ALCTS E-Forum: Cataloging as a Public Service? I Think So! Jan. 8-9, 2014
Cataloging as a Public Service? I Think So!
January 8-9, 2014
Hosted by John Sandstrom and Beth Thomsett-Scott
Please join us for an e-forum discussion. Its free and open to everyone!
Registration information is at the end of the message.
Each day, discussion begins and ends at:
Pacific: 7am 3pm
Mountain: 8am 4pm
Central: 9am 5pm
Eastern: 10am 6pm
The essence of public service is the ability for patrons to discover the item,
AKA discoverability. Catalogers and technical services staff are the ones who
make this happen. There are many questions associated with these two statements.
Does your organization value your work as a cataloger in terms of making items
discoverable? Do your public service colleagues see these statements as true?
Today we are in a period of rapid change in cataloging. There are many
pressures on cataloging units, including outsourcing, decreasing resources,
increasing costs, and changes to the very foundations of the work we do. With
the implementation of RDA, the expansion of discovery services, and the changing
needs of library patrons, it is time for us to take a look at how Cataloging as
Public Service is changing to make use of new tools and meet the needs of new,
or, changing users.
In this e-forum, we want to discuss the changes we are seeing in how cataloging
acts as a public service, what future trends are developing, and share the way
we are using new tools and services to better serve our patrons.
Some of the questions that may be included are:
How does cataloging support public services (reference) and the goals of
discoverability and accessibility of information?
What is the value of having catalogers serve as reference librarians and/or
liaison librarians?
Have discovery systems reduced the need for thorough cataloging of records
from a public services (findability) view point?
How do current rules detract from user needs?
Is there tension between national standards and local needs? How might these
be overcome?
John Sandstrom started his career in libraries as a copy-cataloger at the
University of Tulsa while working on his MLIS at the University Oklahoma. Since
graduating in the late 80s, he has bounced around the country working in
Technical Services, Public Services, Collection Development/Acquisitions, and
Library Management. He is currently managing the Acquisitions Unit at New
Mexico State University, teaching cataloging in the Library Science Associates
Degree program at Dona Ana Community College, and working on a doctorate in
Educational Leadership and Development. When not working or going to school
(HA!), he weaves, spins, and is an active member of the Society for Creative
Anachronism (SCA).
Beth Thomsett-Scott is Interim Head of the Discovery Park Library at the
University of North Texas (UNT) in Denton, Texas. She is currently serving as
liaison to the College of the Engineering, and has had responsibilities for the
physical and life sciences departments as well during her 12 year tenure with
UNT. Beth's professional passions include high quality customer service, web
site usability, user satisfaction, and emerging technologies. When not working,
Beth enjoys crime dramas, action and horror movies, and spending time with her
daughter, cats, and dog.
*What is an e-forum?*
An ALCTS e-forum provides an opportunity for librarians to discuss matters of
interest, led by a moderator, through the e-forum discussion list. The e-forum
discussion list works like an email listserv: register your email address with
the list, and then you will receive messages and communicate with other
participants through an email discussion. Most e-forums last two to three days.
Registration is necessary to participate, but it's free. See a list of upcoming
e-forums at: http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/e-forum.
*To register:*
Instructions for registration are available at:
http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/e-forum/sympa. Once you have
registered for one e-forum, you do not need to register again, unless you choose
to leave the email list. Participation is free and open to anyone. If you have
any problems, please contact alcts-eforum-request_at_ala.org.
Posted on behalf of the ALCTS Continuing Education Committee
Received on Sat Jan 04 2014 - 03:04:43 EST