NOTE: To change the image on this slide, select the picture and delete it. Then click the Pictures icon in the placeholder to insert your own image. WHAT’S NEXT, YOU ASK? : HOW PUBLIC LIBRARY CATALOGERS CREATE SERIES AUTHORITY RECORDS AS A PUBLIC SERVICE Eddie Clem, MLS Cataloging Librarian Kokomo-Howard County Public Library ~ (765)

Today’s Topics Background How We Began The Process Transitioning from Word to Excel Transitioning to Sierra Examples

BACKGROUND

Background  Began in 2005 “series-fying” our collections (Total: 270, 578 items)  Wanted a way to organize materials by series in the stacks  Developed a “modified Dewey” structure  Kept lists in Word—developed by the principal cataloger  Had series lists for both adult/YA and juvenile  Lists helped ensure phrasing/wording of series was consistent; branches did not catalog the same way  We do not do series numbering in nonfiction  To complete most of the backfile, the process took about 3 years to complete; Juvenile finished before adult/YA

HOW WE BEGAN

Beginning the Project & the Process  Found an author who we knew had a lot of series; called those items to the Technical Services Department to be updated:  Series statement added (440 field at the time)  Series number added to 099 field  Updated call numbers in item records  Typed new call number labels  Removed old labels  Applied new labels and sent back to home locations  Also checked materials for repair, discard, or replacement BEFORE relabeling  When the project began, the two MLS catalogers were doing all the work; eventually copy catalogers and clerks were involved in the process

MAINTAINING THE SERIES AUTHORITY FILE

Maintaining the File: Word to Excel  When the project began, the catalogers used Word to keep series lists, in two Word documents: 1 for authors and 1 for alphabetical listing of series titles

Example: Word Document Author List Alphabetical listing of authors included author name, genre, series name, and series number

Example: Word Document Title List Alphabetical listing of series titles. This list included a call number example (2 nd column)

Example: Excel Document Transitioned from tables in Word to Excel. Much easier to add rows! Did away with title listing and added a “call number example” column instead

PROBLEMS WITH THIS SYSTEM

Problems  Biggest problem: Lists are never up-to-date. Selectors delete last copy of a series from collection, the catalogers are not informed  Only one cataloger can edit the Word or Excel documents at once  Word and Excel are not stable (in my opinion!)

SOLUTION: USE THE ILS! Innovative Interfaces’ Sierra

Sierra: Step 1—Create “CMD SERIES AUTHOR” Records  We created a suppressed bib record, called a “CMD SERIES AUTHOR” record to house the information previously recorded in the Word and Excel files  Created bib record templates to prompt staff for the correct fields and keep the format consistent

Sierra: Step 2—Create a Series Title Authority Record  For each entry on an Author Series Record, we create a title authority record. When the last copy of that series is withdrawn by a selector, it populates in Headings Reports as a blind reference  Cataloging staff run blind references reports regularly and delete those series that we no longer own

Headings Reports: Blind References  We sometimes do have false reporting of blind references; we’re working on a re-indexing project that should solve this problem (we hope!)

STAFF TRAINING & TIPS

Staff Training & Tips  Created a 12-page “How-To” guide, complete with screenshots for cataloging staff to follow to complete the process  Catalogers and clerks are very comfortable with the process. A clerk helps with Blind References  I’d be happy to a copy to anyone who wants one! me at  I created a macro in Sierra to create a title authority record. This speeds up the process!

BENEFITS FOR PATRONS & STAFF

Benefits for Patrons and Staff  S. R. Ranganathan’s Laws of Library Science  Fourth Law: Save the time of the reader  Greatly saves time for patrons by organizing materials in the stacks in series order  Patrons LOVE this system!  Saves the time of reference/public service staff because they don’t have to look up “which book is next”—the cataloger has already done all that work!

Contact Me  I’d love to hear from you and discuss any questions or suggestions!  Eddie Clem Cataloging Librarian Outreach and Collections Services Kokomo-Howard County Public Library (765)