MLS - Master of Library and Information Science Cataloging and Metadata Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A cataloger is creating a bibliographic record for a new edition of a classic novel. The previous cataloging standard, AACR2, often used Latin-based abbreviations like 's.l.' and 's.n.'. How does the Resource Description and Access (RDA) standard instruct the cataloger to handle the transcription of publication information when the place or publisher is unknown?
- Use the abbreviations '[S.l.]' and '[s.n.]' as specified in AACR2.
- Omit the publication information fields entirely if the data is not present on the resource.
- Transcribe the phrases '[Place of publication not identified]' and '[publisher not identified]'. (Correct answer)
- Invent a probable place and publisher based on the content of the resource.
Correct answer: Transcribe the phrases '[Place of publication not identified]' and '[publisher not identified]'.
RDA directs catalogers to move away from the Latin abbreviations used in AACR2. Instead of '[S.l.]' (sine loco) and '[s.n.]' (sine nomine), RDA instructs to supply the full phrases '[Place of publication not identified]' and '[publisher not identified]' in the 264 field. This change enhances clarity and international understanding.
Question 2: Which of the following user tasks is NOT one of the four principal tasks identified by the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) model?
- Find
- Identify
- Summarize (Correct answer)
- Select
Correct answer: Summarize
The FRBR conceptual model defines four main user tasks to guide the design of catalogs and bibliographic systems: to Find entities, to Identify an entity, to Select an entity that meets the user's needs, and to Obtain access to the entity. 'Summarize' is not one of the core user tasks defined in this model.
Question 3: A digital library is looking to provide subject access for a large collection of web resources. They want a system derived from Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) but with a simpler syntax that is easier for non-specialists to apply. A key feature is that subject strings are broken into separate components (e.g., topical, geographic, chronological). Which controlled vocabulary would be most suitable?
- Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
- Art & Architecture Thesaurus (AAT)
- Library of Congress Classification (LCC)
- Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST)
FAST (Faceted Application of Subject Terminology) is a controlled vocabulary derived from LCSH, designed by OCLC for easier application, especially for online resources. Its main characteristic is the deconstruction of complex LCSH strings into individual facets (topical, geographic, etc.), which simplifies subject assignment and supports faceted browsing.
Question 4: In a MARC 21 bibliographic record, which field is designated for the main title statement of a resource?
- 100
- 245 (Correct answer)
- 650
- 700
Correct answer: 245
The MARC 21 field 245 is specifically used for the Title Statement, which includes the primary title and may also contain the remainder of the title, statement of responsibility, and other title information. The 100 field is for the main entry personal name, 650 is for a subject added entry (topical term), and 700 is for an added entry personal name.
Question 5: An art museum library is cataloging its collection of digital images of sculptures. They need a metadata schema specifically designed to describe works of visual culture and distinguish between the original work (the sculpture) and the image surrogate (the digital photograph). Which schema is the most appropriate choice?
- MODS (Metadata Object Description Schema)
- EAD (Encoded Archival Description)
- VRA Core (Visual Resources Association Core) (Correct answer)
- TEI (Text Encoding Initiative)
Correct answer: VRA Core (Visual Resources Association Core)
VRA Core is a data standard specifically created for the description of works of visual culture and the images that document them. A key feature is its ability to create separate but related descriptions for the original work and the surrogate image, which is exactly the requirement described in the scenario.
Question 6: Which international organization, composed of member institutions, aims to expand access to library collections by creating and sharing high-quality, cost-effective bibliographic and authority records under a common set of mutually-accepted standards?
- International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)
- Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) (Correct answer)
- American Library Association (ALA)
- Online Computer Library Center (OCLC)
Correct answer: Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC)
The Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) is an international cooperative of libraries that work together to produce high-quality cataloging records. Its mission is to expand access to collections by sharing the workload of creating bibliographic and authority data that adheres to mutually-accepted standards, making cataloging more timely and cost-effective.
