Thank you all for your thoughtful comments!
Our NACO liaison came up with the idea of mini-teams of 2 or 3 catalogers,
consisting of 1 serials specialist and 2 monographs specialsts (or
vice-versa). Each team would cover a subject area, and teammates would
apportion the work, train each other, set production goals, and report
progress monthly. She e-mailed the other catalogers, and 8 of us spent an
intense 2 days building on her suggestions. Yesterday we e-mailed our
proposal to the committee that first proposed the reorganization plan.
For each element of our proposal, we cited the relevant part of our Libraries
Strategic Plan. We addressed the themes of Cross-training, System migration,
Turnaround time, Quality, and Reorganization. Not all catalogers were happy
with the proposal, but agreed to iron out details later, and we e-mailed our
'baby' to the committee. It was *very* well received by the committee, which
met with the whole Cataloging Dept. today. Im convinced my personal main
concern, preparing for the migration to Aleph, will get due attention.
One of the AUTOCAT respondants asked for a list of articles we consulted, and
that follows. They were all helpful. But I do think individuals speaking
off-list have a special impact. While I was introducing our proposal, I
briefly summarized some responses that had many managers, published authors
among them, nodding vigorously. Thank you again for taking the time to
respond to my request.
Summary of responses, as of August 8, 2001, to a request for personal
thoughts regarding a proposed merge of monographs and serials cataloging
units. Posted to ARLIS-L and AUTOCAT on August 3.
15 individuals responded (12 from university libraries, 1 federal, 1 public,
& 1 contractor).
Common themes:
System migration requires careful planning and is chaotic anyway. Don't
contemplate other changes until that is complete. The new system will
define many aspects of workflow; plan the organization around it. Know your
staff, and how much change they can cope with.
Institution priorities determine whether staff are in specialist or
'blended' groups. Various combinations (e.g. serials and monos, serials and
federal docs, orig. mono cataloging and mono maintenance) reflect local
budget structures, type of institution, and staff abilities. Even among
large academic libraries, various elements (turnaround time, staff training,
contribution to cooperative cataloging programs, contribution to campus
programs, reference desk hours, etc.) are balanced differently.
Some individuals thrive on variety and enjoy the marketability that
competence in many formats/languages/subjects brings. Others enjoy building
expertise in focused areas. Skilled paraprofessionals can handle the bulk
of either format. We seek help and offer it across unit lines anyway,
wherever the expertise lies.
Serials and monographs demand different skill sets. Serials specialists
track relationships, like genealogists. Monographs require more complex
subject analysis. Specialization improves efficiency.
Expertise is necessary to maintain contributions to cooperative cataloging
programs (CONSER, BIBCO, NACO, SACO).
Cross-trained staff are better prepared to cover when unexpected absences
arise. Be prepared: don't underestimate the amount of training necessary
to before people really understand the new material. Keep checking for
understanding, even when the questions stop; people may be self-conscious
about asking questions long after they become independent.
Managers are training themselves and their staff, and filling in for (often
long-term) vacancies. Staff turnover, format integration, and new workflows
of electronic material means training is continuous and the line between
formats is blurred. In flattened hierarchies, professional staff are
assuming more management-type responsibilities, often on a rotating basis.
Productivity and quality both are essential. Productivity alone is false
economy; quality alone doesn't move the backlog. Cooperative programs
improve database quality, and staff willingness to train, in-house or in
workshops, and be trained, keeps the profession from graying. SACO
workshops and OCLC Institute distance learning courses were mentioned.
Does the reorganization serve a purpose? Any organizational model will work
if the environment is supportive. Change mandated from above and change
resulting from consensus look very different. Respect your staff or they
will leave or withdraw. Larger groups needs help functioning as a team.
Keep learning, evaluating, fine-tuning as you go.
Many articles are still being passed around the dept., but these are a few:
Shaughnessy, Thomas W. Lessons from restructuring the library. Journal of
Academic Librarianship, 22 (July 1996): 251-256.
Harmon, Joseph C. "The death of quality cataloging: does it make a
difference for library users?" Journal of Academic Librarianship, 22 (July
1996), p. 306-7.
Dewey, Barbara I. Transforming cataloging: the University of Iowa
experience. Collection Management, 23 (1/2): 57-79.
Wasylenko, Lydia W. Building quality that counts into your cataloging
operation. ALA Midwinter Conference 1998, p. 101-104.
Silverman, Scott H. Is technical services being de-professionalized? A
report of the ALCTS Role of the Professional in Technical Services
Discussion Group. ALA Midwinter Conference 1998, p. 107-108.
Watson, Mark. Top Five Reasons Why Library Administrators Should Support
Participation in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging.
http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/topfive.html
University of Maryland Libraries Strategic Plan, April 2001 revision.
http://www.lib.umd.edu/UMCP/PUB/STRATEGICPLAN.HTML
Technical Services websites, especially Cataloging, in our peer institutions
as defined by the Maryland General Assembly:
University of California at Berkeley
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/AboutLibrary/Staff/BPM/8sdir.html
University of California, Los Angeles
http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/cataloging/admin/catstaff.htm
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
http://www.library.uiuc.edu/techserv/original
University of Michigan
http://www.lib.umich.edu/acqser/orgchart.html
http://www.lib.umich.edu/monocat
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
http://www.lib.unc.edu/cat/org.htm
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Julia Wisniewski
Monographs Cataloger
UM Libraries, McKeldin 220 In books, or work, or healthful play
College Park MD 20742-71 May my first years be passed,
[log in to unmask] That I may give for every day
301-405-9331 (voice Some good account at last.
301-314-9971 (fax) -- Isaac Watts
http://www.wam.umd.edu/~jwisniew/homepage.html
__________________________________________________________________
Mail submissions to [log in to unmask]
Administrative matters (file requests, subscription requests, etc)
to [log in to unmask]
ARLIS-L Archives and subscription maintenance:
http://lsv.uky.edu/archives/arlis-l.html
Questions may be addressed to list owner (Kerri Scannell) at: [log in to unmask]
