At the risk of starting a flame war, there is the other looming
question: do we need a catalog at all?
Some libraries have experienced a decline in catalog usage, patrons
choosing electronic databases over items available in the catalog.
Deb
Dobbs, Aaron wrote:
> 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
>
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Deb Bergeron <mailto:bergeron_at_macalester.edu>
CLIC <http://clic.edu>, System Administrator User Support
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Received on Thu Sep 20 2007 - 10:09:32 EDT