Guidelines for Cataloging the Files Available Through LEXIS

Guidelines for Cataloging the Files Available Through LEXIS

by Ellen McGrath
A Review

In praise of catalogers...!! These guidelines, produced by the cataloger on the project, are helpful and clear-cut examples that will be useful to any professional considering a cataloging conversion project. The project from which they resulted, aimed at cataloging the files available on LEXIS and WESTLAW, is thoroughly covered and serves as an excellent example for similar project applications. Not only are the bright spots highlighted, but also the pitfalls and reasons for why things did not work as planned. Information of this nature is always important to those seeking project funding and serves to help all librarians involved in cataloging projects with additional insight and information.

The guidelines cover the history of the cooperative cataloging project, the LEXIS project itself, termination of the LEXIS project, and an honest conclusion including both positive and negative results. The second half of the work is appendices including: project applications based on AACR2R, subject analysis, bibliographic record examples, LEXIS project procedures, list of cataloged LEXIS libraries, and a bibliography.

This book is an excellent asset to libraries interested in conversion projects of any nature and should be consulted. It is especially useful to management with no cataloging background who seek a better understanding of procedures, pitfalls, and the need to make a cataloger head of such a project.

Published by: American Association of Law Libraries, Chicago Occasion Papers, No. 11, June 1992.

Reviewed by:
Anne S. Salter
Library/Archives
Atlanta History Center

Last updated: April 8, 2003
http://www.olacinc.org/reviews/mcgrath.html
neumeist@buffalo.edu

Guidelines for Cataloging the Files Available Through LEXIS

by Ellen McGrath A Review

by Ellen McGrath
A Review