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Cataloging News — 2011

Boehr D, Willis S. Cataloging News 2011. NLM Tech Bull. 2010 Nov-Dec;(377):e8.

November 22, 2010 [posted]

MeSH® 2011 - Implications for LocatorPlus® , NLM® Catalog, and the NLM Classification


The National Library of Medicine® (NLM) adopted the 2011 MeSH vocabulary for cataloging beginning on November 22, 2010.

Accordingly, MeSH subject headings in LocatorPlus were changed to reflect the 2011 MeSH vocabulary and appear in that form as of November 22, 2010.

When year-end processing (YEP) activities are completed in mid-December, the NLM Catalog’s MeSH data and translation tables will be updated to reflect 2011 MeSH. Until then, note that there will be a hiatus in the addition of new and edited bibliographic records to the NLM Catalog. The Index to the NLM Classification will not reflect 2011 MeSH changes until Spring 2011.

MeSH 2011 Changes in NLM Bibliographic Records

In general, the Cataloging Section implemented the vocabulary changes in NLM bibliographic records for books, serials, and other materials, as they were applied for citations in MEDLINE.

Publication Types (PTs):
  • Of the four new publication types, Cataloging will only use Photographs
  • Cataloging updated headings on bibliographic records to reflect the changed publications types:
    • Instruction is now Instructional Films and Videos
    • Personal Narratives is now Autobiography (Personal Narratives is now an entry term to Autobiography. The MeSH scope note remains the same. Note that Autobiography as Topic is also available)
New MeSH descriptors not used by catalogers for current materials:
  • Algal Proteins
  • DNA, Algal
  • Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Catalogers will use heading from Name Authority File (NAF))
  • RNA, Algal
  • United States Department of Defense (Catalogers will use NAF heading)

Additional Database Change

Current Publisher Displays

Resource Description and Access Testing

NLM is participating in the US National RDA (Resource Description and Access) testing. From October-December 2010, selected catalogers are creating records using the proposed new RDA cataloging rules, so you may encounter records that look somewhat different. RDA records may be identified in the MARC view of LocatorPlus by the presence of a 040 $e RDA. NLM does not plan to create any additional RDA records after the testing period until a final decision on implementation is made.