EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW
ABOUT AV CATALOGING--
PLEASE ASK!
Nancy B. Olson
The OLAC question and answer session was held January 10, 2004, during ALA in San Diego. The moderator was Kevin Furniss and panel members included Jay Weitz, John Attig, Verna Urbanski, Robert Freeborn and Steve Miller.
As usual, I could not hear most of the questions or any audience discussion, so I have attempted to reconstruct the questions from the answers that I could hear. It is most frustrating for me to attempt to do this. Please, for future Q&A sessions, ask the questioners and anyone else speaking to use the microphone. And please do not set a microphone in front of someone with a bad cough--that did not help, either!
Question about integrating resources
There was a lengthy question about coding integrating resources--and further discussion moved the topic into local system needs and future conversions of records now being created.
Jay Weitz explained that everything can now be coded correctly for integrating resources, except Bib Lvl. He reminded everyone that OCLC needs good 006 fields to be created for all integrating resources so that an eventual conversion can be performed to change Bib Lvl to “I” and to make any other changes that may be needed.
CD-ROMs that contain videos
Someone asked about videos they are cataloging that are on CD-ROMs; these only play on computers, not on DVD players, but are recorded television programs. The questioner had more than 200 titles to be cataloged.
OCLC record numbers for two bibliographic records created in this group are 53928787 and 53930733.
These are television programs from Indonesia. The two examples cited above are from a series called Classical Balinese Theatre and Dance. The questioner stressed that they had been purchased in this format; they are not locally made off-air recordings.
Someone explained they are "mpeg" file format.
The content is a video but the physical format is that of an electronic resource.
The items are to be cataloged on the video workform with a GMD [electronic resource]. Both Chapter 7 and Chapter 9 are used for the bibliographic description. Jay Weitz stressed that OCLC needs the fixed field and 007 to be coded for video, with an 006 and 007 coded for computer. This will allow the appropriate searching and retrieval for the items as either electronic resources or as videos.
There was some discussion about "moving image" vs. "video" and the conclusion was that these terms are both referring to the same thing.
Neither workform quite fits, but this is the best compromise.
John Attig talked about this kind of thing being a good test of the capabilities of new rules being developed--to see if new rules can handle these new kinds of media any better than the current rules.
The OCLC bibliographic records listed above have the following fields of interest:
300 2 CD-ROMs (110 min.) : $b sd., col. ; $c 4 3/4 in.
538 Mpeg file format. Required computer CD-ROM drive.
508 and 511 for cast and credits
500 Originally broadcast on TVRI.
500 "Set 1: Classical Balinese Theatre and Dance"--BAJRA Web page.
518 Recorded Feb. 25 and 26, 1997.
520 with extensive description of the program
--and lots of subject headings, genre headings, and added entries.
These items illustrate the kind of problems many catalogers must deal with--complicated contents with new kinds of media.
Classification and subject headings for integrating resources
Someone asked about classifying integrating resources when LC class schedules list separate numbers for serials and for monographs (or sometimes periodicals and monographs)--where should integrating resources be put?
John Attig suggested they write to CPSO at LC with that question--that this is an area that has not yet been addressed, as far as anyone on the panel knew.
Discussion continued on this topic and expanded to that of subject heading subdivisions.
John and others talked about the terminology that we, as catalogers, use; for example, “continuing resources” and “integrating resources”, and other terminology that we “inflict” on our users. We should be careful not to further confuse our users with the new or changing terminology.
Discussion continued about classification when a print periodical becomes an online periodical--and the need to continue an existing class number or to use one with only slight changes when nothing is listed in the schedules.
Again, these are topics yet to be resolved.
Reproductions?
Someone asked a question about items originally published as monographs by small presses, now digitized and available online. Their library wants to print out each item and catalog it, and there are hundreds of them. The question is: what will they have with these printouts and how should they be cataloged?
Jay Weitz pointed out that if an item is printed out from an online display, the printout is cataloged as a reproduction. Actually, it is a reproduction of a reproduction. He suggested following LCRI 1.11A.
U-matic videos
Someone has a collection of u-matic videos that are being transferred to a new format (sorry, I could not hear what format). Again, they said they have hundreds of these (amid jokes being made about all the questions that came up during the session for collections of at least 200 titles to be worked on).
Jay Weitz explained that new bibliographic records needed to be created for each of these, and catalogers should follow the guidelines given in the OCLC document, Bibliographic Formats and Standards for locally reproduced videorecordings. The guidelines include all directions, including what to do with fixed fields.
The question was raised about the existing bibliographic records for the u-matic originals. Should those records be deleted from OCLC? Jay reminded users that the institution would remove its holdings from such records when it no longer had the u-matic tapes. If these had been input as original records by the institution now removing its own holdings, the cataloger could ask OCLC to delete the records. However, OCLC rarely deletes such records. Only if the original bibliographic record was created for something that should not have been cataloged (as happened once to me when I cataloged a video that turned out to have been created illegally--a tape of someone speaking on campus who had specifically refused permission to be taped) will OCLC consider removing the bibliographic record.
There were questions about dates in the fixed fields for the copies. Again Jay referred questioners to the OCLC document--it has answers to all these questions.
Comments
Several of these questions, and a number of questions that have come to me in recent weeks, have been from catalogers confused about what they actually have to be cataloged. With generations of reproductions involved, it is easy to get confused about what one actually has in hand.
If the item to be cataloged is an electronic resource, the next question to be determined is about the content. Then the cataloging is done using a combination of rules for the content and the physical form, following current rules and LCRIs.
If the item is not an electronic resource, then cataloging is based on the chapter of rules for the physical format.
If the item is a reproduction, one must determine the physical form of what is actually being cataloged, regardless of whatever manifestations it may have gone through. Look at LCRI 1.11A to see if it applies; it may or may not.
And, if still unsure, put the question on the OLAC and/or Autocat lists for help.
Good luck!
Vandalism update
We now know the vandalism that so upset me was not aimed at me, but at the local school athletic director who lives in my mother’s apartment. The night of the worst vandalism here there was over $10,000 in total damages done to three houses including mine--all related to an incident where one football player was disciplined. Though the local school people and police are sure they know the names of the four boys involved, they have no evidence, and no one is talking. It hurt badly because this is such a small town and nothing like this ever happens; it is so unexpected. I did learn that each of us should have reported every single incidence of egg-throwing and other "mischief" as it happened; that would have helped the police.
For your questions
Please use the subject line in your e-mails: Question for Nancy B. Olson
New e-mail address
I now have DSL, so please note my new e-mail address.
Contact Nancy B. Olson at:
P.O. Box 734, Lake Crystal, MN 56055
avnancy@hickorytech.net
Phone: 507-726-2985
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Last updated: March 9, 2004
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