Catalogers Interest Group - January 18, 2007 Meeting Notes
1:30-4:00 pm, SWON HQ, Blue Ash, Ohio
Present:
Susan Banoun (University of Cincinnati), Rita Doran (Oldham County Public), Charles Dyer (Hamilton City School District), Christopher Hill (Wilmington Public), Diane Knaff (Preble County District), Aaron Smith (Clermont County Public), Connie Strait (Greene County Public), Bill Tomeo (Cincinnati Law Library)
Guest: Anne Abate, Executive Director, SWON
Local catalog survey
- We looked at an informal survey of local public library Web catalogs and noted the huge differences in how they were indexed. Besides the obvious conclusion that a cataloger must know her/his own catalog, we also saw that keyword access to MARC fields is dependent on indexing of those fields (and subfields). Our hypothetical keyword searcher had a very disappointing experience with the idiosyncrasies of the three catalogs.
Series authorities
- We are still monitoring series authority practices in the wake of last spring’s Library of Congress decision to discontinue creation and maintenance of those authority entries. To date, we are all making local adjustments, depending on our own circumstance, but we all note an increasing number of series-like headings that are not being traced, simply because they are no longer being established at the LC level.
Program opportunities for staff development
- Introduction to MARC (Wilmington Public Library, March 15, 2007) – a third presentation of the successful program designed and led by our own group members
- Cataloging audiobooks – We await the rescheduling of the Carol Bradsher workshop originally slated for January 2007; possibly April?
- SCCTP programs – Susan Banoun described the offerings of the Serials Cooperative Cataloging Training Program; the possibility of a Dayton program remains. Anne will reinitiate contact with presenter Joe Hinger.
- Possible road show? – We discussed the possibility of designing more portable offerings built around the needs of a given recipient library, or even offering occasional solo opportunities to assist with specific issues.
Cataloging Playaways
- We looked at examples and discussed the ever-changing practices for this new format, particularly in regard to terminology in the 300 and coding the 007. Like all formats, it will take time to achieve standardization. We also learned that SWON is supporting the use of this new format by providing access to purchase plans and discounted earbuds.
Relator codes and FRBR applications
- Usage of relator codes is largely dependent on the MARC records imported from various bibliographic sources; few of us are changing or enhancing extant records with an eye to FRBR relationships. We concluded that the movement to FRBR will have a very long evolution, and there is little incentive for us to push for more rapid change.
538 and system requirements notes
- Again, we note that there is little incentive to make changes in extant MARC, unless the field is completely absent. We discussed wording of the note, but acknowledged that most materials no longer bear a statement of system requirements, so the default input is just a local practice. More important is the coding of the fixed fields that have a bearing on the search, particularly in a consortial catalog: the 006, 007, and 008.
Troubleshooting catalog quality
- A discussion of our respective approaches to the posting of common typographical errors in MARC records led to the question of catalog maintenance. How do we troubleshoot our own databases, and are there institutional practices in place to address this need? Susan Banoun has volunteered to address this issue at our April 26 meeting.
SWON website, Catalogers’ Interest Group page
- Anne led a brief discussion of the potential offered by the availability of space on the SWON site for information for local catalogers. Aaron Smith volunteered to follow this up with a design and some useful links.
Next meeting: April 26, 2007, 1:30-4:00 pm (location TBA)
- As always, you are welcome to submit possible agenda items to Aaron Smith. We will determine the location for certain and notify all via the listserv and the SWON event calendar.
- Tentatively, the agenda includes Susan’s presentation on troubleshooting catalog errors, and a discussion of search flow (the degree to which your catalog can lead users to seamless resource discovery through hot links in MARC fields)
Respectfully submitted,
Aaron Smith
Convener
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