SUBJECT HEADINGS IN THE WELLCOME HISTORICAL MEDICAL LIBRARY

Area of Science:

• Medical librarianship
• Information science
• Medical history

Background:

• The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is crucial for medical library unity and standardization.
• Existing medical subject headings lack consistency.
• The Wellcome Library's cataloguing system offers a model for improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the Wellcome Library's subject headings in comparison to the NLM Subject Heading Authority List of 1960.
• To identify areas where the Wellcome Library enhances standardization and consistency in medical subject headings.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Wellcome Library's cataloguing approach for historical medical texts.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of the Wellcome Library's headings against the NLM Subject Heading Authority List.
• Examination of the Wellcome Library's cataloguing structure (topographical, biographical, topical).
• Review of the 'Current Work' publication for simplifications and reference strategies.

Main Results:

• The Wellcome Library headings align with NLM standards but include additional terms.
• Additional headings cover superseded terms, historical phenomena, social/religious history subjects, and eponyms.
• The 'Current Work' publication simplifies cataloguing and reduces duplication through references.

Conclusions:

• The Wellcome Library's approach offers a robust model for standardizing and enhancing medical subject headings.
• Incorporating specific historical and contextual terms improves subject access for older medical literature.
• Cataloguing simplifications and cross-referencing enhance usability for researchers.