Serials and RDA: An Ongoing Relationship

"Serials and RDA: An Ongoing Relationship" is a report of a preconference given at the 2011 NASIG conference by Judith A. Kuhagen (Library of Congress) and recorded by Margaret Mering (University of Nebraska--Lincoln). The report gives a brief history of the origins of the  new cataloging rules, RDA: Resource Description and Access. Also covered is information on the structure of RDA, an overview of some specific rules, and a discussion of how various relationships will be handled.

"Serials and RDA" is available in a special issue of the Serials Librarian, volume 62, no. 1-4 (2012), pages 5-16. doi: 10.1080/0361526X.2012.652470

"RDA: End of the World Postponed?" by Kevin M. Randall

Kevin Randall, an RDA proponent and the Principal Serials Cataloger at Northwestern University, provides an overview of some of the major issues surrounding Resource Description and Access in his article, "RDA: End of the World Postponed?" In the article, Randall tackles questions such as:

• Why should we switch to RDA if the records aren't really much different from AACR2 records? Can't we just fix AACR2?
• What's all this about FRBR, and why are we rushing into it blindly?
• Are we putting the rules cart before the format horse?
• We finally got continuing resources, now where did they go?
• Have we abandoned ISBD?
• Isn't the U.S. RDA test really just for show? Isn't implementation a foregone conclusion?
• That was then, this is now . . . what's the future?

If you've grown weary of following all the RDA discussions on various discussion lists, this article will help catch you up on some of the current debates. As catalogers well know, cataloging rules are all too often blamed for the shortcomings of OPACs, so I want to note one particular quote that I wish all reference librarians and library administrators would read:

"... the cataloger’s work could be aided to an extreme degree by truly suitable and modern cataloging
interfaces. (For many years complaints about the difficulty and expense of cataloging have been largely misplaced. The problems have far less to do with the cataloging rules and the MARC format than they have to do with an electronic cataloging interface that after four decades still holds onto its original basic concept: read a book of cataloging rules, and apply those rules in filling out a MARC tag workform)"--P. 339.

Randall, Kevin M. "RDA: End of the World Postponed?" Serials Librarian 61, no. 3-4 (Oct. 2011): 334-345. doi:10.1080/0361526X.2011.617297


[Note: My apologies to readers and to Mr. Randall for the lateness of this posting. I had been relying on an RSS feed for information on new articles, but never received notice of this one. It wasn't until I saw a citation to the article in the NASIG Newsletter that I discovered the omission.]

"Print Serials Workflow in RDA" by Mary Curran

In her latest column in the Serials Librarian, Mary Curran shares a sample Resource Description and Access (RDA) workflow for serials cataloging. The goal is to provide serials catalogers with an introduction to RDA.

"Print Serials Workflow in RDA: A Draft Workflow for RDA Toolkit Based on JSC's Sample Workflow for a Simple Book" is available in the Serials Librarian, vol. 59, no. 3 & 4 (Oct. 2010), pages 244-262.

DOI: 10.1080/0361526X.2010.504918

The Serials Librarian Announces New Editors

The following announcement was posted on SERIALST:

Dear All,

Early this summer marked the retirement of Jim Cole, both from librarianship at Iowa State University and from his editorship of the peer-reviewed journal published by Taylor and Francis, The Serials Librarian.

Now co-editing SL are Louise Cole of the University of Kingston in London (no relation to Jim!) and Andrew Shroyer of California State University at Los Angeles.

We welcome submissions of new content for SL, and any thoughts you may have about the nature of the journal or directions for the future!

Please forward any articles you have authored for SL (as well as your thoughts) to our shared email address: editorserialslib@gmail.com.

This is a time of exciting developments and milestones in the evolution of journals and serials. The continuing transition to electronic forms, the devising of big package deals for providing serial publication content, the struggle to adapt the library organization to the demands of e-resources, the advent of open access journals and the testing of RDA, for instance, are all both unsettling and exhilarating processes for serials librarians. We want to ensure that The Serials Librarian provides its readership with relevant readings, knowledge of breakthroughs, good practical pointers and a forum for healthy debate of all the issues.

This is a first effort at serving as a journal editor for each of us. Thank you for your support as we manage this transition.

--Andrew and Louise

The Serials Librarian is Seeking a New Editor

Taylor & Francis has issued a call for a new Editor-in-Chief for the Serials Librarian. Information can be found here.

"Serials in RDA: A Starter's Tour and Kit" by Mary Curran

In her Serials Librarian column, "E-Ventures: Notes and Reflections from the e-Serials Field," Mary Curran presents a concise tour of Resource Description and Access (RDA) rules related to serials cataloging. She covers changes from Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, second edition (AACR2); the text of RDA rules related to those changes; RDA rules regarding major and minor title changes; examples of how RDA data elements will be recorded; serial-related issues that have been deferred for later discussion by the Joint Steering Committee (JSC); examples of FRBR-RDA mapping for selected serials-related data; and examples of MARC record syntaxes.

"Serials in RDA: A Starter's Tour and Kit" is published in the Serials Librarian, vol. 57, issue 4 (November 2009), pages 306-323.

DOI: 10.1080/03615260903218825

"E-Journal Cataloging in an Age of Alternatives: A Survey of Academic Libraries" by Xiaotian Chen and Stephen Wynn

Chen and Wynn present the results of a survey of 72 U.S. academic libraries on cataloging practices for electronic journals. The survey covered various aspects including if e-journals are cataloged, what percentage, the use of batch loading, if holdings are reported to OCLC, reasons why e-journals are not cataloged, other services for accessing e-journals, the use of A-to-Z lists and OpenURL link resolvers, and future plans to change policies or procedures. Respondents were also asked to identify persistent problems/issues with e-journal cataloging and to anticipate future trends. The researchers found that most libraries who are cataloging their e-journals are satisfied with their policies. They also found that some libraries think cataloging is unnecessary and predict that "this sentiment will grow, especially as new tools become more widely adopted."

Chen and Wynn's article can be found in The Serials Librarian, vol. 57, issue 1 & 2 (July 2009), pages 96-110.

"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.

"ISSN-L: A New Standard Means Better Links" by Oliver Pesch

Pesch's column, "Spotlight on Serials Standards," takes a look at the ISSN-L. He gives an overview of the history of the development of the new standard and explains its benefits.

See The Serials Librarian, vol. 57, issue 1 & 2 (2009), pages 40-47.

“Harnessing the Spiderweb: Collaborative Serial Maintenance, Challenges and Solutions at UC” recorded by Lisa S. Blackwell

Blackwell’s report covers a presentation given at the 2008 NASIG Conference by Sarah Gardner, Melissa Beck, and Valerie Bross on a cooperative cataloging project undertaken by University of California system libraries. The logistics for setting up the UC CONSER Funnel are discussed.

This report is available in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56 (2009), pages 240-245 and to NASIG members on the NASIG Web site.

“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.

“MARC Holdings Conversion: Now That We’re Here, What Do We Do?” recorded by Patricia Howe

This is a report of the session presented at the 2008 NASIG Conference by Steven C. Shadle (moderator) and Siôn Romaine, Frieda Rosenberg, Ted Schwitzner, and Naomi Young (presenters).

Presenters for this strategy session covered some of the benefits of using the MARC Format for Holdings Data. They also provided tips for planning a conversion project and discussed the outcomes, both the expected and the unexpected. The report wraps up with a lengthy list of “lessons learned.”

This conference report appears in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56 (2009), pages 168-180. It will also be available to NASIG members on the NASIG Web site.

"Metadata in a Digital Age: New Models of Creation, Discovery, and Use" recorded by Paoshan W. Yue

This article is the report on a preconference held during the 2008 NASIG Annual Conference. It was co-sponsored by NISO (National Information Standards Organization). Yue's report covers presentations given by various speakers on metadata, providing both library and publisher/vendor perspectives.

Two sections in this article of particular interest to serials catalogers are: "ISSN: Linking Data and Metadata" presented by Regina Romano Reynolds of National Serials Data Program at the Library of Congress, and: "Changes in Cooperative Cataloging Standards: Implementation of the CONSER Standard Record" presented by Les Hawkins, who is the CONSER Coordinator at the Library of Congress. Reynolds provided general information about the ISSN program, as well as an update on the status of the new ISSN-L. Hawkins talked about the establishment of the CONSER Standard Record.

This article is available in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56, issue 1-4 (Jan. 2009), pages 7-24. It will also be available to NASIG members on the NASIG Web site.

NASIG 2008 Conference Proceedings Available

The Proceedings for the 23rd Annual Conference of the North American Serials Interest Group are now available as a special issue of The Serials Librarian, volume 56, issue 1-4 (2009). The Proceedings were edited by NASIG members Buddy Pennington and Allyson A. Zellner.

“Chipping Away at Serials Processing Backlogs in Technical Services” by B. Jean Sibley

Sibley looks into issues surrounding serials cataloging and processing backlogs for both print and electronic formats in this article. She used an online survey to gather input on the topic, receiving responses from 180 libraries. Her discussion of the results covers topics including the types of items backlogged, what factors contribute to the creation of backlogs, public access, and strategies to reduce backlogs.

Sibley’s article is published in The Serials Librarian, vol. 55, no. 3 (2008), pages 444-456.

"MARC Record Services: A Comparative Study of Library Practices and Perceptions" by Rebecca Kemp

In this article, Kemp looks at MARC record services for electronic serial bibliographic records. Following a literature review and the presentation of case studies of two libraries’ implementations of MARC record services (one using Serials Solutions’ 360 MARC Updates and the other using Ex Libris MARCit!), the results of Kemp’s 2007 survey are discussed. The survey garnered 130 responses, although only 26 respondents completed the entire survey. Results presented cover issues related to separate vs. single records, challenges associated with brief records, and overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction with MARC record services.

Ms. Kemp’s article can be found in The Serials Librarian, vol. 55, no. 3 (2008), pages 379-410.

"A Ghost in the Catalog: The Gradual Obsolescence of the Main Entry" by David Conners

Conners asks if the main entry concept is still relevant for online library catalogs in this article. After supplying some historical background, he considers the arguments for retaining the main entry and for abandoning it. Conners sees RDA's terminology change to primary and secondary access points (rather than main and added entries) to be strictly cosmetic. He argues that in the age of online catalogs, the main entry is no longer needed to collocate works by a particular author and requires an unnecessary decision point for catalogers at a time when there is a push to make cataloging more cost-effective. The article is accompanied by an annotated bibliography. Even though is it published in the Serials Librarian, this article may be of interest to all catalogers, not just those focused on serials.

Published in the Serials Librarian, vol. 55, no. 1/2 (2008), pages 85-97.

"From the Majors to the Minors: Playing the Game as the Rules are Changed" by Jim Cole

In this article, Cole gives an overview of the evolution of Anglo-American cataloging rules and how the rule changes would affect publishers and aggregators if they were to use them to organize electronic journals. He concludes that since cataloging code is continually changing regarding title changes, it does not make the best model for publishers and aggregators to follow. He suggests instead, "when a serial changes its title, if the change involves an important word in the title or if the new title could potentially be separated from the old title in a comprehensive A-Z listing of serials from multiple publishers and aggregators, the new and old titles should each be listed separately. References would be needed between the two titles, and these could be given on each title's own Web page. He then asserts that full cataloging of online journals should not be needed--brief records with a title and url should be sufficient. However he does not discuss the ramifications of the loss of several access points by doing so.

Published in: the Serials Librarian, vol. 55, no. 1/2 (2008), pages 45-58.

Successive Entry, Latest Entry, or None of the Above?

"Successive Entry, Latest Entry, or None of the Above? How the MARC21 Format, FRBR and the Concept of a Work Could Revitalize Serials Management" was presented by Katherine Adams and Britta Santamauro at the 2007 NASIG Annual Conference. Their session was recorded by Kurt Blythe for publication in the Serials Librarian.

In their NASIG presentation, Katherine Adams and Britta Santamauro introduced their ideas for applying FRBR concepts to both bibliographic records and online catalog functionality. Their ideas are built on the concept of a “superworkspression." They propose an umbrella record that would describe the work and expression levels of a publication. This umbrella record would not undergo title changes unless there is a change in content. The hierarchical structure they present would also have records for each manifestation where only the unique data for each manifestation would be recorded—there would be no duplication of data from the superworkspression record. Finally an item record would contain local holdings information. Their attempt to apply FRBR concepts to real world applications is described as a work in progress and it would be interesting to see their ideas fleshed out more fully in future presentations or publications.

Published in: Serials Librarian, vol. 54, no. 3/4 (2008), pages 193-197.

Risky Business: Outsourcing Serials Cataloging

"Risky Business: Outsourcing Serials Cataloging" was presented by Faye R. Leibowitz at the 2007 NASIG Annual Conference. Her session was recorded by Michael A. Arthur for publication in the Serials Librarian.

Leibowitz’s presentation discussed the University of Pittsburgh’s experience with outsourcing serials cataloging for a special collection. The collection contained approximately 1, 200 serial volumes, mainly focused on international studies. She outlined the workflow for sending volumes to TechPro for cataloging, including searching for already held titles prior to shipment. The process taught them several things. First, recording holdings in the local catalog requires substantial in-house work after titles are cataloged. Having a stable team to handle this part of the project is desirable and should be planned for. Second, monograph versus serial decisions made by TechPro were not always consistent with how the library had treated the same titles in their other collections. Finally, student workers were not always reliable. In summary, the presentation stressed that outsourcing serials cataloging is a risk. Their project began in 1999 and as of 2007 they were still working on clean-up from the project.

Published in: Serials Librarian, vol. 54, no. 3/4 (2008), pages 253-260.