This document summarizes the efforts of a library to update and improve its catalog and book collection. It describes issues with the pre-2015 collection such as lack of weeding, incomplete catalog records, and poor subject headings. The library's solutions included ongoing weeding, developing cataloging and subject heading norms, and reorganizing the physical collection. This led to improvements like collections flowing historically, easier navigation, and gaps being easier to identify. The process of improvement is ongoing and iterative. The key takeaways are to make changes manageable and useful for patrons.
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AISL Presentation.pptx
1. Tweaking the Catalog and Collection
Meeting Students Where They Are:
AISL Conference 2021
2. Pre-2015 collection
⚫ 44,000 books
⚫ No weeding for min. 10 years
⚫ Cataloging issues:
⚫ MARC records missing information
⚫ Haphazard Dewey #s
⚫ Subject Headings – poor navigation
Context
Academic realities
3. Pre-2015 collection
⚫ 44,000 books
⚫ No weeding for min. 10 years
⚫ Cataloging issues:
⚫ MARC records missing information
⚫ Haphazard Dewey #s
⚫ Subject Headings – poor navigation
⚫ Research projects given limited research time
(2-3 weeks)
⚫ High priority placed on text sources
⚫ No school-wide Info. Literacy education
Context
Academic realities
4. 1. Ongoing weeding and inventory
2. Development of “Cataloging Norms”
3. Physical re-organization of books
4. Development of “Subject Heading Norms”
Solutions
5. Initial weeding:
• What we have
• What we need to update
• What we should replace/lose
• What may need to be moved
6. Experience with student research interests
Moved from 248.146092
Moved from 378.1981095199048
8. • Gorbachev
• Soviet Union
• Socialism
• Perestroika
• Romanovs
• Russia history
• USSR history
• Kings & rulers
Example of 1 shelf in our Russia
section
*As part of collection of
approximately 168 books covering
the former Soviet Union and Russia
• Romanies
• Eastern Europe
• Russia
• Ethnic relations
• Cuba
• Soviet Union
• International
relations
947 DUN
947 C87
947 CRO
947 C67
9. ⚫ Doesn’t flow historically
⚫ Different truncation styles lead
to confusion
⚫ Difficult to find items easily
⚫ Gaps in collections are hard to
identify
• Gorbachev
• Soviet Union
• Socialism
• Perestroika
• Romanovs
• Russia history
• USSR history
• Kings & rulers
• Romanies
• Eastern Europe
• Russia
• Ethnic relations
• Cuba
• Soviet Union
• International
relations
947 DUN
947 C87
947 CRO
947 C67
10. ◆ Topic flows historically
◆ Subtopics are collected together, easier to find
◆ Gaps in collection are easily spotted
947.0843 SAK 947.085 PLO
947.085 COH
947.0843 ZUB
11.
12. ⚫Limit of subject headings per book, thereby making them both useable
and useful to the students
⚫ Use broader descriptors
⚫ Create uniformity in language and format
*Although in some cases we needed to add Subject Headings.
Cataloging Norms: overall goals
14. Too specific =
way more than needed
65 Subject Headings with child or children
41 of which only are only used 1 0r 2 times
= nearly 65% of those link to only one book
Subject Headings issues
cont.
19. ⚫It is an iterative process.
⚫ Finding the perfect number of useful Subject Headings.
⚫Spelling errors! Name and date inconsistency! Requires constant
reviewing and editing.
Cataloging Norms: experience so far
20. ⚫ Don't make it complicated
⚫ Do what works in your library with your patrons
⚫ It’s a good opportunity to weed old/unused/falling apart and update
End result?
⚫Easy access
⚫Happy patrons
Key Takeaways
25. Laura Pearle
Director, Cox Library
Milton Academy
Cox_library@Milton.edu
Joanna Novick
Upper School Librarian
Milton Academy
Cox_library@Milton.edu
Thank you!