----------------------------Original message----------------------------
TO: Subscribers to ARLIS-L
FROM: Elizabeth O'Keefe, Chair, ARLIS/NY
SUBJECT: ARLIS/NY visit to H.W. Wilson, Feb. 3
As promised, I am posting a report on the ARLIS/NY-sponsored
visit to the H.W. Wilson Company on Feb. 3.
Thirty-three members turned out for the tour (no one got lost,
despite some preliminary confusion about which subway stop to
get off). We were given a tour of the printing and binding
departments (H.W. Wilson still does this on-site, rather than
contracting the work out), then conducted through the abstracting
and indexing division. Every index has its own turf, and its
own set of journal subscriptions (many subscriptions are multiples,
since there is quite a lot of overlap among the various indexes).
Since they are working against deadlines, it's crucial that
every issue arrive on time; if an issue goes missing, the
indexers will rush off to a library to locate a copy.
The descriptive indexing for each journal is done first, at
one centralized location; then each index does its own subject
analysis for each article. Every index maintains its own
subject file (usually based on LCSH, but more current and more
specific, as befits the requirements of periodical indexes).
A central office maintains a master list of all subjects used;
they are working on reconciling and merging the various
subject headings, to facilitate retrieval in a system where
one can search all or some of the files simultaneously. Names
used as subjects are standardized, but they don't always use the
LC forms; they often add dates, not so much to show that they
know so-and-so is dead, but as a means of differentiating
identical names. Their system requires that name headings
used as subjects be unique; if they can't find dates, they will
add a qualifying phrase to distinguis Smith, John (Painter)
from Smith, John (Astrophysicist). The knowledge that such
files exist excited the cupidity of several cataloguers, some
of whom, as ARTNACO contributors, cite dates from the Art Index.
At present the files are just available in-house, though.
There is also an abstracting unit, but this is located very
far afield (in Dublin, Ireland). Abstracting is done after the
indexing is completed; the abstracters work with the indexing
record in hand as an aid to abstracting. Abstracts are available
only online, not in the printed version. Art Index has
abstracting from Jan. 1994; you can get a CD-ROM with just the
indexing, or with both (according to one ARLIS/NY member, the
version with the abstracts is not much more expensive, and
well worth the extra money).
Alison Dickey, the editor of Art Index, talked about their
indexing practices, and asked for comments, including
suggestions on new journals to add to their coverage. Art Index
will consider indexing electronic journals; the main concerns
are stability, how well-archived, how useful. A committee of
librarians reviews very small-press magazines and journals to
decide which should be indexed. They index virtually cover
to cover, excluding only very brief squibs (an ARLIS/NY member
suggested, though, that they consider indexing even fleeting
mentions of exhibitions, as well as exhibition reviews, since
new artists may not rate a full review.) There is considerable
overlap among various HWW indexes; this makes developing a
shared subject indexing vocabulary more difficult, since the
level of specificity required will naturally vary, depending
on the focus of the index. They are working on it, though.
We saw a demo of the Web version of Art Index (still in a
test mode, but it looked pretty good to us). WilsonWeb,
as it's called, will offer multiple databases (24, initially);
users will be able to subscribe to one or many. A 60-day
trial period will be available. Later, they plan to offer
full-text files. Perhaps most alluring to art historians,
they are considering converting the pre-1984, printed volumes
of Art Index into electronic form. A huge task, what with
reconciling the subject headings and all, but what a resource.
Art Index will be hosting a breakfast at the ARLIS conference
in San Antonio, where you can find out more about the index. We
New Yorkers give its staff four stars for hospitality and
for interest in user input.
Elizabeth O'Keefe
Chair, ARLIS/NY
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