04/19/23 1

Maintaining MeSH in the Shared Voyager Database

Małgorzata Fort, Ph.D.Health Sciences Library SystemUniversity of Pittsburgh

04/19/23 2

Health Sciences Library System and MeSH Description of our Voyager

environment History of MeSH loads Full load Partial load Plans for ongoing maintenance

04/19/23 3

Layout of the battle field

Shared database, different interests

Centralized administration, split authority control

In the shade of a “Big Brother”

04/19/23 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)*

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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

04/19/23 6

MeSH 2002 load (cont’d)

Full MeSH file via slam load decisions: Do it, it’s better than none Use NLM web list of deleted

records Take advantage of Voyager

reports Use GHC feature

04/19/23 7

Global Headings Change

Forcing headings to GCQ making changes in the authority

record Creating “dummy” authority

records Working around problems

04/19/23 8

04/19/23 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’

04/19/23 10

04/19/23 11

Retrospective cleanup

Unauthorized Headings Report Bring MeSH structure up-to-date Implement NLM application of

MeSH for catalogers MARC 21

04/19/23 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

04/19/23 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

04/19/23 14

MeSH 2003 load

Updates only Blessings of GCQ Useless useful reports

04/19/23 15

Plans and challenges

Unauthorized Subject Headings again!

Compromise, but clean it all Genre headings –are we ready for

them?

04/19/23 16

Thank you!

---------------------- gosia@pitt.edu