Nomenclature 4.0 for Museum Cataloging

Nomenclature 4.0 for Museum Cataloging is an updated and expanded edition of Robert G. Chenhall’s system for classifying human-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

AASLH has developed a free online community for all users and potential users of Nomenclature 4. Click here to access the Nomenclature 4.0 online community .Use this site to learn about Nomenclature 4.0, to share news and ask advice, and to submit your own proposals for additions and changes for future editions.

Paul Bourcier is Chief Curator at the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Heather Dunn is Heritage Information Analyst – Standards at the Canadian Heritage Information Network.

The members of the Nomenclature Task Force are:
Kathleen Byrne, National Park ServiceRosemary Campbell, Parks Canada / Independent Museum ProfessionalJohn Hart, Jr., Sullivan Museum and History Center, Norwich UniversitySarah Kapellusch, Wisconsin Veterans MuseumRon Kley, Museum Research AssociatesJennifer Toelle, Smoky Hill MuseumJean-Luc Vincent, Parks CanadaGeoffrey Woodcox, State Historical Society of North Dakota