Back when I got my school library certification (not the ALA accredited MLS
program, which came later, but just a school certification), my professor
had this "awful stack" of weeded books piled in the corner of the classroom.
When we began the class she told us that we would be doing cataloging and
that we would KNOW what we were doing before we left her class (this was
BEFORE MARC records---we were using typewriters, multiple index cards,
etc.).
We each had index cards and I can remember counting the spaces for
indentions, writing example cards and doing the "cute subjects" at the
bottom. (Before you think that I am older than dirt, I must confess that I
began my school library certification at the age of 22--straight from
receiving my B.A. in English Education.) We had such fun....then she told us
that we each had ten books on the floor that we had to catalog...!! YIKES!
These books were dated 1800's or early 1900's....brittle, worn,
yellow...items with obscure information, no information, little to go
by...but we did it. (Our joke was, "If we can't find enough information to
catalog it...toss it!")
Then when MARC records came along and I was already familiar with the
process of cataloging, copy-cataloging, and even retrospective conversion in
libraries, I did my master's program. Again, I had a professor who brought
actual items (old, outdated, worn, materials) into the classroom and made us
catalog them. She included films, video tapes, foreign language items,
records, books, pamphlets...if we didn't have it to catalog, she just forgot
it that day!
I remember being with a group of ladies "slightly older" than I was (I was
in my early '30's then) and they were not career librarians (they were
getting their school certification through the same program and we happened
to merge at the cataloging class). They were completely blown away with the
process of cataloging to begin with and when I began explaining parts of the
"old method" and how it related to the MARC record it made things worse. To
me it made sense.
I don't know any "newbies" to the school library programs (personally) but
it seems that from comments made that many aren't getting the "down in the
trenches" approach that I had with my professors (and I had some
"oldies-but-goodies" in the profession...bless their souls!).
I'd also like to hear what some "newbies" think about the cataloging process
being taught today, and if they believe that what they learned in class is
helping them at all in the "real world" of libraries.
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Williams" <mark_williams@EEE.ORG>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 12:34 PM
Subject: Re: ALA Degree programs and school libraries
> At 08:22 AM 6/22/2003 -0500, you wrote:
> >When I was in undergraduate library school (yes, back then we had an
> >undergraudate major in library science), we were taught practical
> >information about how to operate a school library.
>
>
> >time he was asked to teach he had to go to the downtown library where he
was
> >assigned to teach "conceptual" cataloging instead of the practical
methods
> >that all of us need.
>
>
> Your experience parallels mine. I was lucky in that I had cataloging
> classes that did at least some practical work as well as the theoretical
> aspects (though our textbook was riddled with errors!) I am NOT a
> proficient cataloger, but of course, in my job, I have to do the work. I
> often wished that I'd had better training earlier on. We all pick up
> knowledge as we go along, but still.....
>
> The idea of a cataloging lab sounds neat! Just as students learn to write
> by writing, so we learn to catalog by.....cataloging <duh!>!
>
> As an aside, I am appalled at the level of preparation (or lack thereof)
in
> new teachers. I wonder if the same will happen to people being prepared
> for library work? Anyone out there have contact with newly minted school
> librarians? I have worked with only one recently, and she would not be
> representative, as her mother is a school librarian...she grew up in the
> business!
>
>
>
> Mark Williams
> Librarian
> Colton High School
> Colton, CA 92324
> mark_williams@eee.org
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "I'll have to admit that he's a very competent scholar."
> "Isn't he just a librarian?" Garion asked, "somebody who looks after
books?"
> "That's where all the rest of scholarship starts, Garion. All the books
in
> the world won't help you if they're just piled up in a heap." (David
> Eddings "King of the Murgos.")
>
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