Historical Cataloging Notes
- Prior to 1984, the library did not enter a date in the call number of bibliographic records for a first edition of a title. This practice ceased in January 1984. Records for books cataloged in both periods coexist in the catalog.
- The library adds the year of publication to records for loose-leafs.
Although important U.S. depository publications destined for the main collection are fully cataloged, in the past, items that would be shelved in the documents collection were give only minimal-level cataloging. These items received Sudoc numbers, but other descriptive information—like series titles, added entries, subject headings--was kept to a minimum.
In early 1993, as a stop-gap measure and to provide better access to depository publications, the library developed a generic record for the titles. The main entry was the issuing agency. A cataloger-created title—“Publications”—became the main title, and alternative titles (246s) provided other common terms to search (e.g.: hearings, reports, papers, and such). The Sudoc stem was used as the call number.
With the arrival of Marcive cataloging for depository materials, most of these generic records were removed from the catalog. If one pops up, this note will explain its brief history.
- To facilitate gathering the NAFTA material together easily after the agreement was signed in 1992, the library created a local subject heading—690 / NAFTA—which it assigns to most NAFTA titles.
- When the library came up in the Innovative online catalog in 1992, only a small number of 5XX subject fields were marked for display. In order to have important information display to the user, cataloging had to change the suppressed field codes to 500. This arrangement was inefficient. Early in 2007, the library had III unsuppress all 5XX fields except 510 (citation note) and 59X (local notes).
Cataloging Dates
- 4-15-1992 The database was converted to III’s system.
- 4-28-1992 Library ceased filing cards in the public catalog.
- 8-15-1992 Gap tape was loaded.
- 12-1995 Last shelflist cards were filed. The shelflist was closed.
- 2-27-2007 5xx fields, except 510 and 59X, display in the public catalog.
