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Responsibilities of Catalogers
Catalogers ...
- Carry the primary responsibility for the development and maintenance of those parts of the
catalog that pertain to collections under their jurisdiction. This means that all functions necessary
for the creation and maintenance of the catalog that are not assigned to copy cataloging or
authority control personnel or other support staff are part of the cataloger's responsibilities.
- Understand and effectively use standard tools for creating catalog records. Catalogers
assume responsibility for their own continuing education and keep current on updates,
developments and changes in standards and tools required for their work.
- Lead the way in researching new techniques and technologies for cataloging, share findings
with colleagues, and make recommendations for implemention in department processes as
appropriate.
- Coordinate with subject librarians to ensure that bibliographic access, collection
arrangement, and cataloging priorities meet reference and collection management needs.
- Provide supervision to paraprofessionals and students under their direction.
- Perform original cataloging as required for collections assigned to them. Original cataloging
includes 1) creation of a bibliographic record when no copy can be found in source files; 2)
creation of a full bibliographic record when the only available copy is minimal, preliminary, or
substandard; 3) reformatting available copy or recataloging to update standards or alter
treatment.
- Perform or direct copy cataloging in the following areas: 1) non-book materials, including
serials; 2) rare or other special collections items; 3) items in non-roman scripts; 4) other foreign
language material lacking copy at time of receipt; and 5) items with copy containing errors or
problems beyond the scope of copy cataloging personnel.
- Complete online processing of cataloged items, whether original or from copy in the above
categories: transfer the record into the local system, enter appropriate holdings information,
barcode and create item records, order cards as needed, issue command for export to RLIN, and
deliver to the lettering room.
- Determine appropriate treatments for series or multipart items, except in cases where the
default treatment (fully analyzed, traced, and classified separately) has already been established
in the national authority file, in which case the Copy Cataloging Team may process the items
without consulting the cataloger. In all instances, however, catalogers retain authority to change
treatment of previously cataloged items in order to improve access or meet local needs.
- Determine appropriate classification for items when no useable call number is found with
copy, or when specialized classification is required, e.g. as with subject bibliography or Mormon
literature.
- Establish unique headings for bibliographic entities, resolve conflicts between new and
existing headings, create original authority records, and modify existing authority records as
needed.
- Assist with retrospective conversion and reclassification of collections in their assigned
subject areas. This includes formulating classification numbers and resolving problems as
needed.
- Carry the final responsibility for resolution of problems and errors in their assigned
areas.
- Have authority in all instances to alter bibliographic copy, treatments, or classification of
previously cataloged materials in their assigned collections in order to achieve optimum
bibliographic control and access.
Date last updated: April 4, 2000