In June we visited the Evanston Public Library and toured the library
and its art collection. Thanks again to Evelyn Kaehler for hosting
the meeting and leading the tour. Next we are scheduled to meet in
the fall at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

-Amy
-----------------------------
Amy E. Trendler
Catalog/Reference Librarian
Ryerson and Burnham Libraries
Art Institute of Chicago
(312)443-3600 ext. 3-7343
[log in to unmask]
-----------------------------

The minutes also appear on the web site:
http://alexia.lis.uiuc.edu/~trendler/macdg.html#Je2002
------------------------------------------
Midwestern Art Cataloging Discussion Group
Notes for the June Meeting
Hosted by the Evanston Public Library
June 21, 2002

The June meeting of the Midwestern Art Cataloging Discussion Group
convened at 9:35am on Friday June 21, 2002 at the Evanston Public
Library. 8 librarians were in attendance.

1. Topic:  art books in the Evanston Public Library

The Evanston Public Library houses the largest collection of art
books in the area's public library system. The library is a potential
resource for Chicago-area patrons looking to check out art books,
particularly because of the reciprocal borrowing agreement between
the Chicago and Evanston Public Libraries. The collection is fairly
broad and includes books on local artists.

2.  Topic:  artists' name headings and subject headings

Discussion on this topic revealed that while generally additional
subject headings are not added to titles with an artists' name
heading, catalogers will add them if the additional heading is very
specific. Most everyone agreed that they would not add headings such
as "Sculpture, American," but would consider adding headings such as
"Glass sculpture, American." It was noted that the focus of the
collection is important to consider:  a library with few books on
landscape painting, or painting in general, may be more likely to add
headings such as "Landscape painting, American" to records.

3.  Topic:  photography books

When is a book of photographs classed as a photography book and when
does it go with the subject of the photographs (either in 779 or a
different subject number 900s, etc)? This question is easier for art
libraries to answer because a given  title has undoubtedly been
purchased for the photography and not the subject matter, but for
public libraries and general collections the answer is not so clear.
As several of those present reported, titles may be divided between
subject and photography until it becomes apparent that the
photographer is an "artistic" photographer. Titles would usually then
be classified by photographer. The point was made that in terms of
classification for browsing collections, sometimes it is best to
leave titles in the "wrong" locations for better browsing, but that
reclassifying is sometimes necessary and can increase circulation.
The general consensus was that these questions must continue to be
answered on a case-by-case basis.

4.  Topic:  big name headings

The problem of name headings that become big lists and tend to offer
little help to the patron looking for "a book on Picasso" was
discussed. The idea of the classed catalog was raised, but here built
numbers could prove to be a problem and some libraries have ongoing
reclassification projects or simply classification problems that
would interfere. Still, the classed catalog could be used to divide
big headings into smaller groups based on medium, but this would
require patrons to have a better understanding of call numbers.
Placing limits on searches to find keywords in the title (i.e.
prints, drawings, paintings) was also suggested.


The next meeting of the MAC discussion group will be September 2002
at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Notes by Amy Trendler.
7/1/02

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