Dear Daniel and colleagues,
I'd like to offer a bit of background information on the changes
regarding the treatment of Holocaust denial literature in LCSH and LC
Classification, which were implemented in 1996.
In October 1995, LC's Cataloging Policy and Support Office (CPSO)
issued a survey on subject headings and classification numbers
relating to the Holocaust. The survey was posted on Hasafran
specifically as a means of reaching those institutions with a
specialized focus on the topic. The decision to post the survey was
an outgrowth of discussions held by LC staff representing CPSO, the
Hebraica Cataloging Team, the Cooperative Cataloging Team, and the
Hebraic Section with representatives from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum Library. These discussions aimed at resolving two issues:
I. The form of the heading expressed as Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
II. The treatment of Holocaust denial literature and the
treatment of works on the phenomenon of Holocaust denial.
Ten responses were received, although in most cases, a single
response reflected the collective views of several individuals within
an institution.
On Issue I. (form of the heading Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)), the
responses varied greatly, and did not yield a clear mandate in favor
of changing the current heading; however, the most frequently
selected option was that of retaining the existing heading, which LC
chose to do, along with the adding a number of cross-references.
On Issue II. (treatment of Holocaust denial literature), all
respondents favored replacing the existing form of the heading,
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)--Errors, inventions, etc. and the
current classification practice of assigning D804.35 to both
discussions of the phenomenon of Holocaust denial and to denial
"literature" itself. The respondents unanimously favored the
following approach to subject heading and classification assignment,
which was subsequently adopted by LC:
Assign to denial literature: Holocaust denial
literature [Class in D804.35]
Assign to works discussing the phenomenon: Holocaust
denial [Class in D804.355]
Assign to critical works on denial literature: Holocaust
denial literature--History and criticism [Class in D804.355]
This information is excerpted from a summary which I had prepared on
the survey results and LC's subsequent decisions, and which I
presented as part of the LC Cataloging Update at the 1996
Convention. CPSO has already provided Mr. Burton-Macleod with a copy
of the complete summary. Somehow, I was also able to put my hands on
notes from the Cataloging Committee meeting that year, which
indicated no further discussion of this topic (it seems we had a lot
of new business to address).
To my knowledge, this topic has not resurfaced in any Cataloging
Committee deliberations since the changes were implemented.
I hope that this information is helpful.
Lenore
Lenore Bell
Team Leader, Hebraica Team
Regional and Cooperative Cataloging Division
Library of Congress
(202) 707-7313
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Messages and opinions expressed on Hasafran are those of the individual author
and are not necessarily endorsed by the Association of Jewish Libraries (AJL)
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