Maintaining MeSH in the Shared Voyager Database

1
Maintaining MeSH in the Shared Voyager Database

• Malgorzata Fort, Ph.D.
• Health Sciences Library System
• University of Pittsburgh

2
Health Sciences Library System and MeSH

• Description of our Voyager environment
• History of MeSH loads
• Full load
• Partial load
• Plans for ongoing maintenance

3
Layout of the battle field

• Shared database, different interests
• Centralized administration, split authority
  control
• In the shade of a Big Brother

4
A very brief history of MeSH loads

• Pre-Voyager era
• MeSH 1999 (full)
• MeSH 2000 (updates)
• MeSH 2001 skipped
• MeSH 2002 (full)
• MeSH 2003 (updates)

5
MeSH 2002 load

• Full MeSH file via slam load considerations
• No effort versus no cost
• Fast but lame
• Full but no benchmark file
• No deletes

6
MeSH 2002 load (contd)

• Full MeSH file via slam load decisions
• Do it, its better than none
• Use NLM web list of deleted records
• Take advantage of Voyager reports
• Use GHC feature

7
Global Headings Change

• Forcing headings to GCQ
• making changes in the authority record
• Creating dummy authority records
• Working around problems

8
(No Transcript)
9
Global Headings Change

• Forcing headings to GCQ
• making changes in the authority record
• Creating dummy authority records
• Working around problems
• Identical MeSH and LC headings
• Run-time error 5

10
(No Transcript)
11
Retrospective cleanup

• Unauthorized Headings Report
• Bring MeSH structure up-to-date
• Implement NLM application of MeSH for
  catalogers
• MARC 21

12
MeSH old structure

• 650 _2 Cost Control x methods v congresses
• 650 _2 Cost Control z United States x
  legislation v congresses
• 650 _2 Delivery of Health Care x economics z
  United States v congresses
• 650 _2 Health Policy z United States x
  congresses
• 650 _2 Reimbursement Mechanisms x congresses

13
MeSH new structure

• 650 _2 Cost Control x methods
• 650 _2 Cost Control
• 650 _2 Delivery of Health Care x economics
• 650 _2 Health Policy
• 650 _2 Reimbursement Mechanisms
• 651 _2 United States
• 655 _2 Congresses
• 655 _2 Legislation

14
MeSH 2003 load

• Updates only
• Blessings of GCQ
• Useless useful reports

15
Plans and challenges

• Unauthorized Subject Headings again!
• Compromise, but clean it all
• Genre headings are we ready for them?

16
Thank you!----------------------
gosia_at_pitt.edu