Hi Crystal,

First of all, I would like to say that it sounds like your administration
has asked you to hang the moon. I would want a definition of what they
mean with regard to cataloging a serial title. All the variations of
definitions need to be pointed out and analyzed before any assignment of
quotas can be made. Maybe this is why many libraries don't assign quotas
for serials. Anyway, I have thought of a few for you:

1) Does cataloging a serial mean creating a bibliographic representation
only for the title in question, or does it also include building check-in
records, union listing, creating holdings statements in the OPAC, creating
a mechanism to notify Acquisitions for pay file information, creating item
records and labeling volumes (in recon projects), and creating bindery
records?

2) Does it take into account that bibliographers also have to be consulted
on various titles?

3) Is it original cataloging? If so are national CONSER standards followed
or is there room for local short cuts?

4) Is it copy cataloging or perhaps brief local cataloging?

5) Is the cataloger dealing with a single issue--new title (these are often
easier and less time consuming), or is the cataloger dealing with
title changes or retrospective conversion of volumes that involve lots of
labeling and recording of volume specific information?

6) Are new records being created (check-in, union listing, bindery, pay file)
or are existing records being evaluated and cleaned up?

7) Are exising records that are being evaluated in manual mode or already
in automated mode so they do not have to be converted?

8) If the library holds more than one format, does the administration consider
this to be one title or multiple titles? Does the library catalog all
formats on the original record or create separate bibliographic records
for all formats (local decision)?

9) Does the cataloger have any support staff to do all these things?

Well, you get the picture. I know I don't have to tell YOU this stuff but
it may give you support in explaining to your administration that it
isn't quite that simple.

Aimee Algier-Baxter
Santa Clara University