Standard Cataloging for School and Public Libraries (3rd ed.)

Citation

Brunt, R. (2003), "Standard Cataloging for School and Public Libraries (3rd ed.)", Journal of Documentation, Vol. 59 No. 2, pp. 232-234. https://doi.org/10.1108/00220410310463563

This publication bears the hallmarks and authority of two of the most eminent in both the theory and practice of cataloguing. As might then be expected, it covers the field comprehensively and in so doing addresses not only the activities dedicated to descriptive and subject cataloguing, but also physical storage for retrieval; and, most importantly, managerial aspects and those concerned with policy as they affect individual organisations. In this it reflects the authors’ very successful Special Libraries: A Cataloging Guide (1998).

The book is in 16 chapters covering five principal aspects as outlined below. An introduction briefly sets the scene; and the book is completed with a number of appendices containing a bibliography (useful though tending to favour US practice); a glossary; answers to exercises; and indexes. In addition to a conventional topical index to the text there are indexes to names (principally corporate); to figures and to examples which have been classified by problem area. This is a highly commendable and welcome feature.

Each chapter has a substantial list of recommended further reading; and several chapters include exercises on description (4), known item access (5), alphabetical subject indexing (8 and 9), Dewey decimal classification (11), Library of Congress classification (12).

Chapter 2 (“Decisions”) provides a very useful preliminary to the business of constructing the catalogue – covering practical points which are often omitted in contemporary texts in the enthusiasm to get on with the business of cataloguing itself.

Chapters 3‐6 (on descriptive cataloguing) cover the known item approach to information. Of note is chapter 6, which contains a very useful treatment of special types of materials (serials, unpublished materials and nonbook formats) and the applications of the consolidation of AACR2 published in 1998.

The unknown item approach to information – alphabetical subject indexing and classification – is addressed in chapters 7‐12 and includes coverage of Library of Congress subject headings; Sears list of subject headings; and the principal (in North American terms at least) classifications, Dewey decimal classification and Library of Congress classification. The introductory chapter to this aspect gives a general overview and addresses both the underlying principles and the evaluation of subject catalogues. Special schemes are, however, totally disregarded, even though they might prove useful in some educational contexts. This could be regarded as slightly odd on this side of the Atlantic given the availability of such schemes; but not so strange when the essentially North American bias is taken into account. There are only limited references in passing to the classified catalogue; a disappointment perhaps to older members of the UK cataloguing community. In many respects, though, given the hegemony of the alphabetical approach to retrieval via subject now found in the majority of online catalogues, this approach is not inappropriate to readers in this country.

Two chapters are devoted to computerised cataloguing; with chapter 13 covering MARC briefly but satisfactorily; and a link to the consideration of the bibliographic utilities and local computerised systems in chapter 14.

Two important chapters then revisit points made in the introduction concerning policy matters and management, covering, inter alia, items such as maintenance of a policy manual and managing the cataloguing department.

There are few reservations. The general North American bias weakens some of the material as far as relevance for the UK. It comes as a bit of a jolt to find cataloguing in publication (CIP) being covered so fully in the introductory chapter. The writers doubtless thought long and hard about the location of the topic and it is difficult to identify a truly satisfactory alternative – but perhaps a helpful signal of its importance could have been placed here with the fuller exposition in chapter 2 (on the bibliographic record) or chapter 14 (on bibliographic utilities and sources of MARC records).

This book will be useful for students and practitioners alike; and for those intending to work in general libraries as well as those seeking employment in the education sector. The preface indicates that the book “… is meant to be readable and useful. It is intended to promote effective public services by making it easier for librarians, information center specialists and school library media specialists to implement standardized bibliographic services.” The reviewer has every confidence that it will succeed in these objectives.