[Sigcr-l] New thread - Year of Cataloging Research as topic for 2010 SIG-CR Classification Workshop

Jane Greenberg janeg at email.unc.edu
Wed May 27 00:18:24 EDT 2009


Hi all!!

Wow..this has been an interesting discussion...

I think it's great that ALCTS is focusing on cataloging research (a topic 
near and dear to my heart!).  Indeed, it would be really fantastic for 
SIG/CR and other groups (Dublin Core, ISKO, etc.) to be able to connect to 
this in what ever way seems to work within these community realms, whether 
or not the word cataloging is used as the "top-node" (e.g., super or 
supra? concept) or a "sub-node," or could I say "equivalent node" :)

Since LC report has been mentioned, I too will chime in on this because 
there was *a lot* of focused reviewing at UNC, given the WG's Chair was 
SILS/UNC's Dean ;) <--wink.

In brief, there is other information to consider from this report too --

p. 10 is about re-defining bibliographic control -- "Bibliographic control 
is increasingly a matter of managing relationships among works, names, 
concepts, and object descriptions across communities. Consistency of 
description within any single environment, such as the library catalog, is 
becoming less significant than the ability to make connections between 
environments, from Amazon to WorldCat to Google to PubMed to Wikipedia, 
with library holdings serving as but one node in this web of connectivity. 
In today's networked information environment, bibliographic control cannot 
continue to be seen as being limited to library catalogs."

Section 4, "4 POSITION OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE FUTURE" begins on p. 30, and 
the first section begins with, "The metadata created by libraries 
bibliographic control activities serve multiple types of users....." and 
the discussion highlights impacts of web technology, within, and beyond 
the library...that may challenge our conception of "the library" and its 
place.

Other sections recommend conducting "...Research into the Use of 
Computationally Derived Data" (4.1.3);..recognizing the potential of 
"...Computational Indexing in the Practice of Subject Analysis (4.3.4); 
"Develop Test Plan for FRBR" (4.2.1); "Develop More Flexible, Extensible 
Metadata Carrier" (3.1.1); "Integrate Library Standards into Web 
Environment (3.1.2); and a shocker to some, when the report first came out 
is that section 3.2.5 recommended suspending work on RDA.

What ever the outcome of this current SIG/CR discussion, I think it's 
really important that Allyson has called the work of ALCTS and 2010 to 
SIG/CR's attention, and I believe it would be great to link SIG/CR's work 
somehow w/the ALCTS community, echoing, expanding, re-affirming research 
in these respective domains.

In brief (and I admit to having a difficult time being brief on email), 
Allyson has presented an important opportunity to highlight and underscore 
the value of research in our interrelated information domains relating to 
fundamental practices of organizing 
information/classification/metadata/knowledge organization (what ever you 
want to call our work).  I love cataloging, and I admit my bias or favor 
of a more descriptive phrase that includes metadata, or a more inclusive 
concept for SIG/CR.  Irregardless, I believe the most important 
consideration for SIG/CR, *if* this theme is selected, is to reach as many 
people as this community can.  Having said this, I can certainly see 
arguments for defining some boundaries, even if they are artificial, so 
that research can be shared in a focused way.

For those who have not read the On-the-Record report, it's at: 
http://www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/news/lcwg-ontherecord-jan08-final.pdf, 
and there is a "point-by-point" reply from Deanna Marcum, Associate 
Librarian for Library Services, entitled, "Response to On the Record: 
Report of the Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of 
Bibliographic Control" @: 
http://www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/news/LCWGRptResponse_DM_053008.pdf

best wishes, jane


On Tue, 26 May 2009, Allyson Carlyle wrote:

> Hi Luz and all, The declaration will be coming from ALA ALCTS, so the 
> name "Year of Cataloging Research" is not something that is open to 
> compromise.  As such, I will propose that the topic of the workshop be 
> cataloging research and not metadata research.
>
> That said, as I pointed out earlier, the decision about what the topic 
> of the workshop will be is up to SIG-CR as it is represented at the 
> meeting in the fall, and my proposal may either not fly or be broadened 
> in scope.
>
> Why cataloging and not something broader?  Because the Library of 
> Congress (LC) last year commissioned a report called "On the Record" 
> (http://www.loc.gov/bibliographic-future/news/lcwg-ontherecord-jan08-final.pdf) 
> looking at the state of bibliographic control and cataloging and how LC 
> fits into the picture.  One of the recommendations was to support 
> research in cataloging because it was determined that such research is 
> very much needed.  The recommendations quoted here ("All" means the 
> entire library community, not just ALA or LC or OCLC, to whom other 
> recommendations are directed):
>
> 5.1.2 Support Ongoing Research 5.1.2.1 All: Encourage ongoing 
> qualitative and quantitative research (and its publication) about 
> bibliographic control, for various types of libraries and over a 
> protracted period of time. 5.1.2.2 All: Through library and information 
> science (LIS) and continuing education, foster a greater understanding 
> of the need for research, both quantitative and qualitative, into issues 
> of bibliographic control.
>
> I do not deny the need for research in metadata, but the purpose of our 
> efforts is to highlight and encourage research in library cataloging 
> specifically, and so that is what I will pursue.  There is at least one 
> other entire conference devoted to metadata (DC) and the ISKO 
> conferences are devoted to KO in general - where they also, by the way, 
> sometimes select somewhat narrow topics for focusing conference papers. 
> I think this is ok.  Also, the specific topic of the conference doesn't 
> preclude people from submitting papers that are not necessarily right on 
> topic.
>
> Finally, please don't feel excluded.  Should my proposal be accepted, 
> attend and take it as an opportunity to learn more about library 
> cataloging!
>
> Allyson
>
>
> -----Original Message----- From: Luz M Quiroga 
> [mailto:lquiroga at hawaii.edu] Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 8:58 AM To: 
> Allyson Carlyle Cc: sigcr-l at asis.org Subject: Re: [Sigcr-l] SIG-CR: New 
> chair and chair elect
>
> Aloha Allyson!
>
> When I see the term "Library cataloging" I feel excluded (I consider 
> myself a system designer, with limited knowldge on library cataloging 
> :); when I read the term "metadata" it matches the most important part 
> of my work
>
> I would go for something broader than library cataloging; I teach in three
> programs: MLIS, ICS (Information and Computer Science, undergraduate and
> graduate) and CIS (Communication and Information Science, doctoral
> program); topics covered in my teaching include digital libraries, IT in
> libraries, web 2.0 based services, information retrieval, personalization
> / filtering, information architecture, relational database systems, user
> modeling / profiling). In my readings for all those classes, the term that
> bridges those courses is metadata and ontological research. They include
> research on goals (e.g. interoperability, integration of services), the
> schemes themselves (e.g. types, purposes), implementation (languages,
> frameworks, technologies), applications (e.g. domains, services) and use
> (e.g. evaluations).
>
> Anyway, as you say, it is up to the group to decide what to highlight for
> 2010; glad to be part of SIG CR!
>
> Luz
>
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
> "Cuando yo tenia listas las respuestas, me cambiaron las preguntas."
> Graffitti en Quito citado por Benedetti (1992)
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
> Luz M. Quiroga                             Information & Computer Sciences
> Assistant Professor                        Library and Information Science
> mailto: lquiroga at hawaii.edu                University of Hawai'i at Manoa
> (808) 956-9988                             1680 East West Road, POST 314B
> (808) 956-3548 fax                         Honolulu, HI 96822
> http://www2.hawaii.edu/~lquiroga/
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
>
>
>
> On Fri, 22 May 2009, Allyson Carlyle wrote:
>
>> Actually, the intention is to highlight research in library cataloging,
>> so I will propose the title of cataloging research.  But, if others want
>> to amend, it is up to the group.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: sigcr-l-bounces at asis.org [mailto:sigcr-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf Of Jane Greenberg
>> Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 8:52 AM
>> To: Miksa, Shawne
>> Cc: sigcr-l at asis.org
>> Subject: Re: [Sigcr-l] SIG-CR: New chair and chair elect
>>
>>
>> Hi all...
>>
>> could we potentially think of 2010 as a year of cataloging/metadata
>> research?
>>
>> there's a fuzzy line as is (i personally of them as one and the same,
>> although maybe everyone doesn't). RDA is inclusive of metadata for digital
>> resources.
>>
>> i believe there could be some really beneficial implications too, letting
>> the larger world see the importance of cataloging to many activities,
>> including those couched more as metadata.
>>
>> cheers, jane
>>
>>
>> On Thu, 21 May 2009, Miksa, Shawne wrote:
>>
>>> I'm 100% behind Allyson and her suggestion for 2010 being the year of cataloging research.  Count me in for helping with that.  I just finished up a short piece-- to appear in the next ASIST Bulletin--addressing Resource Description and Access (RDA) and new research potentials coming out of its implementation and use.
>>>
>>> **************************************************************
>>> Shawne D. Miksa, Ph.D.
>>> Associate Professor
>>> Department of Library and Information Sciences
>>> College of Information
>>> University of North Texas
>>> email: Shawne.Miksa at unt.edu<mailto:Shawne.Miksa at unt.edu>
>>> http://courses.unt.edu/smiksa/index.htm
>>> office 940-565-3560 fax 940-565-3101
>>> **************************************************************
>>> ________________________________
>>> From: sigcr-l-bounces at asis.org [sigcr-l-bounces at asis.org] On Behalf Of Allyson Carlyle [acarlyle at u.washington.edu]
>>> Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 11:15 AM
>>> To: sigcr-l at asis.org
>>> Cc: Jimmie Lundgren
>>> Subject: Re: [Sigcr-l] SIG-CR: New chair and chair elect
>>>
>>> Hello Diane and Megan and all,
>>> I am very interested in helping with the Classification Research Workshop next year.  I am working on an ALA Task Force (with a complicated charge, which I will spare everyone) that is working to increase awareness and support for research in library cataloging.  We are planning on declaring 2010 the year of cataloging research, and so I would like to propose that this be the theme of the workshop for 2010.  I know this needs support of the group, but I thought I would put it out there early, to let people think about it.
>>> Allyson
>>>
>>> Allyson Carlyle
>>> Associate Professor and Chair, Ph.D. Program
>>> Information School
>>> MGH Suite 370
>>> University of Washington
>>> Seattle, WA 98195-2840
>>>
>>
>
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