Cataloging Futures

Interesting post: CodeYear Catalogers

If you're interested in learning programming, check out Shana L. McDanold's blog post: CodeYear Catalogers.

CodeAcademy is offering an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in getting started with coding: Code Year. Each week they'll be emailing out to anyone that signs up an interactive lesson on coding. Code Academy offers some fantastic interactive courses, so you learn in a supportive environment.

Naturally this has piqued the interest of a number of catalogers that have been interested in learning to code or want to brush up or learn new code languages, myself included. Catalogers work with massive amounts of curated bibliographic data, and being able to manipulate it in new and different ways and in ever increasing amounts is key as we move forward into the bibliographic future and the world of linked data and the semantic web.

The role of the cataloguer in the 21st century

Here's something that picks up on one of my favorite themes--what catalogers need to do to adjust to the changing information landscape. . . .

Over on the High Visibility Cataloguing blog is a guest post worth reading. It links to Lynne Dyer's article, The role of the cataloguer in the 21st century, and includes a follow-up by Lynne with some additional new resources.

Are catalogers geeky enough?

Some good thoughts about just how much IT knowledge catalogers need to survive (and get the job done) can be found in this post: When cataloging isn't geeky enough. Contains some good ideas about how to stay technically literate, if not proficient.

Free cataloging and metadata training manuals from LC

Last year I mentioned how much I'd learned taking the cataloging and metadata training programs developed by the Library of Congress. Well, now the training materials for these workshops are free via the Cataloging and Distribution Service (CDS)! Here's a list of what's available:

Cataloging Skills (CCT)

* Basic Creation of Name and Title Authorities
* Basic Subject Cataloging Using LCSH
* Fundamentals of Series Authorities
* Fundamentals of Library of Congress Classification

The Digital Library Environment (Cat21)

* Digital Project Planning & Management Basics
* Metadata and Digital Library Development
* Metadata Standards and Applications
* Principles of Controlled Vocabulary and Thesaurus Design
* Rules and Tools for Cataloging Internet Resources

Continuing Resources (SCCTP)

* Advanced Serials Cataloging
* Basic Serials Cataloging
* Electronic Serials Cataloging
* Integrating Resources Cataloging
* Serials Holdings

Workshop: Making Metadata: Turning Theory into Product

If you can get yourself to Columbus, Ohio, the Central Ohio Chapter of the American Society for Information Science and Technology and OHIONET is offering what looks like a great workshop on Tuesday, November 18, 2008:

Making Metadata: Turning Theory into Product

If you want to learn about the realities of creating metadata, this hands-on workshop will help move you from theory to practice. From selecting the appropriate standards to implementing a quality control process, there are many stages of successful metadata creation. This workshop will include exercises and explorations to help you create quality metadata.

Audience: This workshop is for catalogers, librarians, and library staff who have been exposed to the concepts of metadata and want to learn about the day-to-day aspects of producing metadata.

Instructors: Morag Boyd and Melanie Schlosser, The Ohio State University

Date/Time: Tuesday, November 18, 2008 from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM

Call for papers: Journal of Library Metadata

Jeffrey Beall just posted this to AUTOCAT:

The Journal of Library Metadata marks the growing importance of metadata in libraries. As libraries collect, produce, distribute, and publish more information than ever before, the metadata that describes these resources becomes more crucial for electronic resource management and discovery.

Institutional repositories are one of the main forces promoting the creation of many different metadata schemes, specialized controlled vocabularies, and new initiatives for data sharing and harvesting. An increasingly popular type of search called "faceted searching" is also reliant on enriched metadata.

The journal features both a peer-review section for research articles, and a non-peer review section for more practical, case study and best practice type articles. Included amongst the charter issue:

"Dublin Core Metadata Harvested Through OAI-PMH"

"You Need My Metadata: Demonstrating the Value of Library Cataloging"

"Cataloging Images in Millennium: A Central Repository for Faculty-Owned Images"

"From Hanging Files to Digital Collection: Growing A Controlled Vocabulary for Added Functionality in the Online World"

"The Peloponnesian War and the Future of Reference, Cataloging, and Scholarship in Research Libraries."

The Journal of Library Metadata welcomes the submission of papers for consideration. Librarians are encouraged to contact the journal's editor, Jeffrey Beall, for "Instructions for Authors" and deadlines for upcoming issues at: jeffrey.beall@ucdenver.edu

Update: Just posted by Bill Cohen, publisher at the Haworth Press [Taylor & Francis Group]. Free sample available from <marisa.starr@taylorandfrancis.com>. (Previously published as the /Journal of Internet Cataloging/, through Vol 7, #4.)

Cataloging conversations in Canada

I'm in Ottawa for the American Theological Library Association Annual Conference. The theme of our technical services discussion last night was--Why be a cataloger? We focused on the personal and professional rewards of cataloging in a period of rapid change and "vocational angst."

One of my ATLA colleague, Blake Walter, did a nice write up of this discussion over on his blog, Views on Theological Librarianship. Check it out.

Code4Lib Journal extends deadline for proposals

** Deadline Extended 1 Week -- Now June 20 **

The Code4Lib Journal [ http://journal.code4lib.org/ ] is accepting proposals for articles, book & software reviews, code snippets & algorithms, conference reports, opinion pieces, etc., for its September issue. The Code4Lib Journal strives to fill a communication niche above simple description of software implementations but below pure theoretical digital library investigation. The editorial committee is looking for content that is practical, demonstrates how to exploit technology to create digital library collections and services, or offers insight and forethought regarding the use of computers in any type of library setting.

While articles in the journal should be of a high quality, they need not follow any formal structure or guidelines. Writers should aim for the middle ground between, on the one hand, blog or mailing-list posts, and, on the other hand, articles in traditional journals. We want publishing in the journal to be easy and painless, helping the community to share timely, relevant information that is currently shared all too rarely.

The Journal welcomes submissions at any time on a rolling acceptance basis. We publish quarterly in March, June, September, and December. Proposals received by Friday, June 20, 2008, will receive consideration for publication in issue 4, late September 2008. Upon provisional acceptance, authors will be given an article deadline, typically 6-8 weeks before journal publication. Proposals are typically abstracts sent in the body of an email to c4lj-articles@googlegroups.com

Send in a submission. Your peers would like to hear what you are doing.

Ken Varnum
Coordinating Editor, Issue 4
Code4Lib Journal

LIS education and technical skills

Here's an interesting post by Allan Cho, The Future of Digital Librarians. He looks at the issue of skill set needs and LIS education. Here he writes of the difficulty of studying and learning new technologies for on-the-job librarians.

In my own experience as an information professional, I find that these skills are sorely lacking in my own education. I'm finding it increasingly my own initiative to get caught up in the literature and the technologies. Who really has time to learn OAI-PMH metadata standards, XML, EAD, and TEI? Many librarians keep abreast of their field -- but on top of their current duties. But the problem remains that LIS schools do not to train technicians even though that is what they're doing - their mandate is to nurture scholars. Which I can understand. Yet, we can't fit a square peg into a circle. There lies the conundrum: something's got to give. But what? That has remained the intense tension in the field of LIS since its inception. With the advent of the Web and newer technologies, this gap will only widen.

What they don’t teach in library school

Hot off the press. Check out this new cataloging intiative:

... As a result of the preconference, ALCTS/CETRC created a Task Force on Competencies and Education for a Career in Cataloging. The Task Force will serve as a subcommittee of ALCTS/CETRC and will assess the current state of education and employment in cataloging, recommending new programs that seek to promote continuing education and training in the profession. The Task Force will serve as an umbrella organization for three new initiatives: 1) A Cataloging Education Fellows Program; 2) A program to connect cataloging practitioners and employers with library educators; and 3) A clearinghouse that links to available resources and career opportunities in cataloging.

There's a call for volunteers:

If you would like to volunteer to be a member of the Task Force, please click the link below.

Link to volunteer form