The Policeman's Beard Was What? Representation and Reality in Knowledge Organization and Description

Abstract

Information professionals describing resources are often faced with decisions around a resource’s formal identifying characteristics. Sometimes these characteristics, such as title or publication date, present information known to be deceptive, incorrect, or untrue in some way. Sometimes facts needed to identify the resource or help a user understand its nature are missing or incomplete. This paper identifies four ways resources fail to fully identify themselves, through unintentional error or inaccuracy; deception; simplifying complex reality; or humorous representation. It presents four categories of response that an information professional such as a library cataloger might engage: correct or clarify; reveal the hidden, missing, or disguised; assist users in navigating and understanding complex realities; no action or response. Response categories are illustrated with instructions from rules and guidelines representing two centuries of Anglo-American cataloging rules. The conclusion stresses the importance of these responses in facilitating a successful user experience with information systems.