Sources of cataloging for music sound recordings

Now that we reviewed the information in a cataloging record, and have examined the various areas that are of particular importance for music sound recordings, it is important to look at sources of cataloging information for this format.  As covered in the ABLE Technical Services courses, it is important to recognize what should be in a cataloging record, and understand the principles behind quality cataloging, but the intent is that librarians should do as little original cataloging as possible.  Because of the many library networks in existence today and the databases of cataloging information available, most librarians can spend very little of their time actually cataloging items in their libraries. 

The easiest option for finding cataloging is to be a member of a cataloging database such as OCLC, where cataloging information is available in either a complete computer-style format or in MARC format.  Because OCLC is a compiled database of cataloging from not only the Library of Congress, but also many of the member libraries, their database is very comprehensive and contains many records for non-book as well as book items.  Access to cataloging records on OCLC requires membership, but there are varying degrees of ‘belonging’ to OCLC, so it might be an option for even a small library that wants to have access to quality cataloging.

Another option for finding cataloging records is to check with the jobber the library uses for purchasing.  Most of the jobbers now deal in a variety of formats, and most of them also provide cataloging for items in their purchase catalogs.  Many of these jobbers will provide cataloging also for items donated or obtained by the library from other sources.  These cataloging records will have a cost, but usually it is very reasonable, especially considering the time needed by the library staff to do original cataloging or search for other sources.  Usually these records are supplied to the library in the form of downloadable computer records or printed cards ready to file in a catalog. 

A free source of cataloging information is the catalog at the Library of Congress (LC).  This catalog is online at http://catalog.loc.gov/ and is fairly easy to use.  Cataloging information can be viewed in several ways, including full version and MARC, so copy cataloging is quite easily done at the LC site.  They have a wide variety of sound recordings as part of the collection at LC, and cataloging information is available for most of them.  The database at LC does not include the input from other libraries that is found in OCLC, but is a reasonably complete collection of items published here in the U.S.  LC is one of the best sources of free MARC records available, which is another benefit to visiting the LC online catalog.

Many libraries have their catalogs online, so other library catalogs can be a good source of cataloging information.  Sometimes it is useful to see what classification number another library has put something under, or to see whether another library treated an item as an author or title main entry.  Because these catalogs are usually freely shared, they are easy to access.  The negative element in this option is the time it takes to search for the information needed for a cataloging record, especially when the cataloging must still be done manually after the information is found.

No matter what option is chosen for obtaining cataloging information, the cataloger must know and feel comfortable with, the various areas of information that should be included in a well-done cataloging record.  For this reason, many librarians prefer to look at or copy MARC records when cataloging items for their libraries.  MARC records are done to a consistent standard, and as all the information is coded is specific ways, there is a high degree of accuracy.  For example, looking at a computer record may make it difficult to determine the main entry or other access points that are included in a particular cataloging record.  Examining the MARC record for the same item will make that information very clear, because of the coding that has been used.  Here is an example of a MARC record for one of the examples used earlier in this course:

In the example shown above, the various numerical fields shown at the left all indicate the type of information listed in each area.  Further indicators in the second column give additional details about the treatment of the information in each field—whether something is an access point, whether an entry is a personal name or a corporation, and other details.

MARC records are very complicated looking, but with a manual to explain the details of the coding for each field in the record, such as the OCLC Concise Input Standards, it is not very hard for any cataloger to decipher the meanings of the various areas of the record.  The example shown below has information in the 100 field, indicating that this is a main entry for author.  Miles Davis is considered to be the responsible creator of the information in this sound recording, so he is listed as the author.  When looking at this record earlier, that information was difficult to determine because of the format of the computer display.

Because of the standardization that has been developed in MARC, these records can be assumed to have a fairly high level of accuracy and completeness.  This doesn’t mean that the cataloger has to use all of the information in the record or that the record cannot be changed.  Many libraries use the basic frame of the MARC record and add or change the access points and notes areas to suit the needs of their individual patrons.  These records allow for flexibility, while saving the cataloger time by providing the basic descriptive information needed.

Unlike books, there is no standard of “cataloging-in-publication” data for non-book materials.  Until this basic level of cataloging information is applied to non-book items, the above methods remain the most reasonable for finding cataloging information.  It is important to remember that original cataloging, especially of non-book items, takes a large amount of time in relation to the output that results.  For this reason, it is much more economical overall to find a reliable source for purchasing cataloging records, no matter what format of materials is being added to the library.  Because of the additional challenges in cataloging non-book materials, including music sound recordings, this holds true even more for these items.  It is also very important to recognize the various areas of information needed in a quality cataloging record, no matter what format that record is in.  When a librarian is knowledgeable about the areas that should be found in cataloging, and the proper application of cataloging rules and access options, then that staff member will be able to judge the choices of cataloging available to the library and choose the best quality cataloging records to add to the library catalog.  This improves access to library information for the patrons, and makes the job of sharing information with other libraries easier and more professional for the library staff.  Knowledge of cataloging principles is one of the elements in improvement of library services, creating stronger shared networks, and opening wider access to information.

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