Posts Tagged ‘cataloging’

Cataloging Outside the Box

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

CATALOGING BIOGRAPHICAL ANALYTICS

Tucked away within the volumes of Kansas statewide and local history books in your library are small historical treasures of interest to local historians, social history researchers, and genealogists.

Most county histories, especially those published around the turn of the last century, contain sections with short biographies of prominent local citizens. Besides the names, birth and death dates, these stories offer a glimpse into the settlement and development of a county, city or region. Tribulations and triumphs are succinctly reported, along with religious affiliation, military service, and organizational membership.

As a collected genre, these biographies give the reader a view of Kansas often missed by broader state histories or biographical works about the famous and infamous. Within these stories are the social histories of families and individuals of varying ethnic and religious backgrounds. Tales of pioneer days and Civil War experiences are related, along with immigrant stories. Reading through these biographies, the seemingly dull Kansas landscape is revealed to be a multipatterned quilt richly colored with the lives of people from many backgrounds and cultures.

As a genealogical resource, these biographies can be a treasure trove of names, dates, and relationships. The biography of a farmer living in a Washington Township might mention that his cousin lives in town where he runs the hardware store. Unknown information connecting individuals to people and events can bring forth those “squeals of delight” that only other genealogists fully understand.

Online indexes, or short, analytic, bibliographic records within your library catalog, link researchers to biographies within books or periodicals which can greatly expand access to these local community biographies. Here’s a list of three of the biography analytics collections in the Kansas Library Catalog that you can download into your local library catalog using the cataloging module of the KLC.

A STANDARD HISTORY OF KANSAS AND KANSANS
Multiple editions of the Standard History were published around 1918-1919.
(Transcripts of at least two of these editions are available online. Analytically cataloged biographies are statewide, covering people from all walks of life.)

To access the biographies in the KLC do an advanced search for:
standard history kansas kansans using “All headings.” Qualify your search in the right-hand column of the advanced search page under “Misc.” by: Related Resource (URL) Present. You should come up with bibliographic records for over 2,100 biographies analytically cataloged out of this title. These records all include a link to an online transcript of each biography within the book title.

KANSAS ILLUSTRIANA
Hebron, Neb., Illustriana Incorporated, 1933.
(This one volume title contains over 3,300 Kansas biographies, all of which have been cataloged.)

To access the biographies in the KLC, do a keyword search for:
kansas illustriana. Your results will include the record for the book too.

HISTORY OF ALLEN AND WOODSON COUNTIES, KANSAS
Iola, Kan. : Iola Register, 1901
(A dual county history with over 450 anayltically cataloged biographies)

To access the biographies in the KLC, do a keyword search for: history allen woodson counties. Your results will include the record for the book too.

Bill Sowers
Cataloging and Kansas Documents Librarian

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Posted in Library 2.0, Oct.09, SLK Newsletter, Tech services | No Comments »

Catalog 2.0: Your Library Catalog in a Global Environment

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

capitoldome

ONLINE INDEXES AND LISTINGS

Cataloging is closely allied to indexing — two circles that can overlap broadly.

During my tenure at the State Library I’ve been involved in projects that were more within the indexing or list making “circle.” For me it was just another means of creating paths to information. A good example of this is the web site, “Kansas Legislators: Past and Present.”

For many years State Library Legislative Reference staff kept basic information about former state legislators on 3 x 5 cards. Arranged alphabetically by surname, the cards contained names, districts, party membership and other basic information for about 8,000 men and women who had served in the Kansas Legislature from 1861 on. During the 1980s data within the files was enhanced from a similar card file maintained by the Kansas State Historical Society and eventually the data was entered into a local database called AskSam, where it is still kept up-to-date today.

In 1998 State Library technical services staff began construction of a web site where all of our collected information on state legislators could be made available to the public. Called “Kansas Legislators, Past and Present,” the new site quickly became proof of the “Field of Dreams” adage, “If you build it they will come!”

Visits grew steadily as the names were entered online. Staff also spent free time going through traditional Kansas biographical resources such as A Standard History of Kansas and Kansans collecting further data on individuals. The plan was to add information slowly, citing sources. Then something happened that we hadn’t really counted on.

We had built it and they came, bringing obituaries, biographies, newspaper articles and a lot of information! Historians, relatives, genealogists, former/current legislators, librarians and others began sending us information on legislators within the listing. Some had cited sources that corrected or expanded what we already had. Most had added data. One Kansas public library was kind enough to send us photocopies of an entire file folder with obituaries of legislators who had served from their county. Long before social networking was set into place by Wikipedia, Facebook and Twitter, we found ourselves inundated with emails and packets in the U.S. mail. Kansas Legislators Past and Present was not just a website listing, it was an interactive, online resource allowing individuals to submit information for display.

Submitted information included within the listing was cited online. More extensive resources were cited, as well as offering viewers the opportunity to find out more about an individual. This included online sources with linking URLs embedded within citations. Information from family with no other verifiable citation was usually added with family members’ names/relationship to the legislator included. Disagreements on dates and places were included, citing why and where the differences came from.

Eleven years later, Kansas Legislators, Past and Present continues to thrive and grow. Staff regularly update the listings with newly elected or appointed legislators and session dates. The emails and letters continue, though not in as much of a flurry as they did years ago. We also continue to add information ourselves, trying to fill in the many near-blank listings with more information.

A more complete sample record within the listing looks like this:

Name: Frank Leslie (Les) Hagaman
Born: June 1, 1894 in Bushnell, Illinois
Died: June 23, 1966 in Kansas City, Kansas
Occupation: Lawyer, Farmer
County: Johnson
Town: Kansas City
Party: Republican
District: 10
Chamber: House 1939, 1941, 1943, 1945
Notes: Majority floor leader in 1941 session. Interim governor of Kansas for 41 days in 1950-1951, making him the 31st governor of Kansas. This occured when Governor Frank Carlson resigned his seat to accept the U.S. Senate seat he had won in the 1950 elections. Lieutenant Governor of Kansas, 1947-50.
Source material:

1)—1943 Kansas Legislative Directory. (Topeka, Kan. : Kansas Business Magazine, 1943?.)

2)—Topeka State Journal 6/24/1966 obituary.

3)—Political Graveyard

Only basic information is included, limited by library policy, which is stated on the main page of the web site. Spouses are included in data for legislators who are normally a couple generations removed from the present to protect the privacy of family members. The library currently keeps the paper resources donated and will send out copies of this information upon request.

Though not “cataloged,” Kansas Legislators Past and Present serves as a good example of providing access to basic information with added references for further research. It has been set up within a framework of rules of construction and content. It also permits limited updates by contributors with further information.

Online listings or indexes like Kansas Legislators Past and Present can serve as auxiliary access tools alongside OPACs offering paths to information that might not make it into the catalog… those hidden treasures that often lie at the core of our bibliographical service, but are often “lost” with limited access points.

OTHER ONLINE LEGISLATOR INDEXING TOOLS:

U.S. Congress Biographical Directory
Colorado Legislators Past and Present
Maine Legislators Biographical Directory
Minnesota Legislators Past and Present
Nebraska Legislators Past and Present
Wyoming Legislators Database
(list supplied by Megan Schulz)

Bill Sowers
Cataloging and Kansas Documents Librarian

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Posted in Government information, Sept. 09, SLK Newsletter, Tech services | No Comments »

Catalog 2.0: Your Library Catalog in a Global Environment

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

IMPROVING OPAC USAGE

I recently attended a presentation on OPAC usage by patrons and library staff and what each group would like to see in an online library catalog. One of the speakers, Karen Calhoun from OCLC, summarized results of a survey of both patrons and library staff regarding what mattered most in an online catalog. You can read the full report online at the OCLC website.

 opac2

According to the survey, patrons want more searchable information in OPACs. They want more tables of contents, detailed summaries, cover graphics, tags, ratings, greater linking functionality to Internet resources within bibliographic records, reviews and other information normally not included in a traditional catalog record presentation. They want access to be quick and easy and want holdings status to be available within the record. They prefer an easier keyword search over subject headings, but they do want an advanced search option providing faceted or refined search options.

Librarians also want more but come from a different angle, honing in on correcting typos, the need for more hierarchical subject headings, the elimination of duplicate records, expanding information within short bibliographic records and including tables of contents.

In a time of shrinking budgets and increasing information resources, the value of an OPAC weighed against cost and use can come under close scrutiny. The inclusion of more in-depth bibliographic information entered into the catalog in a timely manner with a search interface winnowing out less pertinent hits in the find display can greatly improve the “find” quality of an OPAC.

The use of vendors in providing cover graphics and tables of contents in bibliographic records was mentioned in the presentation, as was the expense in providing these added features. Another important issue was cataloging staff time spent on maintaining the catalog to the degree that they have in past years—for example, extensive support of AACR2 rules and standards changes or time spent on reviewing catalog copy records received en masse from vendors.

Calhoun emphasized the need to devote more time and effort into expediting the entry of current, pertinent bibliographic records into the catalog. She also encouraged those present to concentrate on adding detailed access within online catalogs (as well as other access tools) to material that is specific to your community and collection. If your library has an extensive local history collection, spend more time expanding access to that collection within your OPAC and/or via a web listing, index or search engine.

Calhoun made three important points at the end of her presentation for library staff regarding OPAC cataloging records:

—Let go of the small stuff (and figure out first what the small stuff is)
—Let go of the “perfect record” for the greater good of up-to-date, good (but not perfect) records
—REMEMBER that “fast and convenient availability” is important!

Bill Sowers
Cataloging and Kansas Documents Librarian

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Posted in Aug09, SLK Newsletter, Tech services | No Comments »

Catalog 2.0: Your Library Catalog in a Global Environment

Friday, May 1st, 2009

Bill Sowers, the State Library’s Kansas Documents and Cataloging Librarian, will be running a new column in the newsletter  focused on online resources and cataloging resources from outside the library.

CATALOGING INTERNET RESOURCES

What do you think of when your local library catalog comes to mind? Is it a listing only of material held by your library within your library building? Have you considered adding records to your catalog that link your users to resources available through the Internet such as Kansas Audiobooks, Music and More? Have you ever wondered what else might be out there — library collections available to the public with resources in science, literature, history, astronomy?

There are some great, freely accessible digital collections on the Internet. Many of the titles within these collections also have MARC records that you load into your catalog. Online books, music, audio-visuals and journals can augment your local collection providing resources that you wouldn’t normally be able to fit into your budget or your building.

When considering the addition of Internet resources to your online catalog, it’s important to take into account the following:

–Is your local catalog software set up to allow linking to outside locations on the Internet? An Internet resource cataloging record in MARC format has an 856 MARC field with a live link to a site on the Internet. Your local online catalog has to be set up to allow your patrons to click on this link and be taken to a webpage somewhere else on the Internet.

–Are all the web items that you wish to add to your catalog accessible to your library patrons? Can they be freely accessed via the Internet or can they only be accessed inhouse at your library’s ISP? Will they require a library card number or password to view on a remote site? If access is limited you’ll want to include notes within your catalog records indicating this.

–Does your catalog software include a URL checker? A URL checker goes through an online catalog, verifies active links and kicks back a list of bad or redirected links to you in a list. Within a world of constantly changing URLs, a URL checker system keeps your catalog’s online collection up-to-date.

–Is the Internet collection you’re considering cataloging part of a stable, viable website which will be online for years to come? Cataloging, even copy cataloging, takes time and money so you want to add quality titles to your catalog. Check on the group(s) which sponsor(s) the website which hosts the collection. What was their intent in providing this collection? Have they altered original material in any way? Read reviews (if available) on the website. Librarians have striven to provide well-balanced book collections for years and the same should prove true in providing access to Internet resources.

–Can you find good cataloging records for the Internet items you wish to enter into your catalog? Some Kansas libraries enter a lot of Internet resource cataloging records into the Kansas Library Catalog (KLC). You should be able to download these records via Z39.50.

INTERNET ARCHIVE GENEALOGY PUBLICATIONS

Founded in 1996, the Internet Archive is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building and maintaining a free and openly accessible online digital library. Hundreds of thousands of books, manuscripts, audios, motion pictures and music files have been placed in the Internet Archive during the past 13 years. Within the past year, cataloging records have been created on OCLC for over 140,000 titles within the Archive as well.

Titles within the Internet Archives are usually free to public access, though it’s good to check! With over one hundred thousand clean MARC records on OCLC, the collection is a great candidate for enhancing a library’s collection in literature, history, the arts and other subject areas.

One prime candidate for inclusion in a library catalog are the hundreds of digitized genealogy books available in the Internet Archive. Currently, there are about 900 of these titles in the Kansas Library Catalog. You can find them by doing the following search in the KLC:

Using “Keyword Search” do an “All Headings” search for the following:

san francisco internet archive family

Most all of the 990 records that come up are family history books available online via the Internet Archive. Titles can be selected and downloaded, adding a sizable collection to any library. Contact Jeff Hixon (jeffh@kslib.info) or Rhonda Machlan (rmachlan@kslib.info) at the State Library to ask about the Z39.50 .

Bill Sowers (ksdocs@kslib.info)

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