Controlled Vocabulary

One of the topics that I find myself returning to again and again in examining metadata and cataloging is controlled vocabulary. Broadly described by Steven J. Miller in our textbook, Metadata for Digital Collections, controlled vocabulary is "any standardized list of terms that have been selected for consistent use in describing or indexing information resources" (2011, 129). By ensuring the consistent use of terms to describe information objects, a metadata creator can more easily facilitate their retrieval by potential users. While the idea of a controlled vocabulary is nearly synonymous, for librarians, with tools such as LCSH (the Library of Congress Subject Headings), there are a variety of types and forms, including: lists, thesauri, taxonomies, and classification schemes, among others.

Trying to distinguish between the different types of controlled vocabularies can be daunting, even for information professionals, so any resource that can facilitate understanding is greatly appreciated. For those of you interested in learning more about the differences between these various descriptive tools, my LS 566 classmate, Cassandra, recently posted a blog that included a very helpful link, entitled Controlling your Language: A Directory of Metadata Vocabularies. Courtesy of Jisc Digital Media, this guide walks you through the basics of controlled vocabularies, and also describes the important features and uses of the major types that may be encountered. It's a quick read, and definitely worthwhile if you have interest in subject description, so be sure to check it out if you have some time to spare.

Miller, Steven J. 2011. Metadata for digital collections : a how-to-do-it manual / Steven J. Miller. n.p.: New York : Neal-Schuman Publishers, c2011., 2011. University of Alabama Libraries’ Classic Catalog, EBSCOhost (accessed March 11, 2014).