Shared Cataloging Program - Reports to HOTS

HOTS Meeting
Shared Catalog Program
News/Updates since the Nov 2004 report
April 21, 2005

(1) PID server issues

CDL continues to work on developing new software to replace the PURL software SCP is using to create and manage PIDs. Additionally, CDL and SCP are developing a pilot to test the feasibility of using the SFX resolution service in lieu of PIDs. The pilot is being created to provide public services staff a means to evaluate linking behavior differences.

(2) Serial record clean-up project

While national and SCP cataloging practices have evolved since SCP's inception four years ago, a variety catalog record elements have not systematically been updated in tune with these changes. Hearing concerns regarding these inconsistencies from the campuses, SCP staff embarked on a review of records and identified a series of updates felt critical to the continuing usability and effective manipulation of records. These updates are limited to serial records, and when completed, the entire file will be made available to the campuses.

(3) 793 $g Proposal

At the request of the SCP Advisory Committee, SCP is developing a mechanism by which the campuses can track the nature and currency of access for each vendor for each serial title. SCP proposed using a single letter code in the 793 field subfield g. The proposal has received general support, however details of implementation have been difficult to work out. Further work on the details continues.

(4) Shared Print Collection relationship and workflow

SCP staff and Nancy Kushigian, Director of Shared Print, have held a series of meetings to explore and define the relationship between SCP and the Shared Print Collection and the degree of involvement SCP should have in the processing of shared print materials, and specifically JSTOR. SCP has lent advice on issues and processes as well as provided data on potential workflows and staffing requirements. SCP completed a time study to collect data on the record distribution process and workload to help forecast costs should SCP be asked to distribute shared print records.

(5) Authorized Headings List

CDL staff began running into problems in tracking the variant names they use for the various packages, databases, and vendors. SCP provides a degree of authority control in the form of headings used in the 793 and the 856 $z, but this technique controlled only headings and did not cross link variants. At CDL's request, SCP staff produced an “authority file” < http://www.cdlib.org/inside/projects/scp/authorizedheadings.html >. Mostly created by Becky Culbertson, the file is available as an Excel spreadsheet to allow various types of sorting. In the future, this authority file can be used to standardize terminology used in an ERM, or in local files or spreadsheets.

(6) Records for UC Merced/UCLA

SCP staff has provided UCM with files of all Tier 1 and all open access electronic resources. Additionally, SCP staff provided a complete file of SCP records to UCLA.

(7) SAGE journals

After a long period of negotiation, the SAGE journals were licensed by CDL. Approximately 340 new titles have been cataloged and distributed to the campuses. One complication with this package was that SCP had to contend with the fact that each journal was accessible from one of two platforms, SAGE and CSA. Access via CSA was further complicated as the CSA links need to be routed via the SFX server as access to those titles is campus specific (i.e. CSA doesn't use IP authentication).

(8) LION

The bulk of this collection has now been distributed to the campuses. The final file of records should be distributed by the end of May. Cleanup of the 14,300 LION titles took a significant amount of time as the LION records were particularly skimpy and poor.

(9) Early American Imprints (aka Digital Evans)

Initial batch of 2000 records were distributed in January. Eventually some 75,000 records will be distributed.

(10) Shared Cataloging Program Unit established

For a variety of organizational, workflow, and budgetary reasons, on April 1, 2005, the Shared Cataloging Program Unit was established as a unique and independent unit within the Catalog Department of the UCSD Libraries. (See the org chart at http://tpot.ucsd.edu/Cataloging/Admin/Orgchart2005.pdf ). Up until now, the Program had been organizationally subsumed within the Serials Cataloging Unit. Members of the new unit will be Becky Culbertson, Renee Chin, Hanley Cocks, and Kathleen Garvey-Clasby. Adolfo Tarango will continue to head the staff as the unit head.

(11) Horizon issue: Maps

Proposals for cataloging the Rumsey Collection and maps from the American Memory Project are to be reviewed by the JSC. About 40-45,000 items are eventually expected to be in the Rumsey Collection. The American Memory Project map collection currently contains 7,000 items but is an open-ended collection.