Documentation:RBSC AtoM/MemoryBC Subject Access Points

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UBC AtoM/MemoryBC Subject Access Points

This is a guide for assigning subject access points in UBC AtoM and MemoryBC. This guide is part of the RBSC Archives Toolkit at the University of British Columbia Library - Rare Books and Special Collections.

UBC AtoM/MemoryBC Subject Access Points guide created by Jacky Lai, RBSC Archives Assistant. It is based on the MemoryBC Subject groups provided by the Archives Association of British Columbia (AABC).

Introduction

To increase access and discovery of RBSC archival holdings, archival descriptions, specifically top-level (i.e. fonds/collection-level) descriptions, are assigned subject access points in UBC AtoM and MemoryBC. The subject access points are part of the existing controlled vocabulary used by MemoryBC. In June 2020, RBSC adopted these access points for UBC AtoM. As the project continued, new access points and Narrower terms (NT) were created to highlight specific subjects and themes.

Workflow

The purpose of AtoM subject access points is to draw out major themes and subject areas of fonds and collections. If specific files and items should be highlighted and they do not belong in any of the major themes/subject areas, then these files/items can be highlighted in LibGuides.

For all new accessions and accruals, assign subject access points to top-level descriptions only. There are many existing file and item-level descriptions which were assigned subject access points which are not current authorized access points based on MemoryBC's controlled vocabulary. For example, special holdings such as the Chung collection, Douglas Coupland fonds and digitized holdings such as the Charles E. Spring fonds utilize fonds/collection-specific access points. These access points were implemented on a project basis and should not be used or updated moving forward.

Follow the steps below to assign subject access points:

  • Go to the top-level description of a fonds/collection
  • Click "Edit" in the bottom bar
  • Click "Access points" to expand the section
  • Under "Subject access points", either copy and paste an access point from this list or type the first few letters of an access point
    • When assigning Narrower terms (NT), simply enter the NT. Both Broader term (BT) and NT will display in the public view as separate access points separated by ">>"
      • Ex. Natural resources >> Oil and gas extraction
  • Wait for a drop down menu to appear and select the appropriate subject access point
  • The assigned access point should now appear in a bullet list above the text bar
  • To assign more than one access point, delete the text in the text bar which contains the access point you just assigned and paste or type the first few letters of the next access point
  • Click "Save" in the bottom bar when you are done
  • It is good practice to verify the subject access points by clicking them in top-level descriptions
    • In RBSC, AtoM, after clicking an access point, you will be directed to a subject page, make sure "Authorized access point" is under the "Display note(s)" field
    • In MemoryBC, browse the subjects list by clicking the "browse" button at in the top menu bar and select subjects. There should only be 30 subjects. If there are more than 30, it means a duplicate or incorrect access point was created. Contact the MemoryBC Coordinator so the duplicate or incorrect access point can be removed.
  • To make changes to assigned access points or to remove them, navigate to the "Subject access points" in "Edit" mode and hover cursor over a bullet point until an "x" appears. Click on the "x" to remove an access point and click "Save" in the bottom bar to save changes

Authorized subject access points

Below is a list of authorized subjects access points used in UBC AtoM and MemoryBC. Please note that Narrow terms (NT) are NOT part of MemoryBC's controlled vocabulary therefore are only for use in UBC AtoM. In addition, there are several access points which are for UBC use only. Click on access points in the list below for information regarding scope. If need arises, new access points and NTs can be added (only for UBC AtoM, NOT for MemoryBC descriptions). Consult with Archivist before adding new access points and subdivisions.

Agriculture

  • Farming and ranching (individual, family, corporate)
  • Agribusiness (processing, marketing, shipping)
  • Horticulture, gardening
  • Academic research / programs
  • Lobby / professional groups
  • Agricultural cooperatives and organizations
  • Irrigation, irrigation districts
  • Agricultural fairs, markets

Arts and culture

  • Visual arts
  • Performing arts
  • Literature
  • Artists (musicians, actors, visual artists, dancers, writers, architects, photographers, etc.)
  • Institutions (eg. foundations, museums, art schools, heritage sites, libraries, archives)
  • Arts and/or culture related businesses and organizations (eg. book stores, Canadian Club)
  • Cultural events (eg. fairs, parades, lectures, festivals, presentations)
  • Research, projects or writing pertaining to arts and/or culture
  • Professional organizations

Buildings and structures

  • Buildings (eg. residences, commercial, factories, churches, community centres, jails, arenas, hotels)
  • Monuments, statues, shrines, etc.
  • Bridges, trestles
  • Building management
  • Construction

Note: DO NOT USE when records pertain to functions or activities carried out in/on a building or structure, unless the building and function are directly related (eg. hotels - provide accommodation)

Business and commerce

  • Commercial and mercantile activity involving exchange of commodities, services or financial resources
  • Retail businesses, service businesses, banking
  • Individual business owners and operators
  • Business-related associations and chambers of commerce

Note: DO NOT USE for not-for-profit enterprises

Children and youth

  • Re: persons aged 20 or younger
  • Records created by children and youth
  • Children and youth issues
  • Activities, organizations, programs, events etc. devoted to children and/or youth

See also: Family and personal life, Community life

Chinese Canadian history

  • Use for records related to Chinese Canadian diaspora

NOTE: This subject access point is for UBC AtoM use only

Communications

  • Individuals (eg. journalists, broadcasters, documentary film makers, commercial photographers)
  • Communication media (eg. newspapers, magazines, newsletters, radio, television, telephone, cable, documentary film, internet)
  • Communication businesses, cooperatives, organizations (eg. advertising, printing, publishing, photofinishing)
  • Symbols, logos, flags
  • Professional organizations

Community life

  • Communities can exist in municipalities, towns and villages, neighbourhoods, religious and cultural groups, camps, schools, etc.
  • Community activities and events
  • Groups working for the development and/or maintenance of events, services and facilities for the community, community spirit, and community promotion
  • Community support and charitable organizations
  • Community booster and event promotion agencies
  • Fraternal organizations

See also: Family and personal life, Events and celebrations

Cultural groups

  • Individuals / groups working towards preservation of a particular cultural group or cultural community
  • Activities / events promoting life / values of cultural group/s
  • Movements, initiatives, legislation etc. that promotes the existence and participation of diverse ethnic, racial, religious or social groups within the larger community

Narrower terms (NT):

  • Chilean
  • Chinese
  • Finnish
  • German
  • Icelandic
  • Irish
  • Japanese
  • Jewish
  • Korean
  • Russian
  • Scottish
  • South Asian
  • Swedish
  • Swiss
  • Vietnamese

Education

  • Activities / structures relating to educational activities
  • Individual teachers / educators
  • Students, all ages
  • Public and private schools / agencies offering training or education
  • Vocational training and continuing education
  • Regulatory and support organizations
  • Professional organizations

Environment

  • Environmental issues (eg. air quality, pollution, habitat destruction, endangered species, recycling)
  • Nature, wilderness, scenery
  • Climate, weather
  • Individuals, organizations, businesses
  • Parks, natural areas, wildlife management
  • Habitat and species protection / recovery
  • Conservation movement / activities

Events and celebrations

  • Specific cultural, arts, political, sports, holiday and community events; also personal events
  • Organizations, public agencies and businesses dedicated to planning for event/s
  • Centennials, parades, festivals, fairs, exhibitions, concerts
  • Ceremonies (openings, graduations, sod-turnings, etc.)
  • Parties (community, birthday, anniversary, etc)
  • Royal visits, campaigns
  • Weddings, funerals, baptisms, etc.
  • Protests and demonstrations

Exploration, discovery and travel

  • Personal, geographical, scientific, mapping, other
  • Expeditions, exploration, adventure, prospecting, guiding,
  • Individuals and groups (eg. explorers, adventurers, prospectors, guides, outfitters)
  • Expedition planning / reports and accounts
  • Personal travels for discovery and education (eg. travel diaries)
  • Early contact with First Nations

See also: Land, settlement and immigration

Family and personal life

  • Individuals (all ages), families
  • Friendships, personal relationships, home life
  • Generational records
  • Genealogical records
  • Sexuality
    • NOTE: Sexuality related records are assigned Family and personal life in MemoryBC. Use Sexuality and gender in RBSC AtoM
      • When assigning subject access points in spreadsheet, assign "Sexuality and gender" but remember to convert it to "Family and personal life" in MemoryBC
  • Support and charitable organizations for the private lives of families and individuals

See also: Community life, Children and youth, Women

First nations

  • Individuals / communities of native ancestry
  • N.A. Indian, Metis and Inuit
  • Records pertaining to / created by First nations individuals, families, bands, agencies
  • Government agencies and treaties
  • First nations organizations and businesses
  • First nations schools and education
  • Issues pertaining to First Nations peoples or history

Geographic features

  • Includes both natural and artificial features
  • Physical landscape, built landscape
  • Urban and industrial landscapes
  • Topography
  • Site plans
  • Boundaries, districts, reserves, parks, sanctuaries, towns, etc.

NOTE: Mainly but not exclusively pertaining to photographic and cartographic records See also: Land, settlement and immigration

Government

  • Local, municipal, regional, provincial, federal, jurisdictional
  • Officials (eg. mayors, premiers, MLAs, ministers, civil servants)
  • Hospital districts, improvement districts, land districts, school boards, health boards, library boards, police boards, etc.
  • First nations and tribal governments
  • Support organizations (eg. municipal associations)
  • Organizations in direct response to government (eg. ratepayers associations)
  • Protest against government
  • Taxes

Hate groups

  • Use for organizations which: spread lies intended to incite hatred toward certain groups of people; advocate violence against certain groups on the basis of sexual orientation, race, colour, religion etc.; claim that their identity (racial, religious etc.) is 'superior' to that of other people; do not value the human rights of other people.

NOTE: This subject access point is for UBC AtoM use only

Health and social services

  • Activities / systems for maintaining and preserving individual / community health and wellness. Provided by public, private or community agencies or individuals.
  • Medical services, hospitals, clinics
  • Social programs and services (eg. youth, seniors, mental illness, maternity, counselling, support)
  • Fire and emergency services, disaster relief
  • Protective services and emergency support (eg. community watch) - not police
  • Safety and community health programs and training
  • Individuals (eg. doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, counselors, clinicians)
  • Health and wellness services offered by charitable groups (eg. meditation,retreats)
  • Businesses
  • Professional and support organizations

Industries

  • Resource industries (eg. mining, forestry, fishing, etc.)
  • Resource industry cooperatives
  • Processing, packing and shipping industries
  • Construction, ship building
  • Salvage companies and operations

Narrower terms (NT):

  • Fishing
  • Forestry
  • Mining
  • Oil and gas extraction

See also: Agriculture, Business and commerce, Transportation and utilities

Japanese Canadian history

  • Use for records related to Japanese Canadian diaspora

Narrower terms (NT):

  • Forced dispersal
    • Use for materials related to Japanese Canadian internment between the years 1942 and 1945
  • Redress

NOTE: This subject access point is for UBC AtoM use only

Labour

  • Labour and union organizations
  • Professional associations with labour focus (eg. teachers, nurses)
  • Arbitration boards
  • Individuals
  • Events (eg. strikes)
  • Union-associated social groups

Narrower terms (NT):

  • Co-operative Commonwealth Federation

Land, settlement and immigration

  • Claiming, settling and moving to a new land
  • Land titles, distribution, grants etc
  • Community and regional settlement patterns
  • Land settlement companies
  • Land surveys / surveyors
  • Real estate companies and activities
  • Organizations involved in sponsoring / supporting immigrants

Law and justice

  • Activities / structures re administration of law and justice
  • Law enforcement (eg. police forces, RCMP, coast guard)
  • Courts, prisons, remand centres
  • Litigation, arbitration, mediation, restorative justice, reconciliation, settlements
  • Administrative and support organizations (police boards)
  • Community service programs
  • Legislation
  • Individuals (eg. lawyers, judges, police officers, bylaw officers, criminals)
  • Professional organizations

Military

  • Military service, training and activities
  • Military institutions, bases, sites
  • Individuals and organizations (eg. veterans, military personnel, militia, cadets)
  • Military vehicles and ships
  • Equipment, weapons, uniforms, artifacts
  • Legislation

Natural resources

  • Land, water, minerals, forests, fisheries, soil, oil and gas
  • Energy (eg. hydro-electric, thermal, solar)
  • Game management
  • Individuals, industries and businesses
  • Regulatory and professional organizations

Narrower terms (NT):

  • Fisheries
  • Forests
  • Minerals
  • Hydro-electric
  • Oil and gas

See also: Businesses and commerce, Environment, Industries, Land, settlement and immigration

Organizations

  • Clubs, societies, associations - all types, except official (government) functions (eg. agricultural, business, charitable, community, cultural, ethnic, fraternal, labour, military, political, professional, recreational, social, sports)

Politics

  • Individuals (politicians, campaigners, party members)
  • Political parties, campaigns and organizations
  • Political theory and study

Religions

  • Personal, institutional and organizational relationships between humans and what they regard as holy, sacred or divine
  • Churches and denominations
  • Religious orders, groups and organizations
  • Non-traditional groups and organizations (sometimes referred to as cults)
  • Individuals (ministers, missionaries, members of religious orders, etc.)
  • Schools, charities, missions and hospitals run by religious groups
  • Religious theory and study

Science and technology

  • Study and application of science
  • Scientists, researchers, etc.
  • Research / research foundations, institutes
  • Technology schools / programs
  • Clubs, user groups, professional organizations

Sexuality and gender

  • Use for records about human sexuality and gender identity/expression, including materials created by or about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, pansexual, two-spirit, androgynous and asexual individuals and groups. Also use for interpersonal romantic content created by or about all sexual orientations and gender identities.
    • NOTE: This subject access point is for UBC AtoM use only
      • When assigning subject access points in spreadsheet, assign "Sexuality and gender" but remember to convert it to "Family and personal life" in MemoryBC

Sports, recreation and leisure

  • Physical activity, occupations or amusements carried out by humans forthe purpose of wellness, socializing, relaxation, entertainment or competition
  • Sports, outdoor recreation, hobbies, games, travel, etc.
  • Individuals, organizations, clubs
  • Professional and amateur competitors / teams
  • Education and training
  • Businesses

Transportation and utilities

  • Act or means of transporting from one place to another
  • Act or means of providing water, power, sewage etc. to communities
  • Facilities and infrastructures (eg. harbours, highways, airports, sewage treatment plants, electric systems, hydro-electric projects)
  • Vehicles, rolling stock, aircraft, equipment, ships and boats, ferries
  • Accidents (highway crashes, derailments, air crashes, shipwrecks, etc)
  • Rescue services (eg. towing, coast guard)
  • Businesses and corporations (eg. towing and repair services, motor associations)
  • Professional organizations, unions

See also: Agriculture, Business and commerce, Industries, Military

Women

  • History, social, political and cultural situation of women
  • Women’s issues
  • Individuals
  • Clubs, societies, organizations
  • Women-only facilities and activities
  • Records created by women
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