cataloging

For those of you who don't know Joe Sacco's amazing graphic novel journalism, you should.

In my new position as a teen services librarian i was doing a search of different graphic novels in my library system, and found some problematic cataloging of Joe Sacco's Palestine.

Jessamyn just turned me on to K.R. Roberto's new book, Radical Cataloging: Essays at the Front. Go out and buy one for every librarian that you know. Really, do it now!!

(admission: I've now added Jenna's feed because I woulda known about the book earlier if I'd just read the Lower East Side Librarian!!)

Here is a response from Anthony R.D. Franks Team Leader, Cooperative Cataloging Team Library of Congress, published with his permission (links added and typos fixed):

Thank you for your recent e-mail about the Blog-a-Thon. It will be interesting to see what your group comes up with next time. To facilitate matters, please let me know ahead of time. As we usually identify proposals by institution and not by group, it's always a good idea to include a note in the 952 field--perhaps "Blogathon returns!"

The following is a round up of the subject headings (24), cross-references (6), and subdivisions (2) suggested to the Library of Congress during our LCSH Blog-a-Thon. Included is anything that was legitimately tagged with rr_lcsh2008 on del.icio.us. Thanks to everyone who helped promote this effort, and huge thanks to everyone who participated.

Members of Radical Reference hope to work with catalogers, particularly those from the RADCAT discussion list to SACOfy suggested headings that haven't previously been submitted to LC in a formal manner. However, we also think that it would be nice if the form weren't the barrier that it is for non-cataloging librarians to contribute subject heading ideas.

Do subject headings still matter? We say they do.

Does the Library of Congress always identify accessible and appropriately named headings and implement them in a timely manner? We say not always. All you have to do is spend one day behind a reference desk to see examples of biased, non-inclusive, and counterintuitive classifications that slow down, misdirect, or even obscure information from library users. As librarians and library workers, providing access to information is important-and classifying it in ways that are inclusive and intuitive strengthens our egalitarian mission.

Between now and Sunday, April 27, Radical Reference invites you to suggest subject headings and/or cross-references which will then be compiled and sent to the Library of Congress. You can either choose one previously suggested by Sandy Berman (pdf or spreadsheet) or propose your own.

This is a chance to positively impact the catalog of the de facto national library of the United States, which also impacts cataloging all over the world! Here's how...