Cataloging

LITS Annual Report 2003-2004

This was a very tumultous year for the department, as office renovations forced us to move twice, and we upgraded to entirely different software for both our primary cataloging functions, as well as the manuals and tools we use to do it. Additional onetime paperwork or projects included vendor demos for a new integrated library system, and related function checklists to fill out, responses to the LITS strategic plan, and job analysis forms. The department also served approx. 200 hours on the library reference desk (excluding Archives), including weekends, and lost one of two full-time staff near the end of the year.
Major work projects included the following:

• SFX training, implementation, and maintenance: Dept. staff, in conjunction with R.I.S. staff spent two days training to bring up and maintain the SFX database. Many hours were also spent preparing for the implementation as well as the implementation itself. We have also been maintaining the database, although the Digital Information Systems Specialist recently assumed most regular maintenance duties.
• Retrospective Conversion of Cutter Collection: Although most of this project was contracted out, the supervision and oversight alone consumed a significant amount of Dept. staff time. The project was finally completed using Cataloging and SAS staff.
• Periodical Review: The Dept. was heavily involved in the winter 2004 periodical review, having volunteered to review some of the largest categories of materials, i.e. general periodicals and newspapers. In addition, Dept. staff created the lists of materials that were reviewed by both Cataloging and R.I.S.
• Five College Depository: We continue to oversee shipment of materials to the depository, as well as serving as the Mount Holyoke representative on the Depository Advisory Group. While SAS now handles most of the day-to-day work, the Dept. solves related problems and handles questions of procedure and policy.
• Batch Loading of Catalog Records: Prior to this year, the Dept. was dependent on staff at UMass to do any batch loading of records. We can now do this in-house, which should allow faster input of records purchased from outside vendors.
• Classes and Instruction: Taught classes for both students and staff, including: 5 undergraduate classes with 74 students in the use of College Archives, two classes for staff and student workers on finding music materials in the library catalog, and three classes for a special Mellon-funded program on library science for MHC undergraduates.
• Music Library Inventory: Completed an inventory of books and scores in the Pratt Music Library, identifying missing materials and ordering replacements. Also corrected related errors in the catalog and forwarded damaged materials to SAS for repair.
• Approval Plan Implementation: Worked with SAS and the Collection Development Librarian to prepare for the implementation of a new approval plan for university press materials. Time was spent examining fund code issues, looking at system details of a loader table for automated record input, and other related issues.
• Honors Papers: Cataloged and processed all honors papers for the class of 2003. We also created a preliminary plan that was approved by the faculty for electronic submission of these materials.
• Authority Work: We continue to update and correct new entries/headings in the five college catalog, as part of a five college cooperative agreement.
• Liaison/Collection Development Work: Dept. staff served as liaisons to and ordered materials for the French, Italian, Music and Theatre depts., as well as ordering general interest materials, and materials relating to Asian studies. Consulted with faculty and participated in library-wide initiatives relating to their liaison duties.
• Foreign Librarians Visit: Hosted with other Library staff a group of librarians from Kazakhstan who visited for several days.
• Seminars, Conferences, etc.: Annual NEMLA (New England Chapter, Music Librarians Association) Conference, International Conference on Excavated Chinese Manuscripts, MHC Asian Studies seminars, NELINET Conference: “Serials Reloaded,”
  NELINET Seminar “FRBR and the Future of the Online Public Access Catalog,” SMUG (SFX/MetaLib Users’ Group) Conference.
• Workshops, Training: Five College workshop on XML, Connexion training (via NELINET), MHC workshops on Dreamweaver, TEI, and XML/XSLT.
• Committee Work: Five College Cataloging Committee, Serials and Acquisitions Committee, Preservation Committee [sic], Depository Advisory Group; LITS D-Space Committee and SFX Implementation Group, MHC Chinese Table.

Submitted by Anne Miller 8/26/04