Statement of Competency
Introduction
Organizing information and making it accessible to users is the hallmark of librarianship. Information professionals engage in this process of information organization in a multitude of ways, from creating a MARC record for the newest non-fiction release in a public library, to assigning metadata to a digital photo in a digital asset management system. Successful organization is critical to making such information findable and accessible.
Classification
Classification systems help information professionals make sense of the information in their care. They are frameworks that help one locate, retrieve, and relate items within a collection based on similar traits and characteristics. The two main classification systems used in most organizations (public libraries, academic libraries, special libraries) are the Dewey Decimal System and the Library of Congress Classification System. These systems provide hierarchical structures that help match a user to their information need through moving from broad to narrow categorizations (Hodge, 2001). The Dewey Decimal System denotes this through numerical notations, while the Library of Congress Classification system achieves classification through a combination of letters and numbers. Both help aid in storage, location, and in discovery of the resource in both the platform and physical location. For digital holdings, a classification system framework integrates with metadata schemas to provide interoperability and discoverability.
Controlled Vocabularies
Controlled vocabularies make it possible to effectively organize, search for, locate, and represent information because they have been created especially to represent the subject headings, descriptors, and index terms of the materials and resources they represent. Controlled vocabularies are created by indexers and catalogers, and can take the form of subject-specific controlled vocabularies, general controlled vocabularies, or computer back generated controlled vocabularies (a hallmark of aggregated databases) (Brown, 2021). Controlled vocabularies offer the searcher precision and specialized recall (“all and only” results).
Cataloging
When most people think of cataloging systems, they envision either a traditional card catalog or a modern computerized library catalog. In practice, however, cataloging is far more than a list of holdings—it is the process by which information professionals create and manage access to collections. Bolin (2022) defines cataloging as “the acquisition or creation of bibliographic data for a library catalog or other discovery tool” (p. 165). Cataloging can be simplified into two main sections: descriptive and subject cataloging. Descriptive cataloging provides information on what the item is, and subject cataloging speaks to the item’s “aboutness” (Bolin, 2022). For centuries, cataloging has served as the foundation for resource discovery, and it continues to evolve in response to emerging technologies and user needs. Contemporary cataloging practices increasingly integrate metadata, linked data, and resource description standards within digital frameworks such as XML, enabling interoperability among systems, users, and cataloging structures.
Metadata
Metadata is commonly referred to as “data about data” (Bolin, 2022, p. 166). It provides information and descriptions about the resource and aids a user in discovery and search. SJSU professor John Horodyski (2022) explains, “If data is the language upon which our modern society will be built, then metadata will be its grammar, the construction of its meaning, the building for its content, and the ability to understand what data can be for us all.” Metadata provides structure to indexing, description, searching, and helps with interoperability between digital and analog realms of classification, categorization, and cataloging. Schemas in which metadata is commonly found include: MARC records, Dublin Core, XML, and MODS, to name a few.
Evidence
INFO 281 Metadata: MARC Record
This MARC record was created for INFO 281: Metadata with David de Lorenzo (Fall 2024). For this assignment, we were given a historical photograph from the Cased Photographs Collection at the Bancroft Library (University of California, Berkeley) via Calisphere, and were asked to create a MARC record based on the information provided. Although straightforward, this project demonstrates my ability to apply the principles of cataloging and metadata creation through the use of MARC subfields. I carefully selected and entered data into the correct fields, applying standardized subject headings and descriptive metadata to ensure accurate and consistent representation of the resource.
This exercise also emphasized the ethical considerations of metadata and information organization. I included rights, usage, and permissions information drawn from the source record to ensure proper attribution for ownership and copyright. Understanding how these elements connect with access, authority control, and ethical practice is essential to accurate records creation. Through this assignment, I developed a deeper appreciation for the structure and standards that inform cataloging and metadata work, as well as the professional and ethical responsibility that comes with describing and availing cultural heritage material.
INFO 202: Exercise 3 (Card Sorting)
Completed in INFO 202 with Dr. Souvick Ghosh (Fall 2023), this group project involved using card sorting to study how users categorize and organize information. Each group member recruited two or three participants to complete the exercise, and afterward we analyzed and compared the results. Interestingly, every participant sorted the same set of cards differently, which revealed how individual perceptions and natural language shape personal information organization. This insight underscored for me how important it is to understand user behavior and vocabulary when designing information systems.
Through this project, I gained practical experience in taxonomy development and vocabulary design, both of which are central to this competency. Card sorting helped me see how users’ mental models can guide and influence the creation of more intuitive and user-centered classification systems. I later applied these principles in redesigning a website for my Information Architecture course with Dr. Virginia Tucker, where user-centered design was key. Overall, this exercise showed me how understanding user language and information-seeking behavior contributes to creating accessible systems for organizing information.
INFO 202: Exercise 2 Vocabulary Design Basics Worksheet
This assignment from INFO 202 with Dr. Souvick Ghosh (Fall 2023) guided me through the process of building a controlled vocabulary for four different articles. Working through five distinct steps, from identifying terms, grouping related concepts, choosing preferred terms, alphabetizing, and linking the terms back to the original articles, I gained hands-on experience in how controlled vocabularies are developed and refined. The exercise demonstrated how precision and consistency are necessary to connect users effectively to relevant information. It was also illuminating to see how such a seemingly simple process of term creation can be so nuanced.
Through this process, I learned how controlled vocabularies and classification systems form the foundation of information organization. Deciding which term best represented a subject required critical thinking about accuracy, relevance, and user intent. This assignment made clear how these systems support efficient search and retrieval by reducing confusion and increasing precision. It reinforced the importance of structure and consistency in metadata creation which are core principles for organizing and describing information in both physical and digital environments.
Conclusion
Information and knowledge organization is fundamental to connecting people with information. Classification provides structure, controlled vocabularies provide the language standard for such systems, and metadata aids with interoperability and discovery. My work with the Museum of Northern California Art relies heavily on understanding how all of these principles work in concert to connect museum stakeholders with relevant information. Working in the future, I will need to keep current on how different classification systems, controlled vocabularies, and metadata schemas and initiatives evolve and change.
References
Bolin, M. K. (2022). Metadata, cataloging, linked data, and the evolving ILS. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 165-178). Rowman & Littlefield Publishers.
Brown, C. C. (2021). Librarian’s guide to online searching: Cultivating database skills for research and instruction (6th ed.). Libraries Unlimited.
Hodge, G. (2001). Systems of knowledge organization for digital libraries: Beyond traditional authority files. Council on Library and Information Resources. https://old.diglib.org/pubs/dlf090/
Horodyski, J. (2022). Metadata matters. CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781003189732