Hi All,
just a quick response to something written by Amy Turner:
> Cataloging policy has grown out of tradition, without input from
users
I've head this or read this many times, but I find it to be very
questionable. As Diana Brooking and Rachel Wadham have written, the
user of the cataloger isn't an homogenous group. I am a user of the
catalog. My 15 year old daughter is also a catalog user and a very
enthusiastic "googler" as well. All catalogers are users, as well as
most acquisitions folks, reference folks, etc. (Are computers users of
the catalog? I think so, in some instances, but I'll leave that off for
now.) I believe, therefore, that cataloging policy has a tradition of
being greatly informed by input from users.
I believe, also, that this decision by LC is based on a sound reason
(and one we will continue to debate), but it isn't because the loss of
series control is a benefit. It must be that the decision is purely
financial (not doing something is cheaper than doing it) or as a
trade-off (not doing this means something else does get done). Whether
the decision will have the positive effect hoped for is certainly an
open question.
Daniel
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Daniel CannCasciato
Head of Cataloging
Central Washington University Library
400 E. University Way
Ellensburg, WA 98926-7548
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