Systems Integration - Analyze
Learning opportunity
For this assignment, we were asked to analyze an interlinked set of systems for a single collection or institution. The systems we choose to analyze will likely include the systems covered in this class (classification, controlled vocabulary, content standard, and data format), among others. Our reports should include a description of the collection and/or institution, how the records are created and the systems that are at play. In addition to our descriptions, we needed to offer an analysis of the user experience of interacting with records, priorities of the system, how records are put together, and why the interlinked set of systems have been chosen. Continuing my focus on zines in this class, I chose to analyze the Zine Special Collection of Tate Library.
First attempt
Peer review feedback
In summary, the feedback I received from my peers about my analysis of Tate Library’s zine collection is as follows:
Analysis was interesting and clearly written
Visuals of the user interface and MARC records were helpful for illustrating the system in action
Important point was argued about the incompatibility of zines with the hegemonic organizing systems at play
Questions:
How can Tate Library incorporate bespoke subject headings and call numbers that better describe their zine collection?
Are there other existing systems that are better suited for organizing Tate’s zine collection?
Would a more art-focused content standard such as Cataloguing Cultural Objects (CCO) or VRA Core work better for the zine collection?
Revisions
Given more time, I would explore other systems or bespoke organizing solutions that may be better suited for organizing Tate’s zine collection, as suggested by my peers. Based on the systems I analyzed throughout the course, my immediate suggestion is to supplement LCSH with Anchor Archive’s Zine Subject Thesaurus to better describe the subject matter of Tate’s zine collection. Perhaps a larger challenge I would take on is to speculate on how to resolve the issues that may arise from incorporating specialized systems for Tate’s zine collection into their broader organizing system. For an institution as large as Tate, I can understand the desire to standardize the organizing system for their entire collection, so it can be managed and searched through the same interface as opposed to using a different system for each specific collection. In addition to incorporating the feedback from my peers into my analysis, there were certain aspects of Tate Library’s system I identified in my first attempt that I did not have a chance to discuss. In particular, I noticed some flaws with Tate’s faceted classification system, especially their “Item Type” facet. For example, “UDC classified book” is one of the listed item types search results can be filtered by. However, 39 records with this item type label are also considered “Artists’ Books,” (as indicated by their subject headings) which is also another item type isolate. There is clearly an issue with mutual exclusivity and homogeneity here. This is an example of an issue I would like to explore further in a revised attempt.
Reflection
In the process of completing this assignment, I was a bit surprised by my ability to recognize the systems at play within Tate Library’s organizing system without a great deal of effort. I would not have been able to do so at the beginning of the course. The organizing systems we covered in this course (classification, controlled vocabulary, content standard, and data format) were systems I regularly interacted with, but was unable to identify prior to this course. Now, I am able to not only identify the interlinked systems in an organizing system but also determine how behind-the-scenes labour supports the user experience, the potential reasoning for why certain systems are chosen, and how suitable said systems are for a collection. Unsurprisingly, I learned that even organizing systems in large, well-resourced institutions can be flawed and contradictory. Overall, this process has taught me where to look for information and how to contextualize it when I want to better understand an organizing system in practice.