Cataloging - where to begin?

Fiona Collins, Head Librarian, Western International School of Shanghai

Supported by:CiCi Zhuang, Chinese Librarian, Western International School of Shanghai

Overview

• Definition & qualities of a catalogue

• Cataloguing codes

• Catalogue entries

• MARC Records

• Z39.50 sources

Definition

• Catalogue - a list of entries, arranged according to some definite plan, which records and describes the resources of a collection.

Qualities of a catalogue

• flexibility – it should be possible for records to be added or withdrawn easily

• accessibility – staff and users should be able to gain simultaneous access to the records

• reproducibility – it should be possible to reproduce the catalogue economically, conveniently and rapidly to allow wider access (online access)

• maintenance – should be relatively inexpensive to keep the catalogue up to date

• compatibility – should meet common standards, MARC 21, which allow its bibliographic records to be interchanged with other systems (local, national or international)

A catalogue should be:

• a finding tool;

• a bibliographic tool for assembling groups of works under uniform headings;

• a supplement to classification;

• an inventory of stock (incidental function)

Cataloguing codes

• a set of rules which aim to achieve consistent practice by successive cataloguers - most widely known are the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2)

• Part 1 relates to description of materials. All materials receive equal treatment consistent with ISBD http://www.ifla.org/en/publications/international-standard-bibliographic-description

• Part 2 deals with access points, headings, uniform titles, references.

Cataloguing Entries• Title and statement of responsibility

• Edition

• Material

• Publication info

• Physical description

• Series

• Notes

• Standard number - ISBN

• Subject headings

MARC Records

• Machine readable cataloging records including 3 elements of the bibliographic record:

• Record structure

• Content designation

• Data content

• Each record is made up of fields with 3 digit tags. Each tag relates to a different element of the catalogue entry, e.g 020 ISBN; 082 Classification Number

More about MARC 21

• To find out more about MARC 21 visit http://www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/techserv/marc21_tutorial_ie/

Subscription services

• There are several subscriptions services for cataloging records:

• http://itsmarc.com/

• http://www.oclc.org/uk/en/worldcat/default.htm

• http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/home.html

Z39.50 Sources

• Z39.50 is a protocol which allows you to search other libraries remote catalogues and import cataloguing records

• Most library systems have the facility to set up Z39.50 interfaces

Destiny Z-Sources

Z39.50 Sources

• Z39.50 target directory, http://irspy.indexdata.com/

• Z39.50 destinations, http://staff.library.mun.ca/staff/toolbox/z3950hosts.htm

Useful books

The Concise AACR2 by Michael Gorman

http://www.facetpublishing.co.uk

Dewey Decimal Classification

Abridged Dewey Decimal Classification,

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0910608733/bo

okrags

Further help or information

• Shanghai Librarians Network, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/shanghailibrarians/

• Fiona Collins, fcollins@wiss.cn or librarianfchk@gmail.com

• CiCi Zhuang, czhuang@wiss.cn