Category: The cat’s meow :|b cataloging tips

Drawing of a cat in the stacks.

Cataloging tips for library cats.

SmartPort smartly done

We are all still learning.  Here are a few tips and tricks that even experienced catalogers may want to review.  Most common errors with importing records: Import records for titles/manifestations for which we already have a record Multiple ISBN’s are listed in a record– user imports the wrong format Forget to add |h[large print] to title field of large print books Fail to delete extra ISBN’s Import pre-publication records without summaries, subject headings, page counts and other code issues Import foreign language (especially German) records How to avoid: Search our … read more SmartPort smartly done→

Posted on August 7, 2026 in The cat's meow :|b cataloging tips

Maximizing Home Locations

Home Location is an important setting in the item record.  Home Location drives the location  message in the public catalog.  Combined with the Call Number, Home Location tells patrons where to find the item.  Call number tells the user where to look on the shelf, Home Location says where the shelf is in your library. To change Home Locations, select from the drop-down menu in the Call Number and Item ID wizard.  In this example, NEWJEASY is the choice that is expressed as “New Juvenile Easy Picture Book” in West Iron … read more Maximizing Home Locations→

Posted on June 10, 2026 in The cat's meow :|b cataloging tips

Dewey numbers – some background and a cool tool

(Tip:  scroll to boldface hyperlink toward end of this post to get to the linked tool directly.) Not everyone loves the Dewey system.  It was created by one person  and reflects that one person’s bias.  Melville Dewey built it quickly, it took him weeks.  Library of Congress, the system used by most universities, was built by a committee.  It took decades to complete it.   Because Dewey is strictly numerical, precise Dewey numbers can be very long and unwieldy.  LC is alpha-numeric.  Some libraries have experimented with other systems such as … read more Dewey numbers – some background and a cool tool→

Posted on February 13, 2026 in The cat's meow :|b cataloging tips