RE: Outsourcing cataloging question

["John Elliott" <elliott at edgewood dot edu>]

Greetings Innopackers:

This outsourcing of cataloging seems like just another dismal trend in
our "profession," which will inevitably lead to sloppy catalogs and less
control over our jobs and lives.  This may sound unfashionable, but
having a cataloging staff means cataloging more attuned to your audience
and it keeps money in your own town.

We have a library school intern here who told me that some library
schools no longer offer cataloging classes, which will only mean a
generation of de-skilled, airhead librarians who don't have the foggiest
idea as to how information is classified, arranged etc.  How pathetic.
How many public service librarians have you met who look upon MARC
records as if they were written in High Church Slavonic?  Most of them.

Hey, here's a revolutionary idea, why don't we send most of the public
service librarians packing and just have 24x7 virtual reference
librarians based out of Hyderabad.  Imagine the savings!

Yours

John Elliott
Head of Cataloging
Edgewood College 
Madison, Wisconsin 

-----Original Message-----
From: innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org
[mailto:innopac-bounces at innopacusers dot org] On Behalf Of Merry, Lois
Sent: Thursday, October 20, 2005 8:00 AM
To: innopac at innopacusers dot org
Subject: Outsourcing cataloging question

Hello list members,

 

I'd like to hear about the experiences of those who have outsourced
cataloging.  Mason Library serves a public college with approximately
5,000 students.  Our cataloging staff consists of one catalog librarian,
two cataloging supervisors, one part-time volunteer and five student
workers who work approximately 22 hours weekly.  We are considering
outsourcing some of our cataloging, but want to hear about the pros and
cons from those who have taken this route.  Contact me directly or post
to the list if you think the group would benefit from your comments.
Thanks, everyone.

 

Lois K. Merry

Head of Technical Services and Collection Development

Mason Library

Keene State College

229 Main Street

Keene, NH  03435-3201

 



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