I know we all get uncomfortable with consistently poor cataloging. Most
of it has a pattern, but sometimes it is just oversight or random
problems. I have always tried to report the problems to OCLC with my
corroborating evidence from the item itself. They, in turn, contact the
originator of the cataloging (institution) and report the errors to
them. The institutions then correct the records, and I assume they track
down the culprits and do some retraining if necessary. After a certain
percentage of records are found in error, OCLC will take that
institution off the contributor list and revoke their abilities to
change records. Of course, the old records stil remain, but as we report
the needed changes, OCLC makes sure that they are made and life becomes
better. This situation was so much worse when I first began with the
system in 1974. We maintained a black list at our institution, so that
our catalogers could be extra careful about the records they chose to
use. As we change staff members, all of our cataloging will shift in
error rates. I think the correction process lies with the particular
institution and its own needs, as well as those of OCLC. My
recommendation is to limit your contacts to OCLC and let their
communications pattern take precedence. You may need your contacts with
those individual institutions and catalogers for more positive actions
in the future. We need to keep this as a learning process and not be so
accussatory. Remember, each cataloger does the work in his/her own
vision and priorities. I remember a professor telling us that if thirty
catalogers in one room were given the same book to describe, there would
be at least twenty different records, and none would be particularly
wrong. Our cataloging is done by the national standards, but also
according to local standards and needs for access. I just report the
very obvious and accessible fields, then change the other stuff on the
local level. Have a good day!

Tinker Massey
University of South Carolina
MMassey@gwm.sc.edu

>>> amay@BAMA.UA.EDU 12/2/2004 3:35:53 PM >>>
Elizabeth,

I agree and sympathize with Judith. Some people who catalog are, out of
necessity, performing several roles, so, understandably, they are going
to make mistakes. Not to mention the fact that some go into a cataloging
position with almost no couse work and very little training. I think you
should let the person know so s/he can improve his/her cataloging.

Alan

Koveleskie, Judith wrote:

>I think you should contact the library and try to work something out
with them.  I do very little original cataloging and when I do copy
cataloging am always amazed by the number of seemingly duplicate records
that exist when there is a "main" record that has been worked on by the
reputable national agencies.   I usually try and wait until someone more
knowledgeable than I has created a record.  When it a local item then I
will go ahead and do original cataloging.  I would certainly like to
know if my contributions were wrong. If the offending library is not
cooperative, then I would notify OCLC because you are doing all of us a
favor.
>
>Judith A. Koveleskie
>Periodicals Librarian
>Seton Hill University
>Reeves Memorial Library
>Greensburg, PA 15601
>724-838-7828
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: SERIALST: Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum
>[mailto:SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU]On Behalf Of Elizabeth Urbanik
>Sent: Thursday, December 02, 2004 10:52 AM
>To: SERIALST@LIST.UVM.EDU
>Subject: [SERIALST] Something of an ethics question
>
>
>Hello all,
>If you're happily cataloging and keep finding bad records in OCLC, and
>all of those records have been contributed by the same library, what do
>you do? Only notify OCLC of the errors? Do that plus send a nice note to
>the library in question, offering help?
>
>Thanks,
>Elizabeth
>
>Elizabeth Urbanik
>Asst. Prof./Serials Cataloger
>Mitchell Memorial
>Mississippi State University
>(662) 325-3018
>
>"If you never ask the question, you never have to hear the answer."
--
Alan May
Serials/ Nonbook Cataloger
University Libraries
University of Alabama