Table of Contents: 2016 NOVEMBER–DECEMBER No. 413
Boehr D, Willis S. Cataloging and Metadata News 2017. NLM Tech Bull. 2016 Nov-Dec;(413):e5.
Starting with 2017, the NLM Classification will be moving from an annual spring update to twice-yearly updates.
The winter version, to be published in mid-to-late January, will encompass changes to the NLM Classification resulting from new and changed Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms for 2017 as well as additional minor updates to the index.
The summer version to be published in mid-to-late August will encompass the ongoing systematic review of particular classification schedules and other miscellaneous updates.
The Index to the NLM Classification will reflect 2017 MeSH changes when the 2017 Winter version of the NLM Classification is published in January 2017. This update will be available four months earlier than in the past.
The NLM Classification number now appears in many terms in the MeSH Browser. It is supplied annually by the Cataloging and Metadata Management Section when the MeSH term points to a single classification number (see Figure 1).
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) adopted the 2017 MeSH vocabulary for cataloging on November 21, 2016.
Accordingly, MeSH subject headings in LocatorPlus were changed to reflect the 2017 MeSH vocabulary and appear in that form as of November 21, 2016.
When year-end processing (YEP) activities are completed in mid-December, the NLM Catalog database, and translation tables will be updated to reflect 2017 MeSH. Until then, there will be a hiatus in the addition of new and edited bibliographic records to the NLM Catalog.
NLM implemented the vocabulary changes in NLM bibliographic records for books, serials, and other materials as they were applied for citations in MEDLINE. Below are a few highlights:
The subheading /diagnostic imaging was created for 2017 MeSH. It replaces the following three subheadings, all deleted in 2017:
As part of the YEP automated processing, when one of these specific subheadings was replaced with /diagnostic imaging, a new main heading for the specific imaging technique was added to the record. Therefore, users may see some redundancies in older cataloging records if a child term or the Main Heading with a subheading was already present in the record.
Cataloging and Indexing Policy:
Forty-one person terms were added to Category M. Assign the MeSH term for the appropriate class of persons when applicable.
Two new Publication Types were created:
1. Non-Medical Public and Private Facilities
A new tree (J03) was created for Non-Medical Public and Private Facilities to gather together non-medical facilities. This is a place holder term that cannot be used by catalogers. Catalogers should use the specific MeSH treed below this term. Catalogers may use the specific terms Public Facilities or Private Facilities.
2. National Authority File Terms - Catalogers should use the appropriate term from the National Authority File (NAF) rather than the MeSH term. Each term has Annotation: CATALOGER: Use NAF entry. Three new terms were created and one was modified. For each of the terms below, catalogers should search the National Authority File for the correct form of the term to be used in the MARC 610 field and coordinate with the MARC 650 field as shown.
For additional information about 2017 MeSH, see MEDLINE Data Changes — 2017 and What's New for 2017 MeSH.
By
Diane Boehr and Sharon Willis
Cataloging and Metadata Management Section (CAMMS)
Cataloging and Metadata News 2017