Now That We Know the Answer, What Are the Questions?

Abstract

Abstract Information resources, regardless of their medium, exist on a value continuum; so, too, the methods of organizing, storing, describing, and providing access to information range greatly. For any given infonnation resource, the “cataloging” methods used are generally associated with the value ascribed to the information: the more highly valued the information, the more rigorous the methods. Libraries would do well to apply this simple logic to the cataloging of Internet resources. A good rule of thumb might be this: If an Internet resource were published in any other media, say, paper, and it met your library's selection and collection development criteria, would you catalog it? If the answer is Yes, then select the Internet resource and catalog it. Libraries that take this approach find themselves offering improved patron services, staying abreast of technological change, and positioning themselves for next-generation cataloging alternatives even i f their actual level of cataloging is low. Some cataloging of Internet resources is far to be preferred than no cataloging. Cataloging is relatively expensive, however. We must continue to drive down the unit cost of cataloging, and Internet resources are likely to yield to cost reductions more rapidly than other media. Standard methods of encoding metadata will soon enable resource creators to associate cataloging-type information in ways that can be universally accessed by software applications. With information supplied and captured “upstream” from the cataloger, libraries can begin to imagine entirely new cataloging systems that may, for instance, create a basic bibliographic record from encoded meta-data. At a minimum, such approaches will drastically reduce the amount of transcription catalogers perform, reducing time and entry errors. Selectively applied, librarians would add value to basic records through subject analysis, classification, authority control, and uniform headings. And we can imagine computers assisting those hnctions as well. Regardless of the level of cataloging applied or the methods whereby metadata or cataloging are created, libraries must also begin to address problems related to long-term access to digital resources. Cataloging is a long-term investment, and best applied to resources whose expected value exceeds the immediate and may extend to decades or centuries. What role will libraries play in long-term digital archiving? That question is better answered from a position of experience gained through providing bibliographic control for selected resources today. Again, the balance tips in favor of experience gained through cataloging. So, time to take stock. Let's dump the Three Stoppers. lnaction gains nothing. The library that identifies, selects, and catalogs even one Internet resource benefits in ways that far exceed the incremental costs. And the library that systematically integrates the identification, selection, and cataloging of Internet resources into its routine practice will find itself both shaping the future and all the more prepared to meet it. If you haven't cataloged one Internet resource, do it for yourself. If you already catalog Internet resources, accelerate the pace. Do it for others: your users, other libraries, and the future well-being of your profession.