Final Thoughts - Jen Parmley 4/27/2011

This class has definitely had its ups and downs. There are many things I feel confident about, like ISBD, AACR, and DDC. I know how to create block records and I even feel pretty secure in my ability to create MARC records. Then there are other things that I am still not 100% sure on.

I can't help feeling like the last quiz was a bit of a fiasco. I studied, did well on the practice quiz for LoC subject headings and DDC, and felt ready to take the real quiz. Then I got stuck on one question, which set me back, and I found myself rushing to finish the rest of the quiz. As I finished my last question, I noticed one unsaved question, so I pushed 'save' and just as I went to hit 'submit quiz' the computer announced that the time limit was up, so my quiz says it was late. I also was unable to answer one question.

This experience has definitely taught me that I will need to keep studying this material long after this class ends. Though I have gained a great deal of knowledge, I am by no means an expert on cataloging and classifying and still have much to learn. I suppose that is the way of professions, though; they require a lot of ongoing studying. I must simply do my best to become proficient in these areas and work hard to stay abreast of new developments in the field.

I wish that I could say that everything in this class had gone off without a hitch, that everything went just the way I'd planned. But few things happen exactly the way we want. Though I've hit a few bumps, I feel like the road is stretched out in front of me and I am one step closer to becoming a school librarian.

Not so sure... - Jen Parmley 3/30/2011

I'm trying to feel the same level of confidence I felt during the last two posts, but instead I am filled with doubt. Not a good feeling to have right after submitting a quiz, I might add! I have done well on the practices and graded homework for ISBD, AACR, and MARC. I know the stuff. But I still can't help feeling like it could have gone better. We'll see - most of the time when I feel I've done poorly, I've actually done pretty well.

Cataloging is hard work! Though it is not for this particular class, this does pertain to cataloging, so I still feel that it is relevant. I am currently working on the cataloging assignment for my practicum class, in which I am required to create five original catalog records. I feel confident that my ISBD and AACR areas are correct, but I have not yet learned how to do Library of Congress subject headings and must learn to do so by Sunday night…yikes!

I did enjoy the DDC practice assignments and homework. It was fun, kind of like a scavenger hunt, searching for the information and deciding on the right class number. All of my life I’ve seen the numbers on the book spines. I knew the main headings – 800 is literature, 900 is history, geography, & biography, etc. – but that was the extent of my knowledge. It has been very interesting learning where the rest of the numbers come from and seeing how they make sense and create order.

Despite my shaken confidence, I still feel like I will come out of this class in one piece and with lots of knowledge to show for it. Bring it on!

Gaining Confidence - Jen Parmley 2/28/2011

It's now the second month of cataloging, and as Maria sang, "I have confidence in me!" Or at least, I have much more than I had the last time I blogged. I feel like I can handle AACR and ISBD pretty well. I remember the major punctuation rules, what information goes in which section, and anything that I don't know off the top of my head, I feel like I can look it up and find what I need to know. About a week ago, when a fellow classmate asked several questions about punctuation, I was pleased that I knew the answers without consulting the book. Checking the AACR manual later that night confirmed that I was correct.

I’ve been happy to find that I enjoy cataloging. Once I started figuring it out, I discovered that I liked being able to make catalog records. I tried to catalog different items in the practices to see if I could figure out how to do a CD, DVD, etc.  

Now as I begin to tackle MARC, I feel less certain simply because I haven’t had much experience with it yet. However, after my positive experience with AACR, I am confident in my ability to pick MARC up. I realize now that, though formidable, cataloging is not as scary as I first was inclined to think. Just like any other format I have learned over the years – MLA, APA, etc. – cataloging is merely a system to be learned and mastered.

         

    

First Impressions - Jen Parmley 1/31/2011

I love organizing things. I was the “weird” kid in elementary school who loved alphabetizing spelling words and putting things into categories. That being said, many of the things I have encountered in this class have made my head spin. There are so many acronyms – AACR, ISBN, ISBD…holy cow! I’m having trouble remembering what they stand for, let alone what information is needed!

After experiencing the introductory readings, I feel that I have a basic understanding of the history of cataloging. I definitely understand the importance of it. I had a hard enough time finding what I needed among my own collection of books before applying my own organizational methods; I cannot imagine trying to operate a library without a highly organized cataloging system.

            Some things have been confusing. I had a difficult time finding information about AACR3. The book anticipated that it might be finished by 2007 at the earliest. However, here it is 2011 and it is still in the works, with very little information about it online. I find it frustrating to know that these revisions take so long to be completed, require a great deal of time and effort to learn, and quickly become outdated to make way for yet another new system.

            Right now, I feel like I have just entered a labyrinth. I feel overwhelmed looking at the big picture and don’t always know which way to go. However, if I step back and think about taking one step at a time, navigating each small path, I know that I will eventually find myself at the center.