LISTSERV mailing list manager LISTSERV 16.0

Help for EDUCAT Archives


EDUCAT Archives

EDUCAT Archives


[email protected]


View:

Message:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Topic:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

By Author:

[

First

|

Previous

|

Next

|

Last

]

Font:

Monospaced Font

LISTSERV Archives

LISTSERV Archives

EDUCAT Home

EDUCAT Home

EDUCAT  January 2013

EDUCAT January 2013

Subject:

Re: Seeking input for upcoming ALCTS CAMMS talk

From:

Diane Hillmann <[log in to unmask]>

Reply-To:

Discussion List for issues related to cataloging & metadata education & training <[log in to unmask]>

Date:

Fri, 4 Jan 2013 12:09:46 -0500

Content-Type:

text/plain

Parts/Attachments:

Parts/Attachments

text/plain (60 lines)

Allyson, et al.:

These are really important issues, and while not really daunted by the
variety of opinion, I find myself most in agreement with Buzz's point of
view, most likely because my teaching tends to be of the adjunct variety. I
have to say that I think the practical stuff is overrated as appropriate
content for a graduate level course. Yes, people want to be able to hit the
ground running, but IMHO, those folks should be encouraged to work as a
copy cataloger for a while or in conjunction with their coursework.

What can't be learned on the job and IS appropriate for teaching at the
master's level is 1) how cataloging as practiced both fits in and violates
the theories of information organization; 2) how cataloging is changing and
MUST change to be useful in the world we live in now; 3) what is metadata
and how is it the same/different from cataloging.

The people in programs working towards a master's degree today are very
unlikely to be working in a cubicle surrounded by trucks of books and other
materials with the job of fitting it all into an already existing catalog
based on MARC and the shared cataloging of yesterday. If we train them for
those jobs we are doing them a huge disservice, because it is unlikely that
those jobs will be done by MLS librarians after the current crop retires.
This is not to question the relevance of knowing about how current
cataloging practice evolved, what problems it was designed to solve, and
why those problems are no longer relevant--but it doesn't require knowing
how to create a catalog record. If you don't think that cataloging
experience can be both a help and a hindrance to understanding where our
world is going, please take a look at Autocat and some of the other
discussion lists packed with catalogers protesting the inexorable changes
coming by insisting that the world still needs the kind of cataloging
they've been doing for decades.

If you're not convinced of this, take a look at the job ads that come out
looking for cataloging and metadata librarians. These are the people who
will manage change--and lots of it--in all kinds of libraries for as much
of the near future that we can articulate. They will not be closely
supervising hordes of professional catalogers, much less copy catalogers.
Professional catalogers who are looking for help in making this leap are
everywhere, and frankly, they're not getting the continuing education they
need to manage the changes they're already seeing where they work. I see
them in conferences and workshops, mostly, and few of them need convincing
that they need help. I think it would be great if the library schools were
looking more at meeting their needs as well, but so far I've seen little
evidence of interest.

I find it discouraging that so many of the justifications I see for
continuing to teach the practicalities of cataloging come from students
trying as best they can to articulate what they think they need. I'm not
sure that was ever enough to build a useful curriculum, and it certainly
isn't now. I'm sure I'll make many on this list uncomfortable by saying
that in my opinion, most library school (or iSchool, if you prefer) faculty
that I've met are not able to adequately prepare their students for these
changes because their own learning and experience has not kept up. I'd like
to see that change, but nothing I've suggested so far has taken hold.

Time to take a few deep breaths and get back to work ...

Diane Hillmann
"For many years a cataloger, but now a professional troublemaker"

Top of Message | Previous Page | Permalink

Advanced Options


Options

Log In

Log In

Get Password

Get Password


Search Archives

Search Archives


Subscribe or Unsubscribe

Subscribe or Unsubscribe


Archives

March 2024
February 2024
December 2023
November 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
July 2022
June 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
September 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
July 2020
June 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
October 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
February 2017
January 2017
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
March 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
June 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
January 2009
December 2008
November 2008
October 2008
September 2008
August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
May 2008
April 2008
March 2008
February 2008
December 2007
November 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
April 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004

ATOM RSS1 RSS2



LISTSERV.LOC.GOV

CataList Email List Search Powered by the LISTSERV Email List Manager