HIT: Call numbers, part 3

[Elizabeth Hart <ehart@supreme.cde.ca.gov>]

Thanks for all of the responses I received.  Some people have requested a
hit, so here is the information.  Please note it's being sent in 3 parts.
Elizabeth Hart
California School for the Blind
ehart@csb.cde.ca.gov

Your plan for call numbers seems good to me.
You want the top part of the call number to show the broad area in the
library where you keep it because of its format or broad subject matter.
CAS might be OK for a tape cassette, but you will have video cassettes,
too.  You'll need to decide on codes for all formats.  We use T for tape
cassettes, TR for Transparencies, VC for video cassettes, VD for video
discs, CD for CD-ROMs.  (Already I see that I'll have to differentiate some
day between CD-ROMs and music compact discs, which I don't yet stock.
Hmmm.)
I use KIT for miscellaneous formats that are lent together, such as four
books and a tape, or a model with a filmstrip.  Now, since I keep most of
my video tapes in a drawer that is just deep enough for the video cases
themselves, when I get a video that has an oversized guide or case, I call
it a VC/KIT and put it over the video drawers.
When it comes to books, you can use Dewey numbers for most categories
without a format line.  I recommend using 920's for biography rather than a
B, and then the famous person's last name, like this:
921
ROBINSON

But use F for fiction like this for Cleary:
F
CLE
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I am in this field "commercially" and also am a librarian.  Will try to
reply as the latter.

First of all, I think you should avoid duplication of labour.  I wouldn't
type out any spine labels.  I think that Winnebago should do this for you
as you enter in data (?) If you type out the labels first, you have to type
this data again when you do your data entry.

My strategy would be to key in the basic data that could:
a. Allow for immediate searching and circulation.
b. Provide enough data for a throrough retrospective converison
later.
c. Put barcodes on book NOW so that you won't have to handle the
book a second time

For example I might restrict my entry to
ISBN:           0989898989
Author:         Smith, Thomas
Title:          Tommy and the bears
Publisher:      Scribner and Sons
City:           New York
Date:           1989
Call:           Fic Tho
Barcode:        676777

This much entry can
a. Enable you to search for the item
b. Provide enough to print out a spine label
c. Provide encough to circulate the book
d. Give you enough data to either:
         (1) Flesh out a better record later
         (2) Enable you to provide good material to clerks doing retro.

We have done many retro projects.  The golden rule is to handle the book as
little as possible.  Book manipulation chokes your work area, and slows
down the flow.  Put the barcode on, enter minimal data, print the spine
label, put the label on the book and move on.

Definitely don't type or hand write shelflist cards.

One option would be to purchase an inexpensive CD-Retro product such as
Precision One from Brodart.  We used to sell this, don't any more, but I
like it for small libraries.  You can print spine labels from Precision One
as you download your records or build them.

If Winnebago doesn't print spine labels easily from minimal data, I will
get you a free sample of a product that will, that will build MARC records
that Winnebago can use.

Call your Winnebago rep for specific assistance.
**************
Library of Congress has standard codes for nonprint material which you
might want to get hold of. As long as you are starting out, might as well
use official formats.
But yes, code should be first.
We did a conversion years ago. Important for use was LC number and our acc
#. We got our original records from LC. but I know there are cd programs
out there which will help like Bibliofile. I think I have seen that Brodart
has a disc of records also.
All you need now is something really simple for checking I would think -
Card with title, LC or ISBN and whatever barcode or acc numbers you need.
Or just title, etc with no accession if you are doing that after. With a
lot of nonprint material a place like OCLC may be your best source.
***************
You should use cutter numbers, not the 1st 3 letters of the authors last
name.  Cutters are more standard and when you do a conversion, at some time
in the future it would just make it easier for you.
You could just make a list of ISBNs from your items and send them off for
matching against MARC records.  Another option would be to buy a CD such as
one from Alliance and do the matching your self.  If you go this route a
cataloging program such as Mitinet/MARC would be nice to help.  Keep things
as standard as possible and you will have to to change less.
**************
I don't know about your Winnebago, but our Educational Solutions product
Surpass was availabale with a conversion that they did based on a photocopy
of the title page and, when possible, an ISBN.  Since you would have to
create all of your data from scratch, it might be worth your while to ask
if something like that is available from your vendor.
*************
We started this year with Alexandria software, and I have found that
putting the format before the call # is helpful for a few reasons.  First,
it immediately alerts you to its location (assuming that you have separated
your collection by format).  Second, in doing inventory by call #, you
won't run into missing items if (once again) they're not in the same
location.  For example, I enter videos as VID F Cle or audiocassettes by
AUDIO 595.3 Aug.  Reference is preceded by REF; "older fiction" is
segregated into a part of the library called the Sturley Room and is
denoted St F War (e.g.).  We also have the option in the software of
designating location.  We have put a location designation on a set of
easy-readers which are physically separated from the rest of the E's.  They
don't have a prefix in the call # and if we don't find it on the E shelf
and don't immediately know that it's an easy-reader, we then have to look
"inside" the record on the computer to find that it's location is
"easy-reader".  So, my preference is to prefix the call # on the computer.
***************
Good Luck!  I started at an elementary school with that exact situation.
What I decided to do was to create new spine labels first for all the
materials and shelve them in the correct place. (they were moving from
various places to one, new school) Then I did my own cataloging "on the
run".  When the book was returned, I would input it.  Sometimes it got way
ahead of me, but I knew it would be a process and just kept at it.  All new
books ordered, I got on microlif, so they would be done and ready.   I have
always done spine labels and call numbers just how you mentioned. But I t
hink it depends on the software where you put the format.  I would enter it
for the call number as you stated and then in another field (format or
physical description or even notes restate it.)  make sense?  again, good
luck!