Starting original cataloging

As stated in a previous post, I've started doing original cataloging, for Portland's Blue Bike Lanes. After checking to b sure that there was no previously catalog record to copy or upgrade, I started building one from scratch with the OCLC Connexion software. So far it's brought out many details that I'd previously been able to gloss over when doing copy cataloging. This has included some intellectual elements such as the choice of the publisher name and the statement of responsibility. While discussing the statement of responsibility with my supervisor, she pointed out that the statement should be for those who are responsible for the intellectual content of the work (which I'm sure is in AACR2, but I can't find the rule from this computer).

Other elements I had to focus on for original cataloging were more based on minor fields or purely policy issues. While the date fixed fields can be useful, choosing the date isn't much of an intellectual exercise. Similarly setting the encoding level is pretty straightforward. And the choice of filling in the call number in field 050 or field 090 is largely policy based for the library I'm at.

After finishing the descriptive elements, I worked on the access points. Without an obvious responsible person, it was clear this book should be under title main entry. When looking at the entry for the corporate body, I looked at AACR2 rule 21.1B2 to determine whether corporate main entry applied in this case. In the end it didn't. So an added access point was created for the issuing office and each of the three listed members of the project team from the cover.

I've started on the subject cataloging. I found some reasonable headings from other strongly related works which ought to be useful. It's a pretty tricky to discern which of the lengthy list of subject headings in the LCSH are most applicable.

Overall, the process has shown me that while there are a number of rules to be followed, there's still a strong subjective element to the cataloging.