Delval, Jackie
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:36:16 -0700
Well said Elaine. I think we can garner insight from all people mentioned, none better than the other, but all: "...reference librarians and the public, the researchers, scholars, and students, themselves." ...AND catalogers Jackie del Val Learning Resources Coordinator District Library Tech Services Hillsborough Community College Ph#813-259-6059 Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work. - Thomas Edison ________________________________ From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access on behalf of Sanchez, Elaine R Sent: Wed 9/1/2010 05:37 PM To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Time and effort Dr. Miksa, James Weinheimer is just expressing his thoughts, and he has many good things to say. He is trying to make sense of the RDA debacle, and is sharing his thoughts in case they can help others make sense of it, too. Your sarcasm and belittling of him are not very helpful and don't seem respectful. At least, that's what your email seemed like. You could have said what you wanted to say in a more positive manner, not so personally directed at Mr. Weinheimer. If I'm reading your email wrong, I apologize. You were also a bit snippy and condescending with someone else who said that she didn't have the time to stop and think a lot about RDA, or to offer input. People are in a quandary regarding RDA. There is a lot to read and try to understand, to see how it would work in real life. They can have, and can express, their confusion, consternation, admiration, whatever, with RDA, and shouldn't be subjected to ridicule, or made to seem inferior in some way. I know I've been snippy and rude to corporate OCLC, LC, when I believed they warranted it, but Mr. Weinheimer is acting in good conscience, and deserves respect. At any rate, this is a really interesting listserv. I learn a lot, and see many different opinions. I don't feel I can contribute to the intellectual conversations very well, it's often above my head, but I sure learn a lot from reading responses. Also, for people on this list who have an interest in seeing how catalogers react/feel about RDA and AACR2, I have survey analysis results on "AACR2, RDA and You," a rather imperfect survey I ran in March-April 2010. The analysis will be published in December, along with many other wonderful works by 20 other catalogers (including Mr. Weinheimer, Mr. Michael Gorman, Mr. Elrod, Dr. Hall-Ellis, Jay Weitz, Bernhard Eversberg, and many other amazingly wise and interesting authors, catalogers, system librarians, etc.) in a book called, "Conversations with catalogers in the 21st century." I will eventually make a link to the raw data available, for others to use, but I still have to clear out names and other identifying information that link responses to respondents. That's what the holdup is in releasing the data, but I hope to work on that this fall, before the book comes out. My analysis is just a small part of what can be learned from reading others' thoughts and comments on RDA and AACR2, which came out of this survey. Thanks, elaine Texas St. Univ.-San Marcos -----Original Message----- From: Resource Description and Access / Resource Description and Access [mailto:rd...@listserv.lac-bac.gc.ca] On Behalf Of Miksa, Shawne Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 1:38 PM To: RDA-L@LISTSERV.LAC-BAC.GC.CA Subject: Re: [RDA-L] Time and effort Jim unbelievable wrote: "But it must be accepted that catalogers are *most definitely NOT* the people to know what people need from information. That can only come from reference librarians and the public, the researchers, scholars, and students, themselves." With all due respect---what planet are you on, Jim? Come back to this one. Where do you get this stuff? Let me welcome you to the 21st century where catalogers are user-centric, born and bred. We start from the point of the user--what are their needs, how do we organize it to help them meet those needs; how do the choices we make as organizers affect their ability to find, identify, select, obtain, navigate.....and so on. Let's call it functionality, shall we? Only a reference librarian, and not a cataloging librarian, can know what people need from information? Bulldada. If there is an instance of this then it occurs when a cataloger gets so wrapped up in the 'brilliance' of their own cataloging skills that they can't see the forest for the trees. Done. Outta here. Buh-bye. ************************************************************** Shawne D. Miksa, Ph.D. Associate Professor Department of Library and Information Sciences College of Information University of North Texas email: shawne.mi...@unt.edu http://courses.unt.edu/smiksa/index.htm office 940-565-3560 fax 940-565-3101 ************************************************************** Please Note: Due to Florida's very broad public records law, most written communications to or from College employees regarding College business are public records, available to the public and media upon request. Therefore, this email communication may be subject to public disclosure.