0.9.2 Controlled (normalized) terms and composed data

There is, however, a type of data which is a combination of composed and normalized data. This type of data is selected from lists of controlled (normalized) terms such that normalized data is used when available (in RDF terms, datatype=non-literal), but when it is not, the cataloger is free to compose it (in RDF terms, datatype=literal). It is hoped that the lists of controlled terms will eventually take the form of embedded controlled vocabularies that exist and are defined and maintained outside the cataloging rules, allowing for timely update as terminology associated with new technologies and other types of new terminology appear and become widely adopted. This type of normalized/composed data should be displayable and keyword indexable. In addition, it should be available for limiting searches in an online catalog and for creating large lists or bibliographies for downloading, printing, etc. For example, a searcher might like to limit a particular search to DVDs only, or a library might like to download cataloging records for every title in their DVD collection so as to create a filmography.

Ideally, composed or composed/normalized data should be available in any language and should be switchable based on a users' stated preferences concerning language, script and transliteration.

Just a note about the lists of terms currently included in these rules. The current lists would need a lot of work to get to the most generally useful level of specificity, to define terms, and so forth. They were quickly cobbled together from existing lists in AACR2R, RDA, MARC 21, specialist cataloging manuals and the like just to give people an idea of what they might look like. It is hoped that criticism of these rules will not focus too closely on the lists which are, admittedly, flawed. If these rules were ever to be implemented, I'm certain that all of these lists would have to be redone by the cataloging communities using them.

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