~~ apologies for cross-postings ~~

Last August I posted a request to MUSEUM-L asking people who were working
with subject cataloging of images if they would be willing to respond to a
questionnaire.  This is a repost of that request; I’m hoping that
individuals who didn’t respond (or didn’t subscribe to the list) in August
may have time now.

I’m conducting a research project on how museums, websites, science
organizations, libraries, and any other organizations with image
collections indicate subjects for the images – and my specific interest is
in systems (subject headings, classification, searchable captions, etc.)
which were designed in-house; that is, not the standards like Library of
Congress, Chenhall’s Nomenclature, MeSH, Dewey, the Art & Architecture
Thesaurus, etc.

I’m hoping for a broad representation of subject areas and image types –
general collections, scientific collections, folk art, history, maps,
etc.  I’d also like to have responses from people with a variety of kinds
of subject access – complex subject cataloging or very simple cataloging,
and people either using long-established in-house systems or in the
process of developing their subject access systems right now.  The
specific kind of technology you use – card catalogs, databases, lists,
etc. – doesn’t matter; any and all are fine.

If you work with an image collection (large or small) and use a system
that was developed in-house for describing the subjects of your images,
I’d appreciate receiving email from you.  I’ll send you a 3-page
questionnaire, either on paper or as an attachment (I have current anti-
virus software), whichever you prefer.  Participation is (obviously!)
voluntary, and no identification will ever be made of individuals or
organizations participating in the research.  Results will be presented in
the aggregate, in terms of the number of organizations which have created
subject headings, classification systems, and so on.

If you wish to check out my credentials before deciding to participate in
the survey, you can see my (somewhat out-of-date) c.v. on the School’s
website at http://slisweb.sjsu.edu/people/weedman.htm.

If you have a system for finding images by subject that was developed in
house and would be willing to complete the questionnaire, please reply to
me individually at

 [log in to unmask]

Thank you *very* much!  I’m excited about this project and will be very
glad to have your response.

Judy Weedman, PhD

 San Jose State University
 School of Library & Information Science
 P.O. Box 4150
 Fullerton, California 92834-4150

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