About the Cataloging Department
General Information
The Cataloging Department for the University of Akron's University Libraries is located on the first floor in Bierce Library. Staffed by 3 faculty catalogers, 3.5 paraprofessionals, and 3 students, the Cataloging Department processes an average of 12,000 new titles into the Bierce, University Archives, Psychology Archives, and Science & Technology libraries collections each year. These new items represent all formats, from print to sound recordings, video, and electronic resources.
As part of the OhioLINK system, University Libraries uses Innovative Interfaces, Inc. library software. Formerly known as ZipLINK, the UA Libraries Catalog provides online access to the University Libraries' holdings. OCLC's bibliographic services are utilized for searching and editing cataloging copy which is then transfered into the UA Libraries Catalog. We also use OCLC to verify authority headings and when no cataloging copy is found for materials, we contribute original cataloging to the OCLC system for others to use.
The following pages provide additional information about the Cataloging Department:
- Cataloging News -- Includes Alerts, Website Updates, Current News and Archived Cataloging News
- Cataloging Department Alphabetic Site Index
- Student Employee Policies
- Contact Information
Personnel
The faculty catalogers, while able to catalog all formats, have developed specializations in specific formats or types of materials. Their duties include problem resolution; fielding questions from the paraprofessional staff and students; training; developing and/or revising local policy and procedures; recording policies and procedures to document local practice, and the various responsibilities of tenure-track faculty including publication, presentation, and service.
The Cataloging paraprofessionals perform a wide range of duties, including cataloging, processing special collections, and physical processing of library materials. The paraprofessional catalogers focus on the bulk of University Libraries' acquisitions: monographs with Library of Congress or OCLC member bibliographic copy. Each has also developed a subject, genre, or format speciality within the broad range of materials that enter the department. Their duties include: searching OCLC and the local online system for bibliographic records, editing bibliographic records, transferring records from OCLC to the local Innovative Interfaces cataloging system, performing authority work, and database maintenance tasks.
| Faculty | |
|---|---|
| Name & Contact Info | Title & Specialization |
| Susan Direnzo Ashby direnzo@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972.7240 |
Title: Interim Head, Cataloging Department/Head, Library Systems, Associate Professor of Bibliography Specialization: Millennium library system |
| Michelle J. Mascaro mjm125@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972.xxxx |
Title: Assistant Professor of Bibliography Specialization: Special collections, archival and rare materials. |
| Karen A. Plummer kplumme@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972.7244 |
Title: Associate Professor of Bibliography Specialization: Video-recordings (Video, DVD); Curriculum Materials (Kits, Monographs); Realia; Dissertations/Theses. NACO-AV Authority Contributor. Also software, electronic resources. |
| David Procházka davidp@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972-6260 |
Title: Associate Professor of Bibliography Specialization: Music (Sound Recordings, Monographs, and Scores); NACO-AV/NACO-M Authority Contributor. Also Continuing Resources, Government Documents |
| Paraprofessionals | |
| Name & Contact Info | Title & Specialization |
| Valerie M. Jenkins valeri3@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972-5553 |
Title: Library Associate Senior Specialization: Children's books; Curriculum materials; Continuing resources |
| John F. Kline, Jr. jk4@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972-6190 |
Title: Library Associate Senior Specialization: History monographs; Monographs with accompanying media (software/cd-roms); Special projects and maps cataloging |
| Joycelyn D. Ramos drozd@uakron.edu Phone: 330.972-8426 |
Title: Library Associate Senior Specialization: Literature monographs; Drama/Plays; Anthropology, Sociology, and Religious monographs; Database maintenance and quality control. Also curriculum materials. |
Student Assistants
The students perform a variety of critical tasks for the Department. Their primary responsibility is to perform all physical processing of library materials, including monographs, serials, microforms, audiovisual, music, software, etc. They also assist with OCLC searching, retrieving materials from the shelves or other University Libraries' facilities for reclassification and/or recataloging, process transfers and discards, and assist with various special projects as needed.
Departmental Statistics
Each month the catalogers record statistics about their cataloging and database maintenance work, including number of volumes added to the collection, number of titles cataloged and type of cataloging copy used (Library of Congress, OCLC member copy, or Original Cataloging), authority headings updated or added, and special project work completed for the report period. This information is submitted to the Cataloging Department Head on a monthly basis.
The Department Head records these figures in an Excel spreadsheet covering the current fiscal year which is used to analyze progress towards departmental productivity goals, evaluate individual productivity based on individual goals, and finally, serves as the basis for reporting annual Cataloging Statistics to the University Libraries Administration.