Re: [ARSCLIST] Cataloging sound recordings

[Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, 11 May 2005, Matt Snyder wrote:

> ----- Message from Karl Miller <lyaa071@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> on Tue, 10 May
> 2005 14:08:52 -0500 -----
> >It seemed to me that the record should have included a reference to
> Stevie
> >Ray Vaughan and Freddie Hubbard, also featured on the disc. Ok, the disc
> >dates from 1988, and maybe those guys weren't famous enough at that time,
> >however, none of the ten other institutions that tagged that record (no I
> >don't know when they tagged that record) saw fit to upgrade the
> >record. I fault the system.
>
> I fault the cataloger. Both Vaughan and Hubbard were more than famous in
> 1988. NYPL's entry for this disc has Vaughan as an added name. He was only
> on one track though, which begs the question of why Hubbard wasn't added
> either.

The reason I fault the system is that there is such complexity to the
system that one can spend a disproportionate amount of time dealing with
the system. Are there catalogers without backlogs? One cuts corners. My
thinking is that the system contributes to the backlog.

Then there are the rules which do not require the addition of the
producer's name to the bibliographic record. Thinking about that this
morning I checked the bib record for the Beatles Sgt. Peppers. That album,
probably more than any in the history of recorded sound, is mentioned as
being seminal as a demonstration of the importance of the producer. The CD
bib record, tagged most often for that title (745 times) does not even
mention George Martin's name in a note field, let alone an added entry. Is
it possible that his name is not on the item?

Some attention is being given to those who do restoration work but little
of the published work of Obert-Thorn, Newton, Dutton,
Marston, Winner, Lennick...sorry if I missed any of you, can be found
mentioned in the bib record when that information is clearly listed on
the container. It seems even more odd to me when some historical reissues
are marketed based upon who did the transfer.

How about cover art as well? There are but two OCLC bib records for sound
recordings that include the name of Alex Steinweiss. There is a book on
his cover art...yet there is not a book devoted to the recordings of
Leonard Slatkin...yet, Slatkin is listed in the bib record. Of course
Slatkin is more significant to the performance on the disc, but the cover
art is probably significant to the "object."

Then, what about the engineer...I found 90 citations for Lewis Layton, yet
only two of those were for his Red Seal efforts...and only NINE for John
Eargle.

I know, too many discs and not enough time...and...

Karl