Library Catalogs

What is a catalog? A set of records that provide information about the items that the catalog represents. Metadata: Information about information. –Los Angeles TimesLos Angeles Times

Alexandrian Library – Egypt By 260 B.C. – Had a library catalog which was divided into ten main subject areas: PoetryThe DramaLaws PhilosophyHistoryOratory Medicine Mathematical Science Natural Science Miscellanea

Alexandrian Library – Egypt Also had an alphabetical author index which covered: –Name –Place of Birth –Name of Father –Name of Teachers –Nicknames –Bibliography Had over 520,000 Papyrus Rolls

Library Catalogs Early catalogs were book catalogs 3 x 5 Card began being used in U.S. in latter part of 19 th Century Automated systems began use in 1970’s Automated systems with full access through the WWW are now standard

Describe an Object Work in Pairs Describe Important Details About Your Object –Size, Shape, Color, Material, etc. –What else would you add?

Main Parts of a Library Catalog Bibliographic Description –Identification (Title, Author, Format) –Publication (Date, Publisher) –Subject Information –Multiple-Access Files / Points

Main Parts of a Library Catalog Bibliographic Description –Identification (Title, Author, Format) –Publication (Date, Publisher) –Subject Information –Multiple-Access Files / Points Location Information –Call Number or Location Code

Control Cataloging information is a natural human activity. –We categorize humanity. A catalog is ultimately a tool of control.

Catalog Controls Authority Control –The use of uniform terms for names and topics as access points to bibliographic records. Bibliographic Control –The organization and arrangement of recorded information by established standards.

Authority Control What is a basic form of Authority Control that everyone uses everyday?

Authority Control What is a basic form of Authority Control that everyone uses everyday? Language

Authority Control If Language = Authority Control Then Authority Control = Language Primary Tool of Authority Control: –Library of Congress Subject HeadingsLibrary of Congress Subject Headings

Subject Headings (Authority Control) Descriptive terms assigned to each item in a catalog Uses Controlled Vocabulary Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) primarily used Designed to facilitate browsing in the catalog

Classification Systems (Bibliographic Control) Attempts to bring together comparable materials in a logical arrangement. –Facilitates Browsing The most commonly used systems: –Dewey Decimal (Dewey) –Library of Congress (LC)

Call Numbers Determines the location of an item based on its subject grouping. Call numbers may include: –Classification Number –Book number developed from author or title –Edition number –Year of publication

Call Numbers KF4758.A7 G –KF4758.A7 = Classification –G66 = Author (Goldstein, Leslie) –1988 = Year of Publication The constitutional rights of women : cases in law and social change

Dewey Decimal Developed by Melvil Dewey in late 1800’s All Dewey call numbers begin with numbers Has ten major classes Primarily used in public and school libraries

Dewey Decimal 900 Geography & History 970 General history of North America 973United States History 973.7Civil War 1861 – Military Operations Battle of Gettysburg

Library of Congress (LC) Developed by the Library of Congress in the early 1900’s to deal with the ever growing amount of printed information they had to deal with. Replaced a system developed by Thomas Jefferson.

Library of Congress (LC) Has 21 Main Classes All LC call numbers begin with letters Primarily used in Academic and Research libraries Allows for greater expansion and flexibility that Dewey

Library of Congress HF 5686.D7 HF = business 5686 = accounting.D7 = drug stores

Library of Congress HF 5686.P3 HF = business 5686 = accounting.P3 = petroleum industry

Library of Congress HF 5686.S75 HF = business 5686 = accounting.S75 = steel industry

Searching a Catalog

Computer Catalogs

AVC Library Catalog lib_catalog.avc.edu