Cataloging Unit 4: Overview

Cat. Units

Western Languages Cataloging Team I
Overview of I&II

Western Languages Cataloging Team II
Overview of I&II

Middle Eastern Languages Team
Overview

East Asian Languages Team

Approval and Copy Cataloging Team
Overview

Serials and e-Resources Team
Overview

Authorities Committee

Serials, E-Resources and Record Management Team

SeERS Overview
HaRMS Overview

Mission Statement

The Serials, E-Resources and Record Management Team's two sections support the Library's mission to serve our University patrons and the larger scholarly community by providing and maintaining timely and accurate access to the University's library resources in many formats and locations. The SeERS section provides access to serials and electronic resources, and plans for the future handling of these changing materials. The HaRMS section provides ongoing access to all of our databases and material types through database management, including maintainance, adjustments and problem resolution.

Holdings and Record Management Section Overview

Formerly known as Catalog Maintenance, Database Interface Unit (DBIU), Database Management Unit (DBMS), and Cataloging Unit 5.

The Holdings and Record Management Section currently has primary responsibility for transfer of materials to ReCAP (the Remote Storage facility located on the Forrestal Campus) and training of other units' staff in this procedure.

Additional major responsibilities are: Firestone transfers and training of other staff in this process; replacements; withdrawals; Princeton University Press gift books; retrospective conversion of catalog records; and resolution of database problems, including those forwarded from Circulation, Plating & Labeling, outside libraries, and Borrow Direct.

The unit also does some LC and member cataloging.

Serials and E-Resources Section Overview

Members of this section process and catalog serials and electronic resources. Specific responsibilities of the section include SFX target activation and maintenance, cataloging DSS data files, and preparing for metadata cataloging.

Serials processing and cataloging:

adding new serial volumes
adjusting online serial records
converting manual serial records into online records
cataloging most new serial titles
providing information about serials
solving serial problems

Serial work done in the Unit is distributed according to the first letter of the main entry with a member of the Unit taking responsibility for a particular section of the alphabet:

A-E Dan Kuntz

F-L Nancy Burns

M-T

U-Z (shared)

Dan Kuntz also handles all the serials in Near Eastern scripts.

Adding Workflow

Serial volumes ready for adding are sent from various units and collections inside and outside Firestone. Upon receipt, they are sorted into the four alphabetical sections.

Staff check each volume against the record in the online catalog, make adjustments to the bibliographic description as necessary, and update the record to reflect the new bound holdings. The call no. and numeric and/or chronological designations are marked in the front of each volume.

Softbound volumes then go to the Prebindery Unit; hardbound volumes go to the Labeling & Plating Unit; incomplete volumes which are to be put in temporary binding go to the Collections Conservation Unit.