Cataloging with Carolyn McCallum

1. Cataloging with Carolyn McCallum October 17, 2011

2. My Professional Career • Received MLIS in May 1994 from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro • 1994-1995 Conservation Technician at Information Conservation, Inc. – Book repair, rebinding, and restoration • 1995-1999 Cataloging Librarian at Pfeiffer University, G. A. Pfeiffer Library • 1999-Present Cataloging Librarian for Nonprint Materials at Wake Forest University, Z. Smith Reynolds Library

3. Agenda for Today’s Class • Explore the process of cataloging • Introduce common cataloging tools • Cataloging demonstration • Discuss next steps and developments

4. Overview • AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules 2nd ed.) – a joint publication of ALA, Canadian Library Association (CLA) and the UK’s Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) • “…designed for use in the construction of catalogues and other lists in general libraries of all sizes. The rules cover the description of, and the provision of access points for, all library materials commonly collected at the present time.” • MARC (MAchine-Readable Cataloging) • It defines a data format that emerged from a Library of Congress-led initiative that began nearly forty years ago. It provides the mechanism by which computers exchange, use, and interpret bibliographic information, and its data elements make up the foundation of most library catalogs used today. MARC became USMARC in the 1980s and MARC 21 in the late 1990s.

5. MARC Record example – Common variable fields • 010 2001022050 • 020 0838908055 (alk. paper) • 020 9780838908051 (alk. paper) • 050 00 Z711.2 ǂb .S59 2001 • 082 00 005.7/2 ǂ2 21 • 100 1_ Smith, Susan Sharpless. • 245 10 Web-based instruction : ǂb a guide for libraries / ǂc Susan Sharpless Smith. • 260 Chicago : ǂb American Library Association, ǂc 2001. • 300 xiv, 194 p. : ǂb ill. ; ǂc 26 cm. • 504 Includes bibliographical references (p. 179-188) and index. • 505 0_ Library instruction on the web -- Design and development cycle -- Selecting project development tools -- Designing the user interface -- Multimedia: using graphics, sound, animation, and video -- Interactivity -- Evaluation and testing. • 650 _0 Library orientation ǂx Computer-assisted instruction. • 650 _0 Web sites ǂx Design. • 650 _0 Library information networks.

6. Factors to consider when cataloging • Cataloging the item in hand • Catalog record proliferation • “Aboutness” – content description of item in hand • Subject headings vs. keywords • Specificity • Granularity • Scale of records

7. Cataloging the item in hand • The chief source of information of an item provides the information by which catalogers describe said item. • book – front (recto) and back (verso) of title page • map – it’s legend • film – title frame, beginning and ending credits • magazine – info contained in 1st issue ever published

8. Catalog record proliferation • Accurate and efficient searching of OCLC Connexion, a cooperative cataloging tool used by libraries to perform both original and copy cataloging, is critical to determine if original cataloging is needed or if copy cataloging is sufficient. • To indicate material ownership, libraries attach their holdings to cataloging records in Connexionwhich integrates that information with WorldCat, the world’s most comprehensive database of bibliographic and library ownership information. • WorldCat prevents and eliminates duplication of effort by catalogers, and it promotes resource sharing by allowing individuals and libraries to search, locate, and request materials that are not available in their local libraries’ collections.

9. “Aboutness” – Subject Headings • Specificity – Controlled vocabularies such as Library of Congress subject headings (LCSH) have specific meanings and consistencies in spelling. Individual and corporate names are also controlled; birth and death dates help in distinguishing individuals. • Example: African Americans and Blacks • Scope note for LC subject authority heading for African Americans states: Here are entered works on citizens of the United States of black African descent. Works on blacks who temporarily reside in the United States, such as aliens, students from abroad, etc., are entered under |a Blacks--United States. • Example: 2 actresses named Vanessa Williams • Example: Turquoise—Mineral or color? • To verify subject headings, names and titles for currency and spelling accuracy, consult the Library of Congress Authorities database

10. “Aboutness” – Subject Headings (cont.) • Granularity – LCSH allows for description on a granular level with its free-floating subject headings, some of which also have defined meanings for use. • Proteinsǂx Structure ǂx Computer simulation • MothsǂxSexualbehavior • Hispanic American students ǂz North Carolina • Teenagers ǂx Health and hygiene ǂv Cross-cultural studies • Scottish literature ǂy 20th century ǂx History and criticism

11. “Aboutness” -- Keywords • Keywords • All words – uncontrolled vocabulary • Can make content discovery, retrieval, and sharing less challenging for library users • Reduces authority control and virtually eliminates standardization. • Keywords do not convey the same meaning for all users and differentiation can be problematic. • Example: The word weed refers not only to an undesirable plant in a garden or lawn but is also a slang term for marijuana. • Variant spellings and misspellings of keywords can also hinder discovery and retrieval in online catalogs.

12. Scale of records • Several library vendors (e.g. YBP, Alexander Street Press) are now providing cataloging records of their e-book and streaming video and audio collections to libraries. • To eliminate catalogers from having to touch each record, libraries can request vendors to add specific MARC fields and wording to their records sets. These sets can then be batch loaded into an online catalog using MarcEdit, a free MARC editing application that is available for download.

13. Cataloging Tools • AACR2 • OCLC’s Bibliographic Formats and Standards • OCLC Connexion • Library of Congress Authorities • IMDB • Classification Web • MarcEdit • Cataloger’s Desktop • RDA Toolkit • Archivists’ Toolkit (AT) – an open source archival data management system

14. Cataloging demo • Wake Forest University Divinity School Senior project

15. Next steps and developments • Next-generation catalogs • Amazoning & Googlelizing • Accuracy of data in fixed fields and 006, 007, 008 becomes even more important for next-gen catalog features to properly display. • FRBR – Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records • FRAD – Functional Requirements for Authority Data • FRSAD – Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data • RDA – Resource Description & Access • New and obsolete fields and rules • Sample records are now in OCLC *667724423 (DVD), *639175783 (book), *668374705 (musical score), *667721974 (music CD). • June 2011 – Executive report from U.S. RDA Test Coordinating Committee recommended to LC, NLM and NAL that implementation of RDA should be delayed until January 2013.

16. Wrap-up • What the cataloging profession looks like now • Skills and desirable attributes • Value of cataloging and catalogers