Category: The cat’s meow :|b cataloging tips
Cataloging tips for library cats.
Bad record – 590 upgrade
Bad bib records exist. Bad bib records exist in SmartPort and they exist in our shared catalog. If you see a bad record in smart port– no 3oo fields, no subject headings, bad formatting, wrong description (online resource in the 300 field instead of a page count)– the best solution is to not import the record. Look for a better record. Scan the ISBN into a google search to verify a new book has been released and put the item aside if it hasn’t. Placeholder records are released before a … read more Bad record – 590 upgrade
Cataloging hacks: item record by collection spreadsheet
Late Christmas gift? Help with a new year resolution? If all you ever wanted for Christmas was a sense of order, this spreadsheet’s for you! I’ve noticed some libraries lack a good tool for keeping track of how to add item records for different kinds of materials housed in different collections. When I started cataloging at Peter White Public Library, I was lucky. I inherited an Excel workbook that had evolved over the years, enhanced by a series of clever catalogers who preceded me. If I were expected to … read more Cataloging hacks: item record by collection spreadsheet
Adding “things” (Part 1)
What do you think? Library of things: scary challenge or fun challenge? Searching for a bib record for a “thing” is much the same as searching for a record for a book. I search Workflows for both the title and the barcode number on the package in Call Number and Item Maintenance. I use Title / Browse search parameters for the title and General / Keyword to search on the packaging barcode number. If you’re looking for a popular board game, learning toy, or Wilton cake pan, chances are we … read more Adding “things” (Part 1)