Who am I?
0 Graduated with MLIS in
December 2011
0 Started at Michigan State in
March 2012
0 Cataloging special items:
non-Latin scripts, music
CDs, scores, etc.
0 Still more noob than expert
source
Music expertise?
No degree, but extensive background in piano and voice.
Um…what is a noob?
NEWBIE
New to
cataloging
New to
music
cataloging
NEWBIE
SERIOUS NOOB
Why do you need to
know any of this?
0 Often just one music
cataloger in a library
0 New music catalogers
end up having to teach
themselves
0 Understand the
challenges, offer support
0 This applies to learning
any special format!
source
What this presentation isn’t
0 A lesson in the particulars
of music cataloging
0 More of a general overview of
challenges encountered and
resources available
0 An attempt to frighten off
new catalogers
0 Special formats are FUN! No,
really.
The Piano Lesson
Pierre August Renoir
Wait…what is that again?
0 Familiarity with
AACR2
MARC21
ISBD
LCRIs
DCM
LCC
DDC
SCM
LCSH
NLM
NACO
SACO
CONSER
PCC
BIBCO
RDA
LC-PCC PSs
standards & guidelines
takes a while to
develop
0 Content & structure of
each
0 Which one to consult
when
0 Like looking up words
you don’t know in a
dictionary
source
Dealing with funky interfaces
Cataloger’s Desktop
ClassWeb
Learning the system
0 Types of records
0 ILS & bibliographic utility
ILS
(or
LSP)
Order
record
Bib
record
Item
record
Modules for
different functions:
catalog,
acquisitions,
serials, statistics &
reports, global
updates, etc.
For searching,
viewing,
maintaining,
editing records in
local catalog
Bib
utility
Database of
bibliographic and
authority records
For finding copy
or creating new
record
What’s the big deal?
0 Most new
catalogers start out
on monographs
(like me!)
0 Going into music
cataloging with
monograph
mindset 
totally
disorienting
scary stuff
Parlez vous musique?
CHALLENGE # 1
Understanding what
you have in hand isn’t
always straightforward.
0 This is pretty specialized
knowledge even if you
have a background in
music
Fixed fields
Numbers & dates
• Form of musical
composition
(what is a
zarzuela?!)
• Publisher
numbers
• CD speed,
storage,
channels
• Reprints, rereleases, etc.
• Miniature score?
Condensed
score?
• Plate numbers
• No date,
multiple dates,
iffy dates
Parlez vous musique?
CHALLENGE # 2
Gathering and entering
info involves extra steps
and complications.
0 You’ll be checking and
rechecking a LOT at the
beginning. It’s ok to go
slowly.
Titles
• Uniform titles
• No collective
title
• Title from
caption or
cover?
• Don’t forget the
GMD!
Physical
description
• Playing time:
single work or
multiple
tracks?
• Score? Score
and part?
Multiple parts?
Page numbers
for each?
Parlez vous musique?
CHALLENGE # 3
Certain fields can be a
serious time-suck.
0 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.
Notes
• Contents notes:
Include times and
composers and
performers as well
as titles?
Formatting?
• Performer notes:
One person playing
multiple
instruments,
multiple people
playing same
instrument—
formatting?
Access points
• Figure out who all
needs an access
point: Composers?
Performers?
Conductors?
• Figure out if your
catalog has that
heading and if not,
import it
• Some records end
up requiring many
700 fields.
Parlez vous musique?
CHALLENGE # 4
Some music cataloging
practices seem
arbitrary and illogical.
0 Are you drinking yet?
Subject headings
• Rules for application (especially for classical
music) are complex and accompanied by many
exceptions
• From Yale music subject headings web page
(emphasis mine):
“There are two reasons why a form heading
would not be qualified by medium of
performance:
1. because the medium of performance is
implied in the form;
2. for some unknown, mysterious reason,
the Library of Congress has decided that a
particular form heading should not be qualified
by medium of performance.”
Why this is difficult
source
0 You’re still learning
cataloging basics, and these
are advanced cataloging
issues
0 Cataloging monographs is
somewhat intuitive; that is
not necessarily true of
special formats
0 You may lack familiarity
with music and/or
cataloging terminology
0 BUT THAT’S OK!
I’ll be honest. I still don’t
know what a zarzuela is.
CAUTION
Heavy bias toward AACR2 ahead
The battle plan
•AACR2 (Chapters 5 & 6)
•RDA (several chapters)
•Subject Headings Manual (H
1917.5)
•Your catalog
•LC catalog
•Yale catalog
•Webinars
•Slides
•In-person
workshops
STANDARDS
TRAINING
EXAMPLES
BEST
PRACTICES
•OLAC
•MLA—national
& local
•MOUG
•Yale
The secret weapon
CHEAT SHEETS!
Give me the inside scoop
source
0 A lot of our standards
need further
interpretation and
community discussion
0 Can’t just read AACR2
& RDA and be done
with it, especially not
by yourself
0 So where do I start?
Get some training
source
0 California Library Association webinar
0 Cataloging Musical Scores and Sound Recordings
Workshop (2012)
0 $95, includes video & slides
0 8 hours
0 Kathy Glennan webinars
0 RDA & Music Basics: Sound Recordings (2011)
0 RDA & Music Basics: Scores (2011)
0 Freely available through ALCTS, includes video &
slides
0 1 hour each
0 Jay Weitz slides
0 Sound Recordings Cataloging Workshop (2012)
0 Freely available slides through OLAC
0 OLAC workshops
0 Membership: $20 (!!!)
0 Conference registration: $199 (2012)
Find your Yoda.
Read best practices
documentation
Yale University
Music Cataloging
MLA Music
Cataloging Bulletin
$35/year
MOUG listserv
OLAC
listserv
MOUG
cataloging tools
Jay Weitz’s Q&A
column in the
MOUG Newsletter
Look at a million examples
0 Learn through repetition!
0 Be sure to check record
creation dates—do these
examples reflect most
current practice?
0 Print the most helpful
examples for quick
reference
Make cheat sheets!
0 Quick reference  best way to
learn, in my humble opinion
0 Create your own or use existing:
www.autumnfaulkner.com
0 Available sheets:
0
0
0
0
0
Scores (AACR2)
Sound recordings (AACR2)
MARC codes
General cataloging reminders
AACR2/RDA changes from SLC’s
cheat sheet page
0 Revisions and additions will
probably be forthcoming in
April-ish
What about RDA?
0 Think of all the years people have been contributing to
discussion and documentation about AACR2 music cataloging.
0 Patience, grasshopper!
0 Expect to hear more from music cataloging communities as RDA
is implemented and revised.
0 Use the same battle plan:
1. Standards
2. Training
3. Examples
4. Best practices
source
AACR2  the zombie standard
Maaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiinnnnnn entries…
Straddling two worlds
0 Noobs must be familiar with
AACR2 as well as RDA
0 We’ll have to be translators
0 Legacy records will form a
large part of our workflow even
post-RDA
0 Copy cataloging  our library
plans to continue accepting
AACR2 copy indefinitely
0 Some things will remain the
same between AACR2 and RDA
 good to understand basis of
continued practices
How you can help
0 Be aware of the challenges noobs face
0 Learning all the regular stuff + not one but two standards + special formats
0 Share resources and provide encouragement