NOOBS FTW!

1. NOOBS FTW! A discussion of challenges & resourcesfor new music catalogers Autumn FaulknerOLAC Membership Meeting, ALA Midwinter 2013

2. Who am I? • Graduated with MLIS in December 2011 • Started at Michigan State in March 2012 • Cataloging special items: non-Latin scripts, music CDs, scores, etc. • Still more noob than expert source

3. Music expertise? No degree, but extensive background in piano and voice.

4. Um…what is a noob? NEWBIE NEWBIE SERIOUS NOOB

5. Why do you need to know any of this? • Often just one music cataloger in a library • New music catalogers end up having to teach themselves • Understand the challenges, offer support • This applies to learning any special format! source

6. What this presentation isn’t • A lesson in the particulars of music cataloging • More of a general overview of challenges encountered and resources available • An attempt to frighten off new catalogers • Special formats are FUN! No, really. The Piano LessonPierre August Renoir

7. New Catalogers Information overload!

8. Wait…what is that again? AACR2 MARC21 ISBD LCRIs DCM LCC DDC SCM LCSH NLM NACO SACO CONSER PCC BIBCO RDA LC-PCC PSs • Familiarity with standards & guidelines takes a while to develop • Content & structure of each • Which one to consult when • Like looking up words you don’t know in a dictionary source

9. Dealing with funky interfaces Cataloger’s Desktop ClassWeb

10. Learning the system • ILS & bibliographic utility • Types of records Authority record OPAC

11. New Music Catalogers Brace yourselves. Weirdness is coming.

12. What’s the big deal? • Most new catalogers start out on monographs (like me!) • Going into music cataloging with monograph mindset  totally disorienting

13. source source scary stuff source numbers & dates source titles notes fixed fields source source source access points physical description subject headings

14. Parlezvousmusique? CHALLENGE # 1Understanding what you have in hand isn’t always straightforward. • This is pretty specialized knowledge even if you have a background in music

15. Parlezvousmusique? CHALLENGE # 2Gathering and entering info involves extra steps and complications. • You’ll be checking and rechecking a LOT at the beginning. It’s ok to go slowly.

16. Parlezvousmusique? CHALLENGE # 3Certain fields can be a serious time-suck. • Aside from the time involved in keying in all this information, I always debate over what exactly to include, why I should include it, and how it should look.

17. Parlezvousmusique? CHALLENGE # 4Some music cataloging practices seem arbitrary and illogical. • Are you drinking yet?

18. Why this is difficult source • You’re still learning cataloging basics, and these are advanced cataloging issues • Cataloging monographs is somewhat intuitive; that is not necessarily true of special formats • You may lack familiarity with music and/or cataloging terminology • BUT THAT’S OK! I’ll be honest. I still don’t know what a zarzuela is.

19. How to Not Freak Out It’s ok, we’ll get through this together.

20. CAUTION Heavy bias toward AACR2 ahead

21. The battle plan

22. The secret weapon CHEAT SHEETS!

23. Give me the inside scoop source • A lot of our standards need further interpretation and community discussion • Can’t just read AACR2 & RDA and be done with it, especially not by yourself • So where do I start?

24. Get some training source • California Library Association webinar • Cataloging Musical Scores and Sound Recordings Workshop (2012) • $95, includes video & slides • 8 hours • Kathy Glennan webinars • RDA & Music Basics: Sound Recordings (2011) • RDA & Music Basics: Scores (2011) • Freely available through ALCTS, includes video & slides • 1 hour each • Jay Weitz slides • Sound Recordings Cataloging Workshop (2012) • Freely available slides through OLAC • OLAC workshops • Membership: $20 (!!!) • Conference registration: $199 (2012) Find your Yoda.

25. Read best practices documentation

26. Look at a million examples • Learn through repetition! • Be sure to check record creation dates—do these examples reflect most current practice? • Print the most helpful examples for quick reference

27. Make cheat sheets! • Quick reference  best way to learn, in my humble opinion • Create your own or use existing:www.autumnfaulkner.com • Available sheets: • Scores (AACR2) • Sound recordings (AACR2) • MARC codes • General cataloging reminders • AACR2/RDA changes from SLC’s cheat sheet page • Revisions and additions will probably be forthcoming in April-ish

28. What about RDA? • Think of all the years people have been contributing to discussion and documentation about AACR2 music cataloging. • Patience, grasshopper! • Expect to hear more from music cataloging communities as RDA is implemented and revised. • Use the same battle plan: • Standards • Training • Examples • Best practices

29. Double Trouble Two standards to remember!

30. source AACR2  the zombie standard Maaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiinnnnnn entries…

31. Straddling two worlds • Noobs must be familiar with AACR2 as well as RDA • We’ll have to be translators • Legacy records will form a large part of our workflow even post-RDA • Copy cataloging  our library plans to continue accepting AACR2 copy indefinitely • Some things will remain the same between AACR2 and RDA  good to understand basis of continued practices

32. How you can help • Be aware of the challenges noobs face • Learning all the regular stuff + not one but two standards + special formats • Share resources and provide encouragement

33. Questions? Contact me: autumn@msu.edu Slides & cheat sheets: www.autumnfaulkner.com