In general, the preference is to use broad terms in lieu of specific terms. This supports clear terminology for browsing purposes, is easier to maintain and is based on feedback from usability studies on user preferences.
More specific terms may be used at the discretion of collection curators. Examples of such cases may include: adhering to larger community of practices (e.g ETDs, NDLTD), meeting users needs for a specific project (e.g. Americas, Chao Center, Patents) or to provide greater exposure for truly unique and rare materials (e.g. Roman coins item). Such determination may be subjective in nature though efforts should be made to use broad terms whenever possible.
All items in the IR should have a dc.dcmi type assigned
Some duplication of terms may exist to better support different communities (e.g. Journal Articles vs articles).
Commonly used controlled vocabularies include:
DCMI Type Vocabulary http://dublincore.org/documents/2010/10/11/dcmi-type-vocabulary/
Getty Art & Architecture Thesaurus http://www.getty.edu/vow/AATSearchPage.jsp
see local guidelines link for common values: https://digitalriceprojects.pbworks.com/w/page/45823548/Historical%20Images%20Metadata%20Creation%20Guidelines#dctypegenrerequired
Faculty Publications. Custom terms. Provided in default submission form. https://digitalriceprojects.pbworks.com/w/page/63904648/Faculty%20Publications%20Metadata%20Guidelines#dctyperequired
specific terms can still be used (and encourage where appropriate) either as part of the dc.description field or as part of the title.
Examples:
Title: Expressionism, Sight and Sound: The Exhibition Sewall Art Gallery Friday, January 30 through Friday, March 27, 1987 [Invitation]
dc.type.genre ephemera
dc.type.dcmi Text
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1911/78016
Title: Map of Battle of El Molino del Rey (issued 1850)
dc.description Battlefield map. Lithographed battle plan engraved by...
dc.type.genre maps
dc.type.dcmi Image
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1911/21772
Title: Broadside-Decree, S. Martin Xilotepeque, Guatemala, September 22, 1826
dc.type.genre broadsides
dc.type.dcmi Text
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1911/27581
Exceptions: some truly unique items may simply warrant a more specific term to perhaps highlight the item in the archive.
Example:
Title: Athenian drachma coin used as model for Athenian owls on Rice Institute shield
dc.type.genre coins (money)
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/1911/64885
Per Getty AAT:
Travel Guidebooks: "Guidebooks aimed particularly at tourists or other leisure travelers."
Travel literature: "Accounts of journeys, voyages, and travels written to instruct, inform or entertain."
the following genre terms should be used across all collection types (culture heritage and faculty publications) to ensure consistency at the repository level. these may differ from terms found in the Getty AAT.