Materials to be cataloged
Recataloging
Systems used in NUL
Searching
Basic tools for cataloging
Cataloging standards
Headings
Holdings
Call numbers
Final forwarding
Statistics
Materials to be cataloged are found in the following areas:
In Process shelves
These shelves are for materials that have been identified as needing new cataloging or recataloging and are ready to be processed by a serials cataloger. For all shelves in this area, take materials to be cataloged from the left end.
Materials on the Priority shelf are "rush" items or for a priority location. Materials are generally placed in order of receipt, left to right, but occasionally new materials are placed to the far left, depending on relative priority. Priority materials are to be processed before those from any other shelf.
The Main, etc. shelf for new cataloging is maintained in Voyager bibliographic record number sequence, lowest to highest.
For all other shelves, incoming materials are placed to the right of all earlier-received materials.
Africana backlog shelves
These shelves are for Africana serials that are awaiting cataloging. The shelves are maintained in Voyager bibliographic record number sequence, lowest to highest. Take materials to be cataloged from the left (lowest number).
Hallway
The shelves on the left side of the hallway (as you face the door) are for serials needing cataloging due to preservation treatment (photocopying, microfilming, etc.).
In addition, there may be special projects with materials stored in another location. Some materials may also be given to you directly by your supervisor.
Materials to be recataloged are received from many sources both outside and within the department. Often the process of cataloging a new serial will involve some degree of recataloging an existing serial in the collection. Some serials will not require any recataloging for several years or even decades, while others may be revised very frequently, even a number of times within a single year.
Although materials for recataloging will be accompanied by a note indicating the reason for recataloging, the entire record should be compared with the issue in hand to determine if any other data needs to be updated or corrected.
All cataloging data for NUL is entered and maintained in the Voyager system via the Voyager Cataloging client.
The primary source for new records is OCLC's WorldCat, which is accessed via Connexion.
Various other systems and tools may also be used during the cataloging process.
Bibliographic record searching is performed primarily in Voyager and OCLC. At times it may be helpful to search catalogs of other libraries, such as Library of Congress or other universities.
Voyager
Search thoroughly to ensure that the serial has not already been cataloged in another record (under either the same title or a variant).
Search for any related works (supplements, earlier/later titles, etc.) that may need to be recataloged, or for any volumes of the serial that may have been cataloged as monographs in NUL.
OCLC
Search thoroughly to find all relevant records that will need to be used in your cataloging. If the Voyager record already includes OCLC copy, verify the correctness of that copy and check for a more recent version (regardless of the date of the record in Voyager).
Export any records that will need to be used in Voyager.
The following are among the primary tools used in Serials Cataloging:
All of the above are available online in Cataloger’s Desktop, except for DDC, which is available in OCLC Connexion as Dewey Services. AACR2, CCM, CEG, and DDC are also available in hardcopy on the Serials Cataloging reference shelves.
On the Serials Cataloging reference shelves are additional reference sources such as language dictionaries, gazetteers, handbooks to the primary tools, etc.
For descriptive cataloging, the library generally follows AACR2, LCRI, and the CONSER guidelines and policies. Any local variations or options to these are detailed in Serials Cataloging Procedure documents.
All original records are to follow AACR2. Per CONSER guidelines, existing pre-AACR2 records should generally not be upgraded to AACR2 unless doing so avoids creating a new record for a major change. However, you may replace existing pre-AACR2 records in Voyager with AACR2 records from OCLC, unless doing so would split the holdings into two or more records (in that case, consult your supervisor).
Unique title entry
Ensure that the form of entry for the serial (title proper or name plus title proper) is unique. If the form of entry is the same as that in (1) another serial in the catalog, or (2) an established heading in a series authority record, then a uniform title must be added according to LCRI 25.5B.
Names
All name headings in bibliographic records must be formulated according to AACR2 and NACO policy. Check the headings in your record against the authority file to ensure that the correct heading is used for a name already established or that a new heading does not conflict with the established form of another name. Create/revise name authority records if any references are needed.
Series
All series headings in bibliographic records must be formulated according to AACR2. Check the headings in your record against the authority file to ensure that the correct heading is used for a series already established and that analysis/tracing practice is correct. Any new heading must not conflict with the established form of different series or the entry form of a different serial. Any serial record for a series that is analyzed must have a corresponding series authority record.
For more information on creating/revising series authority records, see SCP 63: Authority Records.
For information on monographic series, see:
SCP 62: Monographic Series
SCP 62A: Class Sep Series
SCP 62B: Class Together Series
SCP 62C: Brief Analytics
SCP 62D: Series Title Changes
SCP 62F: Change in Series Treatment
Subjects
Most bibliographic records should contain subject headings. For more information, see SCP 5: Subject Headings.
Every bibliographic record must be accompanied by at least one holdings record (commonly referred to as "MFHD", which stands for the record format: MARC 21 Format for Holdings Data). The MFHD contains the location code, call number, miscellaneous information, and specific holdings.
Each copy of a title has its own MFHD.
Each physical volume of a serial has an item record; the item records are linked to the MFHD for the specific copy to which the volumes belong.
Most serials in NUL have call numbers based on DDC. Some collections, such as Music and Transportation, use Library of Congress Classification (LCC). United States federal documents in Government use the Superintendent of Documents (SuDocs) classification scheme. Most materials in Special Collections use any of several locally-devised call number schemes.
Serials Cataloging is responsible for assigning and/or maintaining the DDC, SuDocs, and Special Collections call numbers in serial records; other units are responsible for the LCC call numbers.
When cataloging or recataloging is done, volumes and issues are processed and locations are notified. See SCP 31: Final Forwarding for details.
Statistics for cataloging activities are reported by the catalogers via fields 948 and 949 in the bibliographic record. See SCP 101: Cataloging Statistics for details.
Statistics for added, transferred, and withdrawn volumes are kept manually by each cataloger on tally sheets, and reported monthly in a Microsoft Access program.
DOCUMENT HISTORY:
Issued July 29, 2005 (KMR)
Supersedes: SCP 1 (May 12, 1983); SCP 1B (June 10, 1983); SCP 2 (May 25, 1983)