Subject Cataloging Process of Chinese Books in Four Academic Libraries
Date Issued
2011
Date
2011
Author(s)
Kuo, Ni-Na
Abstract
The task of subject cataloging includes two activities: analyzing the contents of materials and assigning classification number and subject headings. The classification number provides a means for shelving and collocating library materials, and the subject heading serves as the basis for subject searching. It is commonly known that the product of subject cataloging is a key affecting whether or not the library collection can be effectively utilized. However, the process of subject cataloging is still not fully examined and understood due to the scarcity of research in this topic. The main purpose of this study is to explore the process of subject cataloging of Chinese books performed by catalogers working in academic libraries in Taiwan. The facets observed in this study include the stages of subject cataloging, the uses of methods and resources, as well as the factors that influence the subject cataloging workflow. It is hoped that the results of this study can improve the understanding of the process of subject cataloging, and further enhance subject cataloging work.
This study employed a qualitative approach. The participants comprised of twelve senior catalogers coming from four academic libraries in the Taipei area. All participants were asked to actually catalog two Chinese books. They were required to think aloud when performing the task. The researcher also used unobtrusive observation to gather data. After the cataloging task was done, a follow-up interview was conducted with every participant.
The results show that the process of subject cataloging can be roughly divided into five stages: 1, the identification of the topic of the book; 2, the confirmation of the author’s intention; 3, the consideration of users’ needs; 4, the linkage with the existing collections; and 5, the determination and assignment of classification number and subject headings. These stages are not in a linear fashion; they are not employed in sequence. During the subject cataloging process, each cataloger would go back and forth depending on his/her needs. Besides, each participant may demonstrate his/her own working style and sequence. Even for the same cataloger, he/she may employ different approach to handle different books. During the process, they will use various methods and resources to accomplish the subject cataloging tasks.
The bibliographic features of a book are the basic clues used by catalogers for analyzing its contents and subjects matters. Among the bibliographic features, title, introductory preface (or foreword), table of contents and abstracts are the most commonly used ones. In some occasions, CIP, chapter titles, illustrations, authors, publisher information, section headings, and references may also be consulted. In addition to the bibliographic features found in the book, the following methods or resources are also employed by participants to help them determine the classification number and subject headings: checking with cataloging standards, searching the catalogs of local and other libraries, searching Internet resources, and consulting colleagues, experts and scholars. The factors that influence the subject determination include the catalog users, authors, the catalogers themselves, and their professional community. The requirement of quality and quantity of cataloging output also affects the subject cataloging process of the participants.
Subjects
Subject Cataloging Process
Subject Analysis
Bibliographic Features
Library Cataloger
Professional Education of Cataloger
Type
thesis
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