Date: Mon, 06 Aug 2001 13:16:00 -0400 (EDT)
From: jb8 <Jeanne_A_BAKER@UMAIL.UMD.EDU>
Subject: Cataloging Staffing Survey

The following is being posted only to SERIALST though similar information
was recently requested on AUTOCAT.  Please excuse the duplication.

Dear Fellow Librarians,

The following survey is primarily directed to catalogers of monograph and
serials in large academic institutions. Those involved in other areas of
serials workflow, such as acquisitions or collection management, are invited
to reply as well.

The Technical Services Division of the University of Maryland Libraries is
undergoing a review of all its functions. Two significant recommendations
have been made that directly affect the work of the Cataloging Dept. One
recommendation is to merge five professional monograph catalogers and three
professional serial catalogers into one team. This team will also have five
paraprofessional cataloging support staff.  Twelve team members will be
reporting to one team leader. Each cataloger will be responsible for
cataloging both monographs and serials materials in a subject area, with the
exception of a separate unit for non-Roman materials and a separate unit
for music and audiovisual materials.  Currently, the non-Roman staff
catalogs serials; the Music and AV unit does not catalog serials.

The UM Libraries also participate in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging
as contributors to BIBCO, CONSER, NACO and SACO. The second recommendation
suggests the elimination of the position of Authority Control Librarian.
Currently, the authority control librarian, as UM's NACO liaison, reviews
all authority records contributed to NACO except for those contributed
through the Music and AV funnel projects.  The proposal will require each
cataloger to contribute to NACO independently.  With this change and the
requirement that each cataloger be responsible for monograph and serial
cataloging, there is concern that these changes will hinder our ability to
contribute to PCC programs.

We are most interested in our colleagues' opinions and experiences with the
above recommendations.  Since cataloging staff at UM have a limited time to
respond to the above recommendations, we are asking you for feedback ASAP.
Please respond directly to me.  I will report the findings in summary form
to SERIALST.

Many thanks for your time and thoughts,

Jeanne Baker
Cataloging Dept.
University of Maryland Libraries
jb8@umail.umd.edu
************************************************************************

Please check all that apply and/or describe your experiences with the
following:

1.  Organizational Structure of library technical services:

Technical Services Division within a single library having no
branches_____________
Technical Services Division within main library serving one or more branches
in addition to main _________________________
Technical Services Division within a branch library and serving the
individual branch _____________________
Other (Please describe)________________________________

2.  Participant in:

NACO______________
SACO_______________
CONSER_____________
BIBCO_______________

3.  General structure of Cataloging within your library/libraries:

Number of professional catalogers (M.L.S. required) and paraprofessional
catalogers (no M.L.S. required) in your institution? _____________
Monograph catalogers in one unit; serial catalogers in a separate unit
_____________
Monograph catalogers and serial catalogers in one unit ___________________
Each cataloger does both serial and monograph cataloging __________________
Each cataloger does serial, monograph, and electronic cataloging
__________________
One cataloger (or more) does all cataloging of electronic materials
__________________
Other:

4.   Merger of monograph and Serials Cataloging Units:

Have you merged separate monograph and serial units into one unit?
If your institution has merged separate monograph and serial cataloging
units into one unit with the purpose of each cataloger performing both
monograph and serial cataloging, please list your reasons for doing so:
If each cataloger in your institution catalogs both monographs and serials,
what kind of training is given to support this work?
Is the training adequate?
Does your institution support purchasing copies of needed documentation for
each cataloger?
What have been the effects of merging monograph and serial units into one
unit?
Has cataloging production increased or decreased as a result of the merger?

5.  Workflow:

How did the merger of monographs and serials cataloging units affect other
areas of serial workflow?
For those who are cataloging both monograph and serials, how do you
communicate information about serials to other serials processing staff
performing acquisitions, binding, collection management, etc.?

6.  Contributions to the Program for Cooperative Cataloging:

If you contribute to any of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging Programs,
how does the individual cataloger cataloging both monographs and serials
affect your institution's ability to contribute to PCC?
Is the individual cataloger authorized to lock and replace both BIBCO and
CONSER records?

7.  General structure of Authority Control within your library/libraries:

Catalogers individually responsible for creation and contribution of
authority headings:   ___________
Catalogers construct authority headings for review and final contribution
via an Authority Control Librarian:   __________
Catalogers rotate responsibility for authority control review amongst
themselves:  ________
Other:

        8.  Subject expertise:

Are catalogers responsible for cataloging all materials in a particular
subject or subjects?
If so, what subjects are your catalogers responsible for?
Is there a difference in serial cataloging workload from one subject to
another?  That is, do you need one or two or more catalogers for one subject
area as opposed to another subject?

9.  Describe the team size and structure of your Cataloging Dept. and its
Units:

10.  Other advantages/disadvantages of merging monographs and serials
cataloging staff and eliminating the authority control librarian position?

Optional (though data about your Institution's size would be very helpful):

Your name: _______________________________________
Your title: ________________________________________
Faculty position?   Yes_______ No_________
Name of Institution_____________________________________
Size of Institution as measured by the number of currently received serial
titles___________

Jeanne A. Baker
Head, Serials Cataloging Unit
Technical Services Division
McKeldin Library
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742

e-mail: jb8@umail.umd.edu (for mailing lists/reflectors, please use:
Jeanne_A_Baker@umail.umd.edu)

phone:  301-405-9328
fax:    301-314-9971