New book: Conversations with Catalogers in the 21st Century

2010 had been heralded as the year of cataloging research. But I think it was actually the year of cataloging conversation. Whether on discussion lists such as OCLC-CAT and, the mother-of-all-lists, AUTOCAT or the social media vehicles, Twitter and blogs, in 2010 there was a lot of catalogers talking about the pressing issues in our profession. With RDA, the new cataloging code, being the topic du jour for most of the year.

This new book, Conversations with Catalogers in the 21st Century, published by Libraries Unlimited and edited by Elaine Sanchez picks up on this trend. Elaine was kind enough to approach me to write an essay for this book. So, I am grateful to her for the opportunity to get off the Web and actually write something a little more substantial and in print.

If you get a chance to read my brief essay: Changing Mind-Set, Changing Skill Set: Transitioning from Cataloger to Metadata Librarian, please let me know what you think.

I am excited to dig in and read the other essays in this book, not so much a book of cataloging experts, but rather a group of catalogers who write and think with passion and verve on these discussion lists and blogs, the cataloging conversationalists among us.

Comments

[Celine]

Thanks for this post Christine, it sounds like a really interesting book. We're unlikely to get it in the library but I'm very tempted to buy my own copy.

I love the idea of the "year of cataloguing conversation" - couldn't we designate 2011 to be one too?

Celine

[Christine Schwartz]

Hi Celine,

I think so. It definitely seems like catalogers are coming out of their shells and using social media tools to define themselves. Seems like a really good trend to me.

[Venessa]

This does sound like an inspiring book, will be getting my own copy, as my library just won't condone purchasing anything like this for the team unfortunately.