Cataloging as a Public Service? I Think So!

January 8-9, 2014

Hosted by John Sandstrom and Beth Thomsett-Scott

Please join us for an e-forum discussion. It’s free and open to everyone!
Registration information is at the end of the message.

Each day, discussion begins and ends at:

Pacific: 7am – 3pm
Mountain: 8am – 4pm
Central: 9am – 5pm
Eastern: 10am – 6pm

The essence of public service is the ability for patrons to discover the item, AKA “discoverability.” Catalogers and technical services staff are the ones who make this happen. There are many questions associated with these two statements. Does your organization value your work as a cataloger in terms of making items discoverable? Do your public service colleagues see these statements as true? Today we are in a period of rapid change in cataloging.  There are many pressures on cataloging units, including outsourcing, decreasing resources, increasing costs, and changes to the very foundations of the work we do.  With the implementation of RDA, the expansion of discovery services, and the changing needs of library patrons, it is time for us to take a look at how Cataloging as Public Service is changing to make use of new tools and meet the needs of new, or, changing users.

In this e-forum, we want to discuss the changes we are seeing in how cataloging acts as a public service, what future trends are developing, and share the way we are using new tools and services to better serve our patrons.

Some of the questions that may be included are:

• How does cataloging support public services (reference) and the goals of discoverability and accessibility of information?
• What is the value of having catalogers serve as reference librarians and/or liaison librarians?
• Have discovery systems reduced the need for thorough cataloging of records from a public services (findability) view point?
• How do current rules detract from user needs?
• Is there tension between national standards and local needs? How might these be overcome?

John Sandstrom started his career in libraries as a copy-cataloger at the University of Tulsa while working on his MLIS at the University Oklahoma.  Since graduating in the late ‘80’s, he has bounced around the country working in Technical Services, Public Services, Collection Development/Acquisitions, and Library Management.  He is currently managing the Acquisitions Unit at New Mexico State University, teaching cataloging in the Library Science Associates Degree program at Dona Ana Community College, and working on a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Development.  When not working or going to school (HA!), he weaves, spins, and is an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).

Beth Thomsett-Scott is Interim Head of the Discovery Park Library at the University of North Texas  (UNT) in Denton, Texas. She is currently serving as liaison to the College of the Engineering, and has had responsibilities for the physical and life sciences departments as well during her 12 year tenure with UNT. Beth's professional passions include high quality customer service, web site usability, user satisfaction, and emerging technologies. When not working, Beth enjoys crime dramas, action and horror movies, and spending time with her daughter, cats, and dog.

 *What is an e-forum?*

An ALCTS e-forum provides an opportunity for librarians to discuss matters of interest, led by a moderator, through the e-forum discussion list. The e-forum discussion list works like an email listserv: register your email address with the list, and then you will receive messages and communicate with other participants through an email discussion. Most e-forums last two to three days. Registration is necessary to participate, but it's free. See a list of upcoming e-forums at: http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/e-forum.

*To register:*

Instructions for registration are available at: http://www.ala.org/alcts/confevents/upcoming/e-forum/sympa. Once you have registered for one e-forum, you do not need to register again, unless you choose to leave the email list. Participation is free and open to anyone. If you have any problems, please contact alcts-eforum-request@ala.org.

Posted on behalf of the ALCTS Continuing Education Committee