Cataloguing in Wales: Are there professional benefits to exploring

regionality?

Karen F. PierceCardiff University

CILIP Cataloguing and Indexing Group Conference 2012

Group social identity

• “…a social category…into which one falls, and to which one feels one belongs, provides a definition of who one is in terms of the defining characteristics of the category – a self-definition that is a part of the self-concept.” Hogg, Terry & White (1995, 259)

“A manifestation of cataloguers”

@Heather_Jardine

“An authority of cataloguers”

@HelBader

Cataloguing in Wales

Wales

Population: 3, 063,500

Approx 20 % Welsh speakers

How many cataloguers…?

Geographical problems

• Mountain ranges dividing country

• Travel North to South by train via England

• Rural areas• Travelling to sessions

in England/Scotland not always practical

Llandrindod Wells – awkward for everyone!

Conversations with Cataloguers in Wales Conference

All Wales cataloguing group?

• Regular meetings

• Training sessions held in Wales

• Bi-annual conference

• Social events

• E-mail discussion list

• Exchange of ideas

• Visits

• Support network

AWHILES partnership (location of libraries)

AWHILES cataloguing (1)

Cataloguing Issues

• 27 libraries + university libraries

• Lack of cataloguing knowledge

• Only one AWHILES library has cataloguing staff

AWHILES cataloguing (2)

Cataloguing solutions

• AWHILES cataloguer• Training sessions• Support via email and

phone• Monthly reports to

check

AWHILES cataloguing summary

• 27 NHS libraries + university libraries on one catalogue

• Wide geographic spread of libraries

• Quality control maintained by university

• Close working relationships and support

• Benefits for roving user groups (students and doctors on placement)

All-Wales higher education LMS

• JISC-funded Library Systems Shared Services Feasibility Study

http://blogs.cf.ac.uk/sharedlms/

• 12 Universities plus National Library of Wales as supporting member

To conclude…

PierceKF@Cardiff.ac.uk@Darklecat