Newspapers / The Chowan Herald (Edenton, … / June 16, 1977, edition 1 / Page 6
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By Nellie M. Sanders Director, Pettigrew Regional library HOOTS CORRECT CATALOG ING - One of the most complicated problems in the art of librarianship is known in our jargon as “bibliographic control”. In order to make all of the materials contained in the library readily available to the users, systems for cataloging books have been evolved. Over the years, these have become more and more involved, with the proliferation of published materials on an ever widening range of subjects. For one example of the magnitude of the possible problems, consider this: the current issue of BOOKS IN PRINT (BIP), which is published each year and contains the books listed by almost all the publishers in the United States, list 325,000 author names. But that does not necessarily mean there are 325,000 authors whose books are currently in print and hence available. Some authors’ names are listed in as many as four or five different forms - without taking pseudonyms into con sideration. The publisher of BIP, the R.R. Bowker Company, is considering publishing a listing of standardized author names as an aid to librarians, especially those involved in cataloging or purchasing but also for reference use. As a step in that direction, they are asking the opinions of selected librarians from various sized library systems. The usefulness of the book is readily apparent but, even with the com puterized data from their publication of BIP, it will be an expensive volume to produce. My major reaction to the questionnaire was to be more grateful than ever for the North Carolina State Processing Center. All our cataloging problems are solved by them with the help of their vast array of source materials. Printed lists of the books contained in the Library of Congress (the National Union Catalog) are supplemented by computer tapes of the latest books to be cataloged by our national library. In addition, the Processing Center is a member of the Ohio-based bibliographic service called OCLC which provides in stantaneous access to a tremendous data-base by means of a computer ter minal. National recognition has come to the work of North Carolina’s Processing Center this year. The chief, Eunice Drum, is one of the featured speakers at the American Library Association convention in Detroit this month. Her expertise should prove most valuable to other state library agencies which have or are considering processing centers. SCREECHES COMMERCIAL CATA LOGING One of the other members of the panel with Eunice Drum will be former librarian Walter Curley who is now president of the Gaylord Company which sells commercial cataloging. I am very sorry I will be unable to hear this debate in person (I have decided to skip the national convention this year in the interest of economy). The quality of the com mercial cataloging is not the only drawback to this seemingly less expensive method. The biggest problem is the limitation on available titles - they will only provide catalog cards for certain current books, a small percentage of any library’s purchases. That leaves the problem of getting the remaining titles cataloged, requiring the services of a cataloger on each library’s staff. The Processing Center, on the other hand, eliminates entirely the need of a technical services staff since they will catalog every book we acquire - even if we do not purchase it from them (a prerequisite of the commercial catalogers) Page 6-A II hr»i thing! Choose from white on whites, superior stripes and broad- \ clothsan tones. Tailored his way and precision durable wear, "in blue, taPand green. Sires 29 to 50, pants.. 14tlj Shop Mon. Thru Thurs. 9:30 A. M. - P. M. WL Fri. 9:30 A. M. -9 P. M.; Sat. 9:30 A. M. -6P. M. ,_ f| Q|" |)y\f| \ rl FATHER'S MY GIFtS June. 16, 1977 CHOWAN HERALD
The Chowan Herald (Edenton, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
June 16, 1977, edition 1
6
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