Of potential interest to SERIALST subscribers; please excuse
cross-posting.

Project MUSE introduces linked subject headings

In April 2008, Project MUSE began releasing current journal issues and
articles in a new, enhanced format, reflecting our transition to a new
XML workflow. Users of articles and Tables of Contents in the new
format may have noticed an additional feature – “clickable” subject
headings for each article, allowing fast and easy connections to
related content in Project MUSE. Built upon the rich controlled
vocabulary classification of all MUSE articles and reviews with Library
of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) by our in-house professional
cataloging staff, this new functionality quickly connects scholars to
additional relevant content to enhance their research.

Linked subject headings are a powerful discovery tool for users.
Following a subject heading link brings the user to an alphabetical
listing of all current subject headings utilized for MUSE articles,
with the selected heading as the entry point in the list. The
researcher may then view additional articles that share the same
subject heading, or peruse further articles with related headings. The
list of subject headings is annotated with the current number of MUSE
articles and reviews to which that heading is assigned.

One of the many benefits of the linked subject headings is the ability
to refine a research topic when articles with a more specific focus are
needed. Conversely, the linked subject headings can guide a user to
articles with a broader approach when the assignment requires a more
general discussion of the research topic.

MUSE has always assigned LC subject headings to articles to help users
identify the topics discussed within an article and in turn, to select
articles most suitable to their research. Now, by simply clicking on a
subject heading, users can move from subject to subject, article to
article, exploring topics and articles related to their search topic.

The new journal issue and article formats are forerunners to a
significant redesign of Project MUSE's complete web presence at
http://muse.jhu.edu, due to launch in August 2008. Among the goals of
the redesign are more intuitive navigation among and within both
content and informational pages, compatibility with emerging web
standards, support for selected Web 2.0 functionality, and an enhanced
online experience for users and librarians utilizing MUSE in teaching
and research. All new MUSE content produced since mid-April 2008
reflects elements of the new design and offers the linked subject
headings functionality; as older content is converted to the new
format, the feature will also become available for archival articles,
reviews, and Tables of Contents. Please "pardon our dust" as we begin
the process of enhancing and improving our web presence. We welcome
comments, questions, and feedback to muse@press.jhu.edu.

Melanie B. Schaffner
Marketing and Sales Manager, Project MUSE
c/o The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St.
Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
p 410-516-3846
f 410-516-6968
melanie@muse.jhu.edu