Page 72 - DLIS405_INFORMATION_STORAGE_AND_RETRIEVAL

Unit 7: Sorting and Indexing

During the past ten years, many library schools ceased making ‘organization of information’ a Notes
required course. As result, many library school students haven’t had the opportunity to discover
cataloguing as possible profession for them. Cataloguing courses that do exist are often inadequate,
inconsistent, or too difficult” Billie Hackney, Head of Monograph Cataloguing, Getty Research
Institute.
“Cataloguing is less and less represented in courses (at least in France), whilst it should be more
and more developed. A student recently said to me: ‘The catalogue stands at the core of all library
services, why does it not stand at the core of a library curator’s formal training?’” Patrick Le Boeuf,
curator of the National Library of France.
Recent literature recognizes the challenges faced by library schools today and prompt educators to
implement effective teaching strategies and methodologies.

7.3 Online Research

Having said this, mention a highly interesting and innovative approach to teaching descriptive
cataloguing at the University of Queensland by utilizing various innovative methods and media
for teaching activities, where students were encouraged to think critically about broader issues.
The results of this pilot project are “beyond expectations” as students clearly indicated that learning
about descriptive cataloguing, a good knowledge of AACR and MARC is highly relevant.

Gillian Hallam “Beyond our expectations: a review of an Independent learning
module at the Queensland University of Technology”

The project at the University of Queensland is an evidence that there are ways to attract the students
to this challenging and, to my mind, satisfying profession. The profession that has a long and
honorable history behind it. Nowadays the ever-expanding growth of information and information
technology, increasing volumes and multiple formats of information, changing user expectations
and behaviors brought about even higher levels of challenges for cataloguers.
To pursue professional ethics in creating timely and high quality records cataloguers are to develop
a new mindset to deal with the increased complexity in cataloguing. New technologies require new
skills. The modern cataloguer has to be multi-skilled, computer literate, able to operate different in-
house library systems, able to use the online packages, such as MARC 21 standard online, WEB
Dewey, LCSH Authorities, LA Search interface, Sanborn Cutter, national and international union
online catalogues.
The cultural changes in the society brought about additional requirement. The modern cataloguer
has to be multilingual, able to catalogue materials in different languages, including those in non-
Roman script, able to insert vernacular statements into the bibliographic record.
Cataloguers have to keep pace with the changing environment, managing materials in new formats,
manipulate different metadata schemes, catalogue for diverse user environments and audiences.
Print materials do not go away.

Materials in traditional format are to be used in combination with new digital and
electronic formats.
At the moment we catalogue a variety of electronic resources, among them are CDs, DVDs, CD-
ROMs, VCDs, etc. It is important for cataloguers to maintain the quality of cataloguing for effective

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