Committee

The following committee manages AASLH’s Nomenclature-related work and initiatives:

John Hart, Jr., Chair (-2024)
American Pomeroys, Syracuse, NY
[email protected]

Kelli Bogan (2023-2025)
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, Cooperstown, NY
[email protected]

Rosemary Campbell (-2024)
Independent Museum Professional, Ottawa, Canada
[email protected]

Geneviève Déziel (2021-2025)
McCord Museum, Montreal, Canada
[email protected]

Callie Diduck (2023-2025)
Parks Canada, Winnipeg, Canada
[email protected]

Heather Dunn
Canadian Heritage Information Network, Gatineau, Quebec
[email protected]

Teresa Greene (2023-2025)
Vermont Historical Society, Barre, VT
[email protected]

Kayleigh Hendley (2023-2025)
Cumberland Island National Seashore, St Marys, GA
[email protected]

Alyssa Magnone (2021-2023)
Northeast Document Conservation Center, SC
[email protected]

Adam Nyhaug (2021-2025)
Siouxland Heritage Museums, Sioux Falls, SD
[email protected]

Casey Seger (2021-2025)
Great Plains Art Museum, Lincoln, NE
[email protected]

Amber Wingerson (2022-2024)
Sullivan Museum and History Center, Northfield, VT
[email protected]

AASLH Staff Contact
Aja Bain, Senior Manager, Professional Development and Publications
[email protected]
615-320-3203

Nomenclature Resources

Recently, the Nomenclature Task Force, the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) and Parks Canada have released a new bilingual, illustrated online version.
The Nomenclature website is the most up-to-date version of the Nomenclature standard and includes:

• The entire Nomenclature 4.0, as published in 2015 by Rowman & Littlefield.
• A complete French version, with terms provided by Parks Canada and CHIN.
• Terminology, definitions and illustrations from a complementary standard, the Parks Canada Descriptive and Visual Dictionary of Objects.
• A bibliography to help museums find additional resources to help with cataloging specific types of objects.
• Guidelines and tips on how to use the Nomenclature system.

You can access this resource by visiting nomenclature.info.

Looking for more resources?  Read our blog or browse through Nomenclature resources in the AASLH Resource Library.

What is Nomenclature?

Nomenclature 4.0 for Museum Cataloging is an updated and expanded edition of Robert G. Chenhall’s system for classifying man-made objects, originally published in 1978. The Chenhall system is the standard cataloging tool for thousands of museums and historical organizations across the United States and Canada. For this fourth edition, hundreds of new terms have been added, and every category, class, sub-class, and object term has been reviewed and revised as needed by a professional task force appointed by the American Association for State and Local History.

This new edition features crucial revisions including:

• A revised and updated users’ guide with new tips and advice.
• An expanded controlled vocabulary featuring nearly 950 new preferred terms.
• 475 more non-preferred terms in the index.
• An expanded and reorganized section on water transportation.
• Expanded coverage of exchange media, digital collections, electronic devices, archaeological and ethnographic objects, and more.

Why should I use it?

Nomenclature 4.0 for Museum Cataloging is a structured and controlled list of object terms organized in a classification system to provide a basis for indexing and cataloging collections of human-made artifacts. It was developed for people responsible for the creation and management of museum collection records and is based on three fundamental assumptions relating to the usefulness of catalog records for research, collection management, and exhibition planning:

1. Catalog records are most useful if objects are named consistently.
2. Creating functionally defined groupings of catalog records in a hierarchical format makes it easier to work with record groups.
3. Consistently cataloged records facilitate the sharing of data with researchers, other museums, and the public at large.

Nomenclature is built into the lexicons of many vendor-supported museum collections management systems, but it can also be a useful tool for museums with homemade databases and even for museums without computerized cataloging systems.

What does Nomenclature do?

Nomenclature 4.0 provides an extensive list of object terms based on the collections of many museums, and it relates each object term to others within a hierarchical taxonomy based on the object’s functional context.

Nomenclature 4.0 includes thousands of terms, and it is greatly expanded from the last edition, The Revised Nomenclature for Museum Cataloging, published in 1988. However, it does not and should not include all possible names for all possible museum artifacts. It is important to recognize that Nomenclature will not include all the terms any given museum needs, and that it will not be suitable for all purposes. Instead, Nomenclature provides a practical, flexible framework that has been used successfully by thousands of museums for more than three decades.

Because Nomenclature does not include all possible terms, some museums may need to expand the list of terms in order to express the finer points of distinction among similar but subtly different objects. Nomenclature is flexible, and the Nomenclature Committee encourages museums with similar specialized collections to collaborate in compiling lists of specialized terms as the need arises. As long as new terms are added within the Nomenclature framework, the reasons for adding the terms are documented, and the additions are made only after careful consideration, Nomenclature will function just fine.

Bear in mind that Nomenclature establishes a convention for object names only. It is important to consider other standardized vocabularies for other useful pieces of data about museum objects and their characteristics, including materials, styles, design elements, geographic origins, manufacturing techniques, personal and corporate names, and related subjects and concepts. When considering new object terms, it is important to avoid using words that may belong in other fields of an object’s catalog record such as “plastic,” “wrought,” “Civil War,” or “suffrage.” Computerized databases allow users to query multiple fields to narrow searches for artifacts that meet specific criteria.

Object terms in Nomenclature are indexing terms intended to facilitate data retrieval. They are not substitutes for fuller descriptions that may be useful for inventories, exhibition labels, catalog captions, or other applications. “Chair, Rocking” is a legitimate object term for Nomenclature, but “Chair, Victorian, walnut, with green needlework cushion” is not.

There are many useful books and online resources for learning more about data standards that apply to museum collections, including material developed and distributed by the Museum Computer Network, the Canadian Heritage Information Network, and the American Library Association (particularly its manual, Cataloging Cultural Objects: A Guide to Describing Cultural Works and Their Images).

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(Table of Contents for Nomenclature 4.0 for Museum Cataloging by Paul Bourcier, Heather Dunn, and the Nomenclature Task Force, 2014)

Preface
Acknowledgments
An Introduction to Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Users’ Guide

Category 1: Built Environment Objects
Category 2: Furnishings
Category 3: Personal Objects
Category 4: Tools and Equipment for Materials
Category 5: Tools and Equipment for Science and Technology
Category 6: Tools and Equipment for Communication
Category 7: Distribution and Transportation Objects
Category 8: Communication Objects
Category 9: Recreational Objects
Category 10: Unclassifiable Objects
Alphabetical Index of Object Terms

Suggest Nomenclature Additions/Changes/Updates

The Nomenclature Task Force will carefully vet all submissions for use in the next version of Nomenclature.

Please submit suggestions through the appropriate form below.

Only one submission is allowed per form but you may enter additional forms if you would like to recommend multiple updates.

• Add a new term
• Add a non-preferred term
• Add/Change a note for a term
• Change the definition of a category
• Change the definition of a classification
• Change the definition of a sub-class
• Change the status of a term
• Move a term
• Change the spelling/punctuation

Despite the Task Force’s best efforts, Nomenclature 3.0 and 4.0 do contain some errors of which users should be aware. We encourage users to mark their books to make necessary corrections.

Nomenclature 4.0 Errata

Boat, Rangely (p. 488, 545) should read Guideboat, Rangeley
box, baling (use: Bailer, Well) (p. 549) should read box, bailing (use: Bailer, Well)
Gluepot from Woodworking T&E (p. 251) to Multiple Use T&E for Materials (p. 227)
Goschen(p. 488, 602) should read Groschen
Heater, Convention (p. 9, 610) should read Heater, Convection
killik (use Anchor) (p. 621) should read killick (use Anchor)
Loom, Weight(p. 244, 719) should be deleted.  The preferred term is Loomweight(p. 242) as noted on p. 719.
Machine, Brading(p. 213, 630) should read Machine, Bradding
piece, ten-cent (use: Dime, Half)(p. 651) should read piece, ten-cent (use: Dime)
(use: Porte-Cochere)(p. 658) should read (use: Porte-Cochère)
Pot, Glue (p. 386) from Printer T&E to a non-preferred form of Gluepot (now Multiple Use T&E for Materials (p. 227)
Software, Multifunction System(p. 360, 688) should read Software, Multifunction
Sous Marqué(p. 488, 688) should read Sou Marqué
spade, folding (p. 688) is listed twice and should be listed only once
Topper, Barrel (p. 259) should be deleted. The index entry for Topper, Barrel(p. 708) should read topper, barrel (use: Plane, Sun)
Violoncello(p. 373) to a non-preferred form of Cello(p. 373)
A number of non-preferred terms were omitted from pages 529-532 of the Index. For a list of these terms, please click here.

Nomenclature 3.0 Errata

The Nomenclature Task Force has corrected these errors in Nomenclature 4.0 and will update this page if additional errata are found.
The note for Apparatus, Breathing (p. 81) should read respiratory, not repiratory.
Bag. Lunch(p. 145) should be changed to Bag, Lunch (with a comma, not a period). Because of this typo, the term appears out of alphabetical order in the index (p. 448).
Block,Construction (p. 461) should be Block, Construction. The error causes the term to appear out of order in the index. The term appears correctly on p. 2.
The note for Case, Audio Equipment (p. 325) should read item, not iitem.
The note for Case, Public Entertainment (p. 418) should read Entertainment, not Entertaiment.
The note for Case, Visual Communication Equipment (p. 332) should read item, not iitem.
Colotype (pp. 391, 501) should be changed to Calotype.
copier, xerogrpahic (p. 506) should read copier, xerographic.
Crusher. Seed (p. 131) should be changed to Crusher, Seed (with a comma, not a period). Because of this typo, the term appears out of alphabetical order in the index (p. 511).
Cup, Pallette (pp. 191, 512) should be changed to Cup, Palette.
Cutter, Sprue under Armament Accessories should be eliminated (pp. 227, 514). The term was moved to Metalworking T&E but the old Revised Nomenclature classification was not removed; this created two identical terms in the book, and identical terms are no longer permitted.
Dessicator (pp. 248, 517) should read Desiccator.
Dessicator, Balance (pp. 285, 517) should read Desiccator, Balance.
Dish, Sherbert (pp. 142, 520) should be changed to Dish, Sherbet.
The definition of Drafting T&E (p. 306) should read equipment and, not equipmentand.
Dress, Redingdote (pp. 71, 524) should be changed to Dress, Redingote.
The note for Fairing (p. 397) should read knickknack, not knicknack.
Flask, Distilling(p. 247) contains a typo; Distlling should be changed to Distilling
Heater, Convention (p. 6, 557) should read Heater, Convection.
hoe, planation(p. 558) should read hoe, plantation.
Instrument, Meteorlogical (pp. 284, 567) should be changed to Instrument, Meteorological.(The same misspelling applies to this term’s note on p. 284.)
Knife, Callous (pp. 90, 574) should be changed to Knife, Callus.
The preferred term for knife, corn (p. 574) should read Knife, Callus, not Knife, Callous.
Light, Holiday should be moved to be a secondary term under Decoration, Holiday.
Light, Christmas Treeshould be moved to be a tertiary term under Light, Holiday (all p. 381).
Loop, Mast (pp. 365, 584) should be changed to Hoop, Mast.
Machine, Electrotheraphy(pp. 280, 586) should readMachine, Electrotherapy.
The definition of Masonry & Stoneworking T&E (p. 166) should read homogeneity, not homegeneity.
Pad, Horsehoe (pp. 109, 607) should be changed to Pad, Horseshoe.
Pestle, Pharmeutical (pp. 273, 613) should be changed to Pestle, Pharmaceutical.
The definition of Photographic T&E (p. 315) should read originally, not orginally.
The definition of Photoprocessing Equipment (p. 319) should read sensitive, not sensitve.
Pick, Hors d’Oeurve (p. 144) should be changed to Pick, Hors d’Oeuvre. The term is spelled correctly in the index (p. 614).
Radiophone under Acoustical T&E should be eliminated (pp. 222, 634). The term was listed twice in Revised Nomenclature, but it should only be organized under Telecommunication Devices. It is erroneously listed twice in the book.
The note for Seeder, Centrifugal (p. 103) should read centrifugal, not cenrifugal.
Shirt, Poodle (pp. 145, 660) should be changed to Skirt, Poodle.
The preferred term for showcase (p. 661) should read Case, Display,not case, display.
Stand, Blackmsith’s (pp. 180, 673) should be changed to Stand, Blacksmith’s.
The term Stove (pp. 54, 678) should be eliminated. The last five secondary terms on page 54 are child terms of Stove, Heating.
Table was inadvertently left out of the book. It should be a primary term at the top of page 40 and included in the index on page 683. All the secondary table terms on pages 40-41 should be organized under it.
The definition of Telecommunication Media (p. 331) should read Definition, not Defintion.
Tester, Babock (pp. 134, 688) should be changed to Tester, Babcock.
The definition of Textileworking T&E (p. 195) should read preparation, not prepartion.
The definition of Timekeeping T&E (p. 296) should read purposes, not puposes.
Vargueños should be spelled Vargueño (pp. 38, 706).
Vise, Harnessmaker’s (pp. 166, 708) should be changed to Vise, Harness Maker’s.

Preferred Terms:

The preferred term for cutter, nail should be Nipper, Toenail, not Nipper, Toe Nail (p. 514).
The preferred term for cutting, scissor should be Work, Cut Paper, not Work, Cut-Paper (p. 515).
The preferred term for plate, wiredrawing should be Die, Wire Drawing, not Die, Wiredrawing (p. 621).
The preferred term for printer, matrix should be Printer, Dot Matrix, not Printer, Dot-Matrix (p. 628).
The preferred term for truck, ladder should be Truck, Hook and Ladder, not Truck, Hook & Ladder (p. 701).

Stray Words:

The stray word Equipment in the Notes column on p. 227 should be eliminated.
The following terms are listed out of alphabetical order relative to their sibling terms in the hierarchical portion of the book:
Gutter,Head, Shower, and Heater, Water (p. 9)
Barrack(p. 22)
Coverlet(p. 29)
Glove, Driving(p.62)
Sari and Sarong (p. 74; should be on p. 73)
Apron, Cocktail(p. 77)
Teddy (p. 78)
Case, Card(p. 85)
Scraper, Tongue(p. 93)
Poacher, Egg(p. 119)
Pan, Comfit(p. 121; should be on p. 120)
Fork, Berry (p. 143)
Tool, Well Fishing(p. 188; should be on p. 189)
Phono-Projectoscope(p. 221)
Point, Projectile(p. 235)
Cleaner, Lamp Chimney(p. 260; should be on p. 261)
Wash-Pounder(p. 263)
Clamp(p. 264)
Slitter, Crown(p. 271)
Detector, Neutron (p. 285)
Software, Multifunction(p. 302)
Machine, Teaching(p. 303)
Triangle, Adjustable(p. 308)
T-Square (p. 308)
Burnisher, Printmaking(p. 321)
Needle, Etching and Echoppe (p. 321)
Perforator, Printing(p. 323)
Recorder, Audio Disk(p. 327)
Cart, Projector (p. 332)
Wheel, Vehicle Steering(p. 348)
Schooner, Prairie(p. 354)
Truck, Pumper/Aerial Ladder(p. 358)
Print, Planographic(p. 392)
Gear, Pole Vault(p. 429)