richard sapon-white: a crisis in cataloging: the impact and implications of the library of...
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A Crisis in Cataloging:The Impact and Implications of the Library of Congress’ Series Authority Decision on Cooperative Cataloging
March 5, 2007Richard Sapon-White
The Library of Congress’ Role
The official library of the United States Congress
Technically, not a national library Functionally, a leader for US and world
libraries in creation of catalog records and promulgation of cataloging standards
LC’s Product History
Catalog cards Cataloging-in-Publication (CIP) Library of Congress Classification Library of Congress Subject Headings
(LCSH) MARC, METS, MODS, EAD
LC’s Role in Quality Control
Maintains the National Authority File (NAF) Name, series, and subject authority records Since 1990’s, other libraries could contribute authority
records LC retains control of NAF through approval of
authority record proposals Until recently, LC has had primary role in training
(increasingly in hands of Program for Cooperative Cataloging)
April 21, 2006
Internal announcement Suspend the creation of series authority
records on May 1 Record all series as “untraced” – 490 0b But would continue to provide training in
the creation of series authority records
Immediate Concerns of Library Community No consultation or discussion conducted
outside of LC No studies done to evaluate impact Some ILS will search untraced series,
others will not
Reaction
Petition circulated on the web Signed by many notable US librarians
Guild of LC workers resolution Thomas Mann, LC reference librarian and noted
speaker on library research ALA/ALCTS reaction Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC)
response
LC’s Response
Reasons for making decision are economic Insufficient funds to continue same level of
service as in the pastNeed to redirect $$$ into digital products
Refusal to back down, but delayed implementation until June 1, 2006
OCLC Responses
OCLC no longer treating LC’s records as uneditableAny library can edit series fields for quality
control490 0b from LC records will not overlay series
tracings in OCLC records
Oregon State University Evaluation
Since August, OSU has been examining the impact on series
Questions to be answered: How many untraced series are being added to the
OSU catalog? What is the source of cataloging of these untraced
series? Is the form of the series title in 490 0b different from
the form in the series authority record? Do series authority records exist for these untraced
series?
Conducting the Monthly Examination Innovative Interfaces, Inc., system allows
queries by MARC field Search for all records entered within the
past month which have a 490 0b Sort by series title, then search each in
National Authority File (NAF)
Data: Summer 2006
For June-August, 2006: 10,940 records reviewed 179 have at least one untraced series
heading 21% of 179 (37 records) require addition
of a traced series that differs from the untraced form
Fall 2006 Data
Records with untraced series
Series titles needing revision
Records revised
Sept. 66 5 11
Oct. 54 13 20
Nov. 17 7 6
Discussion
The number of records needing revision each month is relatively small
Takes one person 1 to 1.5 hours to complete analysis and revision of records each month
Most of the records needing revision are from either government documents or retrospective conversion of serials!
Very few are records from Library of Congress
Discussion (cont.)
Other libraries are editing LC records in OCLC to provide traced series and adding series authority records to the NAF
More untraced series expected in future Will other libraries be able to keep up with
revisions and series authority record creation?
Conclusion
Impact on library has been small so farFew new series coming inFew needing revision of bibliographic recordsNo complaints from users
Over time, expect the numbers to increase However, many libraries are changing CIP
and other records as they become available in OCLC
Is This The End of the Story?
More significant is the impact on LC’s role LC continues to be a significant player BUT Shift has occurred in responsibility from LC to
other US and international libraries Concern over whether other libraries will follow
LC’s path or if they will try to counteract the impact
What Has This Experience Shown Us About the Role of LC? Reducing its role as metadata creator Encouraging cooperative efforts of others Channeling funds and effort into digital
projects
What is the Future for Cooperative Cataloging? Two opposing forces:
Traditional cataloging community Seeking to continue traditional role of catalog and cataloging Also making efforts to incorporate new modes of metadata
creation and management in the digital world Library administrators
Seeking cost savings as digital world escalates View traditional – and possibly all – metadata creation as a
too-costly activity Look to business models for answers (Google, Amazon)
What About Non-U.S. Libraries?
LC records are used around the world National Library of the Czech Republic
uses OCLC and collects US imprints, so likely uses LC catalogingLC cataloging then becomes available to
Czech libraries The future National Technical Library will
also use LC records
