My final
development as a Teacher Librarian could have never been structured without
ETL505. The revelations demanded of this subject were substantial; however the
knowledge I gained will only benefit my cataloguing abilities and subsequently
the facilities of my future library.
Initially
this subject presented the premise that to be useful, information must be
organised, based upon this principle merely providing access to information is
not sufficient. If data is organised and coupled with resource description, it facilitates
access and retrieval within practical time frames. Both the modules and text (Hider,
2012) denoted that the utilization of a common standard of describing and
organising information resources could only be beneficial to the majority of
individual school librarians in order to avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’.
To
this point the subject focussed on the advocated replacement of AACR2. The
principal advantage of Resource Description and Access (RDA) is its focus on
producing a content focused catalogue, as apposed to AACR2s previous
concentration on format (Hider & Harvey, 2008). Based on the conceptual
models of FRBR and FRAD, the process transfers the purpose from
the cataloguer to the user with emphasis on the user finding, identifying,
selecting and retrieving resources (Hider, 2012).
The
basis for an effective cataloguing system is the recording of quality metadata (Caplan, 2003). The ability for school librarians to manipulate
this metadata content to best expresses works held within their library would
be an advantage to both staff and students (O’Connell,
2013). Based upon the subject retrieval processes that are in standard use by
staff and students of a school library, this facilitates successful access and
retrieval of information (Hider, 2012). My understanding of the standardising
of access points by means of controlled vocabulary has been refined by my cataloguing
applications during my ETL507 practicum.
The
focus on Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC23) presented me with a completely
unfamiliar structure of operation. However my preceding understanding of
Library of Congress aided in decoding the fundamentals of descriptive
cataloguing and number building. The application of Web Dewey and the SCIS
ensemble streamlines the cataloguing process; the provision by SCIS of an established
system delivers the building blocks that allow TLs to tailor their own usages. SCIS
has designed for ongoing updates through progressive modifications of
subject headings, allowing for continued relevance and currency.
The
resulting unified cataloguing
standard provides advantages to the end user as well as the cataloguer, in manipulation,
access and retrieval of metadata resources (Education Services Australia, (c),
2015):
Hider
& Harvey, 2008: Welsh, & Batley, 2012).
Stressful and challenging as the journey has been, ETL505 has helped me
develop a comprehension of the theory of cataloguing if not yet a faultless
practical application. This theory became tangible in cataloguing during my
school ETL507 placement; through these procedures I finally realised that
information organisation cannot be created in a vacuum, to be effective, an
understanding of client requirements is essential to the success of the school
library (Hider, 2012: Manifold, 2014).
ETL505 is the penultimate step I in my developmental ladder as a
teacher librarian, it has presented me with involved
and challenging concepts and demonstrated the importance of defining educational
resources, rather than just providing access to information. These concepts
will enable me to become a supportive teacher librarian and will
assist me in the ultimate step in my teacher librarian ladder, by providing an effective
service benefiting the clients of my school library.
References:
Caplan, P. (2003). Metadata fundamentals for all librarians.
Chicago: American
Library Association.
DDC 23. (2015). Summaries.
Retrieved from:
Education Services Australia. (2015). SCIS subject headings.
Compiled
by Schools Catalogue
Information Service. Retrieved from
Hider, P. (2012). Information resource description: Creating and
managing metadata. London: Facet
Publishing.
Hider, P. & Harvey, R. (2008). Organising knowledge in a global
society:
principles
and practice
in libraries and information centers. (Revised ed.). Wagga
Wagga. New South Wales: Charles Sturt University, Center for Information
Studies.
Manifold, A. (2014). Libraries and metadata in a sea of information. Connections,
89. Retrieved from:
http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/issue_89_2014/articles/libraries_and
_metadata_in_a_sea_of_information.html
O’Connell, J. (2013). RDA for school
libraries: The next generation in cataloguing.
Access, 27(3), 4-6.
Welsh, A & Batley, S. (2012). Practical cataloguing: AACR, RDA and Marc 21.
London: Facet
Publishing.
No comments:
Post a Comment