NEW TERMS IN THE INDEXING POLICIES OF UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES
Keywords:
knowledge representation, indexing policies, controlled vocabulary, terminology management, new termsAbstract
This study aimed to identify how university library indexing policies address the treatment of new terms, considering the procedures prescribed and the organization of the guidelines in the documents. In the context of the university libraries analyzed, a new term is defined as one that is needed for indexing but is not represented in the institutional vocabulary or in any of the external sources consulted. A qualitative, exploratory, documentary, and bibliographic study was conducted through the analysis of eleven policies available through open access. The results reveal three levels of explicitness: four policies formalize procedures for proposing, analyzing, and including new terms, with defined instruments and responsible parties; six provide partial guidelines that are not organized into a complete workflow; and one provides no specific guidelines. Different designations and ways of organizing the guidelines were also identified. The treatment of new terms is therefore heterogeneous, reflecting different terminology management strategies. As a contribution, the study systematizes elements involved in the treatment of new terms that can support the development and revision of indexing policies and terminology management practices in university libraries.