One way to improve the quality (conformity with AACR2/LCRIs/MARC 21), would be to have validation software better integrated with cataloging tools. I have been considering working in some way to tie MARC::Lint/MARC::Lintadditions and MARC::Errorchecks [1] into Koha/‡biblios and Evergreen (and any other cataloging software that might benefit from it--OCLC Connexion, for example). Alternatively, I encourage all catalogers to use MARC Report [2] (and/or wish it or its error checking functions were integrated into cataloging software, as said above).
While using these error checking programs wouldn't resolve the broader issues of what goes into records, they would make the data more consistent and more easily processed, and would reduce the numbers of things catalogers would have to examine when dealing with copy cataloging.
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[1] More information about these Perl modules available at: <http://home.inwave.com/eija>, Lint: <http://search.cpan.org/~eijabb/MARC-Lint-1.43/>, Errorchecks: <http://search.cpan.org/~eijabb/MARC-Errorchecks-1.14/>
[2] MARC Report: <http://www.marcofquality.com/soft/softindex.html>
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Bryan Baldus
Cataloger
Quality Books Inc.
The Best of America's Independent Presses
1-800-323-4241x402
bryan.baldus_at_quality-books.com
eijabb_at_cpan.org
http://home.inwave.com/eija
Received on Wed Apr 22 2009 - 11:45:35 EDT