And finally...
There are many sources of cataloging information available for most libraries today, so while it is important to know how to recognize cataloging that is done correctly, we do not expect to spend our time as librarians working on cataloging each item in the library on our own. Knowing the information that should be in a cataloging record will insure that you can tell the difference between correctly done cataloging and cataloging that is just thrown together quickly to get a record done.
All cataloging entered into a library catalog today should meet AACR2 standards and be thoughtfully done, but libraries should feel free to obtain that cataloging from the easiest source available to them. If we make sure that the cataloging we place in our catalogs is carefully and professionally done, the job of converting catalogs to computerized form, or merging several catalogs into a small network, or of joining a larger network to share resources, will be easier and more smoothly accomplished.
Today’s libraries are becoming less isolated, tending to share information whenever possible, and library catalogs are one of the areas where this happens most often. Quality cataloging helps our patrons and gives a boost to the sharing of resources for the future.
