Cataloging Norms Interest Group
About the Group
The Cataloging Norms Interest Group offers a forum for the exploration, communication, and exchange of ideas on the dynamics and evolution of cataloging/metadata norms and workflows. We encourage and seek out participation from anyone with an interest in cataloging – from public, academic, school or special libraries – regardless of experience level or training.
Presentations
“Accurately Representing Diverse Human Experiences in a Rapidly Changing Vernacular” presented by Emory LaPrade
The LGBTQ+ acronym has gained many more letters over the last few decades due primarily to terms’ invention or promotion on the vast platform of the internet. These changes happen rapidly, while adapting the LCSH and LCNAF is a slow and Sisyphean task. This presentation examines ways to balance being respectful of LGBTQ+ identities with vocabulary that may not always be the most representative of those experiences.
“A cataloging platform that significantly reduces the cost & complexity of bibliographic cataloging within public libraries and supports interlibrary exchange of public-domain bibliographic records” presented by Tris Shores
An experimental cloud-connected software cataloging platform (PredictiveBIB) that uses predictive-algorithms and crowdsourced-metadata to simplify & accelerate creation of bibliographic records. The core innovation is the use of algorithms to process bibliographic metadata in order to predict subject headings for the item being cataloged. PredictiveBIB connects to an experimental cloud repository that allows sharing of bibliographic records containing a record-level CC0 statement (optional). This technology promotes equity, inclusion, and innovation by supporting creation, enrichment and exchange of public-domain bibliographic records between public libraries.
“Evaluating different sources for providing missing series information” presented by Graeme Williams
If you’re willing to abandon the rule that the 490 field is transcribed, you can help your patrons by filling in missing series information. For Science Fiction and Fantasy, isfdb.com provides a convenient downloadable copy of their database, but how good is the data? I looked at 2,000 records for SF&F books. Isfdb.com provided series information for 97 records without a 490 field. Hand-checking showed that the accuracy was fair but not good enough. I ran the author & title from the 97 records against both Novelist and Goodreads. Novelist provided almost no series data, but the series data from Goodreads was excellent — good enough for automatic remediation. I’ll explain the methodology, summarise the data, and discuss what good enough means.
Learn more about the Cataloging Norms Interest Group.
Contacts: Susan Martin (susan.martin@mtsu.edu); Alexander Whelan (aw3195@columbia.edu)