384E-Spring 2008-Course Info-p. 1
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
School of Information
DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGING AND METADATA
INF 384E (27230--Miksa)
SPRING SEMESTER 2008
COURSE INFORMATION
Official Description: The study of standards, rules and metadata formats used in library “descriptive
cataloging” for representing informational objects in library catalogs and in other similar information
organization systems. Special emphasis on the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules and the MARC
metadata format.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the semester, each student will have expressed in writing and by the
completion of specific activities and tasks:
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A general sense of the scope and activities of library descriptive cataloging.
An understanding of both general and specific ideas and issues of note in cataloging, including
concepts related to the idea of a work (plus its expressions, manifestations, copies, etc),
controlled vocabulary (authority files), and how describing and creating access points for different
kinds of information objects are alike and different.
Familiarity with MARC data formats sufficient for working comfortably with them.
Familiarity with the AACR2r sufficient to use it efficiently and expeditiously.
Familiarity with how the main kinds of information entity types are treated in library cataloging.
Familiarity with how “description” and “access points” are alike and different.
The capacity to comment sensibly on what it is that makes library cataloging a professional
activity.
Texts and Readings: Two following texts will be used for the course- Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, 2d ed., 2002 Revision. Chicago: ALA, 2002, plus revisions
that make the rules current.
 Svenonius, E. The Intellectual Foundation of Information Organization. MIT, 2000. (Available
through the UTx Web catalog as an EBook.
 Chan, L. M. (2007) Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction: Lanham, Md: Scarecrow
Press, Inc.
In addition, other readings will also be made available on the Blackboard System for the class. These
consist of other key documents (e.g., MARC21 manuals, Functional Requirements of Bibliographical
Records, etc.) that students are expected to consult or read as the case demands, as well as writings and
other materials that the instructor has created. Students should complete each reading by the beginning
of the class for which it is listed, although some readings will apply to more than one class session and
therefore completion dates are more flexible. Readings will be essential for class discussion and for
completing essay tests.
Catalogers Desktop is an online service available from the Library of Congress (LoC) at
<http://desktop.loc.gov/>. Access to it can be gained in the I.P. Lab. It contains huge amounts of
information relevant to all aspects of cataloging. For this course, its files of MARC21 manuals
(coordinated with the AACR2r), and its Rule Interpretations (called LCRI) of the AACR2r are especially
important. Every student should plan to spend some time on this system. Since the school has
limitations on how many people can be online at one time, it will be best to look at the system as teams.
Also, unless you logoff from the system each time you finish with it, you will keep others from using it
since it takes quite a while for the LoC system to calculate that a person logged on is no longer active and
thereafter to reset the number of users online. In addition to this source, other online sources that you
can access from home will be listed in the readings. Also,
Listservs and Blogs:
384E-Spring 2008-Course Info-p. 2
Students are encouraged to join Autocat, a listserv for catalogers, for the semester. To get to the
subscribing page, go to < http://www.cwu.edu/~dcc/Autocat/subscribe.html> You can get the daily
summaries and thus not get your email list clogged with messages of little usefulness to you. Other
listservs for catalogers can be found at: < http://www.itcompany.com/inforetriever/emailcat.htm>
For blogs, simply look up Library Cataloging Blogs in Google to get a selection.
RDA (Resource Description and Access (the new impending Cataloging Rules):
The website for the RDA is: < http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/jsc/rda.html#drafts> It has a menu on
the left that includes among other things the drafts of the code released so far. I have compiled these for
you in Bb, but there are other useful sources and writings also available on the website.
Course Conduct and Tasks: The class will meet weekly from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Monday
evenings in SZB 546. The class will generally be divided into two equal sessions: 6:00-7:15 p.m. and
7:30-8:45 p.m., with a 15 minute break between them. Classes will consist of lectures, discussion, and
presentations by students and guests.
Graded Tasks for the students during the semester will consist of the following:
1. Three (3) Individual Exercises
a. MARC,
b. Informational Object description
c. Choice of Access Points
2. Two Team Projects:
a. A Team Visit to a Library to Explore its Automation System and Electronic Catalog
b. A Team Presentation on the Descriptive Cataloging Access Points for a Specific Type of
Informational object
3. A Semester Paper on one of several topics (done individually)
Blackboard: Class communications will be conducted using Blackboard, and students will be responsible
for checking it periodically. However, students should freely avail themselves of communication directly
via email with the instructor and/or the TA.
Deadlines for Graded Tasks: All graded tasks are to be handed in by the time indicated for each as
electronic Word documents attached to an email message sent to both Dr. Miksa.
Grading: Grading values for the tasks will be as follows:
Exercises (3)
= 30% of the course grade (10% each)
Report on a Library
System)
= 10% of the course grade
Presentation on
Descriptive Cataloging &
Access Points for a
Specific Kind of IO)
= 20% of the course grade
Course Paper
= 40 % of the course grade
Total
= 100 %
Each task will be scored on the basis of the 100 point scale below. The resulting total for a task will then
be multiplied by the percentage for which that kind of task has for the course and the totals of all task will
be added together for the course grade. For example,
 If the three exercises gained scores of 88, 92 and 86, each of these scores would be multiplied by
10% for totals of 8.80, 9.20 and 8.60, and added together they would contribute 26.60 points
towards the course grade.
 If Team Project 01 gained a 91 and the Team Project 02 gained a 93, they would be multiplied by
10% (9.10) and 20% (18.60) respectively and would add 27.70 points towards the course grade.
 If the course paper earned an 90, it would be multiplied by 40% for a total of 36.00 towards the
course grade.
384E-Spring 2008-Course Info-p. 3
The sum of the three totals (26.60 + 27.70 + 36.00) would yield a course grade of = 90.30, which on the
100 pt scale would be B+ for the course. [Had the total score been 90.5 or some fraction higher but less
than 91, it would be rounded off to 91, for a course grade of A-. The same applies to other break points
between letter grades. Rounding off is done only once, however. If a person gets x.49 for a total grade, it
is not first rounded off to x.5 and then the total rounded again to the next higher number.]
Scale:
100-99
= A+
90-89 = B+
80-79 = C+
98-93
= A
88-83 =
78-73 =
92-91
= A-
82-81 = B-
B
C
70-69 = D+
etc.
72-71 = C-
Office Hours.: I will maintain formal office hours on Monday immediately before class (5:00-5:45 p. m.)
and, when convenient, immediately after class. However, I would be happy to arrange for other meeting
times. Simply contact me by email to arrange such a time (miksa@ischool.utexas.edu) [or, simply to
correspond about what is on your mind.] In case you are planning to come in during my stated office
hours, please let me know in advance of your intention so that I will know you are coming in to see me or
I can let you know if we need to choose some alternative time.
NOTE: All emails regarding this class should begin with “384E” in the subject line, to make it stand out
against the many other email messages I receive. This will me to “see” it.
Handing in Assignments:
Each assignment (Individual exercises, Team projects, and Semester paper) should will be handed in as Word
attachments to an email to Dr. Miksa. Please note that if you are using the newest rendition of Word, the normal
document produced is called docx. I do not use that version and I cannot read such a document. Thus, handing in a
docx form of your assignment will not get it to me. Please save your document as a “doc” file and sent it in as such.
Please observe the following protocols:
Each document must begin with a special Title Page with the following information:
Student Mail box #--Upper right corner of the page in large bold face type
[Toward the top, centered]
University of Texas
School of Information
INF 384E: Descriptive Cataloging & Metadata (27230-Miksa)
[In the center of the page, centered]
Assignment Name (e.g., Individual Exercise 01, Team Project 01, etc.)
Topic of the Assignment (e.g., MARC 21, Visit to a Library, etc.
Your Name or The Team Number and individual names of a team
[Toward the bottom of the page, centered]
Date
Text should be typed in 12 pt. Times Roman typeface and should be double-spaced with 1 inch margins all around
unless some alternative is more appropriate or specified—for ex., single spacing for inset quotations, single spacing
for reference and other lists. Check with me via email or in class if you are in doubt.