What are cross references?
Cross references may be either see references or see also references. See references refer catalogue users from terms not used in the catalogue
to terms that are used. See also references provide additional terms that
may assist users to find the information for which they are looking.
Why are cross references important?
It is difficult and expensive to add all the terms that are appropriate
to a particular resource to the catalogue record. Cataloguing time would
be greatly increased and catalogue records would be very long. To ensure
consistency cataloguers follow a standard, SCIS Subject Headings 5th
edition, that specifies which one of the various terms should be used as
a heading on the catalogue record.
The other terms that users might search under are covered by see references. If, for example, a user searches on the term hurricanes, the see reference will tell the user that any resources on hurricanes will be found under the heading cyclones. If this reference is not in the catalogue, the user may believe that the library does not contain any resources on hurricanes.
Users often search under broad terms. If, for example, a user searches on
the term storms, a see also reference will tell the user that there are
resources that may be of interest under the headings cyclones, thunderstorms
and meteorology.
These references allow the user to refine searches to the specific information required. The suggested headings may also demonstrate different aspects of the subject and related topics and thereby assist the user to think laterally about the subject being researched.
Implementing cross references in your library catalogue
Catalogue records downloaded from SCISWeb contain subject headings but no cross
references. To overcome this problem, library staff could enter all cross references
from the SCIS Subject Headings list manually. However, subject authority files allow the automatic creation of cross references in the library catalogue.
Very few library staff have enough 'spare' time to add all the required cross
references accurately and comprehensively into the catalogue. Without those
cross references catalogue users will often believe that the library does not
contain the resources they need, just because they have not thought to search
under the term used as the heading. Given the cost of library resources, and
the effort involved in getting records of the items into the catalogue, it makes
sense to provide as many points of access to the resources as possible.
The Curriculum Corporation produces the SCIS Authority Files in electronic form. These files include all the subject and name authority records that have been used on the SCIS database. The subject records conform to the SCIS Subject Headings list and are available in USMARC Authorities format and in ASCII format. These files enable library systems to create subject cross references automatically in library catalogues. The addition of such references through an automatic load of SCIS Authority Files should save a significant amount of time and be a great boon to libraries and their users.
The subject authority file was initially supplied to DET schools on CD-ROM.
The Department of Education and Training has now negotiated a statewide licence for DET schools to access the SCIS Authority files online. These files are now available to download direct from the SCIS website by clicking on the WA Authority Files button on your Customer Centre web page after logging on.
Because different library automation systems handle these files differently, SCIS advises schools to seek advice from, and strictly adhere to the instructions provided by their library system vendor.
More information is available on the SCIS Authority Files page of the SCIS Website.
How often do I need to load the SCIS Authority files?
How often you upload depends on a number of things
- the size of you collection
- how often you make new purchases
- if there has been a large number of new SCIS subject headings added recently
How often you chose to upload is entirely up to you, but remember, the aim of the SCIS Authority Files is to make it easier to find the items you are looking for.
Often the SCIS subject headings are not complete enough or may lack information that you wish to include on a record. For example, current topical headings that have not yet made it into the SCIS subject headings list, headings that are peculiar to W.A. i.e. Race horse goannas, terms that reflect the level or outcome of the phase of developments.
You can add any of these things and more, provided you use the NOTES field and DON'T add headings into the Subject heading field. If you do add headings to the subject headings field it will make loading the SCIS Authority Files extremely difficult.
