Transcript The Cataloging of Self-Published Items

The Cataloging of
Self-Published Items
Research Project by
Nurhak Tuncer, MA, MLIS
Adjunct Librarian (Cataloger and Instruction) at
City Colleges of Chicago, Malcolm X College
Reed David, MA, MSLS
Cataloging Librarian at University of Alaska Anchorage
Music OCLC Users Group Meeting
March 1, 2016, Cincinnati, OH
Presentation Outline
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Introduction and Background
Self-Publishing Overview
Data Collection Process
Nationwide Survey Results and Analysis
Conclusion and Questions
Introduction and Background
• Nurhak proposed the research idea on
cataloging self-published items (April 2015)
• Nurhak outlined the problem and methods
in a Google Doc
• Then she collaborated with Reed through
Skype since April 2015
• Both passed the IRB requirements in
Summer 2015
Introduction and Background
Problems
Methods
• Challenges to catalogers:
• Screening through the
lack of information, needs
literature
original cataloging
• Surveying catalogers of
• Little cataloging research
self-published items
• Consensus needed on how • Analyzing OCLC
to catalog self-published
records from survey
items
takers
What Is Self-Publishing?
“To publish (a book [or other media])
using the author's own resources.”
Self-publishing authors’ control over the process varies
Historical Self-Publishing
C. P. E. Bach, Kenner und
Liebhaber Sonatas
Telemann, Six Trios
(1718)
Contemporary Self-Publishing
Self-publishing
Firms Booth
at ALA
Midwinter
Meeting in
Boston (2016)
Contemporary Self-Publishing
Xlibris
Composers Edition
Contemporary Self-Publishing
John Luther
Adams,
Become Ocean
Taiga Press
Contemporary Self-Publishing
“My day job is
publishing my own
music.”
--John Mackey
Contemporary Self-Publishing
Alaska Pro Musica,
Contrasts
Faculty Ensemble
at the University of
Alaska Anchorage
Contemporary Self-Publishing
Pamyua (Inuit folkmusic group)
Side A, Side B
Arctic Voice
Records
Contemporary Self-Publishing
Maya
Zimmerman
Big Lulls
NO Label!
Manufactured by Amazon
kydc, Lexington, KY
Survey Creation
* Qualtrics software
* 12 questions in all
* Multiple-choice with text boxes
* Anonymous
* Opened on September 14, 2015
* Closed on December 31st
* Completed by 403 people
Survey Distribution
Listservs
• MLA-L
• MOUG-L
• ALCTS Central
• AutoCat
• RDA-L
• OLAC-L
Facebook Groups
• ALA Think Tank
• Music Librarians
• RDA Cafe
• Troublesome
Catalogers and
Magical Metadata
Fairies
The Goal of the Project
❖ Descriptive and not proscriptive
❖ Start a conversation on this topic and show
directions for future research
❖ Provide suggestions for librarians for
cataloging self-published items
1. What type of library do you currently work for?
2. Do you catalog self-published items
locally/consortially or in a database (e.g. OCLC) shared
beyond a consortium?
3. What format(s) of self-published items do you
catalog? (check all that apply)
[The following three questions pertain to how one records publication
information for items from self-publishing firms (e.g. Xlibris).]
4. How do you record the publisher?
4. How do you record the publisher?
“If the publisher info isn't there, I use my best judgment AND
brackets.”
"Usually creator name, unless creator name is unclear; then Firm
name in brackets."
“Not easy. Usually use the author since they probably paid to have it
printed.”
"I consider firms like Createspace to be publishers"
"If the firm name is prominent, I use that. If not, I use creator name."
5. How do you record the place of publication?
5. How do you record the place of publication?
“If a place is indicated on the item, I record it; if not, I
conjecture at least to the country. I absolutely never use
[Place of publication not identified]”
“The place has been confusing. I started using the printing
location in brackets. ... But I have since decided [United
States] would be better.”
“Never use [place of publication not identified] if it can be
avoided.”
6. When recording the date of publication, is that
date usually clear or unclear?
6. When recording the date of publication, is that date
usually clear or unclear?
“I tend to use outside resources, such as Amazon, to identify a date of
publication.”
“There is usually at least a copyright date from which to infer a publication
date.”
“Since we are not using RDA, we include only the copyright date (when
given), not the date of publication.”
“Sometimes, I infer the date of printing (left corner at the bottom of the last
page) as date of publication. If there is a copyright date available, I use that
date, instead.”
“I usually need to infer a publication date from the date of manufacture or
copyright date--when I do so, I record the date of publication in brackets.”
7. How much effort do you put into cataloging selfpublished items compared to items from traditional
publishers?
7. How much effort do you put into cataloging selfpublished items compared to items from traditional
publishers?
"Getting to be the same amount of effort as I become more firm in my
decisions"
"The same effort ends up requiring more time, because the information isn't as
available."
“If the author is from our community, we make more effort.”
“More effort because they almost always need original cataloging.”
“Effort will vary from item to item depending on the nature of the material.”
8. How often do you create original records for selfpublished items?
8. How often do you create original records for selfpublished items?
"It's very rare for us to find existing records for these items."
“Most of our self pubs are local, so this involves original cataloging.”
“Almost always original records.”
“Other than original, I tend to update/enhance existing brief vendor
records for self-published items (very minimal information - often
just ISBN and title etc.”
9. When cataloging self-published items, do you
ever consider whether or not they should be
added to the catalog?
9. When cataloging self-published items, do you ever
consider whether or not they should be added to the
catalog?
“I'm just a cataloger. I don't do collection development or management.”
“I am chief policy maker for music items.”
“I also oversee collection development…”
“It is often difficult for our selection staff to know an item is self-published before it
arrives. Our book vendors do not always make it clear on their websites.”
“I keep a list of online reprint self-publishers to avoid”
“Faculty requests always override our quality concerns.”
10. Do you ever add any notes pertaining to
an item's self-published status?
10. Do you ever add any notes pertaining to an item's
self-published status?
“Generally, if item is explicitly identified as self published we quote that
identification directly.”
“I have a stack of self published books waiting to be cataloged now. I am
considering adding a 500 note saying, "This book is self published" just so
that information is there. I don't see any reason not to add it.”
“Add a note about it being self-published.”
"Self published"
“I add a "local author" note to the item.”
11. If you catalog self-published items in OCLC, please provide
OCLC numbers for representative examples of the records you
create.
11. If you catalog self-published items in OCLC, please provide
OCLC numbers for representative examples of the records you
create.
11. If you catalog self-published items in OCLC, please
provide OCLC numbers for representative examples of the
records you create:
A CD Example
RDA Record
(Self-published)
-
-
-
Creator
transcribed as
the publisher
No link to the
streaming
version
No notes
indicating selfpublished status
A Book Example
RDA Record
(Self-published)
-
Three 264 fields
Author as
publisher
No link to the
electronic version
Notes indicate
self-publishing
Relationship
designator as
author
12. Please provide any further comments or concerns
that you have about cataloging self-published items
here (optional).
“I should add often we catalog self-published local authors (books) or music groups
(cds) to support local authors/musicians in our community. We often add copies of
these local items to our special collections room as well as circulating copies.”
“We have some very rare and unusual recordings done by people who went on to be
famous as musicians or in other fields.”
“I am glad to see that you are researching this topic, which I think needs to be tackled
on a much wider scale throughout the cataloguing community. Together, we should
make up suggested guidelines for templates or more efficient ways of cataloguing
these items.”
“We urge the "publishers" to provide better information and create a better product.”
“Too many self-published works are lacking the information necessary to properly
catalog them…”
Conclusions and Takeaways
❖ Starting conversation about cataloging selfpublished items in libraries
❖ Building a bridge between self-publishers
and libraries
❖ Finding patterns in self-published items
Observations and Suggestions
❖ Multiple expressions/manifestations
Linked Data could help
❖ Creating authority records for local practice?
Encourage NACO catalogers
❖ Transcribing publisher--creator? Firm? Both?
Same data, different functions
Observations and Suggestions
❖ Transcribing publication date
Inferring from copyright date
❖ Creating lists of self-publishing firms
Local practice
❖ Creating notes for self-published items?
Depends on the item
Questions and Comments?
Nurhak Tuncer: [email protected]
Reed David: [email protected]
References
Composers Edition - Contemporary Music Scores & Parts - Print and Download. (2016, January 29). Retrieved
from http://composersedition.com/
Qualtrics: Online Survey Software & Insight Platform. (2016, January 29). Retrieved from
http://www.qualtrics.com/
Saffle, M. (2010, June). Self-publishing and Musicology: Historical Perspectives, Problems, and Possibilities.
Notes, 66(4), 726-738.
Self-publish: Definition of self-publish by Merriam-Webster. (2015, December 27). Retrieved from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-publish
Self Publishing A Book--Xlibris Company. (2016, January 29). Retrieved from http://www.xlibris.com/
Underwood, K. (2015, June 24). Building Music Scores Collections in the World of Web-Based, Self-Publishing
Composers. Presentation given at the Annual Congress of the International Association of Music
Libraries.