TARGET: Accelerated Reader cataloging details

[Melissa Davis <mbdavis@tenet.edu>]

We are currently installing the Accelerated Reader program in our
school and I need some advice on how to catalog the library's books.
I looked at the Texas Library Connection catalog today and found
various methods. I found lots of entries in the LM_NET archives on
reading incentives but none on this.

I am leaning toward simply inserting field
        500 __ a Accelerated Reader book.
without the reading level, points, or test disk name, partly for
time reasons and partly for more philosophical reasons. I can
automatically insert the field as mentioned above because it will
be the same for all titles. Adding the other information will require
editing each individual record (for quite a few titles).

Having the reading level in the MARC record might enable the students
to tell which titles would fit their reading ability, but would they
then ignore other good titles based strictly on reading level?

Having the test disk name would allow me to quickly tell which
titles I need to purchase to have a complete set. I can't think of
any advantage for anyone else - and it would take a fair amount of
time (students start next Tuesday and we'd like to have the cataloging
done soon, preferably before then).

I'm afraid that having the point value on the screen would encourage
students to choose purely by points.

Those of you who have done any, or all, of the above - were the results
worth the time you spent getting it done?

--
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        Melissa Davis                   Librarian
        Splendora Middle School         Splendora I.S.D.
        26175 FM 2090                   Splendora, TX 77372
        Internet: mbdavis@tenet.edu     PHONE: (713)689-2853
                  mbdavis@lcc.net       FAX: (713)689-8702
        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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