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Approved-By:  Duncan Aldrich <duncan@EQUINOX.UNR.EDU>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.govdoc-l
Date:         Fri, 24 Jul 1992 09:44:52 GMT
From:         Duncan Aldrich <duncan@equinox.unr.edu>
Subject:      Re: Docs in opac's

Forwarded message:

From LISTSERV@PSUVM.PSU.EDU  Thu Jul 23 21:29:10 1992
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 00:26 EDT
From: MPOWELL@wooster.BITNET
Subject: Re: Docs in opac's
To: GOVDOC-L@PSUVM.BITNET
Message-Id: <70210C492080A53C@ACS.WOOSTER.EDU>
X-Envelope-To: GOVDOC-L@PSUVM.BITNET
X-Vms-To: IN%"GOVDOC-L@PSUVM.BITNET"

Since you did not sign your message I do not know to whom to address my
reply,, so I will send it to the list.  While I have no experience with
tape loading document records into one's opac, I have heard tales of both
glitches and successes.  I have been eternally thankful that we were
spared learning it first hand, since I was convinced, and still am, that
the treatment accorded books and periodicals in our library every day was
certainly good enough for documents.  Six years ago, after a feasibility
study and three years of gentle but persistent persuasion, we received
sanction to catalog our selective depository collection directly onto
OCLC and began a retroconversion project on OCLC concurrently with our
current acquisitions.  80,000 record later, we are now reaping the rewards of
equal access through our opac and the project if 3/4 finished.  At most, we
spent one FTE equivalent student's time--albeit well-trained and capable
students--and the departmental associate's time in supervision and training.
I see no difference in the quality of the cataloging records chosen, since
our students were instructed in the choice of either GPO or DLC records and
in the gentle art of upgrading lower level records.  There are remarkable few
not founds in our backlog (which gets smaller each time it is searched).

We developed a procedures manual which was adjusted along with the project.
Our Tech Services department gave us support and counsel when we needed it
and we learned by doing.  Though there are those who flinch when the costs
are mentioned, I submit that by doing the cataloging directly and being
finished with the record in one sitting, we have saved endless hours of
grooming an unknown database after the dump.  I also know that if a trained
cataloger had been doing the job, it would have been "better", taken longer
and cost more.  A funny realization hit me as soon as those patrons came
flocking back to our shelves clutching their call numbers--it didn't matter--
because the records were there and people were using document--that was the
significant thing.  Yes, the tape load will make it possible for many others
to achieve a documents data base and yes, our method is probably out of the
question for a larger collection, but I like it better for it's honest and
direct approach to our common goal.  And our item selection pattern would have
been a nightmare to profile!  To those of you who have heard our story before
I apologize, but we still get a glow when we get a display on our opac screen
that includes those ingredients--Location-Docs and a number with that telltale
colon.  Here's to DTTP!
Margaret S. Powell
Documents/Reference Librarian
The College of Wooster
Wooster, Ohio 44691
mpowell@wooster.bitnet
mpowell@acs.wooster.edu (internet)
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU