It is important that all components of any cataloguing scheme be
consistent in selection and order of data elements, from transcription
through encoding to display. So far no one seems to be picking up on
the excellent work done by Martha Yee on display standards. We seem
to be intent on creating records and sending them off into a vacuum as
far as standards are concerned.
RDA, MARC or metadata scheme, and OPAC display, need to be coherent.
In terms of the importance of standardization in order of data, I have
given the example of having to search out a 508 or 511 among a score
of notes (including 538 with information which belongs in 300) to add
a person of local significance to the record for a motion picture DVD,
when the order of those notes varies from record to record.
It is not just in 5XX this problem exists. A cataloguer checks a
record for the presence of a 600 important to the client. Not seeing
it, s/he adds it. But the original cataloguing agency followed the
practice of having the 1st 6XX agree with 050$a or 082$a, even if it
meant have a 650 in advance to a 600 or 610. Now the record has
duplicte 600's, one at the beginning of 6XX and one at the end. Can't
we just agree to have the first 650 agree with the class number, not
the first 6XX?
Think of the time the cataloguing agency spent mucking about with MARC
field tag order in 5XX and 6XX! Wouldn't it be simpler to have the
two standards/components *agree* on the order of data? And now the
record will be sent off to be deconstructed in display, with
misleading labels substituted for field tags. If we were consistent
about what is where (as in ISBD), labels would not be needed.
It is not only area/element/field selection and order from
transcription through coding to display which need standardization,
but also terminology. The variation of terminology among
standards/components is confusing.
Now to really be reactionay. We have to cope with the invention of
abstruse words to refer to realities we've dealt with for over a
century. Quick, what's the difference between an expression and a
manifestation?
We still speak of works/editions/printings/copies/volumes in our shop.
__ __ J. McRee (Mac) Elrod ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
{__ | / Special Libraries Cataloguing HTTP://www.slc.bc.ca/
___} |__ \__________________________________________________________
