Cataloging ETDs in Ohio - USETDA 2020 Conference
Channel: USETDA
Date: 2021-02-19

Cataloging ETDs in Ohio - USETDA 2020 Conference. United States Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Association.

Cataloging ETDs in Ohio: A Weaving of IR Innovations, Cataloging Standards, and Library Workflow: the Experience of Kent State University. 
Sevim McCutcheon, Peter H Lisius, Kent State University Libraries. 

OhioLINK and its member libraries have been near the forefront with ETDs, in terms of both devising a highly automated method of harvesting student-supplied metadata to create basic MARC records; and in developing consortial standards for cataloging ETDs in AACR2 (2006) and RDA (2014).

This Ohio context is closely tied to Kent State University’s approach to fully cataloging ETDs: technology and tag team.  Automation creates the base record; then student workers enhance descriptive portions.  This frees catalog librarians to concentrate on the intellectually challenging aspects:  full subject analysis, classification, and authority control.

Once ready for intervention, the original cataloging of ETDs has unique challenges. The topics are often on cutting-edge research and/or cross-disciplinary, for which the Library of Congress has not yet developed granular subject headings or classification.  Since first-time authors are not represented in the National Authority File (NAF), ETDs provide ample fodder for creating Name Authority Records (NARs) for KSU affiliates. This presentation covers how ETD cataloging challenges are handled at Kent State University, with illustrative examples.

We will conclude by sharing an update on the most current initiatives to both improve OhioLINK’s MARC record creation agent, and re-assess its ETD cataloging standards in light of changes at the international level.

USETDA 2020 Conference Proceedings: 
https://www.ocs.usetda.org/index.php/USETDA/USETDA2020/paper/view/233