TPOT: Cataloging--Catalog Department annual report 1998-1999

CATALOG DEPARTMENT
ANNUAL REPORT

July 1, 1998-June 30, 1999

Achievements:

- Cataloged 94,569 titles with copy and 4,305 titles with no copy (original cataloging) for eleven campus libraries. These figures include 49,462 bibliographic records purchased for microform analytics. See TPOT (http://tpot.ucsd.edu/Cataloging/Stats/stats9899.pdf) for more detail.

- Centralized the Biomedical/Medical Center Libraries' cataloging unit, completing the centralization mandated by the PPD (Programmatic Priorities Document) process. We centralized the SIO and Music Library's cataloging units in 1996 and 1997. The Catalog Department now catalogs materials and provides database maintenance for all campus libraries and collections except for Special Collections, federal documents, and slides.

- Are completely up-to-date with cataloging all licensed electronic journals and databases, both those licensed by the CDL and those licensed locally, as well as all web sites requested by bibliographers for cataloging.

- Completed processing the last historic monographs backlog ("Brieflist" collection), which resulted in the weeding of 5,108 titles and adding 403 titles to primarily the SSH Library.

- Reclassified 1,458 older law titles that had been temporarily classed as "K zero" prior to the development of LC classification schedules for those areas of law. 157 titles were also withdrawn as a result of this project. Both the Brieflist and K zero projects were particularly successful, as we built partnerships with bibliographers to update, hone, and provide better access to the collections.

- Completed database maintenance on a variety of projects related to the changes in the MARC formats and to subject heading changes through CPSO, for example: recoding computer files to the new definition; recoding atlases to the maps format; recoding 856 fields with new indicators; updating subject headings with changes noted on Weekly Lists. We also defined new limits in Roger and recoded records (such as adding 007s and changing mat types) to take advantage of the new limits.

- Implemented and evaluated the OCLC PromptCat service and determined that we could provide copy cataloging for incoming monographs quicker and cheaper in-house.

- Upgraded all Technical Services Workstations (TSWs) in the Catalog Department to Pentium machines running Windows 95. All Wyse terminals were removed.

- All catalogers at UCSD have been given access to and training on the LC Cataloger's Desktop and Classification Plus.

Concerns:

- Portal Project Value Added Database. We need to carefully define the relationship between the Portal Project's database (VAD) and Roger. This issue goes to the crux of current tensions between metadata and online catalogs, and has become of central importance within the Portal Team. We have noted parallels between Melvyl and the CDL Directory, for example, and between WorldCat and CORC. We need to understand and draw careful boundaries to identify appropriate content for each database to avoid redundant work and so users know where to search.

- Original cataloging. We have ongoing concerns about meeting the challenge of providing original cataloging for a variety of foreign language materials. We have very successfully developed and utilized several sources for outsourcing various language materials over the last several years. This year, we have an active outsourcing program with OCLC TechPro for Swedish, Thai, Polish, and languages in the Cyrillic alphabet. TechPro is also helping us with our Japanese original cataloging, and OCLC AsiaLink takes care of our Korean ordering as well as cataloging. We hired a UCLA cataloger as a consultant to catch up our small German backlog. We have developed staff in-house with language expertise by providing training in cataloging, classification, and subject analysis. We will continue to seek cost-effective solutions for cataloging foreign language materials.

- Music cataloging. The Music Cataloging Team is an area where the incoming workload-particularly when gifts are included-exceeds the capacity of cataloging staff, causing us to maintain a backlog. This situation is most significant in original cataloging, but we plan to partially address this through in-house training and development of experienced copy catalogers. This has been eased by the addition of one casual LA III for the 99-00 fiscal year, however, we anticipate that it will take more than one year of increased staffing to make a noticeable difference.

- UGL collection dismantling. We will need to work together with the bibliographers in the withdrawal or transfer of the remaining 35,000 volumes in that collection. We anticipate asking for special project funding to take care of this next summer.

- Annex Project. There are several small projects currently being planned that work incrementally toward the goal of abandoning the Annex. We have concerns about whether abandoning the Annex is both desirable and possible.

- Inventory Project. Data is being gathered this year from two pilot projects, and a report will be written for Cabinet this Spring about the viability of doing a collection inventory. The Catalog Dept. is participating in the testing, and is watching this process with an eagle eye because of the potential workload impact should an inventory be recommended.

- SRLF processing. We have a large amount of material already identified to send. We will need to design and implement new SRLF transfer procedures, including new software processes, when UCLA is ready.

- Autostats. Cataloging statistics are tallied through coding in InnoPac records, and the data is gathered, manipulated, and recorded by a senior staff member in the Acquisitions Dept. We are looking toward a web-based process for management of this data in the coming year.

- InnoPac Millennium. We anticipate the installation of the Database Maintenance module of Millennium in June 2000.

- FinancialLink. The Administrative Unit within the department manages the budget, which utilizes the campus FinancialLink system. While the Library's budgeting processes are stable and well understood, the accounting piece is not. We need clear procedures and better training on the FinancialLink system to manage the day-to-day transactions on the most detailed level.