ... 251 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Figure Page 1 Preliminary Object Classes Established by RobertChenhall for DataField 88 ...... 92 Sample of Record Ledger with Information Recorded. Sample Subject Index File Card 236 Appraisal File Card.............. 237 Classifying And Cataloguing System And Procedure For Costume, Textile, And Slide Collections I.Introduction Collecting objects of differing natures from junk to valuable antiques is done by many people from childhood to old age. Collect- ing is done by individual people or by groups of people for an Identified purpose. One person may take pleasure in collecting items for personal value, while another collects items that may have use in the future. Groups of people may desire to collect objects or items used by past and present civilizations as a means of preserving the objects for future generations. The collected objects are acquired and preserved because of potential value as examples, reference materials, objects of aesthetic or educational importance (Burcaw, 1975). The nature of the collection