Collection Strategies Guide

The Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) is a controlled vocabulary used to describe the subjects of library materials. It ensures consistency in cataloging and enables users to find items on the same topic even if different terms are used by different authors.

Key Features:

• Controlled Vocabulary: Uses authorized terms only.

• Hierarchical Structure: Broad terms can be subdivided for specificity.

• Standardized Syntax: Follows a specific order and punctuation.

Basic Syntax:

1. Main Heading (Topical, Geographic, Personal, or Corporate)

   • Example: Education

2. Subdivisions (optional and in specific order)

   • Topical: – History

   • Geographic: – United States

   • Chronological: – 20th century

   • Form: – Bibliography

   • Full example: Education – United States – History – 20th century

Notes:

• Hyphens (–) separate elements.

• Terms are listed in a left-to-right hierarchical order, from broader to narrower.

Access this data by using the PHYSICAL TITLES Alma object through the following steps --

1. Open the Physical Titles Object (https://tulane.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/ng/hashed/B3E6716BB3B96E212F095B0481A99FB9A3066DB7)
2. In the subject box, input the root of the term/subject area you're interested in investigating. For example, if you are interested in reviewing Economics books that have been used, enter "economic" in the subject box and press OK.
3. The resulting page includes items that have been checked out and their subject terms. As you review the data, note recurring topics.
4. This data can be descriptively analyzed and converted into a word cloud by the Resource and Data Analyst. For more information, contact the owner of this guide.

To understand faculty interests and needs, use one or more of the following methods --

If you are interested in search query behavior and trends, check out the Search Behavior Dashboard in Alma. To access the dashboard, visit the following link: https://tulane.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/ng/hashed/D34DE082FF9C7860AB279E73C0F52C764710AB93.

The Dashboard includes the following data -- 

• Actions taken by the users
• Devices used
• Popular Searches
• Zero Results Searches

Research consultations provide information that can be used to identify research trends in both the faculty and student research arena. Scholarly Engagement Librarians are encouraged to provide a listing of research topics mentioned during consultations in the COMMENTS box of the consultation input form. Topics should be separated by semicolons.

This object allows you to search for purchase requests by fund, date, and requester. Use this data to help determine research priorities for both faculty and students.

Results include interested user, fund, transaction amount, and transaction date.