Terminology for web resources

[Lisa Bradley]

Dear Colleagues,

Can I please ask cataloguers/web editors how they have tackled one
particular aspect of cataloguing internet resources ie. subject headings. 

In particular, can you tell us what kind of "form subdivision" terms you
have used for the various types of internet resource?  I notice from
looking at various catalogues that a variety of form terms have been used eg.

- internet resource
- electronic book
- electronic indexes
- electronic texts
- databases
- electronic journals
- websites
etc.

Some of these terms have ovelapping meanings, some are very broad, and some
may be ambiguous.  Our library is trying to work out a list of appropriate
terms and would love to know what criteria other libraries have used in
arriving at their terminology.  Our concerns are that the terminology is
explicit (self-explanatory) to users and represent the variety of internet
resources (from individual ejournals to homepages that have fulltext data,
eg. Edmund Spencer homepage).  If you can share some of you libraries'
thinking on this subject we'd be most appreciative.

The bigger question of course is: how much of what is on the internet does
your library put into the catalogue?  Apart from the commercially packaged
resources (Project Muse, etc.), have your libraries determined how much of
all the other, largely free, resources should be entered in the catalogue
eg. government newsletters, university handbooks, literary fulltext
websites, etc.  I realise these are big issues, but would really appreciate
some responses.

Thank you very much for taking the time.

Regards,
Lisa

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Lisa Bradley                                    02 6249 3388 (ph)
Life Sciences Librarian                         02 6249 5526 (fax)
Australian National University                  Lisa.Bradley at anu.edu.au