Re: [ARSCLIST] Cataloging: Libraries and private collectors

[George Brock-Nannestad <pattac@xxxxxxxx>]

From: Patent Tactics, George Brock-Nannestad


Karl Miller wrote:

>
> Yet some collectors include more information than formal cataloging rules
> require...I am reminded of one field in one collector's digitized catalog. It
> had the heading IL and featured numbers 1-10. It turned out that "IL" stood
> for "I like," rated 1-10. Not exactly information listed on the container.

----- no, but presumably the collector desired to be able to retrieve only
recordings with a rating above, say, 8. In other words, the collector was
able to perform a Boolean search with scale.

----- referring back to my comment dated 6 May 2005, I think that the IL
field is an interesting example. Briefly, I said that if fields representing
identical types of information are identified in a big catalogue and in a
small catalogue, then the information of the small catalogue can be
incorporated in the list structure of the big catalogue, if some translation
between field identifiers is made. The lists of the big catalogue will simply
be longer by the content of the small catalogue. Some fields will not
translate (the IL is the good example here), but if the big catalogue is
willing, IL lists can still be incorporated in the now bigger catalogue.

To make proper use of IL fields it is important to associate it to the
originator, otherwise it does not make much sense to import yet another small
catalogue with a different originator. However, some IL fields may also be
created by traditional reference work - for instance, it is "only" legwork to
enter IL information for innumerable LP records, where the originator is
Edward Tatnall Canby. Just work through the newspapers, magazines, and
journals where he reviewed these records, and you will have created/collated
this information relative to particular recordings.

Our cultural heritage is preserved because we want to learn from it. The more
we can learn without having to do legwork for particular queries, the easier
for the requestor of information. This means that cataloguing ideally
contains answers to most unasked questions. That will never happen, but
creating catalogues and merging catalogues is an investment that will save
time in many instances later.

Don't poke fun of the IL field, it is an important indicator of taste,
provided it is used wisely.

Kind regards,


George