NCLA RTSSSeptember 30, 2010

Cataloging Completed In-house Copy cataloging with editing for local needs Original cataloging when necessary Professional and para-professional staff

Authority WorkPart of cataloging workAuthority records added and edited locally

Pros Cons Unique needs of

patrons met Errors in copy found Call nos. to fit shelf Extra cross references

in authority records to meet local needs.

Consistency with bib and authority records

Time consuming Errors corrected may

not make much difference to patrons

Changes in searching capabilities of systems make extra references less important

Not enough staff to get materials to the shelf in a timely manner

Library identitification stampSecurity strips/labelsCovering book jacketsReinforcing paperbacksBarcodes

Pros Cons Local quality control Materials processed

consistently Mistakes corrected

immediately

Time consuming Usually involves extra

staff—part-time, temp, or student

Can be costly, especially book tape and barcodes

Do materials really need such attention to processing?

“Is this work really necessary or just something that has always been done?”

Be ready to evaluate procedures and provide answers

Be careful with cataloging language and the desire for what is seen as an impossible and unnecessary perfection.

The buzz word is “Discovery”—covers access, front end software and many other things

Outsourcing all book and other monograph cataloging—some call it “shelf ready”

Books received with processing completed File of bibliographic and item records loaded

into the ILS Only books with complicated and incomplete

records are catalogued in-house Materials ordered from vendors that do not

work with the shelf-ready process must also be catalogued, but acquisitions staff are supposed to do “fast cataloging” for them when possible

Pros Cons No backlog Reduction in

cataloging staff—saves money?

Patrons do not have to wait for requested materials once they arrive

Especially helpful for large libraries with large orders

Setting up of profiles for cataloging and processing very detailed and time consuming

Have to accept cataloging as vendor can supply it

Time must be spent on revising work flows and procedures

Setup of profile is linked to the ILS and systems personnel must be involved

Be sure to communicate processing wants and needs to the vendor—SEVERAL TIMES IF NECESSARY!

Every task costs money—vendors charge for affixing barcodes, scanning barcodes, printing labels, affixing labels, and library still supplies the barcodes (big expense)

Average price for shelf-ready: ca. $5.00/book“Shelf-ready” takes more work in-house after

books arrive than administrators think!

Cataloging required only for “unique” items, such as special collections, materials created at the institutions (theses, dissertations, etc.)

Cataloging of digital images and texts using metadata schema, such as Dublin Core, EAD, MODS

Training must take place Collaboration with Special

Collections necessary

Technical Services personnel must be involved in these changes.

Keep staff informed and try to dispel their worry and fear

Do your best to stay on the inside track with planning, profile, etc.

Look for training for you and/or your staff as soon as the change to metadata and special collections is mentioned

Ask for assistance from colleagues via associations and listservs—it is happening everywhere!

Hoping traditional catalogers will retire?

How do we handle RDA with outsourcing?

Will library schools change their curriculum to fit this new profile for cataloging?

As print collections decrease, will cataloging only involve online resources—serials, ebooks, web pages?