Penn State University Libraries - Maps Library Recon Project

Overview

The Maps Library has identified their uncataloged cartographic materials to be in the neighborhood of 33,000 titles. This outline will provide a formal structure to enable the Maps Library and Maps Cataloging Team to make fair and consistent progress in reducing and ultimately eliminating the uncataloged material in the Maps Library.

In general, The Maps Library will be responsible for choosing materials, for making a decision to add the material to the database, and for searching The CAT to see if the item is already cataloged, or is a duplicate. The Maps Cataloging Team will be responsible for copy searching in OCLC, for copy and original cataloging, and for determining and maintaining cataloging standards.

Each member of the Maps Cataloging Team is willing to commit to up to 18 items from the recon project per week. In light of our other commitments, we will need to maintain flexibility and communication in regard to this project. Sets, in particular, require significant time, and our approach needs to be flexible. Naturally, the total number of items will be contingent upon what Maps Library personnel are able to prepare.

This outline concerns Maps Library recon materials only; new Maps Library receipts, maintenance requests, and materials for other customers will continue to be processed by the Maps Cataloging Team in accordance with existing priorities. For the purposes of this project, we are defining recon as any material not currently cataloged, and not ordered through Acquisitions.

Maps Library

• Maps Library personnel will designate materials to be cataloged, and pull the items from drawers.
• The material must be assessed (weeded), to ensure that it is desirable to add each item to the collection.
• A search will be made in The CAT to determine if the item is already online in some form. Always search by barcode when present.
• In the case of a duplicate, a decision will be made whether to add the map as a 2nd copy. In many cases, such maintenance activities can be handled by Maps Library personnel. When it is necessary to send to cataloging, include a note describing this decision with the item.
• Material will be sent to 126 Paterno, to the shelf designated for Maps Library Uncataloged materials.
• It is suggested that statistics be kept by The Maps Library to track the status of the Recon Project.
  
  

Maps Cataloging Team

• Material will be chosen from the shelf for processing.
• Search for copy in OCLC
• Determine cataloging treatment needed - copy, edition, or original.
• Catalog the material as needed, in accordance with team, department, and national guidelines and standards.
• If necessary, mark the call number on the map, add barcode, and ownership stamp. Always add the word MAPS at the head of the call number to indicate that the material has been cataloged for the Maps Collection.
• We will keep all our regular stats; additionally, we will keep track of all the recon material (copy or original cataloging & total number of volumes only) that we process.
• All material will be returned to the Maps Library.
  
  

We request that once this procedure is in place, we give it a valid test for 3-6 months before significant tinkering. This is the only way we'll be able to assess the success of the process, and be able to make any changes from an informed position. At the end of this time, we will schedule a meeting to review the project, and consider its' effectiveness and possible ways to improve the process.