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How to Acquire Cataloging Tools

ALA Library Fact Sheet 18

Providing complete cataloging for a library collection requires simultaneous use of four, sometimes five, different standards and guides. Only one of these is available from the American Library Association. This Fact Sheet will explain the tools needed and information on the sources for them.

Cataloging Rules

The Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules (AACR) are "designed for use in the construction of catalogues and other lists in general libraries of all sizes... The rules cover the description of, and the provision of access points for, all library materials commonly collected at the present time." [Rule 0.1]

The current text is the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, Second Edition, 2002 Revision, 2005 Update, which incorporates all changes approved by the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA (JSC) -- formerly known as the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR -- through February 2005. Due to being in its second edition, the current text is known as AACR2. The rules are published jointly by:

  • The American Library Association (ALA) -- Based in Chicago, ALA is a nonprofit organization that advocates for America's libraries and the millions of people who depend on them. ALA’s mission is to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

  • The Canadian Library Association (CLA) -- Based in Ottawa, CLA is a non-profit, diverse group of individuals and organizations involved or interested in library or information sciences. CLA's mission is to promote, develop, and support library and information services in Canada and to work in cooperation with all who share its values in order to present a unified voice on issues of mutual concern.

  • CILIP: Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals -- Based in the United Kingdom, CILIP is a professional body formed from the unification of the Institute of Information Scientists (IIS) and The Library Association (LA). CILIP's mission is to support library and information workers in all sectors and to set and promote standards of excellence in the creation, management, and delivery of information services.

For information on purchasing AACR2, visit the AACR2 Web site and select your country from the menu on the left side of the page; each publisher has its own set of ISBNs, ordering information, and relevant currency pricing, at:
http://www.aacr2.org

In the U.S., AACR2 products, including ring binder updates and other Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules publications, may be ordered from the ALA Online Store, at:
http://www.alastore.ala.org

Small libraries might consider The Concise AACR2: Fourth Edition through the 2004 Update by Michael Gorman, which explains the more generally applicable AACR2 rules for cataloging library materials in simplified terms that make the rules more accessible and practical for practitioners and students who are in less complex library and bibliographic environments.

The JSC was responsible for maintaining the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules, and is now working towards a new standard, RDA: Resource Description and Access, scheduled to be released at the end of November 2009. In order to enable the JSC and constituencies to concentrate on this work, the last update to AACR2 was in 2005. For a brief summary of RDA, see the online brochure (PDF), RDA: Resource Description and Access: The Cataloguing Standard for the 21st century -- which is available in several languages. Underlying RDA are the conceptual models FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) and FRAD (Functional Requirements for Authority Data).


Subject Headings

Adding subject headings to a catalog record allows the catalog user to retrieve all items on a given subject in a consistent manner. In the United States, there are two commonly used sets of subject headings, whose latest editions are:


Classification

Classification is the process of assigning a number to an item so as to be able to shelve the item with other items on the same subject. In the United States there are two commonly used classification schemes: the Dewey Decimal Classification and the Library of Congress Classification. Both are used widely and actively updated.

The Library of Congress Classification (LCC) was initially designed at the beginning of the 20th century for the collection of the Library of Congress (LC). Since then, many other large American academic and research libraries have adopted it. The LC Classification Schedules are available in both print and electronic form, at:
http://www.loc.gov/cds/classif.html

The Dewey Decimal Classification® (DDC®) system, devised by library pioneer Melvil Dewey in the 1870s and owned by OCLC (Online Computer Library Center, Inc.) since 1988 (through its purchase of Forest Press), provides a dynamic structure for the organization of library collections. Now in its 22nd edition, and available in print and Web versions, the DDC is the world's most widely used library classification system, available directly from OCLC's Dewey® Services, at:
http://www.oclc.org/dewey

For information on the online and print versions and package variations available, see the online brochure (PDF), Dewey Services: Dewey Decimal Classification System.

Cutter Tables

Usually libraries using Dewey use a "Cutter table" to assign specific author numbers.

Cutter Author Tables publications -- the C.A. Cutter's Two-Figure Author Table, the C.A. Cutter's Three-Figure Author Table, and the Cutter-Sanborn Three-Figure Author Table -- can be acquired through Hargrave House, at:
http://www.cuttertables.com


Tagging for Machine-Readable Cataloging

Machine-Readable Cataloging (MARC) has been the standard in library automation for nearly 30 years. It forms the backbone of today's automated library systems, networks, and bibliographical utilities around the world. The MARC format is the data communication protocol for "translating" the text of a catalog record for use in an online catalog. The MARC products developed at the Library of Congress set the standard for MARC cataloging documentation. The Library of Congress, the British Library, and the National Library of Canada harmonized the USMARC, UKMARC, and CAN/MARC formats, and joined their MARC documentation to form MARC 21. All USMARC products have become MARC 21 products, which are available from the Cataloging Distribution Service of the Library of Congress, at:
http://www.loc.gov/cds/marcdoc.html


Cataloging Support Tools and Additional Resources

The online Cataloger's Desktop of the Library of Congress includes, among many other indexed or linked resources, the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, Describing Archives: a Content Standard (DACS) from the Society of American Archvists, Library of Congress Rule Interpretations (LCRI), Subject Cataloging Manuals, MARC 21 Formats, and the latest editions of all MARC code lists, at:
http://www.loc.gov/cds/desktop

Cataloging and Classification page at the ALA Professional Tips Wiki, at:
http://wikis.ala.org/professionaltips/index.php/Cataloging_and_Classification


Last updated: August 2009


For more information on this or other fact sheets, contact the ALA Library Reference Desk by telephone: 800-545-2433, extension 2153; fax: 312-280-3255; e-mail: library@ala.org; or regular mail: ALA Library, American Library Association, 50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611-2795.