Cross Training
I'm still reading Subject Determination During the Cataloging Process by Alenka Sauperl. One of the catalogers interviewed mentioned it is important to work a few hours a week on the reference desk. The catalog is constructed for the user, not other catalogers and reference work connects us with our users. Amen.
The reverse is also true. Reference should work a few hours a week in cataloging. It will make them better reference librarians. They need to understand what the fields are how they are indexed, the kind of information in each and look at records in MARC format. While I'd not give reference staff original cataloging, there are many tasks that they can do. Adding subject headings to fiction in the area they read, writing summaries for the 520 field, checking spelling from the list by Terry Ballard, any number of specific things to make the catalog a better tool. They may even decide what project is most important to pursue based on what they see in their reference work.
Cross training makes for better librarians and a better understanding of and respect for each other's work.
- Lcsh Suggestion Blog-a-thon
The Radical Reference folks are having a Library of Congress Subject Heading Suggestion Blog-a-Thon.Do subject headings still matter? We say they do. Does the Library of Congress always identify accessible and appropriately named headings and implement...
- Cross Training
The article The Renaissance Librarian: Catalogers Working in Public Services by Douglas King has been published at LISCareer.com He discusses the benefits of working the reference desk and issues to consider before taking the plunge.I've always found...
- Awards
Attention All Reference or Public Services Librarians: Have you seen (or created) any good web sites lately? The RUSA/MARS Local Systems and Services Committee is seeking nominations to update our selective list of Innovative Web-Based Reference Services....
- Subject Headings
Currently I'm reading the book Subject Determination During the Cataloging Process by Alenka Sauperl. The processes it describes sounds much more realistic than how the process was described in cataloging class. In class it ran (1) Examine the item...
- Not Cataloging, Reference
Last week I attended the Summer Workshop for Distance Learning Librarians, a week of training on providing service to remote patrons. Very well done and interesting. One session was on using Chat for reference. I was surprised to see how many libraries...