Catalogers Group

February 22, 2001

2:30-3:30

West Electronic (Media) Classroom

Minutes

Meeting convened at 2:35 PM.

Louise Ratliff made a presentation on the Library of Congress Classification Web (http://lccweb.net/Menu/). Louise and several others in the department are beta testers of this product and the beta test period will be ending shortly. John Riemer added to the discussion at the end.

The first thing to do is to sign up for an account and password. This process is easy and only takes a few minutes. Once you have an account, you can go in and choose your preferences. The main menu consists of: Browse Classification Schedules, Classification Search, Subject Headings, and Subject Heading & Classification Number Correlations. You also have the option of using the extended menu which includes browser options: Standard Classification Browser, Enhanced Classification Browser, and Hierarchy Classification Browser. Each of these takes you into the tables with various methods of getting you into the hierarchy and getting you into the tables. The Hierarchy browser is the one that will automatically calculate classification numbers for you using the tables.

To use the Classification Search menu option, you need to know that "caption" refers to the last subdivision ($j) in the classification record’s heading (153 field). The most all-encompassing browse is for "keyword." This search retrieve classification records across all the classification schedules. The search command at the bottom of the screen brings up different results.

The Subject Search brings you into the Library of Congress Subject Headings list. The browse gets you right to the heading you keyed in. The search gets you a list of records that contain your word. All of the broader and related terms are hot-linked. All 053’s in the subject records are also hot-linked.

The Subject Heading & Classification Number Correlations search goes to one or all of a list of libraries indicated in your preferences; the search for a given classification number or subject heading retrieves, respectively, the corresponding subject heading or classification number in bib records found in selected libraries’ online catalogs. For the purposes of our examples, Louise chose Cornell University since its collection most closely resembles ours. Unfortunately, the Library of Congress catalog is not an option in the preferences for the beta test period. John pointed out that you can easily cut and paste your search into Library of Congress’ catalog (http://catalog.loc.gov [select the option that includes "call#"]) in another window. You can either search by subject heading to retrieve a list of classification numbers or you can search by classification number to retrieve a list of subject headings. The nice thing about this search is that the subject search only pulls up records where the subject heading appears as the first in the list of headings on that record.

There are certain features on this product that are not available in the Cataloger’s Desktop/Classification Plus product. The Classification Web calculates number ranges using the complicated tables for you, which is especially helpful in the H and K schedules. Classification Web also contains all of the schedules from A-Z, which the other product does not. Classification Web also has the capability of having daily updates, where Cataloger’s Desktop/Classification Plus is only updated quarterly. This product is a little clunky to use at this time but it has the potential of being a very powerful tool in helping to get our work done. The LCC-LCSH correlations can help those working with copy that has only partial subject analysis; this feature can connect all catalogers with bibliographic records that exemplify a given classification assignment.

For the last 10 minutes of the meeting, John reported on the February 22 ACC meeting. (1) In a discussion of multiple versions, ACC members appeared to come to a consensus allowing input of URLs on print monographs even in those instances when a separate record for the e-version already exists in the catalog. This satisfies the need for user convenience perceived by many bibliographers and a number of reference librarians. The single-record technique will be favored for serials and government-published monographs. (2) Bo-Gay had very positive things to report from the training she received for DRA’s Report Writer function. It will be possible to search against bibliographic, holdings, and item records simultaneously. Searching can be done by a variety of dates in the records, including the date the record was added to the system. This is encouraging news. (3) It is possible to index more fields than we currently do in Taos. For example, the "keyword" http could be indexed within the 856 field. LIS is reluctant to attempt anything like this at present, since it might adversely affect response time.

Catalogers Group meetings for March will be: March 8^th and 15^th, in the West Media Classroom. At one of those meetings, John hopes to present the work of the Multiple Manifestations of E-Resources Task Force he is chairing for PCC.

Meeting adjourned at 3:28 PM.

Compiled by: Caroline Miller