Part 2
These sites should help:
http://www.oclc.org/dewey/
To purchase the hard cover editions - just click on the products tab.
Most librarians would recommend the abridged version of the DDC for
schools. I have always
used the full edition. It is very expensive - but I don't buy them very
often. Every 10 years.
With all the changes, it is hard to keep a collection up to date. When
you start looking into the
variable numbers you will begin to see why there is variation. Whenever
I see what I consider
to be books on the same topic in different areas, I try to standardize
them if I can. I start
looking at the numbers that have been assigned and realize that there is
are ususally good
reasons for both numbers. Sometimes I try to get a sense of which
number is used more often
and then I standardize on that. But cataloging is definitely an art not
a science! Remember -
your patrons don't really care that much. But it is better to keep like
things as close together as
possible because so many people - especially students - don't use the
catalog at all. They find
their materials by browsing!
Jacquie Henry, MLS
Ruben A. Cirillo High School (GHS)
Gananda Central School District
3195 Wiedrick Road
Walworth, NY 14568
jhenry@gananda.org
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Normally, I just use the number given in the book, on the page behind
the title page.
The Library of Congress has already done the work for you. If there
isn't a number or I
don't like the assigned number, I then look for number myself. To do
that, I use the
Sears subject headings, which is Dewey for schools. It is a 1-2 volume
book. If I have a
question as to where to put it, I consult the DDC, but my DDC is out
of date, so it isn't
always helpful. I find I look in my collection and see where other
books on the topic are
and put it there, if it can go in 2 places.
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There are several on-line sources from which you can "borrow"
cataloging. I order through Follett's Titlewave, which is free and open
to
any librarian. When I have to catalog, I often look up a book as though
I
were ordering it, and copy and paste the cataloging info into my
program. I
also sometimes (oh horrors) actually catalog my books using the numbers
from
Sears List of Subject Headings (something a true cataloger would never
do!)
The thing to remember about cataloging is, it is not an exact science!!!
You can use the numbers that make the books the most accessible for your
students. If a book has two possible numbers, I go with the one that
places
it where my students are most likely to find it. For example, books on
the
"cooking and customs" of a particular country could go with either
cookbooks
or country books -- but my kids do country reports, and generally don't
think to look in the cookbooks -- so I lean towards putting things with
the
country books whenever there is a question, knowing more of my students
will
find it there. The Dewey system is intended to be a guide to making
materials more accessible. I tend to use if flexibly. If the librarian
who
follows me has conniptions about my cataloging -- I won't be around to
know
about it! Hope this helps,
Linda Lucke
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I only recatalog books that end up being duplicates. If there is an old
book classified under
Dewey let's say 15, and a new one come classified under 25, I let the
old one stand. When I weed,
the old one will disappear.
>>>1) What Dewey books should I be using to catalog? Index version?
Tables
version?
I am not sure what I mean. Do you have the abridged edition or the
full-volume set? Now I think
I do understand. The full set includes an index to get you to the tables
section. You really need
to use the tables because that is how you get the correct number. This
is not an absolute,
sometimes the number that appears in the index section can be used
alone. However some
people use the abridged version although it does not give the complete
number. It depends on
whether you have the money.
>>>2) Where do I purchase them? (Online services are not an option. I
need hardcover books.)
Purchase what? The Dewey books? Or cataloged records with the correct
Dewey? If you mean
the actual Dewey Decimal Classification is sold by OCLC. Just go online,
make a search for OCLC
Forest Press, and you will be able to get a telephone number to call.
Be aware that if you do not
want to order any Dewey online edition, you have to be very
discriminating. Let me know if after
you try and is somewhat confusing, I can fax you the pages regarding the
order, but you have to
send me your fax number.
As to your statement regarding "where to place the books, and there
being several different
locations," it is just the fact that humans are doing the cataloging and
classifying the books
after including their library's and user's preferences. For instance, if
you do not get a lot of
requests for, let's say, different species of birds, you do not need the
full Cuter number. On the
other hand if your library specializes in birds, you may use the full
number to differentiate
between species. It is really your decission, and not anyone else. This
is instructed in the full
Dewey edition. The index would say "use table so and so" or "add as
instructed under . . ." and
then you go to the tables.
If you are feeling flustered, until you get the "knack of it" back,
decide on only two libraries to
use for cataloging. Use the number the closest public library to you
uses. After all, this is the
library that most of your patrons would go when you are closed. You can
also use the Library of
Congress. And forget what everyone else is doing. Even if your books are
coming from different
vendors already processed, do not reprocess unles there are glaring
mistakes or you think
those books are better shelved FOR YOUR LIBRARY NEEDS in a different
section.
Luis R. Ramos, Librarian
ACORN Community HS, Brooklyn, NY
flyer13@aol.com
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Joyce,
I had my undergrad cataloging class last semester --
we used Dewey Abridged 13th ed and the Sears 17th ed.
The grad course uses the full Dewey & LCSH as well as
Sears 17th ed.
As for where to purchase a copy, check
www.bookzone.com or just about any of the textbook
purchase sites.
Gail Wilhelm
Undergrad Library Science student
Clarion University of PA
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I do use Follett Titlewave and Library of congress for some of
my cataloging. I go to either source and just look up the book and
catalog
as they have it. Follett Titlewave is their collection development
tool.
If you are already checking other libraries online...you can register
for
the Follett site and use the cataloging they show online when you access
books for future purchase. I am including the Follett Titlewave login
page
http://www.titlewave.com/login/ from here, you can register for a new
account under the login option. It's free...and I use it all the time.
(I
also order a lot of books from them using this website.)
You can also go to Library of Congress http://catalog.loc.gov/ and do a
basic search.
I really don't do any original cataloging if I can avoid it. I rely on
these two resources.
I also have to mention that I recently purchased Marc Magician with
MarcAccess http://mitinet.com/. It was a special offer before their
online
database became active. I only paid $129.00 for the program with the
access
to their Marc Records. I loaded it on Tuesday and so far it seems to
work
very nicely with my Follett Circulation Software.
I was a classroom teacher for 16 years before going into the library. I
inherited a cataloging nightmare... most books had only been entered
into
the database with title and author. Sometimes the author wasn't even
there...or if it was...it would have been better if it hadn't been
added.
Many of the biographies were "authored" by the person they were about.
Christopher Columbus has written 7 books in my library about himself!!!
Pocohontas did quite a bit of writing too!!!
Barbara Swetits (Library Media Specialist)
Long Valley Middle School - South Library
51 West Mill Road
Long Valley, NJ 07853
LVMS South Library Homepage
http://www.patmedia.net/cswetits/south_library_index.htm
<http://www.patmedia.net/cswetits/south_library_index.htm>
Email Work: bswetits@wtschools.org <mailto:bswetits@wtschools.org>
Email Home: bswetits@patmedia.net <mailto:bswetits@patmedia.net>
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The thing that stands out most in my mind from cataloging was how rigid
the instructor was, when Dewey and Sears seemed to be kind of flexible.
It was my job interning at Fidelity that taught me to enjoy cataloging
and realize the real goal: to put the books where you and your patrons
can find them. You are the boss of your catalog. I check first to see
where other like items in my library are shelved and strive to keep them
together.
If it's a new topic, I check Sears List of Subject Headings (and I have
the 17th ed--but I'm sure the H.W. Wilson member can tell you the
newest edition!) to make sure I have the right subject heading. This
also gives you Dewey categories. I don't even use my Dewey book more
than a couple times a year.
Our school subscribes to technical support for our cataloging system,
CASPR. As part of that (now $400 a year) they send
us a Marc for schools CD. It is an absolute lifesaver. The newest
edition contains over a million records and my cataloging
skills HAVE suffered from relying on it.
Good luck!
Mary Jo Enders, MLS
Children's University
Arlington, TX
chapelst-mj@charter.net
http://webpages.charter.net/chapelst/splash.html
www.childrensuniversity.com
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Currently we are in Edition 21 of the full Dewey text and Edition 13 of
the abridged. From what you said in your email I would guess that the
abridged version would work well for you and you would not need much
more detail. They can be purchased from OCLC and their website with
ordering information is www.oclc.org.
Paula E. Riddle
Lead Cataloger
Mackin Library Media
Burnsville, MN 55306
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1. If you are looking for a book to help buy The abridged dewey and the
sears catalog ( unless you are using LCC) They will run you in the
neighborhood of $100 + each but are invaluable. If you can only buy one
get the Dewey cause it also gives rationales for putting book in certain
places. Can be purchased from OCLC- Forest Press. I use mine all the
time, sometimes to get an idea or to try and figure out why a certain
book wound up where it did. I also check the websites of the local
library system, the Sunlink site and the Library of Congress. The bottom
line however should be to put the books where your patrons can find
them.
For example, I'm doing inventory right now and in the middle of the
"cook
book " section 641's I found a new book called Alcohol ( subtitled
something like 'the most popular drug) Couldn't figure out what it was
doing there instead of in the 362's The CIP information in the book
lists
641. I checked Dewey and that is the number for food and drink, 362.292
is for books on alcoholism. The book talks about the history of alcohol,
and then deals with abuse of alcohol. The blurbs on the back of the book
talk about this being an important book on alcoholism. I decided to move
the book to the 362's because that's where it seems like it belongs and
it is where kids looking for information would tend to notice it. (We
have a automated card catalog but the only way kids can get to it is by
individually logging on to the computer! so they usually find books by
looking at the shelf.
2. I had the same problem with old books when I started here. The
previous person was using Dewey book from 1978! ( This was 1999!) so
lots
of things were in old numbers I knew that as I got new materials I would
put them where they belonged and that would result in things being
scattered all over the place. So I had to handle the books anyway to do
the automation I just changed them as I did a section. ( It seems to me
we had birds in the number for snakes and other such strange things.)
Perhaps you could just do a section at a time when you find some things
that really seem strange
Darlene Yasick
Media Specialist
Hopkins High School
lib027yas1@juno.com
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Here is what happens: when I am not sure where to place a book, I check
other libraries on the Internet. I often find a variety of choices and
the problem is, I don't know how to settle the question for myself. To
complicate the matter, much of my collection is old."
Are you really sure your time is worth cataloging those old books?
Unless
these are WONDERFUL old classic folk tales or children's picture books,
they're probably NOT worth your time, or your students' time! Please
consider that the time you spend might be far better invested in grant
writing or getting parents to do a donation program or fund raiser for
new
books. I just saw an article about a school that got many of the titles
on
its "wish list" from parents and community members after the school
posted
a list on Amazon.com . Please consider it!
Let me add that I speak from experience: You will probably find that few
of
the old books you shelve will end up circulating - kids prefer
new-looking
books ten-to-one. As you do get new books, you will find yourself
weeding
the old junk you cataloged and wondering why you bothered!
If the nonfiction is so old it doesn't have CIP to guide you (although I
find that new books printed in the U.K. or in Europe in English don't
have
CIP), it's really a disservice to put it on the shelf. In fact, most
Dewey
categories (especially science) should be less than 10 years past the
copyright date, and anything more than 20 (except folk and fairy tales,
&
poetry)years past the copyright (unless its a special collection of
local
history, etc.) should warrant a visit from the local "Library Police!"
<wink!> and haul them off to the local dumpster!
I put in some more specific guidelines for you from a weeding brochure
below.
Additionally, when administrators, potential donors, etc. come into your
library and see shelves that APPEAR to be full of books, they don't
think
of your site as needing more - after all, you have "plenty" of books.
What
they are really seeing is a "dead book" warehouse - they just don't
realize
it!
When I took over my current site, I discovered that a lot of the old
books
that weren't circulating (I could see why from the covers and insides -
faded, old, boring)had not been originally purchased for the school
library. In the back of the books were stamp marks indicating that these
books had been previously DISCARDED from a local public library! They
hadn't been weeded due to use, but rather LACK of use, despite the often
"glowing" reviews printed on them! Some well-meaning person did a great
DISSERVICE to our school by donating them! They probably did more to
"turn
off" potential readers than having a smaller, but more attractive
collection would have.
By the way, I just weeded my flower garden this morning. I tore out a
lot
of brown-leafed and overgrown flowers which from my kitchen window view
still had lots of colorful flowers as well as "dead heads." But from my
kneeling position in the beds, I could see that many other new flowers
were
overshadowed by them and competing against their roots. I yanked the
spent
flowers and in a few weeks I'll have lots of new flowers I would have
never
seen with all the old stuff still there. It's the same with a library,
so
don't feel guilty weeding or NOT adding weeds in the first place!
>From a weeding brochure from the Dept. of Education in California:
000 2 - 10 years 500 5 - 10 years
100 10 " 600 5 - 10 "
200 2 - 10 " 700 5 - 15 "
300 5 - 10 "* 800 flexible
400 10 " 900 15 years
*the bulletin doesn't mention the 398 range specifically but most people
won't want to weed the folk and fairy tales unless there are specific
reasons - racial stereotypes might be a problem in some. Drab (faded,
dated) illustrations discourage potential readers.
I like to do comparisons of the same or variations of the same story or
illustration style, so often older tales come in handy. Do however,
continue to buy new ones - there are some really great new editions out
there now. I purchased about 40 this year and the kids and teachers are
just thrilled with them!
Joanne Ladewig, Library Media Technician (A.K.A. "Library Lady")
Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD Garden Grove, California
shatz1@earthlink.net
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The Dewey (DDC21) is about to be updated and will be released on June
15th--to the DDC22. The new volumes will cost $375. This is the four
volume
set and you can locate information about this through OCLC at:
http://www.oclc.org/dewey/products/index.htm#dewey22
The volume that you would use first to catalog would depend upon which
set
you have right now. I have one of the older sets and I'm using volume 2
(because it is a three volume set) and this one contains the breakdown
of
all 10 categories. If you don't have a CIP available, you will need to
determine the subject(s) of the book and from there decide where to
classify
the book.
One of the best instructors that I had in my library science courses
stated,
"Start where you are rather than go back." This means that regardless
of
where your collection is at this point, you must begin to build AND
weed.
If this means going back through and getting rid of books that are
outdated
while you replace, then toss. However, don't toss everything without
making
sure you have something coming...unless the information is SO outdated
that
you're sure to give students the wrong information. If your collection
is
so outdated that all of the Dewey numbers are wrong, you will need to
make
some serious decisions about your time in comparison to the cost of
replacing these titles.
If you can do a collection age calculation (through Follett's software
program or free from Mackin Books or even Follett's Titlewave program),
you
can learn where your weaknesses are in this area.
Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
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