Cataloging

About: Cataloging is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 4770 publications have been published within this topic receiving 32489 citations.

Enhancing OPAC Records for Discovery

Abstract: This article proposes adding keywords and descriptors to the catalog records of electronic databases and media items to enhance their discovery. The authors contend that subject liaisons can add value to OPAC records and enhance discovery of electronic databases and media items by providing searchable keywords and resource descriptions. The authors provide an examination of OPAC records at their own library, which illustrates the disparity of useful keywords and descriptions within the notes field for media item records versus electronic database records. The authors outline methods for identifying useful keywords for indexing OPAC records of electronic databases. Also included is an analysis of the advantages of using Encore’s Community Tag and Community Review features to allow subject liaisons to work directly in the catalog instead of collaborating with cataloging staff

Overview of the virtual data center project and software

Abstract: In this paper, we present an overview of the Virtual Data Center (VDC) software, an open-source digital library system for the management and dissemination of distributed collections of quantitative data. (see ). The VDC functionality provides everything necessary to maintain and disseminate an individual collection of research studies, including facilities for the storage, archiving, cataloging, translation, and on-line analysis of a particular collection. Moreover, the system provides extensive support for distributed and federated collections including: location-independent naming of objects, distributed authentication and access control, federated metadata harvesting, remote repository caching, and distributed virtual collections of remote objects.

Subject Access to Fiction: An Application of the Guidelines

Abstract: In recent literature, authors have advocated the enhancement of subject access to individual works of fiction. Guidelines were developed and published by the Subcommittee on Subject Access to Individual Works of Fiction, Drama, etc. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Inc., and the Library of Congress conducted pilot projects to study the implications of subject cataloging of fiction. Researchers have indicated that while improved access to works of fiction drama, etc., is desirable, the idea lacks practicality because of the apparent difficulty involved in applying topical headings to works that are not fact-based in nature. Adding to this difficulty is the fact that most fictional works lack indexes, abstracts, and tables of contents, which can aid the cataloger in applying appropriate headings. Exclusive use of dust jacket copy (or back-of-the-book copy for paperbacks) to form fiction subject headings is recommended. The purpose of this study is to determine whether enough information is included on the dust jacket (or the back cover) to provide adequate subject access in the four areas covered in the Guidelines: character, setting, genre or form, and topic.

Asking the Right Questions: An E-Resource Checklist for Documenting Cataloging Decisions for Batch Cataloging Projects

Abstract: During the past several years at Kent State University Libraries, there has been a shift in responsibility for handling and processing batch cataloging projects from the systems department to the technical services department. This shift was driven by the increasing number of e-resource packages being acquired by the library, many with available MARC records. Cataloging staff began to take on primary responsibility for managing these batch cataloging projects. In order to develop effective workflows and maintain adequate documentation, Kent State developed an e-Book checklist tool. The checklist serves as a best-practices guide. It records information on both the routine and unique aspects of each individual batch cataloging project. Data obtained from the use of the checklist not only helps organize departmental workflow, it also provides information on issues such as training, MARC record quality, and vendor customer service. By asking the “right questions,” the checklist has proven to be an effective m...

Tables of Contents in Library Catalogs: A Quantitative Examination of Analytic Catalogs

Abstract: Easy access to tables of contents from vendors and the technological development of optical character reading have actualized access to articles in books via tables of contents in library catalogs. From earlier studies we know that analytic book catalogs can provide access to up to 600% more works than the traditional catalog by simply adding analytics for works in composite works to the catalog, In this study we examine the proportion of composite works and the number of articles in these books in two different university libraries. The influences of library type, publication language, subject field, and date of publication are examined, and the results are compared to previous studies. The proportion of composite works is between 10% and 20%. The number of articles in the composite works varies from 20 to 30 articles per book—highest for the sciences and the English-language publications and lowest for the social sciences.