I'm rocking the cataloging! :) I know, it sounds silly. Who knew?
I got my results for my second paper in this class, the one on subject headings, and I did far better than I ever expected (an HD). I had no idea how I'd do, but it was actually rather fun, and not frustratingly challenging. Am I a cataloger in the making? I suppose it depends on how I do on this next task, actually assigning Dewey Decimal numbers.
Even though I've done well in this class so far, I have to say, I still question how necessary it is for a school librarian to have to know all of these skills. After having interviewed several librarians during my study visits, no one emphasized any need to use cataloging skills. They all said it was fully or mostly automated. When it wasn't automated, they had to look the information in a database and then just copied it over. I haven't met any librarians who actually assign subject headings or Dewey Decimal numbers themselves. Sure, I suppose it is good to have those skills when you run into a situation where you have a rare resource. I also suppose that it is good to have these skills so you can manipulate your catalog to make improvements, clean up the data, or cater the catalog to serve your own library's purposes. However, this is not a big part of being a librarian is it? Was it really necessary to put all of this energy and thought into developing this skill? Besides, I'm afraid this skill will go rusty if not regularly used. I'm sure that by the time I actually do need to catalog something or write a subject heading, I'll have forgotten how to do it!
I just completed the second assignment for ETL505. This module was quite hefty. While the tasks were interesting and honestly, a little fun, one can second guess their work an endless number of times. We had to look at five hypothetical resources and assign SCIS subject headings to them. I thought some of the tasks were easy, actually. However, so many people asked questions on the forum, that it caused me to doubt my decisions. I didn't change much of my work based on what I read in the modules, as I felt I could justify my decisions with clauses from the SCISSHL Guidelines or SCISSHL. However, part of me is just not sure I did it all right. This was meant to be a practical exercise, not a research paper. In a way, that makes this so much easier... but yet it didn't! I suppose the bright side is that I did better than I expected on assignment 1, which leaves me a lot of flexibility on these next two assignments.
I still wonder, however, how practical having cataloging skills is. I've interviewed several librarians for my study visits in ETL507, and none of them seem to require the skills of creating subject headings. It seems the systems they order their books from automatically come with cataloging details pre-loaded (e.g. Follett provides the data with the resources). The only reason I can really think of, is that it is good to understand how cataloging and standards within them work.
I recently noticed some discrepancy in the catalog at my local library. Some of the subject headings clearly were based on SCIS (they were coded scisshl), while others must be based on the Library of Congress (I'm not familiar with it, but it is probably the case). I saw magnets and magnetism both in the catalog, but they didn't refer to each other. I think they were both in the system because some resources were probably purchased from a US institution which provided LOC headings, while others were purchased from an Australian institution which supplied SCIS data. I suppose if I were looking to "clean up" the catalog, knowing about these standards would reveal the problems in the catalog, and the solution would clearly be to adhere to one standard (and include references to other relevant terms)--likely a problem of international libraries that purchase their resources from all over the world, but not so much a problem for domestic ones. But of course, only library nerds (or maybe tech nerds) would ever pick up on such problems.
Module 5 has been entirely about subject access to resources. I’ll have to admit that there is a lot of minutiae to get bogged down in, and working closely in subject heading taxonomies can be... taxing. At times it can get downright mind-numbing. It seems to take a certain kind of personality or brain to be willing to work in this type of environment.
I do recognize the value of having a standard controlled vocabulary for subject headings. I learned this when I went into my local school’s OPAC to discover that we use a combination of subject headings--I notice some comes from SCIS, while others seem to follow a different system. There was no cross referencing, and variations of the same heading were used (e.g. magnets and magnetism) which could really leave resources unnoticed. Even more interesting to me was that we had some resources with zero subject headings. Hmmm... A little house cleaning needed perhaps?
In lesson activities, we have practiced assigning subject headings to practice resources. I actually had a bit of fun with this because I was doing them right. Maybe I have the kind of mind that is suited to such structure and organization to do work like this after all!
Anyway, in the end, I am most fascinated by the last bit of reading I have done in this module, which has been mostly about natural language searching. I walk away with two memorable topics.
The module was suggesting other ways librarians have been using the OPAC and keyword searching, taking advantage of the “notes” section for other local needs. My mind began to get excited at the possibilities (not kidding!). I made note that I could use the notes section in the OPAC to identify which resources might be useful for certain concepts we often use in elementary teaching, such as learner profile characteristics (e.g. open minded or communicator) and reading comprehension concepts (e.g. schema, inferencing, mental images). I also like the suggestions from the module notes, such as labeling the resources used for certain projects so they can be pulled easily in the future, labeling reading ability or level, and including other useful information like pictures, summaries and reviews. It makes me think of how I love searching and looking up resources on Amazon.com, because their site is so inclusive of information. Now if only we can get user reviews on our library OPAC...
Folksonomies: I love it. I absolutely love organizing my information (links, blog entries, pictures), but I absolutely hate that I can never remember the keywords that I used before, so I end up with so many variations of the same word. My delicious account is dead and buried because it is so poorly organized with excessive tags that have only one link. Personally, I need a system that helps me organize this better, and I had no idea that all this time, I’ve been struggling with a well-known management issue of folksonomies vs. controlled vocabulary, thus exemplifying the value of controlled vocabulary. Who knew!?
I guess all I had to do was make a little personal connection to the material I’m reading, and it all sort of makes sense.
Uh oh. I think that learning about the concept of metadata is making my head spin in a strange way. I can't seem to stop thinking about it!
So far in this module, I've been reading about what metadata is, why it's important, and why standardization is necessary. I seem to have a pretty good general understanding of it these days, but I can't stop thinking about how metadata is incorporated to what we do with information on a daily basis. As I type this blog, I'm even thinking about what metadata I will assign to the entry (what keywords or categories will I assign to this entry? I have to make sure that I use consistent vocabulary so as not to accidentally create a new category...).
Anyway, I was thinking about iTunes or iPhoto. One of my big challenges is to use the metadata fields that are given to us in order to catalog our data appropriately. For example, in iTunes, there is a field for genre or artist. When I enter this metadata myself, I might enter "The Arcade Fire" or "Arcade Fire" for the artist name. At the same time, I might enter "indie" as the music genre, or if it auto populates, it might enter "alternative" or "rock". This has become a big problem when I go to search for a song, and can't find it because when you alphabetically sort the artist or genre, they are not where you expect them to be (e.g. with or without the THE). There is no standardization. I like how sometimes the metadata autopopulates because it will use standardized vocabulary (and saves me time). However, it seems to classify all of my music as rock, whereas I tend to differentiate the types of sub-rock genres to give me more descriptive information.
This also makes me think of why I can never seem to effectively tag my websites appropriately in Delicious. I love using Delicious, but I can never remember the terms I used to tag web pages. I constantly end up with extra tag words that are sort of alone out there, being assigned to only one website. It would be so much more effective if these terms were standardized. However, the more standardized the terms are, the less personalized they are. I'm not sure what the answer is.
I may be going off on a tangent here, but it's making sense to me.
A lot of this thought process sparked from reading the following article:
Milstead, J., & Feldman, S. (1999). Metadata: Cataloging by Any Other Name. Online, 23(1), 24-26,28-31. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Part of module 2 was to look at various digital libraries. A digital library, is essentially a web based information center, and it is not necessary to physically go into the center to get the information. The UC system's CDL (California Digital Library) was one example, and another was Culture24 in the UK. While useful, the sites served very different purposes. The CDL site was interestingly an access point for libraries, but also for archives, preservation, vendors, publishing and more. It has that one point of contact function, and the website is well presented and easy to use. Culture24 was kind of like I was reading a digital magazine. For example, when in Shanghai or San Francisco, I often like to pick up a City Weekend, Time Out, SF Bay Guardian, or SF Weekly magazine to see what's happening. In a way, Culture24 does this as it showcases what's happening in museums, as places to go. However, they also showcase programs and highlights, offer reviews, and report happenings about all things museum in the UK. I would not have thought of this as a digital or virtual library.
We were also asked to look at CAL Berkeley's Digital Library SunSITE, to look at other virtual information centers. Unfortunately a lot of the links were outdated, but I did explore the OAC Union Database. I have used such libraries before, for example, finding historical documents that have been digitized in the archive. I was looking at descriptions of many archive items, but was not able to see the actual item online. It would be fantastic to digitize items somehow, but surely this has become an arduous task where no one has had the time or money. Such digital libraries are not libraries in the traditional sense of the word because they do not act as a home for books--you do not have to check anything out. You can look at things like maps, letters, newspaper clippings and photo albums. In some cases the materials are available online, but in many cases, they are not--not yet.
I noticed that in my first module of ETL505 it is suggested that we post our comments on the subforum. This is common with most courses I've taken previously, however each time, I have not found the process of posting on the subforum useful. It seems that many people just post their thoughts because they have to (and there is a lot of repetition), and only a few students actually spend time responding to postings. Personally, I don't have time to read all of the postings, but I do complete the readings and give each topic some consideration. I prefer not to post to the subforum--it's just not helpful to the way I learn. Apparently I'm not the only one who is doing this (phew!).
That being said, I wanted to add a few notes and thoughts about topics raised in module 1 here.
What is Effective Information Retrieval?
The Hider text addressed the issue of what makes information retrieval efficient, and in sum, his main points seem to encompass the idea of keeping the information simple and accurate. Input is easy, standardized, accurate, and brief, while retrieval is easy, understandable, accurate, quick and accessible.
Who Organizes Information?
The Rayward paper, while not a casual read, addresses the role of libraries, museums and archives. This article definitely made me think about what the roles of these information institutions are. Previously I never considered the latter two when thinking about information centers. All three of these institutions keep information of different types. Libraries are more informational or research based for a specific audience (community, school, university, etc. ). Museums' information may include physical items/artifacts in addition to information. Archives tend to keep all history, often extremely detailed, of a particular environment. These day-to-day notes become part of the collection, whereas in the other instances, these notes are not included. As institutions add more and more to the collection, it becomes increasingly complicated to find a standardized way to catalog the varying types of items.
Information Resources and their Attributes
The quote of the month from American Libraries, January 2001 mentions how cataloging has often focused on where an object is in the library, and that this was the purpose of inventory. Instead, we need to focus on the intellectual content and substance of the items, and use this to track the information. This reminds me a lot of today's search tools and categorization methods with digital items, as we assign key words and categories to the digital works, and use search tools to "find" these items, rather than having to memorize/log they actual location of where the file is stored.
Bibliographic Organization in School Libraries
I have worked in a school library where the OPAC was not helpful as resources tended to be anywhere in the school, and not necessarily where the system stated. There was a poor system of physical location, in addition to very little subject/educational categorization. The library became underused by me as an educator because of its unreliability.
Why do I need to Learn about Bibliographic Organization?
I believe our users would rate our catalog as option d "Can be helpful but sometimes frustrating, frequently does not lead them to the information they need." Various things cause this to happen. Our catalog includes primarily books, so if the user is looking for a specific book, the catalog might point them in the right direction. However, without organization (previously, all fiction picture books were "lumped" together in no order), locating the book was a huge task, and not useful. This is improving. Often, users are looking for quick answers and do not have the time to physically go to the library to retrieve the book that might help them. In such a case, the Internet will often find quicker answers, without having to leave the classroom. However, users must have good internet research skills to find reliable information about what they need. It would help for the school library to have a greater virtual presence, allowing it to be a viable alternative to the open and wide Internet.
Charles Cutter was a librarian at the Boston Atheneum, and wrote The Rules for a Dictionary Catalog back in 1876!! He was the first to establish a set of cataloging rules, which are written below: 1. To enable a person to fine a book of which either A. the author) } B. the title } is known C. the subject) } 2. To show what the library has D. by a given author E. on a given subject F. in a given kind of literature 3. To assist in the choice of a book
G. as to its edition (bibliographically) H. as to its character (literary or topical) An updated version for today's libraries, museums, and/or archives could be as follows:1. To enable a person to find a physical or digital resource of which either A. the author } B. the title } C. the subject } is known D. the item number (e.g. ID, ISBN) } E. the key word(s) } 2. To show what the information center has access to F. by a given author G. on a given subject H. according to a given format I. on a given time frame 3. To assist in the selection of a physical or digital resource
J. as to its edition (bibliographically) K. as to its character (literary or topical) L. as to its relevance M. as to its qualityInformation about Charles CutterCutter's Objectives
This is a bit of a wondering and thought trail, but I thought the best place to document it would be here.
While I was off this past term, I encountered several opportunities to tell people about how I'm studying to be a teacher librarian. It's a bit funny, but I'm becoming more comfortable in admitting that I'm not much of a reader, but I'm going to be a librarian. A lot of people don't get that, and even I started to worry about it a bit while I was off this past term. A librarian that doesn't read much? I love books, don't get me wrong. It's just that I never seem to have the time to commit to a book for an extended period of time. I'm a new mother--getting through the day is hard enough, let alone spending any time committed to a book. I need to often explain to people that being a librarian is not just referring people to books, and showing them how to find them. That is only part of it. Particularly true with being a school librarian, in my opinion, it's the whole concept of research and how to find information (not just books) that is a big part of the job.
I am planning a few study visits with information centers in different places. I was particularly interested in visiting a corporate library. I contacted a couple of companies (not many, but about 2-3) and in all cases, I was told that they used to have a corporate librarian, but that job was eliminated 10 years ago, or something like that. I was thinking about that. Why are corporations eliminating their librarians? If they are gone, what is taking their place? I assume that the employees themselves have assumed the responsibility of gathering information on their own. This means that corporations without librarians need to have employees who are also strong in research and information skills, right? How do they get there? Well, these new employees are going to learn their information skills in school and university right? This made me realize that my job as a teacher librarian who teaches information management is especially important in today's world, if corporations are no longer hiring their own librarians.
I'll admit, I enrolled in this subject because I had to. It did not sound interesting at all. It officially starts tomorrow, but I've been spending the weekend reading some of the introductory material and getting familiar with it all. I'm happy to say that my first impression is now changing. OK, to the lay person, surely no one seems to care what bibliographic standards are, but I've learned it's significance, and yeah, it sounds a little bit like me.
You see, bibliographic descriptions, from what I've learned in my 1 hour of reading, are so important because they are the key to us finding ANY information. It sounds like a thankless job, but so essential. I can't help but imagine what internet research and surfing would be like if information was not organized in the background. What would Google be? And what if there was no standard method of organizing all the information out there? Sounds chaotic to me. I mean, information organization is everywhere, so organizing all of this information whether it be in descriptions, keywords, or file management (e.g. websites, book in library, papers in your file cabinet, journal article in database, documents on your computer, categories or keywords in Delicious) is essential. I, for one, have yet to find a good keyword system for my Delicious bookmarks, which would explain why I don't use Delicious that much--but I love the concept. I suppose if I'm moving into the profession of information organization, I'd better get on that! My information is pretty organized in other areas though--really!
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