Cataloging and Classification

The Librarian, a 1556 painting by Giuseppe Arcimboldo

Cataloging is the process of adding an item to a catalog, a process typically including bibliographic description, subject analysis, and classification. Cataloging has a rich history of practice, which can provide valuable lessons for many of today's information workers, from metadata specialists to reference librarians. A basic understanding of cataloging is highly beneficial for library employees, library users wishing to improve their catalog searching skills, and anybody interested in metadata. This textbook aims to provide a practical and engaging introduction to Cataloging and Classification, with numerous examples taken from public domain and freely licensed catalogs, such as those of the British Library, Harvard University and the University of Florida Smathers Libraries.

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Cataloging Basics
   1. Metadata
   2. Cataloging
   3. Bibliographic control
3. Descriptive Cataloging
   1. What is descriptive cataloging?
   2. Resource Description and Access (RDA)
   3. Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC)
   4. Access points
   5. Authority Control
   6. First Level Cataloging Examples
4. Subject Analysis and Classification
   1. Subject Analysis
   2. Controlled Vocabularies
   3. Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH)
   4. Dewey Decimal Classification
   5. Library of Congress Classification
   6. Sears Subject Headings
   7. Other subject controlled vocabularies
   8. Cutter Numbers
   9. Classification Theory
5. Special Print Materials
   1. Continuing Resources
   2. Children's Books
6. Non-print materials
   1. Electronic Resources
   2. Video Recordings
   3. Sound Recordings
   4. Graphic and Cartographic Materials
   5. Realia
   6. Musical scores
7. Non-English Language Materials
   1. Non-Roman Scripts
8. Trends and Developments
   1. Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR)
   2. Functional Requirements for Authority Data (FRAD)
   3. Functional Requirements for Subject Authority Data (FRSAD)
   4. Resource Description and Access (RDA)
   5. Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMES)
   6. Metadata Object Description Schema (MODS)
   7. Linked Data
   8. Copy Cataloging
   9. Outsourcing of Cataloging
   10. The Future of Cataloging
9. Bibliography
10. Glossary
11. Appendices
    1. Essential links
    2. Catalog records and rights
    3. Frequently used MARC Fields
    4. Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (AACR2)
    5. Rarely used MARC Fields
    6. Sample Cataloging Workflows

Contributing to this Book

• Local style guide