Re: Grassroots experiment

[Carol Eyler <ceyler@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I have been following this discussion with some interest
(and amusement.)  

I have on a very few occasions made a bracketed title added
entry to reflect the way in which a particular volume is
referred to locally.  Sometimes this involves the item's
color.  The example that comes to mind is a pharmacy
reference book at the Swilley Library, Mercer University.
At Mercer, this book was consistently referred to by
pharmacy faculty and students as "the orange book."  Even I
don't remember the title!  However, it was helpful to both
patrons and library staff to have a alternate title listing
for "orange book."  

In this situation, the local designation warrants an
indexed entry, in the same way that more than a few
libraries have made title entries for "the red books"
(LCSH.)  Those desperate patrons who don't ask and just try
searching what they've heard are helped and the entry harms
no one.

However, I would never advocate inclusion of color as part
of standard descriptive cataloging.  Far too complicated to
apply and maintain.
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Carol E. Eyler                ceyler@xxxxxxxxxx
Head of Technical Services
Carleton College Library      507-646-4268 (voice)
One North College St.         
Northfield, MN  55057         507-646-4087 (fax)
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