Aha, we're back to one of the Original Questions:
"What is a Catalog"
And its codicil:
"Who are the Users of the Catalog"
I think the gist of everything I've seen on NGC4LIB regarding these two questions boils down to:
There are two types of Catalogs:
The Public Catalog (with its users defined as library users and their agents)
The Internal Catalog (with its users defined as library personnel)
The Public Catalog should:
1. be easily understood by the neophyte user
2. be easily exploited by the expert user
3. incorporate information about and links out to other resources about the items displayed
4. be visually appealing and all that
5. etc.
The Internal Catalog should:
1. display the same info as The Public Catalog (and more!)
2. contain all relevant information to expedite internal processes
3. be easily understood by catalogers and other staff responsible for bibliographic integrity
4. etc.
I personally would add: and rarely ever shall the twain meet.
-Aaron
:-)'
War is a cowardly escape from the problems of peace
--Thomas Mann
-----Original Message-----
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [mailto:NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu] On Behalf Of Jonathan Rochkind
Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 12:00 PM
To: NGC4LIB_at_listserv.nd.edu
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] As a Library 'decision maker'
Well, I guess I don't neccesarily agree.
Certainly if catalogers job is important (and it is), then we should
make sure we have tools in place that allow them to do their job well
and efficiently.
But since the primary purpose of the catalog, the reason catalogers
create the catalog, is in fact for our patrons/users (and their agents,
such as reference librarians) to find what they're looking for---then I
will controversially argue that it is much much more important when
designing and structuring the catalog to meet these users needs, the
users who the catalog actually exists for, then to meet catalogers
needs. The number of minutes catalogers spend using the catalog is
irrelevant to me in making this determination. What matter is the
mission of the catalog in the first place, and the mission of the
catalog is not to serve catalogers.
Jonathan
Ralph Papakhian wrote:
> hi,
> i don't think i said anything about the primary purpose of the catalog.
>
> all i meant was that, compared to all users of catalogs as in minutes per
> day, catalogers are heavy users of the catalog. those cataloger user needs
> should be as valid as any other user needs.
>
> --r
> On Mon, 17 Sep 2007 09:19:47 -0400, Jonathan Rochkind <rochkind_at_JHU.EDU> wrote:
>
>
>> It sounds to me as if you are suggesting the primary purpose of the
>> catalog is to help catalogers... create catalog records... for the
>> catalog... which exists to help catalogers create catalog records for
>> the catalog.
>>
>
>
--
Jonathan Rochkind
Digital Services Software Engineer
The Sheridan Libraries
Johns Hopkins University
410.516.8886
rochkind (at) jhu.edu
Received on Thu Sep 20 2007 - 08:53:31 EDT