"The U.S. RDA Test Process" by Diane Boehr, Regina Romano Reynolds, and Tina Shrader

This article reports the content of a session given at the 2011 NASIG Conference on the process of testing Resource Description and Access (RDA) in the United States in late 2010 and the subsequent analysis of the data in 2011. The presenters represented three national libraries who were an integral part of the testing process: the Library of Congress, the National Agricultural Library, and the National Library of Medicine. While this article does not present the recommendations that came out of the test (those can be found on the Library of Congress's website), it does describe the process of how the test was conducted, how the data were analyzed, and the general categories of recommendations that were arrived at. Given that this presentation was part of the NASIG conference, the topic of continuing resources in the test was highlighted. The presenters touched on issues such as successive entry, what format changes will constitute the need for a new bibliographic record, how translations and language additions will be handled, discrepancies between RDA and CONSER Standard Record practices, and the future of provider neutral records under RDA.

"The U.S. RDA Test Process" can be found in the Serials Librarian, volume 62, issues 1-4 (2012), pages 125-139. DOI: 10.1080/0361526X.2012.652485.

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.]

"CONSER Cooperative Open Access Journal Project" by Les Hawkins

CONSER members have discussed a plan to provide CONSER-authenticated records for online journals in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ). This column provides information on the Cooperative Open Access Journal Project, which is a multi-library project to provide high quality bibliographic records containing accurate ISSN data. If successful, the project could serve as a model for cooperatively providing records for other online journal collections.

The CONSER website has a page devoted to the project: http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/Open-Access-Project.html

"CONSER Cooperative Open Access Journal Project" is published in the Serials Review, vol. 36, issue 3 (Sept. 2010), pages 167-168.

DOI: 10.1016/j.serrev.2010.05.007

"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

"Record Authentication as a Barrier: Reflections on Returning to CONSER" by Christopher H. Walker

Christopher H. Walker's humorous essay on his career in serials both entertains and makes some relevant observations on the frustrations faced by catalogers in non-CONSER institutions who discover mistakes and needed updates to CONSER-authenticated bibliographic records in OCLC's WorldCat database. He concludes:

CONSER authentication remains valuable as a guarantee that the bibliographic description is the work of one or more catalogers with significant training. But because serials continue to develop and change until they cease, it may be time to look for strategies, as a cataloging community, to share more widely the burden of keeping those records up-to-date.

This article is published in Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 2 & 3 (Feb. 2010), pages 161-168.
DOI: 10.1080/01639370903535684

"Doing More with More: The UC CONSER Funnel Experience" by Valerie Bross

"Doing More with More" outlines the process undertaken by libraries in the University of California system to create a CONSER funnel. The experiences of the UC Funnel and the lessons learned shared by Bross provide useful information to other groups that might consider creating a similar funnel.

This article is published in Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 2 & 3 (Feb. 2010), pages 135-160.
DOI: 10.1080/01639370903535676

"The Road to CONSER--Taken by the Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh" by Liping Song

Liping Song's article outlines the process of becoming a CONSER member library, based on the experience at the Health Science Library System at the University of Pittsburgh.

This article is published in Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 2 & 3 (Feb. 2010), pages 143-152.
DOI: 10.1080/01639370903535668

"The ISSN Network as an Example of International Cooperative Cataloging" by Regina Romano Reynolds

In this article, Regina Romano Reynolds examines the cooperative nature of the ISSN Network, focusing on the shared ISSN Register, which is an international, cooperative, cataloging venture. She provides an overview of the ISSN Network and the ISSN Register, and the various uses for International Standard Serial Numbers. Data elements in ISSN records are also covered, along with users of and uses for these records.

This article is published in Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, vol. 48, no. 2 & 3 (Feb. 2010), pages 169-186.
DOI: 10.1080/01639370903535692

Conducting Research and Writing for Publication

In honor of the "Year of Cataloging Research," I'm highlighting a couple of editorials from Library & Information Science Research on the research and writing processes. Whether you are brand new to conducting cataloging research or a seasoned veteran, you will likely find some tips to improve both your research process and the resulting write-up.

Make Sure Your Research has a Purpose!
Hernan, Peter, and Candy Schwartz. "What is a Problem Statement?" Library & Information Science Research 29, issue 3 (2007): 307-309.

Reporting Your Findings and a Few Style Tips
Nitecki, Danuta A. "Finalizing a Research Paper--Findings through Conclusion." Library & Information Science Research 32, issue 1 (2010): 1-3.

“Me and My Shadow: Observation, Documentation, and Analysis of Serials and Electronic Resources Workflow” by Kristen Blake and Erin Stalberg

Blake and Stalberg's “Me and My Shadow” outlines a project done at North Carolina State University Libraries to document and review serials and electronic resources workflow. This three-stage project looked at the entire serials lifecycle and began with a staff shadowing component where a librarian directly observed tasks being performed. Workflow mapping was the next step, where the information gleaned from shadowing was documented in a graphic representation showing what steps were involved in various processes and by whom. Finally, the workflow was analyzed to look for areas that could be made more efficient. This article provides a nice literature review, highlighting several articles looking at library workflow analysis. The authors identified a gap in the literature regarding shadowing techniques in libraries as a tool for workflow mapping and analysis and sought to fill that gap with detailed sections on the shadowing process and outcomes. This article will be of interest to librarians preparing to engage in a serials workflow analysis. A link to view the workflow mapping diagrams created in this project is an added bonus.

The article can be found in the Serials Review, vol. 35, issue 4 (Dec. 2009), pages 242-252.

doi:10.1016/j.serrev.2009.08.018

"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.

"How the Current Draft of RDA Addresses the Cataloging of Reproductions, Facsimiles, and Microforms" by Steven A. Knowlton

Knowlton's article discusses the "multiple versions problem" (sometimes called the MulVer problem) that arises when cataloging reproductions. He provides a brief overview of how reproductions have been handled under various cataloging codes. He then discusses how RDA, with its basis in FRBR principles, will deal wtih the MulVer problem. While the proposed new cataloging code may help to clarify relationships between originals and reproductions, Knowlton argues that, "RDA as currently designed is challenging for the cataloger and includes many data that may prove to be difficult for catalog users to understand."

Read Knowlton's article in Library Resources & Technical Services, vol. 53, no. 3 (July 2009), pages 159-165.

"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.