[Sigia-l] Semantically linked library catalogues

[AF Cossham]

Hello there

Fascinating idea! A few comments.

I think that your use of the word "content" will lead you astray. May I
suggest that what you are considering is better described as thematic or
philosophic approach.

Content is covered by subject headings, and it is possible using the larger
subject heading schemes in particular (for example, but not limited to,
Library of Congress subject headings) to provide a "semantic" approach such
as you indicate already.

There is considerable interest in this type of approach when it comes to
children's fiction, both from the perspective of teachers who wish to
enhance a non-fiction approach to a subject by using fiction, and also from
the perspective of children. For example, books about horses, books based
round magic, books about animals, books about step-families, war stories.
Lists are compiled, and LCSH provides for subject approaches to fiction for
children. The themes are clearly more straightforward than the examples you
give. But you may find the library literature in this area will give you
some hints.

A brief questionnaire slipped into each book issued could be a start - but
you would need to define precisely what sort of opinion/definition you
wanted about an item.

You don't say what sort of library you are considering, but in an academic
library you could focus on the students taking a particular course; in a
public library, on a particular interest group (model railways, quilters
etc) and hold discussions with each group. I think this would elicit useful
linkages between disparate items.

Regards,
Amanda Cossham