New computer cataloger eases library life
By ANN PORTAL
Of ttw EmaraM
In less than three weeks, the University
library no longer will catalog books the
"old way."
The library is shelving its manual sys
tem of cataloging books in favor of a
computerized cataloging system called
Online Computer Library Center. The
new system was purchased this year for
$20,000
University librarian George Shipman
says he is unsure what the annual cost to
use the service will be, but based on the
number of books cataloged last year, the
cost would be $100,000
Community colleges, private colleges
and public libraries around the state
already have adopted the national ser
vice Oregon State University selected
OCLC soon after the University made its
choice
With the new service, catalog
classifications already are entered in the
computer — so librarians no longer have
to make up shelf numbers for each new
book
Shipman estimates that 93 to 96 per
cent of the titles the University library
purchases already will have been en
GTF talks
on contract
continue
University Graduate Teaching
Fellows are working under a
contract with the University that
expired June 30. but the old
contract will continue to be ob
served until disputes between
GTFs arid the University can be
resolved
According to a joint release
issued by the negotiating teams.
13 of 35 contract items still are
being disputed, although 12
items already have been agreed
upon
Prior to a June 30 meeting of
the two bargaining teams, it had
appeared that talks might come
to a standstill
However, the University
brought a number of revised
proposals to the meeting, and
GTFs now are considering the
offers, says Jim Morgan, bar
gaining team member and
co-secretary-treasurer of the
union
Both sides now feel that the
current package proposal of the
University represents progress
toward a possible settlement,
negotiators say
The next bargaining session
is scheduled for Tuesday
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tered The University receives reductions
on its bill tor entering titles that have not
been entered previously
For students, the bibliographic service
means new books will be on the shelf
sooner, Shipman says
For the library staff, the system means
cataloging will bp faster and easier,
eventually providing the time to begin a
time-consuming process of recataloging
nearly one-third of the library’s collection
currently shelved under the outdated
Dewey Decimal system, Shipman says
Using the new system, all 400,000
Dewey-classified volumes will be con
verted to the newer Library of Congress
classifications and the two collections
will be combined on the shelves, he says
But the reclassification will take years, he
adds
’’(On-line cataloging) is a panacea, but
we re also talking about undoing
decades of problems
Before tackling the Dewey collection,
the cataloging department must process
a 10,000 to 12,000 volume backlog of
new books However, Shipman says he
considers a backlog of several thousand
books a normal workload
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Emerald Photo
Using a new cataloging system, the University library hopes to soon process a 10,000
to 12,000 backlog of new books.
The OCLC service, which is located in
Columbus, Ohio, sends catalog cards
the day after a book is cataloged
Discussing the library's financial out
look, Shipman says he still has no idea
just what the library's funding level will
be next year, but that book acquisition
should remain a priority, as it has this
year
"My impression is that no matter what
happens to higher education, acquisition
of library material will be of top priority,"
he says.
The library has more than achieved
stability in the last year, Shipman says
"With a positive — not foolish — atti
tude and innovativeness we can do a
great deal to support the research mis
sion of Oregon residents "
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