CATALOGING POLICY COMMITTEE (CAPC) MINUTES
OLAC MEMBERSHIP MEETING MINUTES
FROM THE EDITOR
Sue Neumeister
This is my last issue as Editor-in-Chief of the OLAC Newsletter and it is filled with all the wonderful reports from the Denton Conference. Thanks go to Kay Johnson for filling in as Conference Reports Editor and to Mary Konkel who twisted peoples' arms as they registered at the Conference.
As usual, I will be posting the ALA Midwinter schedule of AV related meetings on AUTOCAT and E-media. Keep in mind that the Membership meeting is now one day later: Sunday at 8:00 p.m. The Executive Board will be meeting on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. CAPC will continue in its regular time slot of Friday at 8:00 p.m.
I would like to thank all the people who have made my 4 1/2 years as Editor-in-Chief so enjoyable and easy. I want to acknowledge the Presidents of OLAC: Bo-Gay Tong Salvador, Sheila Smyth, Karen Driessen, Mary Konkel, Heidi Hutchinson and Richard Harwood; Treasurers: Bobby Ferguson and Johanne LaGrange; Secretaries: Ellen Hines, Heidi Hutchinson, Cathy Gerhart and Pat Thompson; and the Utility representatives: Glenn Patton and Ed Glazier. I would also like to thank all those who have contributed articles and reports over the years and the Newsletter staff I've had the pleasure working with. Among these are my predecessor: Cecilia Tittemore; Conference Reports Editors: Johanne LaGrange, Ian Fairclough and Kay Johnson; Book Review Editors: Anne Salter, Frank Wheeler and Vicki Toy Smith; News and Announcements Editor (and steadfast proofreader!): Barb Vaughan; and last but certainly not least, Question & Answer Editor: Verna Urbanski (who also says goodbye in this issue). I owe all of you so much! Thanks for your patience and guidance throughout my years as Editor. I truly learned a great deal and I couldn't have done it without each and every one of you.
The OLAC Web Page will continued to be maintained by me. I hope to improve upon it in the next few months since I will have so much "spare time." Barbara Tillett's keynote address and transparencies from the OLAC Conference are now up on the OLAC Web Page and more handouts will be put up soon at:
I want to wish Kay Johnson the best of luck in her new role as Editor- in-Chief of the OLAC Newsletter. Her address is in the September issue. Unfortunately Kay's first issue comes at a time when ALA Midwinter is unusually late. The March 1997 issue will be a few weeks late in order to include reports from the Midwinter meetings.
Richard Harwood
The 1996 OLAC Conference, "The Audiovisual Commons and the Electronic Future," has concluded and in my opinion, was a success. A lot of credit for the "behind the scenes" success goes to Sharon Almquist, Chair of the Conference Planning Committee, and the committee members, who are Jean Harden, Ralph Hartsock, Mary Konkel, Kathryn Loafman, and J. Robert Willingham.
The Conference lived up to its theme as a commons in that it was, indeed, a time for AV catalogers from around the country to learn and share ideas through keynote speeches, presentations, poster sessions, and informal chats.
Barbara Tillett, Chief of the Cataloging Policy and Support Office at Library of Congress was the first of our opening keynote speakers. Ms. Tillett set the tone with a description of the many ways in which the Library of Congress has facilitated the commons from the beginning of the Library's collecting of nonprint materials to its continued activities in that area. Eric Jul from OCLC followed, pushing the envelope with a presentation on a truly electronic commons, that is, the Internet Cataloging project. The Project has done more than create a database of remote electronic resources with its implications for access, description, and standards still to come.
But did the commons end with the conclusion of the Conference? No, it continues, and we as AV catalogers are positioned to lead the profession in a way that we might never have before imagined as explained by our concluding keynote speaker, Professor Sheila Intner from the Simmons College Graduate School of Library Science.
Professor Intner described a scenario in which book catalogers decline in numbers as outsourcing and continued deprofessionalization grows. Nonprint catalogers by default will be an ever increasing proportion of professional catalogers and, consequently, called upon to direct the work locally and to lead professionally. Look for your future to hold even more planning, training, hiring, quality control, and other types of directing and consulting activities--not just in your Cataloging Department, but throughout your library.
I am convinced more than ever after meeting so many excellent colleagues at the Conference that we are able to meet the challenges before us. I am also convinced that OLAC can and should be instrumental in facilitating the road ahead.
July 1, 1996 through September 30, 1996
First Quarter
Johanne LaGrange
Membership: 654
Institutional - 290
Personal - 364
ACCOUNT BALANCE: June 30, 1996
Merrill Lynch WCMA Account 27,735.77
INCOME
Back Issues 23.00
Dividends--WCMA Account 300.92
Memberships 517.00
OLAC Conference Contributions 150.00
TOTAL INCOME 990.92
EXPENSES
ALA Conference 120.00
Banking Fees
Activity Fee 22.25
Annual Fee 80.00
Consultant
Financial 100.00
Labels, Envelopes & Supplies 67.66
OLAC Birthday Party 25.14
OLAC Board Dinner 312.68
OLAC Conference 1996 16,258.00
OLAC Newsletter 1,000.00
Photocopies 41.23
Postage 113.90
Stipends 800.00
TOTAL EXPENSES (18,940.86)
ACCOUNT BALANCE: September 30, 1996
Merrill Lynch WCMA Account 9,785.83
1994/1995 1995/1996 1996/1997
Membership: 703 648 654
Institutional 305 282 290
Personal 398 366 364
ACCOUNT BALANCE: June 30
M. Lynch WCMA Acct. 17,038.84 30,868.56 27,735.77
CD at 7.20% 7/94 10,000.00
INCOME
Back Issues 48.50 71.50 23.00
Dividends--WCMA Account 240.72 376.06 300.92
Interest--CD 364.00
Memberships 942.00 558.00 517.00
OLAC Conference Contributions 150.00
Royalties
Catalog Unpub Nonp 718.24
Phys Proc Man...adv 250.00
Total Royalties 968.24
TOTAL INCOME 2,563.46 1,005.56 990.92
EXPENSES
ALA Conference 120.00 120.00
ALA ALCTS/CCS Preconf. 1,000.00
Banking Fees 82.10 91.91 102.25
Consultant--Financial 100.00 100.00 100.00
Labels, Envelopes & Supplies 27.34 67.66
OLAC Award 90.53
OLAC Birthday Party 398.05 25.14
OLAC Board Dinner 259.87 274.92 312.68
OLAC Conference 16,258.00
OLAC Newsletter 1,380.32 1,471.80 1,000.00
Photocopies 91.07 41.23
Postage/Permit 24.97 113.90
Publication/Printing
Brochures/Rationale 201.50
Phys Proc Man 197.44
Stipends 962.50 995.96 800.00
TOTAL EXPENSES (3,125.61) (4,744.67) (18,940.86)
ACCOUNT BALANCE: September 30
M. Lynch WCMA Acct. 26,476.69 27,129.45 9,785.83
We are seeking nominations for the offices of OLAC Vice President/President Elect and OLAC Treasurer, the incumbent not seeking reelection having served 2 consecutive terms. If you are interested in a challenging leadership position and an opportunity to learn about your organization from the inside, please submit a letter of nomination indicating the position you wish to run for. Your nomination should also include a brief description of your qualifications and professional activities. All OLAC personal members are eligible to serve and self nominations are encouraged. If you wish to nominate an OLAC colleague, please be sure that person is willing to serve. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor during the OLAC Membership meeting held at the 1997 ALA Midwinter meeting in Washington, D.C.
OVERVIEW OF DUTIES: The Vice President/President Elect is elected annually and serves a one-year term as Vice President, followed by one year as President and a year as Immediate Past President. S/he performs all duties delegated by the President and presides at meetings when the President cannot attend. The Vice President/President Elect is expected to attend OLAC Membership and Executive Board meetings (held during ALA conferences) while in office. For further details of this position, please see p. 7 of the September Newsletter.
The Treasurer serves a two-year term, the election to be held in years alternating with that of the office of Secretary. The next Treasurer will serve from summer 1997 to summer 1999. The Treasurer is also expected to attend OLAC Membership and Executive Board meetings. The Treasurer receives and disburses all funds for the organization and keeps accurate accounts of income and disbursements. The Treasurer prepares quarterly financial reports for publication in the OLAC Newsletter and semiannual reports for presentation at OLAC Membership and Executive Board meetings. The Treasurer serves as OLAC's membership coordinator. S/he maintains a file of current OLAC members; processes new memberships; and answers questions concerning memberships, fees and claims/requests for back issues of the OLAC Newsletter. Access to an IBM (or compatible) PC is essential.
Members of the Executive Board receive a $100 stipend for attending OLAC Membership and Executive Board meetings during ALA conferences and a waiver of registration fees when attending the OLAC Conference. If you are interested in becoming a candidate for either of these positions, please submit your nomination letter, including a brief description of your qualifications and professional activities by January 31, 1997 to:
ONLINE AUDIOVISUAL CATALOGERS, INC.
PURPOSE
Applicants must follow OLAC's prescribed guidelines for submitting proposals.
Current personal member of OLAC
Project Outline
Projected Budget
Acceptance should be received by the Chair of the Grants Committee/ Jury by May 15
Acknowledgement will be announced at the June OLAC Business/ Membership meeting
(Please type or print clearly)
Principal investigator:
(First) (M.I.) (Last)
Mailing address: City, State, Zip:
Daytime telephone:
Place of employment:
Position title:
Project title:
Brief description of proposed project:
Member of Online Audiovisual Catalogers since: 19_____
Co-investigator(s):
Proposals must be received by the Chair of the Grants Committee by March 1, 1997. The award will be announced at OLAC's June Business/Membership meeting.
Send the application form and proposal to:
For further information contact Mary Konkel on weekdays at 330-972-6257; Fax: 330-972-6383 or via e-mail: marykonkel@uakron.edu
CATALOGING POLICY COMMITTEE (CAPC)
OLAC CONFERENCE
DENTON, TEXAS
October 4, 1996
Minutes
The meeting was called to order by Diane Boehr, CAPC Chair, at 3:00 p.m.
Members present: Diane Boehr (Chair), Ann Caldwell, Marcia Evans, Catherine Gerhart, Marlyn Hackett.
There were 14 guests.
A. Caldwell reviewed the names of the first trainees for the project: Richard Baumgarten (Johnson County (Kansas) Public Library), Virginia Berringer (University of Akron), Jo Davidson (University of Georgia), Heidi Hutchinson (UC Riverside), David Prochazka (Rush University), Martha Yee (UCLA Film and Television Archive). (Martha Yee was unable to attend.) The training to be held the following morning was to incorporate 5 days of LC NACO training into 5 hours. She is waiting for LC to assign NUC symbols for each person. These symbols will be published in the OLAC Newsletter so that we will be able to recognize the records when they appear. [See here.] Once the records start appearing, she would appreciate comments from users. Because the contributors represent a diverse set of libraries: a public library, a very specialized archive, and academic libraries with quite different collections, she is hoping to get a wide variety of headings.
Plans are to expand the project in the future. Several interested people have expressed some concerns about the time it will take to contribute. If you are already doing any kind of authority work, then once you get through the initial learning period for NACO procedures, and work out your workflow, the time will be minimal. Also, there is no minimum number of records that you have to contribute. If you are already in a NACO library, you can still join. You will be assigned a separate NUC symbol for this project and the contributions will go through this Funnel instead of through your regular library channels. It's important to keep this project vital and growing because it shows the strength of the AV community. Also, the combination of this Funnel and the NACO Music Funnel will give very good coverage to headings for nonprint materials. Catalogers of any type of collection are welcome.
OLAC has received tremendous support for this undertaking from LC's Cataloging Policy and Support Office and A. Caldwell was especially grateful to Ann Della Porta for her assistance.
D. Boehr summarized the issue up to this point: This subcommittee, chaired by Mary Beth Fecko, was charged to prepare a discussion paper describing the various ways in which the MARC record could be modified to provide access to materials based on audience characteristics or on features designed to accommodate special needs of potential users. M.B. Fecko submitted a report at the last meeting (July 1996) which was very thorough and laid out all the options, several of which would require some sort of group to devise lists of approved terms to be used as headings or in notes, or categories to be coded in fixed fields, etc. This brings up the question of who that group would be. At that last meeting and since then, Boehr has gotten some indication that this issue isn't perceived to be as important as it was when the subcommittee was first charged in 1994, so before going any further it is necessary to determine whether the interest or need is still there.
The question was presented to the group for discussion.
C. Gerhart has heard of a reference librarian group working on a list of common terms for curriculum and grade levels. Everyone agreed that if there are other groups working on this we need to coordinate our efforts. MARBI recently approved new indicators for the 521 field (Audience) for age, grade, reading level, and interest level. There are also codes to indicate which list of terms is being used, similar to the codes for subject heading schemes. However, no authorized lists or terms have been developed yet, so it's just free text right now.
Some audience members have tried to include curriculum or grade level information in catalog records and have encountered many difficulties, including the fact that the information is not always given on the item, and when it is, it is often given in an abbreviated or coded form that is not clear. Some publishers do indicate reading level and interest level on their items but there is no standard terminology between publishers. Sometimes these designations are hard to find or are even coded to protect a child's self-esteem (such as 3 triangles for 3rd grade reading level). Also, many publishers use various terminology for marketing purposes and there is no way the cataloger can evaluate this information.
D. Boehr will get in touch with M.B. Fecko (currently Chair of the ALCTS AV Committee) and the other group that was mentioned to see if there is interest in pursuing this further.
Laurel Jizba, Chair of the CC:DA subcommittee looking at revising the Guidelines, had requested a formal written response from CAPC giving suggestions and concerns about the Guidelines. CAPC members had already started the discussion over e-mail. Some of the suggestions were: To include more MARC tagging examples and complete MARC records, including the 0XX fields and to incorporate format integration changes; to include more examples of the type of titles that would be found in public libraries, such as travel planners, Walt Disney productions, and decorating guides; and to combine the notes for source of title and source of edition statement. Many people like the repeatable 538 fields. The term "computer optical disc" in the 300 field was pointed out as being not very helpful to users, and perhaps some other term could be found. Someone wanted a clarification of when the statements of responsibility area belong in the 245 and when in a note, because the example on p. 25 is not consistent with the explanation given. Another area needing clarification has to do with the source of title note. Since the chief source of information is the entire item, then if the same information appears in several places on the item, which place should be cited in the note? We may need a note something like: "Consistent title on all sources."
Some discussion ensued concerning the definition of interactive multimedia itself and using the general material designation (GMD) "interactive multimedia." The distinction between what is and what is not interactive multimedia is getting very blurry-- more and more software is going in the direction of interactive and multimedia. There is a concern that we may be creating a separate class of materials that doesn't exist. It may be that much of the innovative concepts in the Guidelines needs to just be incorporated into Chapter 9, and have interactive multimedia not be a separate type of material, but be designated as one type of computer file. On the other hand, some people like the GMD. They are still getting a lot of non-interactive computer files, such as reference databases, and like to be able to distinguish between the two types. One problem mentioned in applying the definition is that if you can't load the item and run it, you have to rely on the information on the package or container, and publishers like to use the word "interactive." Sometimes you can use the system requirements as an indicator, but not always, because there are a lot of works with sound and video that are not interactive. It takes a lot of judgment. The question was asked: Should the GMD be so judgment-oriented? GMDs are meant to be broad umbrella-type terms, and then you can use other parts of the record to designate the format more specifically and describe it fully. Another point was raised concerning the new version of the International Standard Bibliographic Description for Computer files (ISBD(CF)) that is circulating now for international approval. This document replaces the GMD "computer file" with "electronic resource" and also treats interactive multimedia as one type of electronic resource. If and when the ISBD changes, AACR2R will have to be revised to comply with it.
L. Jizba asked CAPC to address the question: Are the Guidelines a useful enough document to go through the process of revising it? She pointed out that it is written in a way so that parts of it can never be incorporated into AACR2R as those rules are currently arranged. The Committee agreed unanimously that it was useful.
D. Boehr will draft a formal response for the Committee and submit it to L. Jizba by November 1.
This proposal was presented by the ALCTS AV Committee to CC:DA in July. It concerns changing the definition of the term "label" in AACR2R for chapters 6, 7, 8, and 9 to include information permanently embossed or imprinted on the item as well as a separate label that is affixed to the item. CC:DA sent this proposal back to ALCTS AV to rework in conjunction with a representative from the Music Library Association.
CAPC did not get a copy of this proposal to comment on before it was submitted. D. Boehr will contact OLAC's liaison with ALCTS AV to request to be included in the revision of the proposal.
R. Harwood, OLAC President, asked CAPC to review the statement to determine whether it is inclusive enough to incorporate the cataloging of remote resources. D. Boehr read the statement as it is currently printed. R. Harwood asked the group to look at the question "What does audiovisual or nonprint mean?" and to look toward whether the wording of the statement is adequate in helping to define OLAC's identity and role in the current world of cataloging.
After a brief discussion about words like "material" vs. "resource" and "resources" vs. "collections," it was agreed that CAPC would draft a new version of the Rationale.
D. Boehr adjourned the meeting at approximately 5:00 p.m.
ONLINE AUDIOVISUAL CATALOGERS (OLAC)
MEMBERSHIP MEETING
October 4, 1996
Minutes
Richard Harwood, OLAC President, called the meeting to order at 12:37 p.m. and introduced the following officers: Richard Harwood (President), Sue Neumeister (Vice President/President Elect and current Newsletter Editor), Johanne LaGrange (Treasurer), Pat Thompson (Secretary), Kay Johnson (Newsletter Editor, 1997- ), Diane Boehr (CAPC Chair), and Heidi Hutchinson (Past President)
Conference attendees were reminded to turn in their Conference evaluations. Anyone who would like to host the next OLAC Conference should contact a Board member.
The minutes of the Business meeting of July 6, 1996 (ALA Annual Conference in New York City) were approved as published in the September 1996 OLAC Newsletter.
J. LaGrange made two corrections to the Fourth Quarter Comparative Report as it was published in the September 1996 OLAC Newsletter: The beginning balance for the fourth quarter of 1994/1995 should be $32,195.40. In that same column there should be an expense entry for Labels, Envelopes & Supplies for $104.93. In this quarterly comparative report, the beginning balance for the 1994/95 fourth quarter is $5,000 greater than the ending balance of 1993/94. This is because income and expenses occurred during the other three quarters of 1994/95. This report is a comparison of only a single quarter out of each year. More meaningful, perhaps, is the Annual Comparative Report, which was printed for the first time in the September 1996 OLAC Newsletter. Some trends can be seen in the Annual Comparative Report that are not evident in the quarterly comparative reports. One thing is that our income over the last three years has been up and down because of different activities such as conferences. The expenses, however, have not gone up and down-- just up. This is intentional because the Board has made a conscious decision to put our unusually large bank account to good use.
One of the things Johanne did when she first took over as Treasurer was to establish our fiscal year. Our fiscal year begins July 1 and ends June 30. This is not the same as our membership year, which begins January 1 and ends December 31. The decision was arbitrary and can be changed if it doesn't work out. The system was designed to be able to compare our income and expenses from year to year and see where our priorities are (even if they are unintended), and to see if we want to change them. Also, the figures in the reports are only those things that have cleared the bank. Johanne welcomes any questions or suggestions concerning these accounts.
Although Kay Johnson has been appointed Newsletter Editor, S. Neumeister will still be editing the December Newsletter. Kay is serving as the Conference Reports Editor for this Conference, however, and reports should be sent to her by October 23. The deadline for other articles in the Newsletter is November 1.
D. Boehr announced the status of the NACO-AV Funnel Project, which is being coordinated by OLAC. Ann Caldwell is conducting the training for the project. The first training session was to be held Saturday morning here in Denton for the first six participants. CAPC wanted to keep the first group small, but anyone who is interested in participating is encouraged to contact either D. Boehr or A. Caldwell, because they will be needing more people, and will be having training sessions at future ALA conferences. There is no minimum number of authority records required and if you are performing name-authority verification for your own original cataloging, it would be nice if you contributed that work so that everyone could make use of your headings. The CAPC meeting was to be held later that day. (See separately reported minutes on p.10-14 .)
M. Konkel explained to attendees how to get workshop handouts for those sessions they were registered for if they did not get them. Some handouts may become available on the OLAC Web Page.
M. Konkel announced that she is chairing the Elections Committee this year. There is a call for participation printed in the September OLAC Newsletter. Serving as an officer is a wonderful way to find out what goes on behind the scenes in OLAC. Nominations are due by January 31, 1997. Self-nominations are encouraged. Contact any Board member for information about the duties of any office.
OLAC has established a $2000 Research Grant that will be awarded for the first time this year. All the details on applying for the grant are in the September OLAC Newsletter [and reprinted here. Applications are due March 1, 1997.
H. Hutchinson asked for nominations for the 1997 OLAC Award to be submitted to her by November 15.
V. Berringer described the history of the committee's work to establish the scholarship award: Following the 1994 OLAC Conference it was decided to establish a scholarship to enable one or more OLAC members to attend future conferences. At the 1995 ALA Midwinter meeting, a committee composed of Virginia Berringer, Bobby Ferguson, and Pat Thompson was appointed to look into similar scholarships and make suggestions for a possible structure and guidelines. The committee presented their first findings to the Board at the 1995 ALA Annual Conference in Chicago, which consisted of a rough draft of guidelines and many questions. At that time the name of the award was chosen (the OLAC Conference Scholarship). The final guidelines were approved by the Board at the 1996 ALA Midwinter meeting and a committee was appointed to select the first recipient. This first selection committee was made up of the same members that had worked on the guidelines. The first announcement of the scholarship and the instructions for applying appeared in the March 1996 OLAC Newsletter, and by the June 1 deadline had received 14 applications.
The committee met at the 1996 ALA Annual Conference to discuss the applicants and on July 7 the Board approved the selection of the first OLAC Conference Scholarship recipient, Rebecca Lubas from Ball State University. Ms. Lubus did her undergraduate work at Notre Dame and received her MLS from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge in December 1995. She started her job at Ball State the following January. She is currently working with videos and is looking forward to starting work on an archival photograph collection. A new Scholarship Award Committee will be formed as the next OLAC Conference approaches.
Please see separately submitted report by Glenn Patton in this issue.
Please see separately submitted report by Ed Glazier in this issue.
R. Harwood announced some changes for OLAC meetings at the ALA Midwinter meeting in 1997. The Membership meeting will be at its usual 8-10 p.m. time slot but on Sunday instead of Saturday night. The Board will meet on Saturday afternoon from 3:30-5:30 p.m. It will be listed at 2:00 in the ALA program, but will not start until 3:30.
H. Hutchinson, Past President of OLAC, explained that because the new President, R. Harwood was unable to attend the July meeting, she was unable to "pass the gavel" to him at that time. She then presented him with the first actual OLAC gavel (engraved with the OLAC logo) which is to be passed down to future presidents.
R. Harwood adjourned the meeting at approximately 1:30 p.m.
Kay Johnson, Column Editor
OLAC CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 3-5, 1996
DENTON, TEXAS
The AV Commons at the Library of
Congress
Keynote Address by Dr. Barbara B. Tillett, Library of Congress
Report submitted by Diane E. Hill
Ball State University
Dr. Barbara B. Tillett, Library of Congress, gave the opening keynote address, speaking on "The AV Commons at the Library of Congress." The term "commons" is based on the idea of gathering on the village green, sharing events and other happenings of the day. Dr. Tillett established the historical context in which events of today are evolving by presenting an historical overview of the Library of Congress' entry into AV cataloging, concluding with current initiatives at LC.
Dr. Tillett made the point that the book is central to our culture and that library methodology evolved around the book, including cataloging rules, ISBD and MARC standards.
LC's copyright responsibilities created collections of various media which ultimately required cataloging and management. Cataloging of nonbook materials was first done in the Copyright Office and practice evolved from the need to record information required for legal purposes. Map cataloging at LC was the first to evolve into a standardized practice, followed by educational films, sound recordings, then prints and photographs.
The Anglo-American Cataloging Rules were initially developed in the 1970s with book materials as the standard. Some of the elements required were not available on the AV materials. The cataloging community reacted quite unfavorably. During the 1980s, guidelines and rules were developed for the various formats based on the standards, but allowing flexibility to meet the needs of the special formats. The primary problem with cataloging is the speed with which technology changes, creating the need to adjust quickly.
Recent developments at LC include the dismantling of the machine- readable materials reading room in 1996, extending the deadline for eliminating arrearages to the year 2005, increased reliance on the nation's libraries through the implementation of copy cataloging, cooperative cataloging programs and development of core bibliographic record standards, and the development of form/genre terms.
The future will see the cataloging of electronic information and evolving needs for controlled vocabulary. An international conference will be held in October of 1997 to address concerns about AACR2R, including content vs carrier, multiple versions, main entry and corporate body issues. Focus will continue to be placed on cooperative cataloging as well as the harmonization of MARC formats among countries.
Keynote Address by Erik Jul, OCLC
Report submitted by Diane E. Hill
Ball State University
Erik Jul, OCLC, presented the second keynote address entitled "Cataloging Internet Resources: Findings and Futures." Mr. Jul provided an overview of a five year project at OCLC which resulted in a detailed analysis of the research and practice of the cataloging of Internet resources. The cataloging of these resources challenges the essence of cataloging practice as it is now perceived. It challenges the cataloging community to move forward, take risks, be responsive to change. The project provides an opportunity to free us from current parameters, AACR2R and MARC. Catalogers created these tools. If it's discovered they don't work, they can be changed.
The project was motivated by the possibilities and problems of applying AACR2R and MARC to Internet resources. It faced three major complaints: 1. there's nothing worth cataloging; 2. the information is here today, gone tomorrow; and 3. AACR2R/MARC won't work. The project determined that there is plenty to catalog; AACR2R/MARC worked relatively effectively, though there are some concerns; and the records are more stable than the Internet as a whole.
To explore the catalog of 6000 Internet cataloging records created by the Intercat Project, log on using: http://orc.rsch.oclc.org:6990/. To help solve the problem of instability, the PURL (Persistent Uniform Resource Locator) was developed to help track a URL which changes location. This can be accomplished because the bibliographic record and the resource are in the same medium; therefore, they can interact by having the URL or PURL in an 856 field. This has never been possible before.
Mr. Jul challenged catalogers to identify one electronic resource in their local community and catalog it. This would explode the number of available records.
Mr. Jul suggested that only two mistakes can be made at this point: 1. thinking cataloging is the solution, and 2. thinking it's not part of the solution. A system must be developed which leverages what we have now, extending it to possibilities for future solutions.
Jay Weitz, OCLC
Report submitted by Kay Kinnear
Birmingham Public Library
Jay Weitz presented practical solutions to some of the problem areas of sound recording cataloging. A handout of MARC record examples illustrated the discussions. This is a brief summary of some of the points touched upon.
Recordings are usually cataloged as a unit. AACR2R does allow for separate descriptions; however, LC does not do this.
In the fixed field, type "j" is used for music; type "i" is for sound effects, bird and animal calls, physical exercise instructions with musical accompaniment, stories read over incidental music and plays with incidental music. Filmstrips/slides with accompanying sounds use type "g". Read- along materials are cataloged as nonmusical sound recordings (type "i") with accompanying text. Recorded theses are cataloged as sound recordings (type as appropriate).
Serial sound recordings should be cataloged as sound recordings (type as appropriate) with bib level as "s" (Optionally, use the 006 for the serial aspect). Nonprint serials are NO LONGER PERMITTED on the serials format as allowable duplicates.
Sources of information:
For compact discs or cassettes, consider anything seen through the
container (including the front cover of booklets) as "on the container." If
there are two or more chief sources, treat as a single source. If a collective
title can be found on accompanying material or container, treat this as the
chief source and make a note indicating the title source. When trying to
decide on a collective title, do not consider as a collective title one that
consists of the type plus one of more of these identifying elements: serial
number, opus number, thematic index number, key (e.g. Concertos no. 1
& 2).
Inputting new records:
The bracketed GMD follows subfields $a, $n, or $p and precedes subfields $b and $c.
Do not put LCSH headings "compact disc," "audiocassettes," etc. on records for the recordings themself. If you choose to apply the heading contrary to LC's policies, do not add to the master records--edit for local use.
"Arranged" qualifies the medium arranged to, not the medium arranged from.
Diane Boehr, Costabile Associates
Report submitted by Harold L. Temple
College of DuPage
Diane Boehr stated that the cataloger's goal is to provide complete, accurate information that is understandable to the user. Most videos are the result of mixed responsibility and most records are title main entry. When possible, supply the title from the title frames. Be liberal with variant titles. See AARC2R 7.1B2 for a video with no title and LCRI 21.30J for title added entries.
The exact function of terms, persons and corporate bodies in the production of videos is frequently unclear. Names appearing in the 245 must have some kind of "overall responsibility" (LCRI 7.1F1). If they don't, consider a 508 (LCRI 7.7B6). Transcribe information for the 245 as found in the item.
In online systems which search on the publisher's name, shortening it to "The Dept.," etc., makes it unsearchable. Dates may represent original production, release, distribution or only package design copyright. If a reissue, record the latest date and the date of original production. Include variant dates in a note so that the user can recognize the item. Add an 006 for an accompanying "book," but not for a "guide."
A television series, subseries, number, and episode title may be given in several correct ways in the 245, 440, or 730. All may appear in the 245, or the 245 may begin with subseries or episode title. It depends on the item in hand and how best to provide access for ease of use. Including everything in the 245 brings together all episodes in one place and, if numbered, in order of broadcast. Use of the 440 or 730 depends upon how the item in hand was issued.
Although some online systems display notes in numeric order, follow the order prescribed in AACR2R when creating a new master record. Put "VHS" etc. in the 538 as the first note. "Closed-captioned ..." and "Audio described" go in the 546. A 520 should be brief and neutral. Numbers for the 020, 024, or 028 (40) do not belong in a 500 note. Catalog a serial video in the visual format adding an 006 for its seriality.
Richard Harwood, University of Tennessee
Report submitted by Peggy Bordley
University of the South
Richard Harwood taught basic video cataloging at this year's conference. He talked first about cataloging music videos. He stated that there are no specific rules for choice of entry for moving image cataloging. He gave his suggested methods for handling some of the problems associated with these materials.
A work should be cataloged under its title proper if the personal authorship is unknown; added entries should be made for all "openly named persons or corporate bodies" with some exceptions. He emphasized that judgment must be used in deciding whether to include producers, directors, etc. As is true for videorecordings of all types, many production companies exist as corporate bodies only long enough to produce the film in question. This makes the credits very important.
Mr. Harwood discussed the credits for cataloging videorecordings when the credits precede or follow the title of the chief source; they are generally not considered as part of the title proper. He gave 3 exceptions: 1. when the credit is within the title, 2. when the credit is a "fanciful statement aping as a credit", or 3. when the credit is represented by a possessive preceding the remainder of the title. Attendees were referred to LCRI7.1B1.
The summary note was also discussed by the group and the importance of having concise, objective summaries was stressed. Participants were urged not to rely solely on the statements provided with the video by the company. "Include the who, what, when, and where as appropriate." Other notes discussed included: putting ratings information in the audience field, giving "History notes" if they are indicated, and choosing the date of publication.
Mr. Harwood stressed that the cataloging of video material requires good judgment by the cataloger in choosing the information to be included and deciding how it should be used. Some things will be subject to individual interpretation. Some choices will depend on the automation system being used and the individual library practices.
Report submitted by Sandy Colby
Louisiana Department of Education
Presenter Sue Neumeister provided an overview describing how the University of Buffalo approached and cataloged Internet resources. During the presentation she referred to OCLC's Intercat Cataloging Project and provided handouts with examples of display screens from NOTIS; the University's OPAC, BISON; and the World Wide Web source views. She also identified resources that were and are helpful in the cataloging of Internet resources.
Ms. Neumeister gave an overview and history of OCLC's Intercat Cataloging Project. When cataloging Internet resources, she said that a question that arises is: How should we go about cataloging the Internet in the same way as traditional formats? A history of the Internet Cataloging Project may be accessed at the following URL:
In attempting to catalog Internet resources, many issues were addressed including: whether to catalog Internet resources at all, and at what level? "We tried to predict which level would be most helpful to our users," said Ms. Neumeister.
The next step was trying to define what types of files should be cataloged. It was determined that resources of local interest would be cataloged including: bibliographies, electronic listservs (the University at Buffalo has more than 275 locally-maintained discussion lists), local library guides, research centers, Web pages of local interest including the Buffalo Bills and the Buffalo Free-Net, among others. Every listowner was contacted to verify information; listowner responses were at times slow.
Cataloging records can be posted to the INTERCAT and AUTOCAT lists for review, authentication, and recommendations for revisions. Some of the issues addressed on the INTERCAT list have included questions about what to do about URLs that no longer exist or aren't "live"; MARC tagging; applicability of AACR2R; determining HEX equivalents; what constitutes a title; where to take the title from on the Web site; and how to address multiple sources on the bibliographic record.
Ms. Neumeister reviewed some of the questions that had arisen in the Intercat list whose archives are available for review at the URL:
She referred to the following resources that may be of assistance when cataloging Internet resources:
Dr. William R. McCarter
North Texas Institute for Educators on the Visual Arts
University of North Texas
Report submitted by Eric Childress, OCLC
Dr. McCarter described the Getty-funded effort of the Institute and five area museums to bring some of the wealth of visual information of collections of the museums to the classrooms of local schools--a program of collaboration between teachers, the Institute, and the museums aimed at using the unique power of the image to enrich the educational experience across the curriculum.
The barriers to the systematic and routine use of art images in classroom instruction (most notably in using historical images for art history and art survey courses) faced by teachers and professors are numerous and difficult to surmount. Yet the benefits of use of high quality reproductions in face-to-face teaching are significant. Better still, easy, self-directed access to images and relevant biographical, historical data etc. by students via the World Wide Web is demonstrably a superior educational experience. A recent study of 6th graders by the Institute revealed that students who used the Web to research works of art and artists led to research reports that displayed dramatically richer vocabulary, length, and intensity when compared to comparable work done using standard library resources. It appears that the students spent almost 50% more time on the research, following threads of personal interest on the Web; and without hesitation, often expanded their research through initiating e-mail dialogues with curators and art historians they came across in their Web travels.
The barriers to bringing art images to educational venues include: 1. The difficulty in locating a suitable or even any copy of the desired work(s); 2. An understandable but frustrating resistance by museums to permit casual use of images (museums seem reasonably open to licensing images for use in textbooks, but are reluctant to license digital images--for fear of losing control both of the intellectual property, but also of the ability to assure that the color, etc. of the reproduction is true to the original); 3. The absence of dependable, findable, authoritative, historical, biographical, etc. information to provide an appropriate-to-the-user context to any given image. Standard paths such as the preparation of art survey textbooks, reproduction of images on slides, and the recent use of CD-ROMs remain useful, but have inherent limitations: gaining copyright privileges is labor-intensive and expensive (McCarter estimated that privileges for the images used in his recently published text, Living with Art, cost approximately $100,000); the teacher and student are often frustrated by the linear, pre-assembled nature of these offerings when trying to pursue themes and topics that cross or fall outside the approaches offered; access to current works by living artists is invariably unsatisfactory and quickly dated.
The failings of existing art history texts and slide sets, etc. is being exacerbated by a momentum-gaining new school of art history education (Post-modernist) which de-emphasizes traditional chronologically-based divisions of art schools and movements in favor of thematically-based, historical/social place-and-setting-cognizant approaches to instruction and exploration of art. For this newer school, the non-linear, serendipitous connection approach of the World Wide Web is far better suited.
Dr. McCarter's lively, informative, enjoyable presentation, punctuated by an engaging dialogue with the participants about libraries and cataloging was informative and inevitably leads to questions about how well traditional library cataloging--especially the access afforded by LCSH--of graphics and art-related materials serves the art historian.
Abby Goodrum, University of North Texas
Report submitted by Mary S. Konkel
University of Akron
Abby Goodrum, a doctoral student at the University of North Texas, gave a fascinating presentation on representations for moving image documents (MID). While not a prescriptive activity, she stressed the intent and need to describe the contents rather than the container, which is a slightly different approach to the traditional cataloging that we AV folk embrace.
Images are difficult to represent linguistically since color, motion, and spatial relationships are experienced differently by each individual. Imagine the color red and its numerous hues. You may see red as a ruby; I may see red like a candy apple. The concept of a "salient still" (an image much like the movie advertising poster which is picked to represent a whole item) was also introduced.
Ms. Goodrum described the image analysis process, which is sort of a nontraditional way of cataloging. Image analysis is done at set intervals on hours of film or video, for example, 6 hours of space shuttle footage. The reviewer would look for a threshold of change, for instance, the door of the docking bay opening at hour 3. This would be a significant point of description for the video if the rest of the footage was shot while the astronauts were sleeping and nothing else interesting happened.
Representing image files is a slow and tedious task as the size of the files are generally awesome; however, associations like NASA have a great need to get descriptive information on their "pictures" in and out of their computer databases using this image indexing. I, for one, think Ms. Goodrum should go to the head of her class for tackling this one. I thoroughly enjoyed a peek at futuristic cataloging.
Workshop on Interactive Multimedia Cataloging
Report submitted by John E. Felbinger
Columbia University
Ms. Jizba began the presentation with a brief history of the Guidelines and their relation to MARC format and AACR2R. First presented at the OLAC Conference in 1990, the Guidelines were published in 1994. In 1995, ALA/CC:DA called for review comments through December 1996.
For cataloging, the computer files format is the appropriate format, using record type code "i". Use of the Guidelines has been implemented on the major utilities; for OCLC, Bibliographic Formats and Standards documentation 3.8 is standard. The Guidelines serve as an auxiliary tool to supplement the descriptive rules of AACR2R, though there is not always a one-to-one correlation in their respective formats. Ms. Jizba presented the salient differences between AACR2R and the Guidelines, in that the latter considers the entire work as the chief source of information; that a single or multiple 300 fields can be used; and that three 5XX notes for the source of title, source of edition statement, and systems requirements are required. She also strongly recommended the use of summary notes.
Ms. Sandberg-Fox then presented the definitions for what determines a work as interactive multimedia: specifically, a work must exhibit both 1. user-controlled, non-linear navigation using computer technology; and 2. a combination of two or more media that the user manipulates to control the order and/or nature of the presentation. Several practical applications of these principles followed, with the final caveat of not cataloging an item as interactive multimedia if the matter is doubtful.
Ms. Jizba continued with practical applications of the descriptive rules. There were some special highlights. The entire work is the chief source of information, relying first on internal, then external sources of information. The GMD is "interactive multimedia". For the date of publication, the latest date found on the work is appropriate.
Ms. Sandberg-Fox followed, discussing the 300 field (physical description), using either a single 300 or multiple 300s to describe the work. For most libraries this will depend on local policy. She did note that the Library of Congress is using the Guidelines for multiple carriers, and Chapter 9 of AACR2R for single carriers. Series (4XXs) are to be treated as in other formats. Notes (5XXs) are optional except for the source of title, source of edition statement and systems requirements; summary notes are being used with greater frequency. She suggested two methods for systems requirements (538): a single note for a single carrier; and either a single or several notes for multiple carriers. In discussing access points, she stated that the relevant rules of AACR2R, Chapter 21 are appropriate. For subject headings, LC has just approved the new subdivision "--Interactive multimedia", and this should be used rather than the subdivisions "--Software" or "--Databases". Finally, she presented arguments for classifying the multimedia work, and not under QA76.76.I59, which is for software programs.
In conclusion, Ms. Jizba and Ms. Sandberg-Fox suggested future developments of the Guidelines in comparison with the proposed ISBD for electronic resources, briefly illustrating the significant differences between them.
Nancy Olson, Mankato State University
Report submitted by Mary S. Konkel
University of Akron
As a cataloger in an academic library, I don't often experience the delight of having crawly hand puppets, wide-eyed dollies, wooden pull toys or board games come across my desk to catalog. If I did, I most certainly would have to play with them a bit. That's one of the messages Nancy Olson imparted to her cataloging students, both new and veteran catalogers, during her workshop on toys, games and kits.
In order to adequately describe a puppet, for example, you need to try it out, see how it moves and determine its physical characteristics. These might include that the item 1. is right or left-handed, 2. is for a child or an adult hand, 3. has velcro removable parts, 4. makes noise or plays music, 5. can or cannot open and close its mouth, 6. has a particular feel or smell, or 7. is dry cleanable only. These are features you wouldn't necessarily discover unless you examined, a.k.a. played with, the item. NOW I know why those public library catalogers are always so happy.
Ms. Olson reviewed the definitions for kit and three-dimensional artifacts and realia. She also reminded us that even though there are specific chapters in AACR2R for these formats, if you don't find what you're looking for in those chapters, don't forget to look at Chapter One for cataloging assistance.
As we covered the various aspects of kits, games and toys, Ms. Olson provided us with very touchable examples. We examined chess games, Walt Disney video kits, and puppets. Along the way we learned a bit more about the problems encountered in compiling the components of a bibliographic record for these items. Some of the problems we discussed were: 1. elusive ISBNs only found on shrinkwrap, hangtags, or washing labels, 2. using multiple 300s versus a single composite 300 for physical description of a kit, 3. edition statements found on games and yes, even Barbie dolls, and 4. the ever fuzzy "how to determine whether you have a kit or not."
We ended the workshop with a very practical exercise testing our cataloging and presentation skills. Working in small groups, we received a puppet (my table got a cool red fuzzy lobster hand puppet even though I secretly coveted the Winnie-the-Pooh with the little red T-shirt that the table behind me had) to catalog. Our bibliographic record was composed on a transparency which, when completed, was presented to the rest of the class via overhead. Of course, we had to fully demonstrate our puppets as we covered the rationale for our cataloging decisions.
Ms. Olson also provided us with handy excerpts from her book, Cataloging of Audiovisual Materials, which shall soon be available in its 4th edition. As an aside, for all of you trivia buffs, Soldier Creek Press got its name from the creek that ran through Ms. Olson's family farm in Minnesota. What a delightful way to receive continuing education. Now if I could only convince my science bibliographers at the University of Akron that they need dinosaur puppets, spaceships, and Mr. Molecule puppets to support the curriculum, I'd really be a happy cataloger.
Maps Workshop
Report submitted by Eric Childress, OCLC
In a sold-out session, veteran catalogers Cathy Gerhart and Anke Gray offered an excellent and informative workshop on map cataloging. They began with a review of the key printed tools available to help the map cataloger (Cartographic Materials: a Manual of Interpretation for AACR2. 1982; Map Cataloging Manual. 1991; "Cataloguing and Classification" / Mary Larsgaard in Information Sources in Cartography. 1991) and instruction in how to use an indispensable plastic scale indicator (order from Dept. of Geography; Memorial University of Newfoundland; St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 3XP Canada) and included a most helpful presentation (and handout) on the major differences between book and map cataloging. Ms. Gray and Ms. Gerhart covered the basics of map cataloging superbly with just the right measure of humor, and a visual feast of sample maps to illustrate map types and map cataloging issues.
Participants learned the definitions of cartographic terms such as scale and projection, worked through a fun and instructive exercise in scale determination and conversion, and were led through the intricacies of doing simple (and not-so-simple) descriptive map cataloging and USMARC coding of map bibliographic records. The workshop participants were provided with a very useful set of handouts that covered basic resources on map cataloging and map librarianship, projections and coordinates, and a hard-to-come-by handout on how to date roadmaps (including a table of codes used by major roadmap makers that the savvy map cataloger can use to date roadmaps!).
Some gems: Atlases are now cataloged on the maps' USMARC workform; the Cataloger's Desktop includes the Map Cataloging Manual with post-1991 revisions, and LC's geographic Cutters for the U.S. and the rest of the world will also be issued this route; maps always have scale--but a map's scale is not always expressly stated (and even when it is, the cataloger will sometimes have to express it differently in the bibliographic record) or may be stated multiple times in several different ways; longitude and latitude are expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds (but don't use a quotation mark to indicate seconds: use the correct diacritic--try the special character set in PRISM, or choose the Russian language diacritic); measuring dimensions can be complicated--usually a simple measure of height x width (from the reading position), but one measures within the "neat" line for maps with a legend (or inside the neat line except for the portion of the cartographic data that violates the neat line - whew!). LC is interested in feedback from the field on possible revisions to AACR2R rules related to cartographic materials (according to Barbara Tillett, LC CPSO); the 006 field can be a very useful way to identify records for items which are not maps but include significant cartographic material (e.g., a map in a pocket); the chief source for a map is the entire map (including both sides of the map and that teeny-tiny type that's hard to read!) and catalogers should be alert for the name of the cartographer appearing only as a signature. Maps from the Central Intelligence Agency frequently can only be identified by their distinctive numbering system; the main entry should be CIA.
Richard Pearce-Moses, Heard Museum
Report submitted by Rebecca L. Lubas
Bracken Library, Ball State University
Richard Pearce-Moses presented an eye-opening workshop on the subject of archives cataloging. Many of us in the audience had not cataloged archival materials before and had sought this workshop because of impending projects. In a mere two hours, we learned the basic principals of providing access to archival materials in a way that was most helpful to the researcher.
Mr. Pearce-Moses spoke to us with the benefit of extensive experience in archival collections and much experience in training people to organize and catalog collections. He usually gives workshops to non-catalogers, so he was relieved not to have to explain MARC tagging to us! Rather, we could dive into the heart of the matter. Often, we learned, knowing who put the collection of materials together and why they did so is critical to understanding how the items might be used. He contrasted this method of organizing archives to creating a subject collection, where photographs may be organized by topic rather than by the collecting entity. Choosing a method of organization depends on how your collection will be used. We learned the distinction between a photo archive and an image library--the former is used for research while the latter provides specific images that may be used for their graphic content rather than historical value.
For those of us that have not cataloged archival materials before, cataloging archival photo collections will require a change in perspective. Mr. Pearce-Moses provided us with that much-needed perspective to help us meet the needs of our libraries.
Computer Files Workshop
Report submitted by Vicki Unruh Parke
North Dakota State Library
I personally learned many new details and issues to consider while cataloging computer files. An example concerns the title: when the title consists of contrived words such as dBASE IV, transcribe the title as it appears; do not capitalize the first word but follow the publisher's intent. Another tidbit of information is that LC is calling the paper that comes inside the CD-ROM jewel case the "insert."
One issue which was discussed concerns works which contain disks for both Macintosh and IBM-compatible PCs, or two different sizes of disks. LC's practice is to create one record if the disks are issued in the same container or two records if the disks are issued in separate containers. Another issue is that LC records only the highest level cited in the systems requirement note (538) though they have decided to record the highly recommended statements as well.
Subject analysis was only briefly discussed at this workshop, but the new Subject Cataloging Manual guideline H1520 was mentioned. It restricts the free floating subdivision "Databases" to actual databases--those that have logically interconnected data and not to text files such as directories.
NACO-AV Training Report
Submitted by Virginia M. Berringer, University of Akron
Ann Caldwell, coordinator of the NACO-AV Funnel Project, distributed documentation (a very large, heavy binder) and presented a thorough introduction to the guidelines and procedures required for establishing headings and creating records for inclusion in the Library of Congress' Name Authority File.
It was a very full day, packed with information, from the details of how the Funnel Project would work through specific instructions on creating and documenting headings for personal, corporate and geographic names and references. Ms. Caldwell did an heroic job of condensing all this into a single day's training.
Creation of records will begin as soon as the authorization process is complete. Each library will be assigned a special NUC symbol for its AV cataloging unit and each participant will need a unique OCLC authorization in order to create authority records. At first all records will go into a save file to be checked by Ms. Caldwell before they are added to the national database. After each trainee has successfully completed a specified number of acceptable records, he or she will be authorized to enter records directly into the file. As these initial members of the NACO-AV Funnel Project achieve independence, catalogers from other AV cataloging units will be trained. Both RLIN and OCLC libraries are welcome to apply.
Through the efforts of OLAC and CAPC, these catalogers will soon be helping to provide the national-level authority records that have been sorely missed since the Library of Congress discontinued its Data Sheet Program some years ago.
Ann Caldwell adds:
University of Akron, Audiovisual Cataloging OAkU-AV
Brown University, Non-Print Cataloging Unit RPB-NP
University of Georgia, AV Cataloging Unit GU-AV
Univ. of California, Riverside, AV Cataloging UnitCU-RivAV
UCLA Film and Television Archive CLU-FT
Johnson County Library (Overland Park, KS) AV Cat.KopJCAV
Rush University, McCormick Learning Resource Center ICRMMCQuestions about the project and comments on the records may be sent to the coordinator:
Poster Sessions Report
Submitted by Heidi Hutchinson
University of California, Riverside
Seven OLAC members set up poster sessions to be viewed following the Conference luncheon on Friday. The number was just right for the hour and a half allotted for visiting. Here's a brief rundown of what you would have encountered had you been there.
Sharon Almquist's (University of North Texas) display had the deceptively ho-hum title of "How Should I Catalog This Locally-Produced Multimedia Program on CD-ROM?" The program in question was a CD-ROM version of one of UNT's marvelous, locally-produced, touch-screen library guides. It turned out to be the most hands-on fun of all the poster sessions--people were quickly drawn into clicking through the pictures, maps, voices, videos, music, links, arrows and staff portraits of the multimedia kiosk program. At the same time, it presented the biggest challenge: a whiteboard next to the display provided felt pens and implored, "Catalog me!" By the end of the ninety minutes the board was covered with purple, red and yellow MARC fields full of cataloging advice. How much of this will ultimately become Sharon's cataloging record?
"A Holistic Approach to Extracting Data From Video Recordings for Cataloging" by J. Robert Willingham (Southeast Missouri State University) used two very different examples to show how to quickly and efficiently gather the data needed for the original cataloging of a videorecording from the videotape and its packaging. "Scan sources for data, transcribe data as found, and rearrange data for cataloging" were the basic three steps which Bob illustrated with his flip charts and his excellent handout. This is a resource to stash away for the next time we need to train a new AV cataloger!
And speaking of training a new AV cataloger, the step prior to that was illustrated nicely, as Marcia S. Trauernicht (Rochester Institute of Technology) presented us with a way of "Getting Started: Adding Non-Print Materials to the Collection." Your library administration has made the decision to add media and computer files to the collection. How do you integrate the cataloging and processing of these materials into your workflow? Sharing the recent experience of her own library's decision- making process, Marcia and her poster session suggested that the library determine the following before the items are even received: fullness of cataloging, audience, call number, location, loan period, housing, equipment needed in order to use the items, and processing and necessary backup copies. Excellent advice for any library.
A colorful clownish "book" dotted with little pockets containing real, removable parts drew the idle passers-by into Mary Konkel's (University of Akron) presentation titled "Pieces Parts in Pockets: Ideas for Accompanying AV." A video, a map, a chart, a sound disc, a sound cassette, a set of slides, a software diskette, a CD-ROM, and a compact disc peeked out of the pockets. Mary pointed out some real practical considerations of accompanying media: security, breakability, stealability. Two posters asked the questions "Keep apart? Or keep together?" and listed the factors to consider in making that decision. Inadequate packaging, security and damage control, open stacks storage, different circulation limits, shelving which won't accommodate various formats, unavailability of playback equipment and the need for a service point may encourage the library to store the items separately. On the other hand, flexible shelving might allow the library to keep the items together, closed stacks would keep them safe, and proximity to playback equipment (as in a media center) would make them usable and easier to access. Mary offered ideas for packaging and re-packaging, where to locate items, and how to incorporate the location information into notes on the cataloging records.
A terrifically realistic, three-dimensional image of a human leg looking for all the world like a beef shank caught my attention in one corner. "The NLM Visible Human Project," presented by Meredith Horan (National Library of Medicine), is one of the developments in NLM's digital image libraries. Thousands of digital (transverse CT, MRI and cryosection) images, taken at 1 mm intervals, combine to make up the Visible Human Male; in the case of the female, there will be even more images, taken at 0.5 mm intervals. Three-dimensional reconstructions will be accessible via the Internet and eventually linked to textual information, such as the names of the body parts. The final product will make the Visible Human print library and the image library into a single, unified resource for medical information. The many uses for this high-tech library, which include medical, artistic, and industrial, have yet to be explored. This poster session was truly a glimpse of things to come.
Ann Kietzman (Hartford County Library) presented us with a wonderful application of kits, that favorite format of AV catalogers, at her poster session entitled "Cheers for Children Health Information Kits." The kits were designed by the library to provide children and their families with information on a variety of health topics: doctor, dentist, surgery, hospital, AIDS, special needs, juvenile cancer, juvenile diabetes, heart and new baby. Age appropriate books, video and audio cassettes and realia targeting the preschooler through elementary school age child were assembled in tubs for the families to check out. Ann presented the challenges of circulating these kits and keeping track of all the component parts, which was solved by filing content sheets for each kit in a notebook at the circulation desk--and of course there is OCLC cataloging for all of them!
Locally produced videotapes, another cataloging challenge we've all wrestled with at one time or other, was the theme of the poster session entitled "Core-Level Cataloging of Class Videos; Collaboration and Cataloging," presented by Sung Ok Kim (Cornell University). The videos in question are the collection of the Hotel Library of Cornell University, which consists of 200 "class videos" used for courses in the School of Hotel Administration. The project at hand was to catalog all 200 of them, at 12 videos per week, using core level cataloging. In a cooperative effort that is worth emulating at our own institutions, the media cataloger and the AV manager of the Hotel Library worked together to develop the workflow for the cataloging process. The provision of data sheets by the AV manager containing all the information which the School felt was pertinent proved an invaluable, time-saving aid for the cataloger.
A Newcomer's Reflections on the OLAC Conference
Rebecca L. Lubas
Bracken Library, Ball State University
The introductory keynote addresses highlighted a truth that I had already encountered: forms of communicating intellectual content are evolving more rapidly than many can figure out how to organize them. Nonprint catalogers have the privileged position of being among the first to work with cutting edge materials. The addresses impressed upon me the need for our profession to take charge of the organizing of these formats. The attitudes and outlooks of the fellow catalogers I met at the Conference indicated that we were doing just that. Not only are OLAC members willing to embrace new formats, but they are ready and willing to share their techniques with their colleagues. It was in this atmosphere that the workshops were conducted.
The workshops presented me with not only the expertise of the speakers, but that of my colleagues attending the workshops. These experiences demonstrated that nonprint catalogers are an inventive lot. One of my favorite rules-of-thumb that I picked up at Conference was "if there's not a rule in your chapter [of AACR2R], borrow from another chapter." We must be as creative as the items we catalog in order to present them to the library public.
The OLAC Conference gave me confidence. Not only did it give me the much-appreciated assurance that my cataloging didn't look like it was from too far afield, but it gave me confidence that I was part of a fine profession--one that has a place in the twenty-first century.
Report from Music OCLC Users Group (MOUG)
Submitted by Richard Baumgarten
I hope to see many of you in the Big Easy y'all.
UPDATE FROM OCLC
The implementation of format integration, phase 2 in March seems to have passed with barely a whimper, except over the size of the Technical Bulletin, the largest one we've ever produced. A new edition of Bibliographic Formats and Standards was shipped in late June, along with a companion new edition of Concise Input Standards.
OCLC has received Update No. 2 to USMARC Format for Bibliographic Data. We have begun to evaluate what is involved in implementing this update and when that implementation might be scheduled.
DATABASE QUALITY: Progress continues on database scans that result from format integration, phases 1 and 2. In addition, OCLC has completed updating of series headings in the OLUC.
ACCESS:
Passport for Windows, version 1.10 has been released.
Both
users and OCLC staff are creating Passport for Windows macros to increase
productivity. These macros can be downloaded from OCLC's Product
Services menu.
PRISM SERVICE:
OCLC had intended to provide a set of general
PRISM enhancements to be installed later this fall. As the year has
progressed, contention for staff resources between these smaller
enhancements and other larger-scale projects has caused us to reconsider
that set of enhancements. As a result of recent discussions, we have decided
to focus our efforts on the larger projects and to forego development of a
set of smaller enhancements for this year.
In February 1996, OCLC introduced PRISM Usage Stats, a monthly electronic statistical report. The report contains a section for Cataloging, Interlibrary Loan, OCLC Selection, and Union List and provides detailed information for each authorization number. Reports are delivered electronically via the Product Services menu.
In early June, we completed development on CatCD for Windows. In addition to moving the software to a Windows platform, we have introduced several new databases including a "Visual Materials and Computer Files" database on two CDs. Dewey for Windows was released in August. Work continues on the ILL MicroEnhancer for the Windows platform (to be completed later this fall). Development has also begun on CatME for Windows with the release of this new version tentatively scheduled for mid-1997. CatME for Windows will require Windows 95 or Windows NT.
The PRISM Cataloging Agent Authorization capability was also installed in June. This new authorization mode allows a group's Union List agent to process cataloging records on behalf of group members. As part of our efforts to help libraries with the Selection and Acquisition process, we've made Books in Print available for verifications and we've added records from Casalini Libri and Puvill Libros. We're also continuing to look at selection and verification tools for nonprint materials. We'd be interested in hearing from you about tools used in your libraries.
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES:
OCLC is working to increase the amount
of OCLC-related information that is available to users via the Web. One
recent addition that you might want to take a look at is Participating
Institutions, which is now available on the OCLC home page at:
October 4, 1996
Submitted by Ed Glazier, RLG
FORMAT INTEGRATION:
The phase 2 changes for format integration
were installed in RLIN at the end of April 1996. An additional change
permitting users to change the type of 008 field in existing records for
archival materials was installed in August 1996. A description of these
changes is available in the RLIN SHOW CHANGES display and also at the
RLG Web site:
RLIN TERMINAL FOR WINDOWS:
Version 2 permitting display of
CJK characters was available earlier in 1996 and Version 3.0, allowing
input of East Asian scripts was made available before ALA. This version
allows at least multiple input methods each for Chinese (3, including both
Wade-Giles and Pinyin romanization), Japanese (5) and Korean (4). As
before, this software is available free over the Internet. Version 4.0
permitting input of Cyrillic, Hebraic, and Arabic scripts has just recently
become available. A version containing an improved Arabic font is to be
available soon.
NETWORK TRANSITION:
The change from dedicated lines to other
forms of connection - Internet, Compuserve dialup, etc. - has almost been
completed.
NEW CITADEL FILES:
A number of new files will have just become
or
will soon be available through CitaDel, RLG's citation and document
delivery service.
Two new files, both produced by the Institut de l'Information Scientifique et Technique (INIST) are now available. FRANCIS contains more than one million records from 1964 to date, covering disciplines in humanities, social sciences, and economics. PASCAL contains more than three million records from 1991 to date, covering major French and international research in science, health, sciences, biology, applied sciences, physics, chemistry, and engineering.
INSIDE INFORMATION, a citation file from the British Library Document Supply Centre, has been enhanced with some additional descriptive information, and by increasing the number of journals indexed from 10,000 to 21,000. Recognizing the increased value of this file, it will now be known as INSIDE INFORMATION PLUS.
Later this year, the Bibliography of the History of Art from the Getty Information Institute will become available as an additional CitaDel file.
VENDOR RECORDS:
Bibliographic records supplied by vendors
Casalini
(Italian), Puvill (Spanish), and the National Yiddish Book Center (Yiddish)
will be found in RLIN files. These records can be used as the basis for
acquisitions records to order materials directly from the vendors or for
items received on blanket order or approval plans or to verify bibliographic
citations. The Casalini and Puvill records are received via FTP. The
National Yiddish Book Center will be creating records directly online in
RLIN. Negotiations with other vendors and evaluations of their test files are
already in progress.
BLACKWELL DATA:
Contracts have been signed with Blackwell North
America to load two new kinds of data into RLIN. Blackwell will be
supplying enhanced CIP records, often available before the Library of
Congress has updated its own CIP records. In addition, a new file
consisting of BNA's Table of Contents records will be supplied. The BNA
Table of Contents file currently includes 115,000 records for
English-language titles published since April 1992 and distributed by BNA
and B.H. Blackwell; about 35,000 table of contents records are created
annually, or an average of 3,000 records per month. An announcement will
be made when this data is available to users.
ARIEL ENHANCEMENTS:
A number of enhancements are in the works
for Ariel RLG's Internet document transmission system. These
enhancements are being done on behalf of the Joint Electronic Document
Delivery Software (JEDDS) partnership, consisting of the Australian
Vice-Chancellors Committee, the National Library of Australia, the
National Library of New Zealand, and the United Kingdom's Joint
Information Systems Committee, Electronic Libraries Programme, but will
be available to all world-wide users of Ariel. The first stage will implement
the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME), enabling workstations
running Ariel to deliver documents to each other via e-mail as well as FTP.
Stage two will enable Ariel to communicate with interlending and document
management systems using a subset of the International Organization for
Standardization's Interlibrary Loan protocol (ISO 10160 and 10161). Stage
three will provide document delivery by e-mail to the desktops of end users,
who will be able to receive, view, and print documents on a variety of
platforms, provided they have an e-mail service that is MIME compliant.
For more information about any of the topics in this report, please send e-mail to bl.sal@rlg.stanford.edu. Information is also available at RLG's home page on the World Wide Web: http://www.rlg.org/welcome.html
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
ANSWER: At our library we catalog these as sound recordings and make a 500 note indicating that they also have additional information that can be accessed using such and such computer. I don't know that there is anything terribly revolutionary that needs to be done in the area of subject access. Series access always depends on what the item says. I am not sure how a separate subfield $h could be used and I know of no provision in AACR2R for such an addition.
Most of the traffic on AUTOCAT on this topic indicates that folks are treating them as sound recordings. This is an unsettled technology and there is some variation both in the capability of the individual discs and everyone's understanding of how best to utilize them. One trick is to use some standard phrase in an area that is indexed by your system so that you can retrieve all the items that you currently think fit a certain pattern. This can be useful to your public services staff, too, and provide a method to retrieve all the titles treated in accordance with a certain pattern if you develop a brilliant strategy later!! ---VU
QUESTION: I have a question regarding a locally produced CD-ROM that I am cataloging. Nowhere in or on the item are the system requirements stated. How should I deal with the 538 field in this case? Should I assume the requirements?
ANSWER: For published CD-ROMs, I do not create a systems requirements note without specific information available from the item. This may reflect my own inadequacies or my excellent judgment---who's to say? Since you indicate that it is a locally produced CD-ROM it would seem to me to depend on the amount of time you have to determine the information (the old "readily available" dodge). For most cataloging departments, staff time is extremely limited so the amount of time you can spend on something like this really depends on local perceptions of how necessary the information is balanced against the staff time needed to verify it. ---VU
QUESTION: When the playing time of a videorecording is not stated on the item, what is a good means of approximating the time as in the first option in 1.5B4? Watching the entire video is not an option. That would be too time consuming. It is difficult for me to guess the length of a video while jumping through reading the credits to gather enough information for subject/classification work and to compose a summary. What is accepted practice for determining approximate running time?
ANSWER: I have a Sony VCR that has a counter. I usually watch the beginning credits, press stop and then fast forward till near the end of the tape then resume watching at a quick pace, take the credits and then consult the counter for the duration. The older model VCR I used to use had some sort of "clicker" that counted something, but I never figured out what! Let me congratulate you on actually viewing the video for accurate credits and caring enough to try to determine the REEL time it plays. Good work! ---VU
QUESTION: I have been cataloging quite a few foreign films and want to know your opinion of using uniform titles for them.
ANSWER: I usually use a 130 uniform title main entry when I can discover the original title. Sometimes LC has established an authority record for it and that is sweet times!! Typically, I make a local uniform title if an LC authority is not available. I have been cataloging quite a few videos of classic Japanese films. When the packaging or opening credits provide a romanized title, I use that plus the phrase (Motion picture). Working with a foreign film is a challenge on many fronts and sometimes a catalog record can best be left to evolve if the language capability of the cataloger is not adequate to the challenge. ---VU
A personal note: This will be my last column as Q&A Editor for the OLAC Newsletter. It has been a pleasure to serve the OLAC audience for so many years and I would encourage all of you to remain loyal OLAC members. It is a fine organization filled with well informed, bright and eager people. I would like to thank all those resource people that have helped me solve the tough questions over the years: first and foremost, Nancy Olson, a true friend who has been beside me all the way; Glenn Patton and Jay Weitz of OCLC; Ed Glazier of RLIN and all the hardworking OLAC secretaries who furnished tapes of the Q&A sessions for the column. And, I would like to thank you, the readers of the column, for your kind comments in praise of the column and acknowledgments of my efforts. Best of luck to you all. The best is yet to be. ---VU
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