Hopson, Kathryn INN533: Final Learning Journal : Weekly Journal overview

Hopson, Kathryn INN533: Final Learning Journal

Weekly Journal overviews:

 Reflecting on the user experience in week one and two, covering the aspects of clients  searching for information using a database such as a Library catalogue. The key elements here to note were, did we, as information managers give our clients a good user experience? In evaluating  the database or catalogue the client used, we gained a better understanding of databases in   Libraries in general.

  Discussing my own experiences working in different libraries for weeks three and four  enabled me to reflect and discuss the comments made by the Teacher Librarian Ann  Gillespie in the video interview Howard, Z. (2013).  I believe the direction of archives in  libraries  in the future will be digital for the saving of space. Moving on to resource description  in the following weeks. The new cataloguing upgrades such as AACR2 to RDA and the impact this will have on resource description in cataloguing was discussed. While there will  be an improvement using a more natural language in cataloguing Subject descriptions, the  extra time it will take to add the initial data was also discussed as a possible negative. Key  elements here is identifying the various standards, and applying them to catalogue  entries. Classification terms that users are familiar with eg: DDC or Dewy Decimal System and LCSH Library of Congress Subject Headings and how these standards will change to accommodate digital metadata.

 Interactive and user-friendly social networking in Libraries is becoming the new standards in library catalogues. The idea that uses will have input into the databases, an example of this is Trove where editing is now done by the people searching and using the database. The pros of this type of system allow for a more user-friendly system, the cons are who then monitors  the information added for quality assurance? The key element here is the changing face of Library catalogues as not being the sole domain of Librarians.

My strengths in completing this unit is my ability to draw on my past and current library  experience and network effectively with other information managers, drawing on their  experiences and knowledge. The challenge for me is not to be overwhelmed with the amount of new information I am learning, and to keep drawing on my lecturer’s experience and participate in class discussion, and keep asking questions. 

References:

American Library Association Gutsche, B. (2010). Coping with continual motion. Library Journal, 135(4), 28-31   Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/881473406?accountid=13380

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011-13) Profiles of Health, Australia 4338.0 Retrieved from http://abs.gov.au/austats/abs@.nsf/mf/4338.0

Bowler L. & Mattern. E. Design techniques for revealing adolescent memory processes related to information seeking: a preliminary study. Iconference 12 proceedings of the 2012 iconference  (1-9)

Edwards, Sylvia L. & Bruce, Christine S. (2006) Panning for gold: understanding students information searching experiences. In Transforming IT Education: Promoting a culture of excellence. Informing Science Press, Santa Rosa, California. http://eprints.qut.edu.au/990/

Gorman. M (2004) The Concise AACR2  (4th ed.) Chicago Ill.

American Library Association

 Hider, P, & Harvey, R. (2008) Organising knowledge in a global society. 

Wagga Wagga NSW Charles Sturt University

Howard, Z. (2013). INN533 Information Organisation: Week 3 Information organisation and the information professional: Katrina McAlpine interview [Supplemental material]. Retrieved from URL http://blackboard.qut.edu.au/courses/1/INN533_13se2/content/_4911358_1/Ann%20Gillespie%20Week%202.mp3

Karen Stone, Manager Descriptive Services Queensland, personal communication: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/cite/qutcite.jsp#apa-cmat-comms

Miller, L. (2011). Resource description and access (RDA): An introduction for reference librarians. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(3), 216-222. Retrieved fromhttp://search.proquest.com/docview/858669096?accountid=13380

      World Catalogue.org : Retrieved from

       http://www.worldcat.org/

       Yarra Plenty Regional Library: Retrieved from

       http://yprl.vic.gov.au/

Hopson, Kathryn INN533: Journal Week 8 -Classification

Hopson, Kathryn INN533: Journal Week 8 -Classification

Information resources in a database such as a library catalogue require a unique identification system. The DDC or Dewey Decimal system is an enumerative classification system. The LCSH Library of Congress Subject Headings is used for identifying the descriptive area the item falls into or the subject area, and finally the ISBN or International Standard Bibliographic Description is yet another example of a standard used in catalogues for describing informational forms of resources. Hider, P (2008). P.39

One example of classifying items in subject areas includes Exhaustive Subject Indexing used in Library of Congress Subject Headings - LCSH. In a recent interview with Karen Stone, Manager Descriptive Services Queensland, personal communication: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/cite/qutcite.jsp#apa-cmat-comms. I asked Karen the question, “Do they allocate call numbers to their ebook resources?”  While the answer was that they did not allocate call numbers, they do however allocate several subject headings to every record provided, to provide numerous access points. This then would be a good example of exhaustive Subject Indexing as there is no enumerative classification such as a DDC number. Relying exclusively on subject areas alone to identify the item.

The negative side to the use of exhaustive subject headings is a challenge for cataloguers in libraries today. To know the LCSH more thoroughly and find the time to put the right subject headings with the topic. However leaving behind the DDC number is something that is gaining ground. This then poses another question I faced the other day. When cataloguing a Junior fiction book and at the same time downloading the audio book that accompanies it. Do you still supply the DDC number to the audio book? The DDC has been allocated to the print version of the book, therefore should it also apply to an ebook version for consistency? Being a pdf or ebook do the same rules apply as used in AACR2 or RDA with books in print? If the book has not been allocated a Dewey number in SCIS do we as cataloguers allocate one if other libraries are not doing this? The standards that cataloguers are familiar with or the rules of cataloguing as set out in The Concise AACR2 -Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, now the revised version of RDA –Resource description and Access Gorman, M (2004) is changing. How these changes will affect standards of cataloguing in all libraries in the future remain to be seen? 

 References:

    

Hider, P, & Harvey, R. (2008) Organising knowledge in a global society. 

Wagga Wagga NSW Charles Sturt University

Karen Stone, Manager Descriptive Services Queensland, personal communication: http://www.citewrite.qut.edu.au/cite/qutcite.jsp#apa-cmat-comms

Gorman. M (2004) The Concise AACR2  (4th ed.) Chicago Ill.

American Library Association