[IUG] Cataloging for Encore

["Wynn, Stephen" <swynn at truman dot edu>]

I spoke last week about III's next-generation interface Encore, with an
III rep who told me that whenever they do a demo, the catalogers present
get very excited about the idea of adding tags in Encore.  "They just
can't wait to add 'mountain biking' to all of those records that have
'All-terrain cycling,'" the rep said.  In previous demos I had gotten
the idea that tagging was a feature for the user, but this rep
specifically said that catalogers like the feature.

(For those who haven't seen a demo, this last refers to III's claim that
users can't find books about mountain biking because the LCSH is
"All-terrain cycling."  I've heard this example from three different
reps so it must be a house standard.)

As a cataloger I find this response baffling.  The thought of creating
and maintaining a nonstandard vocabulary ... well, it doesn't exactly
fill me with joyful anticipation.

But I must be missing something.  For those catalogers who anxiously
await the opportunity to tag your records in Encore (or who already do
so),

What sorts of tags do you add? 

Why do you prefer an Encore tag to an uncontrolled MARC tag?

Since "Mountain biking" is a SEE reference in the authority record for
"All-terrain cycling," why do you need to add it as an Encore tag?

Do you plan to review all of your authority records for SEE references
that could be usefully added as Encore tags?

Have you considered any automated methods of adding SEE references as
Encore tags, in order to avoid the tedious and redundant manual work
that Encore reps advocate?

Stephen Wynn
Head of Technical Services and Systems
Pickler Memorial Library
Truman State University
Kirksville, MO 63501
(660) 785-4535