Dear Colleagues,

 

The Cataloging Advisory Committee recently requested clarification from the Library of Congress on the use of chronological subdivisions with the headings Christian art and symbolism, Jewish art and symbolism, etc.. As a result, updates to the text and examples in section H1250 Art and Fine Art of the Subject Headings Manual have been added. Many thanks to Sherman Clark for initiating the discussion and Libby Dechman, of the Policy, Training, and Cooperative Programs Division of the Library of Congress for crafting and adding these examples (see updates in bold). The changes are now live on the Library of Congress website and Cataloger’s Desktop.

 

1. Art by more than one artist 

f. Theme

 

Assign headings of the type Christian art and symbolism, Jewish art and symbolism, etc., to works about art that depicts facts or symbols of a particular religion. Do not assign these headings to works about art that is merely religious in nature, such as medieval paintings; assign them only when the artists involved clearly intended to demonstrate facts of the particular religion. Establish each use of a chronological subdivision, including century subdivisions, under headings of this type. If geographic subdivision is used to show a specific locality, the geographic subdivision precedes any chronological subdivision. 

Examples: 

650 #0 $a Christian art and symbolism $y 20th century. 

650 #0 $a Jewish art and symbolism $z Spain $y Medieval, 500-1500.

 

And 

 

1. Art by more than one artist 

    i. Examples 

Title: Jewish cultural aspirations. 

650 #0 $a Jewish art $x Themes, motives $y 21st century. 

650 #0 $a Jewish art and symbolism $z United States $y 21st century. 

650 #0 $a Jews $z United States $x In art.

 

The Cataloging Advisory Committee has also posted a best practice reminder to Catablog on the use of geographical subdivisions with the subject heading Architecture. This topic was brought up by one of our members after stumbling across a wide variety of examples in copy cataloged records. We were grateful for the refresher and thought others might be too. https://catablogweb.wordpress.com/2019/10/10/a-best-practice-reminder-from-the-cac/

 

The Cataloging Advisory Committee welcomes any questions or comments on these topics or any other cataloging related matter.

 

Sincerely,

Andrea

 

 

Chair, ARLIS/NA Cataloging Advisory Committee

 

Andrea Puccio

Collections Management Librarian

Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute Library

225 South Street

Williamstown, MA 01267

Tel. 413-458-0535

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http://francine.clarkart.edu/