Managing the Catalogue (text notes)

Cataloguing Policy
Are choices of bibliographic level for descriptive cataloguing, subject authority list used as a source of subject headings, classification scheme used, and shelf marks to be added to classification number to create call numbers. Also, how to handle these matter, rules,

Create a Manual
A manual should begin with a brief description of the library community or school, mission, goals, objectives, context in which policies operate. It should also contain sections for each type of operation in the bibliographic system, including descriptive cataloguing subjects cataloguing and classification and call number decisions, how data are encoded and how changes in the cataloguing rules and subject tools should be handled. The manual should be review and amended annually.

Management Tasks
1. Setting goals and objectives- decision what the department needs to accomplish over a period of time, year, strategies, targets, time limits. Can include back log time to get stuff done that needs to be worked off.
2. Staffing issues -when and how long do we need extra staff of volunteers to get work done
3. Managing the budget-preset amounts and monitor and report on department related expenditures. Making up a budge for additional funding. Learning about types of expenses the department incurs personnel equipment supplies contract services. Properly recorded and report an accounting of how money was spent.
4. Buying products an services- outsourcing, catalogued product, need to ensure meet quality standards.
5. Evaluating the department- supervise implementation, criteria data gathering, analyzing, volume, quality, time price stats
6. Reporting–show how much work is was done, how good it was, how fast it got done, how much it cost. Supervisors, library or media center admin, institutional or community boards.

CURRENT ISSUES:

Metadata
This is information used to locate and retrieve materials in electronic form from collection of such materials. Comprehensive ownership and rights management information is an issue as records give far less detail for bibliographic element such as authors titles, and physical descriptions, than with books and may not follow rules. Its unlikely to bear subject-related classification numbers. We need to learn to create metadata records

Outsourcing
Develop marketable products and marketing strategies geared for non library buyers and implement them.

Catalogue department managers need management and leaderships skills in addition to substantial knowledge of cataloguing and classification to succeed in leading their departments .