Subject Access: Conceptual Models, Functional Requirements, and Empirical Data

Abstract

One of the central functions of bibliographic control is providing subject access. However, numerous studies conducted over decades have shown that users routinely experience problems with subject access in library catalogs and databases. These problems are often due to inadequate quality of subject metadata, which is greatly influenced by complexity of subject representation. The fact that major cataloging standards (e.g., AACR2 and its predecessors) have been overlooking the importance of subject access and have not addressed subject cataloging is arguably one of the reasons behind problems in organization of subject access. The new cataloging code—Resource Description and Access (RDA)—attempts to fill this gap. Upon examination of how subject access is addressed in RDA and its underlying conceptual models that specify functional requirements for bibliographic control—FRBR, FRAD, and FRSAD—this article presents results of a study that used FRBR model as an analytical framework in examination of user search queries in a large-scale digital library. The findings of this study provide empirical data to inform the development of RDA sections that cover subject access, particularly subject entities and relationships.

KEYWORDS:

• bibliographic control
• conceptual models
• digital libraries
• entity-relationship models
• FRAD
• FRBR
• FRSAD
• RDA
• subject access
• transaction log analysis
• user searching

Notes

1. Interestingly, there is no reciprocal relationship is a subject of in FRBR model.