cataloging Archives | American Libraries Magazine

Presenters at “Reclaiming Subject Access to Indigenous Knowledge,” a session during the International Federation of Library Associations’ 2016 World Library and Information Congress in Columbus, Ohio.

Removing Barriers to Indigenous Knowledge

By Terra Dankowski | August 18, 2016

Librarians from the Philippines, Canada, and the United States discussed their research on the barriers to accessing indigenous materials, ideas to modify metadata and subject headings, and obstacles to implementing new cataloging and classification systems. Cristina Villanueva, librarian at the University of the Philippines Baguio, presented her findings on classifying and indexing Philippine indigenous materials, … Continue reading Removing Barriers to Indigenous Knowledge →

A woman using the card catalog at the main reading room of the Library of Congress, circa 1940.

The Evolving Catalog

By Karen Coyle | January 4, 2016

Today when we say “technology,” it is often shorthand for “computer technology.” Of course this is not the only technology in our lives, but it is the one that defines our modern age. A century and a half ago, the defining technology was electricity and all things electric. The light bulb was literally the bright … Continue reading The Evolving Catalog →

The Last Card

By Joseph Janes | January 4, 2016

Ah, the memories that flooded back when we all heard the recent news that OCLC had printed the last run of catalog cards. If asked, I would’ve confidently assumed that had finished up long ago. An OCLC press release told us that since 1971, the company had produced 1.9 billion cards. My rough calculations give … Continue reading The Last Card →

Library Systems Report 2014

By Marshall Breeding | April 15, 2014

This phase of the industry offers many choices, including both proprietary and open source license options, some based on cloud technologies and others that continue to rely on local hardware. Though a new generation of library services platforms has entered a phase of early adoption, the integrated library system remains viable, especially when extended to … Continue reading Library Systems Report 2014 →

Organizing Content

By Karen Muller | January 23, 2014

Five years ago, ALA’s Presidential Task Force on Library Education specified eight areas of core knowledge for librarians. The third area, titled “Organization of Recorded Knowledge and Information,” details how librarians provide library users access to materials. It defined three specific competences related to recorded knowledge and info: Organization and representation; Developmental, descriptive, and evaluative … Continue reading Organizing Content →

Latest Library Links

10h

ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions will host a new iteration of its four-week facilitated eCourse, “Getting Started with Library Service Design” with Joe J. Marquez and Annie Downey as instructors, starting on January 7. The course will also rely on a workbook created by the instructors that highlights the phases and tools of service design, as well as the list of library service design heuristics. By the end of the course, you’ll create a draft service design plan for a service or touchpoint in your own library. Registration is through the ALA Store.

eLearning Solutions, Nov. 14
10h

ALA Publishing eLearning Solutions will host a new iteration of its four-week facilitated eCourse, “How to Market Your Library” with Dana Braccia as the instructor, starting on January 7. Braccia will show you all the necessary skills to market your library—from social media and PR campaigns to designing new library programs and enhancing the experience of your library’s users. Registration is through the ALA Store.

eLearning Solutions, Nov. 14
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If David Rush keeps it up, the Oak Brook (Ill.) Public Library might eventually find its way into the Guinness Book of World Records for the library hosting the greatest number of world records set. Rush, an Idaho resident, set a record in 2017 at the library, while in town for business, when he balanced a pool cue on his forehead for 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 14 seconds. He returned November 13 for another world record attempt: the most sweet corn kernels eaten in 3 minutes with a toothpick. It took him three attempts, but the 241 corn kernels he ate on his third attempt bested the previous record of 236.

Oak Brook (Ill.) The Doings, Nov. 14
10h

Oleg Kagan writes: “No one would argue that among two of America’s most beloved institutions are the late Fred Rogers and libraries. The reasons the two are such icons in American culture are not at all different. Kindness, curiosity, acceptance, learning, and understanding are all elements found both in Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood and the best libraries. Not to mention that both places have someone who gives young people the attention and respect they so deserve. Indeed, in episode 1637, Mr. Rogers goes to the library and requests videotapes about how people make sweaters and sneakers.”

Medium, June 30
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Fewer topics urgently demand expansive discourse more than digital preservation, which touches on everything from technology to copyright. ALCTS steps up to the challenge with Digital Preservation in Libraries: Preparing for a Sustainable Future, a comprehensive overview published by ALA Editions. Edited by Jeremy Myntti and Jessalyn Zoom, it is global in scope, featuring case studies and contributions that discuss such key issues as strategies for getting started, fine-tuning digital preservation workflows, and preserving ebooks.

ALA Editions, Nov. 14
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Alison S. Ricker writes: “‘On our campus there lives a microbe that can poop gold,’ says Danica Lewis, collections and research librarian for life sciences at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. ‘We just don’t know where it is.’ That’s how, last spring, Lewis enticed NCSU students into joining a Wolfpack Citizen Science Challenge, the university’s periodic call for student engagement in ongoing research, which saw them looking for samples of Delftia acidovorans, a bacterium known for its curious ability to produce tiny pellets of 24-karat gold after feeding on a solution of gold chloride.”

American Libraries Trend, Nov./Dec.
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David Lee King writes: “Are you ready to create fresh and engaging promotional content about your library that doesn’t involve typing on a laptop or printing out posters? If so, consider making videos. According to Cisco, video comprised 73% of global IP traffic in 2016, and by 2021 it is expected to increase to 82%. Your patrons are already consuming videos, so it makes sense for your library to create video content for them. Making videos can be an effective way to share what your library does, and thankfully, it’s easy. Here are seven simple steps to help you get started.”

American Libraries column, Nov./Dec.

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