May 15, 2009 Jacquie Samples

Objectives  Overview  How to customize  Searching techniques  Where to get help or learn more

What is Cataloger's Desktop?  Provides access to AACR2 and LC’s most heavily used cataloging publications. With hypertext links, a single click takes you from one tool to the relevant section of others: Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR2) Library of Congress Rule Interpretations Subject Cataloging Manuals MARC 21 Formats & Code lists Hundreds of web-based cataloging resources

Logging on To log on to Cataloger ’ s Desktop, Click the link on the M&C Department page to open a browser session or go to Click the Log On button to start a session.

Pop up blockers  You will need to select “If you use a popup blocker with your web browser please check here and click the Login button.”  Or, allow pop-ups on desktop.loc.gov to login without going through this extra step.

The Start page  Note the Start Over button. This always brings you back to the Document pane.

The Browse tab (Classic view) TOC pane Document pane

Document Tab (Desktop basic)

Results Tab  Displays the list of search results in the full screen

Doc/Results tab  Shows the search results together with the Document pane  Each of the search terms are highlighted

Search tab  Displays the TOC pane together with an Advanced Search template

Preferences tab  Allows you to limit the content of the TOC pane to the resources used most frequently  Also sets “ Use my preferences ” limit to searches.

Customization  Set Preferences for TOC and Searching  Add Bookmarks  Add Notes

Setting preferences  To remove resources that you seldom use, you can deselect them and save your preferred view in Preferences by clicking the “Set view” button.

Bookmarks and Notes  Allows you to customize resources to suit local needs and to create a personal file of notes and bookmarks Group Notes and Bookmarks Personal Notes and Bookmarks Be Careful not to Delete Group Notes or Bookmarks!

Bookmarking  The Document tab must be opened to use the bookmark icon.  The list of saved bookmarks can then be seen on the tab.

Creating Notes  Similar to add Bookmark feature From Document Tab, Use same Icon to create new note.

Using Preferences in Searches  Type search terms into box and click Limit by : My Preferences Full site Type of material Etc.

Selecting Resources in Browse  To select only certain sources of information to search, click the check box next to its listing in the TOC pane

Doing a search limited by Categories  Instead of browsing this view you can search the resources in this category by using the simple search box in the upper right corner

Restoring the full site view  To return to the full site once you have finished searching within a certain category, click the “Reset” TOC drop- down and then select “Use Full Site”

Where to find help from the Library of Congress  Quick Tips and other help at  Or click on the Training tab before logging in This is the same page you are sent to by clicking the FAQs tab

Click the FAQs tab  To view Quick Tips  FAQs  Join the Catalogers’ Desktop Listserv  And more

Miscellaneous Info  All customization features (i.e., Preferences, Bookmarks) are stored as cookies on the cataloger’s personal workstation. For this reason, they cannot be shared and they will disappear if cookies are deleted.  Many remote databases are included media, movie, theater and music guides, historical society catalogs, government agency websites, Autocat archives, OCLC documentation  The Feedback tab on the navigation bar allows customers to send comments to CDS (alternatively accessed via  4. Search sessions time out after 60 minutes of inactivity.