I know that MARC records are vital but because of this assignment I am actually considering running off to join the Luddites. I wonder if they're taking applications?
The assignment is not too difficult but it is painstaking and it is time consuming and it is precise. It took me awhile to figure out that most of the MARC records could be found at the LOC but nevertheless, finding the correct fields, copying them properly, and editing them properly takes some time. And then there is field 350--I've since found out that the field is obsolete but there was some serious time spent on the internet researching it.
Then there were the books that didn't seem to have any records anywhere--I had to find the online article in some obscure library in Alaska but there was no MARC record for it. I hope I did that one right too.
And how are MARC properly organized? They seem to jump around (numerically) a fair bit. For example, while the 500s are grouped together, sometimes the first tag is 538 and then the next is 500. Same with the 600s. For my assignment, I'm going to put them in numerical order and hope that it's ok.
Part B of the assignment is pretty straightforward after the MARC records are found. I couldn't find Yu Gi Oh! for the longest time.
I am becoming very familiar with MARC fields through this exercise which is the point, I believe. And, according to some of my colleagues I've emailed, I think I'm on the right tack.
That said, I'm finding time management to be a challenge for me since this is the kind of activity that I could spend months on and has been a bit of a 'black hole' with regards to time with me already. School is wrapping up and, like Christmas, this is the time of many obligations. I have three retirement dinners to attend and each evening at these functions is one less that I can spend on my work. This course is really testing my ability to manage my time efficiently.
Reflection: Activity #3 DC vs. LC
Again, The Straight Dope article does a good job of outlining the difference between the two systems. They write, "DDC uses fewer categories and sub-classifications and is consistent across disciplines, while LCC is more highly subdivided with no consistency between disciplines. It's understandable, therefore, that DDC has proven more useful to libraries catering to a wide range of needs such as public libraries and schools, while LCC is more widely used in libraries focused more on technical areas like colleges, universities, and government." Good summary, no?
I found this Activity very interesting simply because, prior to it, I didn't realize how creative and individual a process cataloguing could be. The person who catalogues a book must make sure that those who need it can find it, but it's not as simple as that. For example, what if a work of fiction is written to be historically accurate of the time? Where would a person classify it? Now that catalogues are stored on computers, it's much easier to find resources across disciplines but I never thought about how cataloguing could potentially influence readership.
I found this Activity very interesting simply because, prior to it, I didn't realize how creative and individual a process cataloguing could be. The person who catalogues a book must make sure that those who need it can find it, but it's not as simple as that. For example, what if a work of fiction is written to be historically accurate of the time? Where would a person classify it? Now that catalogues are stored on computers, it's much easier to find resources across disciplines but I never thought about how cataloguing could potentially influence readership.
Reflection: Activity #2 website review
I've added the useful cataloguing websites I found to side bar of the blog. I found the Central Massachusetts Library website to be the quite helpful simply because there are useful links from it. This includes links that will take you to pages that introduce both the LC and DDC. There are also links to 'games' to test your knowledge of both systems. Granted, the games are pretty terrible but it might be the Dewey one in particular could perhaps help my students understand the system. There was also an LC tutorial from the LOC but the link isn't working and I couldn't find it on the LOC website so perhaps it was removed entirely.
The article I found on The Straight Dope was good also, and full of information about Melvil Dewey. According to them, he'd always been fascinated with books but when he inhaled too much smoke rescuing books from a school fire and was told by his doctor (erroneously ) that he'd be dead within a year, he became dedicated to fighting inefficiency (that was when he changed his name from Melville to Melvil). I don't think he had a lot of hobbies. His picture is at the right of this entry.
The article I found on The Straight Dope was good also, and full of information about Melvil Dewey. According to them, he'd always been fascinated with books but when he inhaled too much smoke rescuing books from a school fire and was told by his doctor (erroneously ) that he'd be dead within a year, he became dedicated to fighting inefficiency (that was when he changed his name from Melville to Melvil). I don't think he had a lot of hobbies. His picture is at the right of this entry.
An Aside: The Colophon Cafe
Thanks to this course, I finally know why the Colophon Cafe is named so. For years now, whenever I drive to the United States, I will stop at the Legendary Colophon Cafe and Deli in Fairhaven, Washington for lunch or dinner. A couple of years ago, I asked the server what a Colophon was but he didn't know and I assumed that it had something to do with cows (because the cow is their mascot). And now, only six pages into my textbook, I find out what a colophon is. Brilliant. The cafe is at the back of a bookstore which makes perfect sense too since the colophon is found at the back of the book. I love learning interesting facts; just call me Cliff Claven.
By the way, I highly recommend this little restaurant...it's good and cheap and in a nice location.
By the way, I highly recommend this little restaurant...it's good and cheap and in a nice location.
Reflection: Activity #1: Introductions
I found it really interesting to read everyone's introduction and it made me aware of my unique position in the Vancouver School Board. Unlike many of my colleagues, I get 3 whole days in the library and I am very well supported both by my district and the Vancouver Public Library.
Because I am working in a joint space, it does mean I have less in the way of autonomy in the library. I don't get to say how my books are arranged or catalogued, I don't get to say how the space and displays are organized, I barely get to work the circulation desk. I found that my involvement at the library over the year was limited (I don't have a desk at the library...my desk is in the school's computer lab). On a more positive note, this was my first year in the position and I did benefit from having a staff that has worked there for a long time. I found them to be very generous with their time and knowledge.
Next year, now that I've gotten my feet wet, I do plan on pushing for more school involvement in the library. Hopefully I will be able to get a library club going through my school and hopefully I'll be able to have a space in the library for school promotions. I will also have to push my administrator for this as well. Because the library is already staffed through the VPL, he sees my position of three days a week as superfluous and he would like, I think, to have me in more of a resource position that would support individual students and absent staff. What he doesn't see is that the VPL staff don't teach our students how to use the library; they are there to facilitate patrons to find their materials not teach them how to find them themselves.
Another issue that I face is that my position has been a revolving door for the past five years. Unfortunately, the staff at my school are reluctant to use the space because a) the space is used by some less savoury members of the public and b) there hasn't been a consistant library program at the school so I am having to overcome their past issues with the library also.
This post has gotten severely off the topic of cataloguing at my school but I thought it might give a better understanding of my situation and of why joint school/public spaces are a good idea in theory only!
Because I am working in a joint space, it does mean I have less in the way of autonomy in the library. I don't get to say how my books are arranged or catalogued, I don't get to say how the space and displays are organized, I barely get to work the circulation desk. I found that my involvement at the library over the year was limited (I don't have a desk at the library...my desk is in the school's computer lab). On a more positive note, this was my first year in the position and I did benefit from having a staff that has worked there for a long time. I found them to be very generous with their time and knowledge.
Next year, now that I've gotten my feet wet, I do plan on pushing for more school involvement in the library. Hopefully I will be able to get a library club going through my school and hopefully I'll be able to have a space in the library for school promotions. I will also have to push my administrator for this as well. Because the library is already staffed through the VPL, he sees my position of three days a week as superfluous and he would like, I think, to have me in more of a resource position that would support individual students and absent staff. What he doesn't see is that the VPL staff don't teach our students how to use the library; they are there to facilitate patrons to find their materials not teach them how to find them themselves.
Another issue that I face is that my position has been a revolving door for the past five years. Unfortunately, the staff at my school are reluctant to use the space because a) the space is used by some less savoury members of the public and b) there hasn't been a consistant library program at the school so I am having to overcome their past issues with the library also.
This post has gotten severely off the topic of cataloguing at my school but I thought it might give a better understanding of my situation and of why joint school/public spaces are a good idea in theory only!
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