AFRICANA SUBJECT FUNNEL REPORT
ALC CATALOGING COMMITTEE
Fall 2006
A total of 18 new and 17 revised subject authorities have been submitted to the Library of Congress since the last update (Spring 2006). The proposals originated with Lauer (Michigan State), Janet Stanley (Smithsonian), Shoshana Seidman (Northwestern), and Margaret Hughes (Stanford).
NEW HEADINGS |
|
Balong language |
Ruri language |
REVISIONS SUBMITTED |
|
Bororo (African people) |
Kusaal language |
Tabwa language was revised because in 2004 we overlooked Kitabwa language.
The major disappointment was the rejection of some of the changes previously proposed. In the case of Hamitic languages, a near-synonymous term for Afro-Asiatic languages, the principle involved with Western Europe (use Europe), Spanish America (use Latin America) or Tropical Africa was not followed, despite the lack or recent literary warrant. In the case of Hamites and Cushites, the attempt to limit these terms to Biblical peoples was rejected because: “Current encyclopedias do not support the proposals to limit the use of the headings Hamites and Cushites to ancient peoples.” (CPSO editorial meeting, June 28, 2006) For this case, there is a clearly a need for a comparison of the usage in current journals (e.g., from JSTOR) with the entries in different reference works. I am finding that sometimes the unedited, anonymous articles in Wikipedia are better than traditional signed articles.
51 headings needing attention were added to my review file. Of these, 22 were vetted and submitted to LC. The appendix lists the 104 new approved subjects submitted by non-funnel sources, including 51 by LC.
Joseph J. Lauer; Nov. 14, 2006; rev. Jan. 20
APPENDIX: NEW NON-FUNNEL AFRICANA SUBJECT HEADINGS
The Weekly List 14-39 (Apr.-Sept. 2006), of LC’s Cataloging Policy and Support Office, included the following newly approved headings that came from other sources. The submitting library’s MARC21 code appears at the end of each entry (except for those from LC). There were also revised authority records that are not included here.
Africa, North--Civilization --WaU |
Martyrs of Uganda (Christian saints) -- ViU |