BOOK REVIEWS
Vicki Toy-Smith, Column Editor
Cataloging and Organizing Digital Resources:
A How-To-Do-It Manual for Librarians
By Anne M. Mitchell and Brian E. Surratt
With their dynamically changing nature, online information resources have presented many challenges to librarians who are involved in their management and organization. The management process encompasses many functions across different library units, including collection development, acquisitions, administration and bibliographic control. Each stage of the management process has its own set of challenges as well as needs for tools and standards. It is important that the players in each of those stages not only to stay on top of their own game, but also possess a good basic understanding of the overall "game plan" in order to help all the management activities flow as efficiently as possible.
This manual offers a good basic overview of the online resources management process, with a strong focus on bibliographic control issues--methods for organizing and providing access to online information resources. The work is organized into ten chapters. The introductory chapter addresses the overall workflow of managing online resources, emphasizing the first three stages of the management process: collection development, acquisition, and administration. It also includes a special section on developing and managing local digital libraries. Chapters 2 through 9 examine various issues and strategies surrounding bibliographic control and provide step-by-step guidance for analyzing and cataloging online resources. The last chapter looks at two trends: open access and Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records(FRBR).
With their background in electronic resources cataloging and metadata coordination, the authors present a comprehensive review of bibliographic control strategies and practices in chapters 2 through 9, accompanied by plenty of practical suggestions and examples. Chapter 2, "Establishing the Cataloging Work Flow", discusses how libraries can add records for online resources to the library catalog by performing original or copy cataloging for individual records and by batch loading record sets. It also includes strategies for reviewing and updating entries in the catalog. Chapter 3, "Exploring Alternatives to Cataloging", looks at three widely used alternatives to cataloging--Web lists, context-sensitive linking, and federated searching. It provides a succinct review of the strengths, weaknesses, and implementation of these alternatives. Chapter 4, "Determining Bibliographic Control in the Online Environment", outlines issues to be considered for formulating a library's bibliographic-control strategies, given the options discussed in chapters 2and 3, to meet its unique access needs.
Chapters 5 through 9 are exclusively devoted to the cataloging of online resources. Chapter 5, "Understanding Cataloging Rules and Guidelines", briefly introduces the key sources for cataloging rules and standards involved in organizing digital resources. Chapter 6, "Analyzing the Bibliographic Structure of Online Resources", offers a methodology for analyzing online resources prior to cataloging and serves as a guide for the succeeding three chapters that provide step-by-step instructions for cataloging monographs, serials, and integrated resources in the online format. Plenty of examples are provided on cataloging the three different classes of online resources, including fully worked out coding for MARC21 records and detailed explanations. The scope of the examples covers major variations in each class of online resources.
This "How-To-Do-It Manual" provides an overview of the role and strategic options of bibliographic control in the context of online resources management process along with step-by-step guidance for cataloging online resources. As such, it offers a good balance of information appropriate for practitioners of online resources cataloging. Moreover, the non-cataloging chapters may also be of general interest to those involved in collection development, acquisition, and administration of online resources.
Published in 2005 by: Neal- Schuman Publishers, Inc., New York, New York. ( xv, 219 p.) ISBN: 1-55570-521-9 ( pbk.- $75.00) How-To-Do-It Manuals for Librarians: no. 139.
Reviewed by: Paoshan Yue
Electronic Resources Access Librarian
University of Nevada, Reno
E-Journals: A How-To-Do-It Manual for Building, Managing,
and Supporting Electronic Journal Collections
By Donnelyn Curtis, with contributions by Virginia M. Scheschy
Filled with practical tips, expert advice, and detailed analysis of all aspects of electronic journals, Donnelyn Curtis' E-Journalsis a remarkably comprehensive guide for librarians seeking information on this rapidly growing format. With help from Virginia M. Scheschy, Curtis, one of the leading experts on electronic journals, has written perhaps the most complete guide currently available on this topic. Curtis takes readers step-by-step through the process of selecting, purchasing, organizing, managing, and evaluating collections of electronic journals. This guide effectively illuminates the many dark corners of this relatively new, and in many ways complex, topic. Admittedly, it appears to be geared more towards administrators, collection development managers, and acquisitions librarians rather than catalogers, but cataloging is addressed. This point will be explored further below.
As with other Neal-Schuman manuals, this one is clearly organized and serves as an excellent source for both quick answers and in-depth analyses. The nine chapters are divided into subsections that clearly show the topic being addressed. There is a remarkable wealth of information contained in the book's 400-plus pages, so bulleted lists and graphics are used liberally to clarify and simplify the information. Each chapter opens with an overview that clearly summarizes its contents, and each concludes with copious references and sources for further reading, both print and electronic. Thus, E-Journals is both a comprehensive source of information and a starting point for even more information.
Perhaps the most interesting section in the entire book is the chapter entitled, "Understanding Users of Online Resources", which discusses how information seekers search Web resources, how libraries can attract more users and provide more efficient information services, and how electronic journals fit into patrons' information-seeking habits and needs. Curtis obviously believes in the importance of electronic journals in an increasingly computer-reliant world, and her thoughts and advice are consistently wise.
With a mere nineteen pages devoted to cataloging, this book seems to be directed towards other information professionals than catalogers. Still, while the cataloging section is brief, it is extremely enlightening and useful, although this is more on a philosophical level than a practical one. Therefore, those already familiar with cataloging electronic journals will likely discover food for thought in Curtis' discussions on this topic. Furthermore, cataloging managers and supervisors should benefit greatly from Curtis' discussions on important workflow issues and policy-making. However, it must be said that neophytes looking for practical advice on cataloging this challenging format will need to find it elsewhere--in any of the several useful and practical electronic journal cataloging guides currently available.
Decision-makers and money-spenders will benefit the most from Curtis' expert advice, in-depth analysis, and thought-provoking discussions. It is a welcome addition to the literature on the bourgeoning field of electronic journals. In fact, as this format becomes more popular, a book like this becomes increasingly important.
Published in 2004 by: Neal- Schuman Publishers, Inc., New York, New York. ( xvi, 421 p.) ISBN 1-55570-465-4 (pbk.-$75.00) How-To-Do-It Manuals for Librarians: no. 134.
Reviewed by: Douglas King
Special Materials Cataloger
Thomas Cooper Library
University of South Carolina
Digital Images and Art Libraries in the Twenty-First Century
Edited by Susan Wyngaard
Comprised of eleven essays, Digital Images and Art Libraries in the Twenty-First Century is an introduction to the rapidly changing world of art librarianship, from the technical challenges in creating digital images to the role of the art librarian. In her introduction, Susan Wyngaard writes that art libraries have always been "charged with building, organizing, and maintaining visual collections … ". Indeed, articles in this volume give many detailed examples of how this work will be accomplished in the twenty-first century.
The first four articles discuss projects that digitized a variety of formats. David Austin begins with "CITY2000: a Holistic Approach to Administering Image Resources". This Chicago-based project was designed to provide access to photographic negatives, audiotapes and videotapes created in Chicago in the year 2000. Susan Koskinen discusses architectural records in "Architectural Archives: To Web or Not to Web". She writes about several projects that digitized finding aids using Encoded Archival Description (EAD). "Integrating Digital Images into Art and Art History Curriculum", by Sharon P. Pitt, Christina B. Updike, and Miriam E. Guthrie, discusses the creation of a particular database, the Madison Digital Image Database (MDID) designed at James Madison University. Terrie L. Wilson and Erika Dowell address a particularly difficult organizational challenge for the Web in "Today's Ephemera, Tomorrow's Historical Documentation: Access Options for Artists Files". Traditionally artists' files have been difficult to organize, and subsequently, the authors point out, among the most underutilized of information sources. They write that items unique to the collection, and not available in other formats, should be identified for inclusion in Web-based projects. In all four of these articles, the authors describe the careful planning process, and the collaborative nature of their projects, including librarians, curators, teaching staff, technical experts, and vendors.
Max Marmor, Director of Collection Development for ArtSTOR contributes, "ArtSTOR: a Digital Library for the History of Art". A project supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, ArtSTOR was designed to provide access to a wide range of digital image collections. Primarily aimed at colleges and universities, ArtSTOR (now ARTstor) hopes to provide a licensed alternative to having each institution create their own digital image collection.
Following this article is a report of a statewide consortium project, "The Case for Collaboration: the OhioLINK Digital Media Center ", by Charly Bauer and Jane A. Carlin. An art and architecture component is one of several databases in the Digital Media Center (DMC), including records in both VRA Core and Dublin Core. The authors present several examples of local collections that were contributed, emphasizing the advantages of a consortium, eliminating local concerns for technical expertise and storage needs.
In "Smothering Free Speech: Filtering the World Wide Web", Susan Travis Bissonnette discusses the use of Internet filters and their impact on library services. In an effort to filter out pornographic images, some filtering software may be limiting access to images of works of art. She gives a relevant example of an image of a nude that may be blocked when a student searches via the Web, although this same image would be available to the student in a print source.
Bradley L. Taylor writes about the use of new technologies in museums in "Enhancing the Value of Museum Web Site: Lessons from the Practical Engagement Front". Taylor discusses a study where graduate students compared the response to museum artifacts in the museum itself and through their digital surrogates. His work suggests that museums can go beyond merely providing surrogates of images contained in their collections to creating new models for museum learning.
Henry Pisciotta's article, "Image Delivery and the Critical Masses", examines image delivery in the context of user studies with search engines. While the Web is not considered a scholarly source by many academics, he writes that it has become the "… information source of choice for most people".
In "Link It or Lump it: Basic Access Strategies for Digital Art Representation", James L. Murphy discusses the challenges in integrating images of art objects in online catalogs.
He talks about the need for consistent subject access throughout the OPAC, using controlled vocabularies such as LCSH and AAT.
Finally, Amy Lucker's essay, "Evolution of a Profession: the Changing Nature of Art Librarianship", asks if librarianship is truly changing or simply the resources provided to the user. She points out the change in education for those currently entering the profession, as well as the need for present librarians to keep up with new technologies.
From outlining the preparation and decision-making processes needed to begin digitization to describing successful collaborative projects involving librarians, curators, technology specialists, and software vendors, this book provides both interesting case studies and theoretical issues regarding access for those who are beginning to think about similar projects. It is particularly valuable for its inclusion of discussion of a broad range of concerns including fair use and copyright, preservation and storage, and the myriad of standards available to provide access to them, including MARC, VRA Core, and Dublin Core.
Published in 2004 by: Haworth Information Press, Binghamton, New York. (183 p.) ISBN: 0-7890-2347-4 ($49.95); ISBN: 0-7890-2348-2 ( pbk.- $24.95) Co-published simultaneously as Journal of Library Administration, Vol. 39, Nos. 2/3, 2003.
Reviewed by: Elizabeth Lilker
Cataloger
Bobst Library
New York University
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Last updated: November 21, 2005
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