Recently released future of cataloging paper from LYRASIS:
LYRASIS convened a Summit Meeting in Atlanta with some of our leading academic library directors to discuss issues of strategic importance regarding the future of the library catalog and of the cataloging process. This paper summarizes the comments of the group and some potential actions LYRASIS might take to move these ideas forward.
A few random observations:
- There was a lot of talk about cooperation, but no mention of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC).
- One comment sets up a false dichotomy between accepting "good enough" records and investing in "record perfection." There are other options. How about finding creative ways, both programmatic and human, to create good, accurate metadata?
- These directors want more accurate data to measure cataloging costs. Okay, but how about changing the focus to how cataloging and metadata creation is done. Are they encouraging their catalogers to try new things and experiment? If you focus too much on costs, then there's no time to innovate, because catalogers are always going to feel pressure to stay-on-task.
- OCLC is the "elephant in the room": The directors seem to be referring to OCLC in several places without actually mentioning it (WorldCat, however, is listed once as one of many discovery paths).
- Not enough focus on moving library metadata discovery to the web. No mention of linked data at all.
- One smart library: "recently ... hired two new catalogers because it believes it is still valuable to have cataloging-articulate perspective and voice within the library."
h/t ADR Direct
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