-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Timeline for new LCGFT coding
Date:   Tue, 4 Jan 2011 11:15:23 -0500
From:   Young, Janis <[log in to unmask]>
To:     Maps-L


[This message is being sent to multiple discussion groups. Please excuse
the duplication.]

Since 2007 the Library of Congress’ Policy and Standards Division (PSD)
has been developing genre/form terms, which are distinct from subject
headings because they describe what something /is/ as opposed to what it
is /about/. To date, PSD has approved genre/form terms in four areas:
moving images, sound recordings, cartographic resources, and law. Terms
in three other disciplines, music, literature, and religion, are also in
development.

As a first step toward formally separating the genre/form terms from LC
subject headings list, PSD titled the new thesaurus the Library of
Congress Genre/Form Terms for Library and Archival Materials (/LCGFT/)
in June 2010.

//

/No earlier than March 1, 2011/, PSD will revise the LCCNs and MARC 21
coding of the genre/form authority records to indicate that they are
/LCGFT/ terms, not /LCSH /headings. To accomplish this, all existing
genre/form authority records with an sh prefix in the LC Control Number
(LCCN) will be cancelled and replacement records for them will be issued
simultaneously.

For the full announcement of these plans, including a description of the
new coding, please see http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/gf_lccn.html.

The firm date for the reissuing of the records will be announced when it
has been determined.

Questions or comments on these plans or on the genre/form projects in
general may be addressed to Janis L. Young, LC’s genre/form coordinator,
at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>. Further information on LC's
genre/form projects can be found at
http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/genreformgeneral.html.

Janis L. Young

Policy and Standards Division
Library of Congress