Retrospective Conversion: History, Approaches, Considerations / Edition 1

by Brian Schottlaender

Overview

Retrospective Conversion is an essential guide for library catalogers and technical services managers in the process of converting manual catalog records to machine readable form. It clearly illustrates the advantages and disadvantages of the three conversion methods—converting in-house, contracting to a vendor, and a combination of the two—and covers the areas of cost, staff, time, and record quality for each.

Catalogers will learn how to make a bigger investment in advance planning to achieve better end results. Helpful chapters emphasize the need for planning, quality control, and authority control in the creation of a complete catalog in a machine readable form. Also included are case studies that illustrate specific methods in action and provide a wealth of general, usable information.

This unique reference covers a variety of valuable topics for catalogers involved in converting manual catalog records. It includes an in-depth bibliography and review of the retrospective conversion literature, including over 200 items addressing general considerations, special formats, and international issues. Specific examples of retrospective conversion are analyzed including projects in medium and large size institutions, non-serials and serials cataloging, music scores, and the Library of Congress’s conversion of the PREMARC file. Specific techniques are explained such as the development of a PC workstation interface to facilitate the conversion process, the use of sampling techniques in project cost analysis, how to determine what quality standards are needed and at what cost, and authority control in both manual and online catalogs.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781560243281
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/16/1992
Series:	Cataloging and Classification Quarterly Series
Pages:	178
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Brian Schottlaender, MLS, is Assistant University Librarian for Technical Services at the University of California at Los Angeles where he has coordinated projects resulting in the retrospective conversion of over one and a half million bibliographic records.

Table of Contents

Contents Introduction

• Part I: History
• Recon Road Maps: Retrospective Conversion Literature, 1980–1990
• PREMARC—A History and Status Report
• Part II: Case Studies
• Retrospective Conversion of a Medium-Sized Academic Library
• Serials Retrospective Conversion: Project Design and In-House Implementation
• Part III: Coordination and Innovation
• Workflow Considerations in Retrospective Conversion Projects for Scores
• Streamlining a Conversion Project With a Staff PC Workstation and Shelf List Sampling
• Part IV: Control Issues
• Editing Recon Records: When Is Enough, Enough? A Selective Review of the Literature
• Managing Authority Control in a Retrospective Conversion Project
• Reference Notes Included

Editorial Reviews

A guide for library catalogers and technical services managers in the process of converting manual catalog records to machine readable form--published simultaneously as Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, v.14, nos.3/4, 1992. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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