"Serial or Monograph: Who Decides?" by Kathy Carter

Carter's article discusses the monograph versus serial question for online resources, specifically looking at cases where a library owns both print and online versions of the resource. She outlines the pros and cons of monographic and serial treatment, presents a brief survey of the cataloging practices of a sample of ARL libraries (for a single title), and provides sample OPAC screenshots to illustrate the information users are given in a results list for various cataloging practices. Cataloging decisions are complicated by the publisher's decision on how to present the titles, the availability of MARC record sets, and how the title is treated in the library's link resolver's knowledgebase.

Carter's article is available in The Serials Librarian, vol. 57, issue 1 & 2 (July 2009), pages 87-95.

“Taking the Sting Out of Multiple Format Serials Displays” recorded by Jean Sibley

This is a report of a presentation given by University of Kentucky librarians Marsha Seamans and Nancy Lewis at the 2008 NASIG Conference. They discussed their efforts to improve access to multiple format serials (particularly online journals) in their online library catalog. This report will be of greatest interest to libraries using the Voyager ILS, as its focus is on Voyager’s bibliographic record linking feature.

Find this report in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56 (2009), pages 220-225 or NASIG members can access it via the NASIG Web site.

"Evaluating and Improving the Presentation of Serials Information in the Online Catalog" by Lori J. Terrill

Abstract:

Many factors should be considered when evaluating how serial publications are presented in online library catalogs. Both patrons and library employees utilize the catalog to locate serial titles and then must be able to determine which formats are available, as well as which issues are available in each format. Consideration of both the recording and display of serials data should be part of a thorough evaluation. This paper presents an outline for an evaluation focusing on meeting user needs. It also provides advice based on the experience of undertaking a successful project at the University of Wyoming Libraries.

This article can be found in Library Resources & Technical Services, vol. 52, issue 3 (July 2008), pages 192-204.

"Catalog/Cataloging Changes and Web 2.0 Functionality: New Directions for Serials" by Rebecca Kemp

Kemp discusses the organization and presentation of serials data in library catalogs with a particular interest in the relationships between serials. Included is a brief discussion of the application of FRBR concepts to serials and how these concepts along with the use of identifiers (some yet to be created) and superwork records (to fully outline the history of a serial title) could provide a useful framework for the organization of serials data. She also calls for the simplification of cataloging rules, looking to RDA for flexibility for future cataloging needs and citing the CONSER standard record as an improvement currently underway. Outsourcing is another means she cites to simplify the cataloging process. She argues that simpler records have the dual advantage of being more understandable for users and more efficient to create. Another aspect she considers in catalog design, specifically the implementation of web 2.0 functionality. She briefly addresses mash-ups, user-created metadata (a.k.a. tagging), user reviews, and personalization through recommender services as ways of bringing web 2.0 into library catalogs. She also touches on improvements in search technology such as relevance ranking, metasearching, natural language searching, faceted searching, and clustering. How can these advances help users searching for serials titles or articles? Kemp outlines five scenarios for locating known and unknown items, including mock-ups of catalog results screens. Overall, Kemp attempts to cover a lot of ground in this article and as a result does not provide comprehensive coverage on any of the topics included.

Kemp's article can be found in The Serials Librarian, vol. 53, no. 4 (2008), pages 91-112.

ISSN-L Getting Closer to Fruition

If you've been following the ISSN revision process that began back in January of 2004, then you've probably heard about the linking ISSN or ISSN-L. It is defined as follows:

the ISSN designated by the ISSN Network to enable collocation or linking among the different media versions of a continuing resource. (Source)

An update on the revision process was given at the CONSER At-Large meeting held during ALA on June 24, 2007. Regina Reynolds reported that publication and implementation of the standard is planned for 2008. You can read her update on the process in the meeting summary. ISSN-L will be an important step forward for better collocation in library catalogs. Let's hope ILS vendors will take advantage of it!

A Solution to the Multiple Version Problem

July 2007's issue of Library Resources & Technical Services (vol.51, no.3) features an interesting article by Julian Everett Allgood called, "Serials and Multiple Versions, or the Inexorable Trend toward Work-Level Displays." Allgood looks at revisions to cataloging rules, implementation of FRBR principles, and the MARC 21 authority format in the context of solving the "MulVer" problem. He predicts that manifestation-level cataloging will continue to be the standard, and thus sees FRBRization and an expanded use of authority records (for work and expression identifiers) as the best option to achieve better displays for multiple formats of a title in online library catalogs.