Instructor
Michael Sheehan, NWLS Database Manager
3200 East Lakeshore Drive, Ashland, WI 54806
Phone: 715.682.2365
Access Required
The course will run for 6 weeks. Each week will feature new topics, readings, discussion, and some exercises to practice your skills. You can participate at any time of day using the World Wide Web. You will receive a password so you can access course software that is hosted at NWLS – no software for you to buy. You also need to have an email account to communicate with the instructor. Discussions will take place through e-mail accounts individually and through a course discussion board.
Course Description
Basic historical development and principles essential to the understanding of the conceptual foundations of providing bibliographic access and control of materials and information. Discussion and examples in the application of AACR2r will be presented to illustrate and reflect current practice.
Organizing, classifying, and cataloging print and non-print materials. Includes descriptive and subject cataloging as well as classification.
General Course Objectives
To familiarize students with the functions and tasks of the Technical Services Department of a library.
To familiarize students with a basic understanding of descriptive cataloging according to AACR2r rules.
To familiarize students with a basic understanding of the MARC format for materials.
To familiarize students with the vocabulary of library automation and inform them of the various bibliographic utilities and the different types of services they provide.
To familiarize students with the files related to library materials and provide basic information on access points and authority files.
To provide students with a basic understanding of the structure of subject headings according to Library of Congress Subject Headings.
To provide students with a basic understanding of classifying books according to the Dewey Decimal Classification, and other systems as well.
Course Outline
Session 1: The Library Catalog
- History of the Catalog
- Bibliographic Control
- Process of Cataloging
- AACR
- ISBD
- Assignment
Session 2: MARC Records
- Bibliographic Records
- Access Points
- Authority Records
- Assignment
Session 3: Subject Headings
- Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
- Sears List of Subject Headings
- Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
- Assignment
Session 4: Classification and Call Numbers
- Enumerative (Alphanumeric) - LCC
- Faceted (Colon) – CC and Bliss
- Hierarchical (Decimal) – DDC and UDC
- Other Classification – Brown
- Call Numbers
- Cutter Tables
- Assignment
Session 5: Present Time Cataloging
- NWLS and Member Libraries
- Merlin
- WISCAT
Session 6: The Future of Cataloging
- Linked Systems and Virtual Catalogs
- The AACR Move to RDA and FRBR
- MARC as Metadata
- Final Exam
Required Texts: Reference will be made to basic cataloging tools, such as AACR2, the DDC, and LCSH, but there are only two required texts for the class. These documents will be available via the Web and are printable.
CEUs : This class is worth 12 hrs of continuing education credit. Course credit is tracked by participation in discussions, reading assignments, and completing the Final Exam.