Resources for Catalogers of Children’s Materials

Cataloging for children and young adult collections presents unique and challenging issues. Maintaining standards and following guidelines set at the national level do not always translate to comprehensible cataloging for your users. As catalogers we understand that guidelines are necessary. However, strict adherence to these guidelines is not always possible.

The Cataloging of Children’s Materials Committee has developed a list of web sites that help answer questions about cataloging. We have tried to keep it specific to children and young adult material, but it also includes some general information.

This is not a static document and will be updated periodically. If you have a particular site that you find useful in your technical services endeavors please submit it to Patricia Ratkovich - pratkovi@bama.ua.edu or Lynne Jacobsen - jacobsen@wnpl.info.

Classification | Children’s Catalogs | General | MARC | Reference | Specific Materials | Subject Headings | Web Sites

Classification

Introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification    

Explains the basic principles and structure of Dewey Decimal Classification. | www.oclc.org/dewey/versions/ddc22print/intro.pdf

Alpha-Numeric System for Classification of Recordings (ANSCR)

An overview of ANSCR. Includes categories for children’s recordings and the scheme used by the individual library that sponsors the site. | www.calstatela.edu/library/guides/anscr_class.htm

WebDewey: an OCLC Tutorial

A 57-page tutorial, shows how to use WebDewey, including searching, browsing, how to create user notes, and how to build numbers. | www.oclc.org/dewey/resources/tutorial

Let’s Do Dewey

A very simple explanation on Dewey Decimal classification with exercises. | http://walker.mtsu.edu/dewey/

How the Dewey Decimal System Works

Explanation of Dewey Decimal and how to put it to use. | www.lib.duke.edu/libguide/fi_books_dd.htm

Children's Catalogs    

International Children's Digital Library

Provides unique access to digital books for children ages 3 to 13, utilizing search criteria developed by children. Includes finding books by category, geography, content, setting, format, size, color, length, shape, series, illustrations and/or language. | www.icdlbooks.org/index.shtml

SUNLINK Links for Media Specialist

Florida's K-12 public school union catalog, a shared database of materials in Florida K-12 library media centers. | www.sunlink.ucf.edu/mediaspecialists/

General    

Cooperative Computer Services (CCS)

CCS provides an integrated automation system for 22 libraries located in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. All are public libraries, and all are members of the North Suburban Library System. Cataloging Manual, Chapter 7 (p. 177) : Member Resources Cataloger/Tech > Cataloging Tools & Useful Links > Cataloging Manual 2004 PDF (p.177) Guidelines for Children's Materials - includes uniform titles, subject headings, series statements, cataloging special items such as two works issued together, and much more. | www.ccs.nslsilus.org

Internet Library for Librarians

Provides access to extensive cataloging resources, including cataloging electronic resources, audiovisual cataloging, library cataloging policies, and much more. | www.itcompany.com/inforetriever/cat.htm

Library Spot

Basic tools for school librarians/media specialists, a general Reference desk that links out to different URLs for information and a Reading Room. | www.libraryspot.com

University Cataloging Documentation

Provides examples of workflows for different copy cataloging materials and an over all index to types of materials processed. | library.princeton.edu/departments/tsd/katmandu/catman.html

Library Cataloguing Aids

An extensive site of general information for librarians. Compiled by Lynne LeGrow, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia, Canada. | www3.ns.sympatico.ca/allegrow/cat.htm

Online Resources for School Librarians

A list of resources created for school librarians. | www.school-libraries.org/resources/

Moving Images Collections

Cataloging and Metadata provides a good overview on cataloging and a list of content standards. Archivists > Cataloging & Metadata > Cataloging Principles or Authority Control or Standards & Tools (on left side). | mic.imtc.gatech.edu/index.php

MARC    

Understanding MARC Bibliographic Machine-Readable Cataloging

Answers questions about what MARC means, why MARC records are necessary, where MARC records originate, and what MARC terms and designations mean. | www.loc.gov/marc/umb

MARC 21 Standards

Library of Congress MARC 21 standards for the representation and communication of bibliographic and related information in machine-readable form. All information on MARC formats (Spanish), MARC Lite, MARC code lists, MARC in XML and more. | www.loc.gov/marc

OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards

Bibliographic Formats and Standards is a guide to machine-readable cataloging records in WorldCat (the OCLC® Online Union Catalog). It provides tagging conventions, input standards and guidelines for entering information into WorldCat. | www.oclc.org/bibformats/en/

Reference    

Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names Online

Structural vocabularies that can be used to improve access to information about art, architecture, and material culture. | www.getty.edu/research/conducting_research/vocabularies/tgn/index.html

Pronouncing Dictionary of Authors’ Names

This dictionary is the collaborative work of the members of the LM_NET library listserv and the authors are presented in alphabetical order, with an example of their work for extra identification. | mainst.monterey.k12.ca.us/library/libpg/Dictionary/dict.html

Society of Children’s Bookwriters and Illustrators

An international organization that offers a variety of services to people who write, illustrate, or share a vital interest in children’s literature. | www.scbwi.org/links.htm

Encyclopedia Britannica Online

Search three encyclopedias, images, magazines, web sites, and Merriam Webster dictionary and thesaurus. | www.britannica.com/

Yourdictionary.com

Provides a quick dictionary-thesaurus lookup and includes translation dictionaries. | www.yourdictionary.com/

Library of Congress Cataloging Policy & Support Office

News and information from the Library of Congress on internal cataloging policies and changes to AACR2, LCRI, and MARC 21. | www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/cpso.html

Online French, Italian and Spanish Dictionary

Provides both definitions and translations of words in Spanish, French and Italian. | wordreference.com/

Internet Movie Database

Resource for verifying film credits when cataloging video recordings and DVDs. | www.imdb.com

Moviefone

Resource for verifying film credits when cataloging video recordings and DVDs. | www.moviefone.com/

Nova Roma

The site gives a brief explanation of the Roman numeral system and converts Roman numerals to Arabic numerals and vise versa. | www.novaroma.org/via_romana/numbers.html

Cataloger’s Reference Shelf

Site provides a list of resources used for cataloging material. By The Library Corporation. | www.itsmarc.com/crs/CRS0000.htm

Specific Materials    

Graphic Novels In Libraries (GNLIB)

Steve Miller, a YA librarian from Ohio, created the Graphic Novels in Libraries List (GNLIB-L), which is an email discussion group for librarians wanting to know more about graphic novels and how to develop their collections. | www.angelfire.com/comics/gnlib/

OCLC Dewey Discussion Papers

From time to time, Dewey editors seek the advice of Dewey users on ways to improve treatment of specific subject areas. Look for those occasional discussion papers to be posted here with instructions for returning comments. i.e.: Graphic Novels-a discussion paper on how to classify graphic novels using Dewey Decimal classification. | www.oclc.org/dewey/discussion/default.htm

Tools for Serials Catalogers

Answers questions about cataloging serials, includes a section on “Cataloging Electronic Resources” and a list of e-mail addressees for sending cataloging questions and concerns. This site was created and is maintained by Ann Ercelawn, Vanderbilt University, Serials Librarian. | www.library.vanderbilt.edu/ercelawn/serials.html

Guide to Cataloging DVDs Using AACR2r Chapters 7 and 9

Guidelines to cataloging DVDs. | www.olacinc.org/capc/dvd/dvdprimer0.html

Evaluating/Cataloging Internet Resources

Tips on evaluating and cataloging Internet resources. | www.libraryhq.com/evaluate.html

Western Association of Map Libraries

The Western Association of Map Libraries is an independent association of map librarians and others with an interest in maps and map librarianship. Links of special interest to catalogers may be found in the Map Librarian’s Tool Box. | www.waml.org/

Subject Headings    

Use of Subfield v for Form Subdivisions in Subject Headings

A list of form subdivisions. | www.lib.usm.edu/~techserv/cat/tools/formsubv.htm

Web Sites    

Dewey Browse

Web sites classified by the Dewey Decimal classification system for grades K-12, created and maintained by Gail Shea Grainger. | www.deweybrowse.org/


Compiled by Patricia Ratkovich and Lynne Jacobson for the Cataloging for Children’s Materials Committee in March 2007. Please note that this page is not regularly updated or maintained and some links may be broken or unavailable.