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Intellectual
access --
System used to find what books & videos are in the library
by topic
Cabrillo College
Library uses Library of Congress Subject Headings
to describe what the materials in the library are about.
The English language
is rich in synonyms. Consider these words: car, motorcar,
automobile. If your library had materials about cars,
but people only thought of looking for materials using the
word automobiles, then you'd want to choose one term to
use, and let people know you're doing that!
Library of
Congress Subject Headings is a collection of pre-selected
words, terms and phrases designed to be used as subject
headings in library calalogs. It tells you which terms
have been selected to be used, and refers you to
those terms from the ones that are not used.
Sample subject
heading: TEAMS IN THE WORKPLACE
TEAMS IN THE
WORKPLACE is used as a subject heading for materials on
that topic. It is used instead of Work groups,
Work teams, and a host of other possibilities.
If you were to look in the online catalog under work
groups, you would be told to look, instead, under
TEAMS IN THE WORKPLACE.
 Lists
of subject headings aren't just for libraries! Go find
a local phone book, and notice that there are "Smart
Yellow Pages" (on green paper!) printed just in front
of where the Yellow Pages start.
The "Smart Yellow Pages" is a list of subject
headings for the Yellow Pages. It works much like Library
of Congress Subject Headings.
For example, if you look in the Yellow Pages for HOMELESS
SHELTERS, you won't find anything. However, if you check
the "Smart Yellow Pages," you'll find that the
subject term to use in the Yellow Pages is HOUSING ASSISTANCE
& SHELTERS.
Some other examples.
PIZZA is indeed
the subject heading for pizza, and Internet access companies
are, as you would expect, listed under INTERNET ACCESS.
But, suppose
you want to buy string? Look under ROPE.
Want to contact
a grape grower? Look under VINEYARDS.
When you use
access systems that use subject headings, keep your eye
out for a list of the subject headings used. The list will
interrelate the terms that are used and those that aren't.
If you consult those lists, you'll be a more efficient searcher!
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