A Converging Vision of Cataloging in the Electronic World
Ling Hwey Jeng · Information Technology and Libraries · 1996
The concept of the library of the future has been discussed extensively throughout the past decade. The development of Internet resources currently underway is a step in this direction. However, methods of organizing electronic resources are still far from ideal. This paper will trace library cataloging from manual to electronic organization as well as review current attempts to organize electronic information objects and related issues. A vision of what cataloging could evolve into in the electronic world is proposed at the end, along with a discussion of what needs to be done to realize this vision. In her recent review of libraries of the future, Drabenstott(1) collected twelve different definitions of the library of the future by scholars in the field, many of which shared common characteristics. This future library is one that emphasizes user access to information rather than ownership of materials. Instant information delivery through a system's direct links to remote files is assumed. The future library uses the maximum power of available electronic technology, constantly updates its records, and offers its users intelligent services. In this future library, access is not constrained by time or place. The future library's collection reflects true integration of traditional materials and electronic resources. A good definition of the library of the future is that it is a system that utilizes the maximum power of technology to link cataloging, indexing, and textual databases in an online network to provide users universal access to locally owned and remotely available information sources. The key to this concept of the future library is electronic information. In an electronic world, organization occurs in whatever way is needed to provide quick and thorough access to information objects, regardless of physical constraint. One way to better understand the nature of organization in the future library is to understand what has been known as library cataloging. This is discussed in the following paragraphs. The paper then covers current attempts to organize electronic information objects. This is followed by some issues related to current practice in organizing electronic resources. A vision of what cataloging could evolve into in the electronic world is proposed at the end. Characteristics of Traditional Cataloging Ample literature exists on the description, principles, and practice of traditional cataloging. A cursory look at the definition of a reveals some of the characteristics of traditional cataloging practice. The Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules defines a catalog as: (1) A list of library materials contained in a collection, a library, or a group of libraries, arranged according to some definite plan. (2) A list of materials prepared for a particular purpose (e.g., an exhibition catalog, a sales catalog).(2) These two definitions show that traditional cataloging is based on physical formats, assumes homogeneous collections, and is primarily location bound. The emphasis in practice is on a uniform approach to organization and arrangement. Traditional catalogs facilitate known-item searching, category searching, and choice of entries, as spelled out by Cutter in 1876.(3) This is done through bibliographically significant access points such as authors, titles, and subject headings, in addition to some commonly used alphanumeric search keys, such as ISBN. An alternative is to use a subject approach to access within certain hierarchical structures, such as a classification system. The indexing files for traditional catalogs are very predictable. Library bibliographic databases use inverted file structures with linear order in their arrangement. Most of these characteristics, however suitable for the traditional world of bibliographic resources, do not apply as well to the organization of electronic information. As Erik Jul noted, Books and similar things benefited from bibliographic description and access; Internet resources did not. …