CATALOG DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 1991/92
August 25, 1992
Prepared by Barbara B. Tillett, Head, Catalog Dept.
with the assistance of Catalog Dept. Section Heads
This was the year of the InnoVacq/InnoPac merge, the
transfer of the Music Section mid-year to the Music Library, two
major changes to workflow, the addition and overhead of a second
contract cataloging operation, and, of course, the MOVE (the
first of two). In spite of many disruptions we:
- increased new cataloging 0.115% over the previous year
(44,207 in 1991/92 versus 44,156 new titles cataloged in
1990/91), which is remarkable given the down time with the
move and staffing reductions noted below. If we compare
both years omitting Music scores and sound recordings for
CUL, our statistics show an increase of 2.3% this year over
last. It attests to the hard work and efforts of the
catalogers to increase per capita production rates and to
the effectiveness of changes we have made in workflow
(particularly changes to authority work and distribution of
materials);
- completed a project to copy search and catalog older CUL In
Process books with copy, and to create item records for
those without copy to facilitate circulation (and changed
the workflow to now routinely create item records for all
new in process materials);
- completed implementation of InnoPac (Release 7) and assisted
with the testing of the full-screen editor (ongoing);
- completed the cataloging of some long-standing backlogs of
serials for Special Collections and Documents (no more
serials backlogs!);
- completed original cataloging of backlogged materials for
IR/PS; Scobie and Melanesian backlogs were greatly reduced;
- completed the Russian Annex Project, cataloging
approximately 2500 titles in slavic languages from the old
CUL backlogs at the Annex and helped SIO eliminate their
cyrillic backlogs;
- continued work on the cataloger's workstation, receiving two
prototype workstations to use for development of that model;
- began tests of capturing MARC records at the point of
ordering;
- began tape loading of CJK records to add vernacular fields
and to update existing records for viewing on the enhanced
InnoPac terminals;
- began projects to convert old Burroughs records to full-MARC
for serials and to catalog an old backlog of approximately
4,500 serial analytics; and
- completed several catalog clean-up projects and made good
progress on numerous other database maintenance projects
(see below).
Between July 1991 and June 1992 we permanently lost a net
5.09 FTE (academic, staff, and student) positions to the
Department with the Music Section transferring to the Music
Library and a fall VERIP retirement (LA IV Special Projects). We
also had assorted ups and downs with staffing. On the down side,
in addition to losing the Music Section and the full-time LA IV
position for special projects, we lost the Serials Section Head
(now an open but frozen position) and there were several staff on
reduced hours or leaves for extended periods during the year
(e.g., Peggy Trader continued reduced time while attending UCLA's
library school, Megan Lombard was hospitalized during the 91/92
fiscal year and subsequently died July 1992, Crystal Graham was
out twice during the year for surgery and hospitalization).
On the up side our new original cataloger (Liz Robinson)
began work in July 1991, we continued a temporary librarian (Tani
Eckstrand) on projects, managed a part-time re-hire for Ken
Treshow who had retired, and we had one part-time volunteer
continuing her generous expert help in original cataloging for a
second year. We used GA funds supplemented by NEH funds to hire
a temporary copy cataloger on a one-year appointment in the MARC
section. We also shifted one library assistant from the
Contributed Section to the Original Section in our ongoing effort
to adjust departmental assignments to cover workload. A lot of
time and effort were spent with three Screening Committees in
abortive attempts to hire two librarian managers for the
Department (two attempts for Head of the Original Section and one
for Head of the Serials Section). Both positions are now frozen.
Our request for basic copy cataloging positions (2 FTE LA II) to
keep up with incoming acquisitions, was not funded.
Other Cataloging
In November InnoPac and InnoVacq were merged. At that time
we conducted a department-wide brainstorming session and
subsequently implemented several major changes to workflow to
improve the effective use of InnoPac and to further streamline
cataloging procedures. As a result, new authority verification
workflows were implemented in December and changes to workload
distribution were implemented in April. We feel these have been
major contributors to our increasing per capita productivity.
The Department regularly contributes to improving the
national resource files for bibliographic and authority records
through permanent enhancements to the bibliographic records on
OCLC and through contributions to NACO.
INNOPAC and OCLC Problems
During the year there were problems getting terminals,
printers, barcode scanners, and III "black boxes" installed and
repaired, causing delays in projects we had planned.
Database Clean-up and Projects
The grant project to provide bibliographic control over the
San Diego documents collections of UCSD, SDSU, SDPL, and the SD
Co. Libraries was completed ahead of schedule. By September
1991, we had cataloged 1995 documents (1641 original records and
354 copy), as well as 140 San Diego maps, and provided well over
300 NACO contributions to the national authority file.
The Catalog Maintenance Section continued to eliminate
corrections backlogs and approximately 25% of the Shelflist
Inventory is completed (at least another 6 years is needed, and
we no longer have funds to continue during 92/93). Two parallel
projects to recycle cards to reduce the bulk of the card
shelflists in preparation for the moves, resulted in the removal
of 91,732 OCLC cards during 91/92, plus the conversion of all
holdings and barcode information from oversize cards (actually
completed the oversize card project August 1992). The effort to
remove OCLC cards, convert holdings, and check for mismatched
records continues on an ad hoc basis.
The CUL to Annex/SRLF transfer projects were completed,
resulting in the transfer of 44,399 volumes to the Annex and
4,071 volumes to SRLF.
The Authorities Unit in Catalog Maintenance also completed
(actually in August 1992) processing the problems (over 500) from
last year's NAF (New/Name Authority File) conversion project.
They also are working on providing post-cataloging subject
authority work for InnoPac lists that backlogged from May 1990-
March 1991. Our current post-cataloging subject authority work
is proceeding very well with no new backlogs.
An ongoing match and elimination of on-the-fly records
created from Day 1 by Access Services Staff saw the completion of
the clean-up of the first year's 1,751 records (records created
Day 1 through June 1990). We are now in the process of cleaning
up the second year's records (over 4,500).
Other Departmental Activities
Although implemented last year, post-cataloging authority
work for all topical subject headings on copy has made a
noticeable difference in improving productivity of MARC copy
catalogers. Similarly, changes to authority work for names not
needing cross references has greatly reduced the time taken by
all catalogers on authority work.
We spent considerable time on planning for the temporary
move to the CUL addition and actually moving, and then dealing
with subsequent problems with the temporary space. For example,
we could not export from OCLC to InnoPac for nearly one month; it
took many weeks to get shelving installed for materials being
cataloged. This resulted in the catalogers having to work out of
boxes for far too long.
We successfully monitored one of the largest GA and S&E
budgets in the Library and offered further suggestions on
improvements of the library-wide systems for tracking same (ASAP
and SOS).
Barbara Tillett provided cataloging training for LA IV's and
LA V's through a 10-week course on Subject Analysis.
Contributions to the Library as a Whole and to the Profession
This year we searched 610 patron requests with a 90% success
rate (many located outside our department!).
Several staff contributed time to committee activities for
TSUG, including chairing and serving on the XLink/BackLink
Committee, Purge Committee, Committee on Labels.
Steve Espinoza, George Janczyn, Becky Ringler, and Amy
McNair assisted with demonstrations and setup at EDUCOM.
Shirley Higgins was appointed to the University Librarian
Search Committee in February.
Barbara Tillett served as chair of CAPA.
We trained 5 USIP students.
Two of our staff were accepted in UC library schools and
will be attending fall 1992.
Judy Gamboa, a student in our Catalog maintenance Section,
is an intern at the Library of Congress this summer.
George Janczyn served as an assistant to the Systems Dept.
during and after the move to help with telecommunications and
other technical aspects of re-establishing systems connections.
More recently, starting in April 1992, he is assisting Systems
with the CAD drawings of floorplans for the next move.
Steve Espinoza and Liz Robinson became members of the
Systems WriteTeam.
Maggie Houlihan became a member of UCSD's Library Training
Group and began planning the student workleader series.
Barbara Tillett chaired the Added Access Team, and Shirley
Higgins and Maggie Houlihan prepared and tested procedures for
that Team to enable selected/trained bibliographers and reference
librarians to enhance InnoPac bibliographic and authority
records.
Steve Espinoza began a 6-month internship with the Systems
Dept. Unfortunately, we had to ask him to discontinue this
internship in July 1992, due to pressing staffing needs in our
Department.
Contributions to professional literature include a book
review and five articles by Barbara Tillett.
In the area of contributions to professional organizations,
Barbara Tillett and Crystal Graham served on various ALA
(American Library Association) Committees and Task Forces. Becky
Ringler spoke at a serial computer file workshop at the North
American Serials Interest Group (NASIG) conference. Several
staff members attended ALA, ARLIS, and ACRL conferences.
Section Heads provided numerous orientations, training, and
tours for visitors (University of Australia, University of San
Diego, JOIN computers, CLASS/ASIA, Andrew Wang and Liz Bishoff of
OCLC, Eugenia Kuttler, Stephanie Cuyjet, etc.)
Future plans
Apart from the routine plans for maintaining cataloging and
working through various projects, we intend to focus this next
year on doing the following:
Evaluate the CJK Plus system as a beta test site.
Evaluate the OCLC Gateway system as a beta test site.
Continue to fine tune the MARC on Order (MOO) workflow and
to test the "Cataloging on Receipt" workflow with the
Acquisitions Department.
Implement the full screen editor with InnoPac Release 8 and
evaluate the impact and make changes to workflow that seem
appropriate given combined changes to our automated systems.
Continue our examinations of cataloging procedures and work
habits towards increasing production.
Work with our AUL towards a grant to enable us to purchase
workstations for catalogers as soon as possible to take full
advantage of the multiple system access and windowing features.
Continue work towards equitable performance guidelines and
expectations in all sections.
Continue work to fine tune "AutoStats" to provide an
objective means for keeping statistics via computer.
Continue staff development through individual goal setting,
exploration of TQM methods, provision of a Descriptive Cataloging
class for staff at the LA III level and higher, and support for
supervisory training as appropriate.
Provide Added Access training for bibliographers and
reference librarians.