Additional Access Points in Cataloging Records, 
Part 4

Below is another example of a cataloging record. This record contains a lengthy contents note listing all of the songs contained on the CD. For a patron using a computer catalog, these song titles would be accessible through a general keyword search. For the patron using a card catalog, these song titles would not be accessible. If you look at the access points at the bottom of the record, you will see why:

CD
Chapin        Chapin, Tom.
                         Around the world and back again [sound recording] / Tom Chapin. –
                    New York : Sony Music, p1996.
                         1 sound disc : digital ; 4 ¾ in.

                         Lyrics on insert.
                         Vocals, guitar, banjo, autoharp, mandolin, ukulele by Tom Chapin with
                    accompanying musicians.
                        Around the world and back again (ATWABA) – What is a didjeridoo? –
                    The wonderful world of you – In an elephant  world – I papaveri – Dance,
                    dance, dance – The troubadour – It’s gonna be dinner soon – A forest in
                    the rain – How’d you like to do that? – Gonna go to Borneo – Wheels – 
                    Heartache to happy – Another busy day – By-ush ki by-u – Song of the
                    Earth.

                       1. Children’s songs. I. Title. II. Sony Music.          

There are only four specified access points for this particular cataloging record: the author (as the main entry), the subject heading CHILDREN’S SONGS, the title (Around the world and back again), and the corporate body, Sony Music, as producers of this CD. It would be possible to create title added entries for each of the songs listed in the contents, but because there are so many, it would also create a large set of cards to be filed in the catalog. The decision on whether to do this or not would depend on the level of need for this type of access. In this situation, the computer catalog makes the job of access easier, because the contents list only has to be typed in once to provide keyword access to the information it contains.

If, however, the decision was made to include the contents in the access points, this is how the access points would look at the bottom of the previous example:

1. Children’s songs. I. Title.  II. Title: Around the world and back again (ATWABA).  III. Title: What is a didjeridoo? IV. Title: The wonderful world of you. V. Title: In an elephant world. VI. Title: I papaveri. VII. Title: Dance, dance, dance. VIII. Title: The troubadour. IX. Title: It’s gonna be dinner soon. X. Title: A forest in the rain. XI. Title: How’d you like to do that? XII. Title: Gonna go to Borneo. XIII. Title: Wheels. XIV. Title: Heartache to happy. XV. Title: Another busy day. XVI. Title: By-ush ki by-u. XVII. Title: Song of the Earth. XVIII. Sony Music.

As you can see, this would create a very lengthy cataloging record, and numerous cards to include in the library catalog. For most libraries, this would be an excessive task.

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