CATALOGING AND PHYSICAL PROCESSING OF BURKE RARE
MATERIALS
Special Materials & Procedures
BACKGROUND
Staffing for cataloging and processing rare materials for Burke changed in
November 2009. The changes were in response Alex's increased work on the
Mellon grant, our inability to fill the temporary position that was to
focus on Burke materials, and a request from Management Committee to
devote more attention to rare materials.
- Alex will continue to catalog pre-1800 materials as well as high
priority requests sent by Michael Boddy.
- John will catalog materials in Latin, German and Fraktur.
- Susan will spend one day a week on Burke materials, focusing on
materials not in the previous categories.
- Bill will continue to provide copy cataloging.
- Rick's intern will assist with assigning LC call numbers to
materials that have copy but need an LC number assigned.
We will begin by working off the Burke materials that were already sent
over and which are in the rare book cage. Many of these have been
partially processed. For example, Bill processed many bound-withs,
downloading copy where available and flagging items needing original
cataloging with a colored rider. He also downloaded copy for a number of
items that now just need LC call numbers.
Bound-withs will be processed per
CPM-625 where possible. That is, several bibliographic records but
one holdings and one item record.
Organizing Materials
Alex and Susan will go through the materials in the cage and organize them
into backlogs for each of the people contributing to the cataloging and
processing of these items. These backlogs will in on shelves in the cage
with labels on them.
Classification Schemes for Burke Rare Collection
Most Burke rare collections (MRL, UTS, Gillett, McAlpin) have non-LC call
numbers, but newly acquired rare materials are not added to these
collections, so items from these collections requiring cataloging
typically already have call numbers from their respective classification
schemes marked on the item (cover/label/spine/envelope). In the case of
any exception to this rule, the required non-LC call number will be
indicated on the rider before the item is sent to OSMC/SCMC.
Items designated for the Tower collection receive LC call numbers, but
none of these items will already have LC call numbers marked on them. So
all Tower items will require an LC call number.
WORKFLOW
- Pre-cataloging at Burke
- Michael Boddy identifies items from rare Burke collections
requiring cataloging (no CLIO record or incomplete/inaccurate CLIO record)
and fills out for each item a "Burke RB Routing" rider detailing whether
the item is high or low priority, which Burke subcollection the item
belongs to, what type of call number is required, and any other
instructions (such as special notes to be added).
- High-priority Burke rare materials requiring cataloging are sent
in boxes via campus mail to Alex Thurman, OSMC.
- All other Burke rare materials requiring cataloging are sent in
boxes via campus mail to Bill Hamilton, SCMC.
- OSMC/SCMC Processing
- High-priority items are cataloged promptly by Alex Thurman and
returned to Michael Boddy at Burke in boxes via campus mail.
- All other materials are received by Bill Hamilton in SCMC. Each
item is searched in Worldcat via Connexion by Bill. If satisfactory
records are found, the records are downloaded into Voyager and given
holdings and item records.
- Each item receives a barcode placed on an acid-free check-out card.
In the upper left-hand corner of the card is written the subcollection
name (i.e., Tower, Union Rare, Union Rare Folio, MRL Day Rare, etc.)
followed by the call number along the top edge. On a second line is
written the author's name (1XX field), as Last Name, First Name, and on a
third line a few words from the beginning of the title. For items without
accompanying preservation cases, the card is placed directly inside the item.
For items with cases (envelopes, boxes, folders, etc.) the card is placed
inside the case but not inside the item. See Alex for a supply of cards.
- Bill will place items for which he does not find OCLC records and
which therefore require original cataloging on the labeled shelves for
John and Susan in the rare books cage. Latin, German, and Fraktur
materials go on John's shelf, and all other materials go on Susan's shelf.
- Bill will place cataloged Tower items requiring LC call numbers in
a box in Rick Block's office. Rick will assign the work to interns.
- Finished items are put into a carton marked "ready for return to
Burke" in the cage. Items are not charged out. Alex and Susan will send
cartons back to Burke as they fill. When the current backlog is reduced
we will ask Michael to send additional materials for cataloging.
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Last updated: 11/20/09 kmh