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Cataloging Quality and Cooperation |
The Orbis database is an important resource for all patrons and staff. We strive for a high-quality database without setting up labor-intensive mechanisms for finding, investigating, and resolving questions and problems. In the first year, the Council and Technical Contacts addressed the issue of database quality and concluded that the emphasis should be on voluntary and cooperative efforts to maintain accurate bibliographic information and eliminate duplicate records. Further, the Technical Contacts agreed that temporary brief records should not be subject to the same standards as full records, including content, style, and authority work.
Inquiries or problems are generally reported directly to the library(ies) that contributed the record(s). For an issue that may have broader implications for a union catalog, the inquiry may be directed to the Union Catalog Coordinator who will review it and follow up as appropriate.
excerpt from Orbis Bylaws, adopted by Council August 1995
ARTICLE V: Database
Section 1. Quality and standards. Member libraries will contribute full cataloging records in compliance with MARC format, using AACR2 guidelines and standards, and follow any other policies adopted by the consortium for full or brief records. The members will strive for the best possible quality for the union catalog, and to this end agree to cooperatively resolve quality issues for individual records and for local practices affecting the union catalog.
excerpt from Technical Contacts meeting, February 1995
4. BIBLIOGRAPHIC QUALITY AND COOPERATION
It's hard to know what we should or could do until we've been using Orbis for a while. It's in our best interest to work toward the highest quality feasible. We could set up a communication mechanism, and prioritize the problems that need to be fixed. A large component of quality is authority control.
For the time being, the group will: report problems directly to the Tech. Rep. for the library that contributed the record (not to Orbis). The Tech. Rep.'s will report the "traffic" (i.e. e-mail communications, calls, etc. reporting problems) and share it at the next meeting.
5. REPORTING DUPLICATE RECORDS
When we notice duplicates, notify the respective libraries so they can work it out.
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