Quality Control Issues in Outsourcing Cataloging in United States and Canadian Academic Libraries

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the quality control (QC) issues in cataloging outsourcing programs implemented in U.S. and Canadian academic libraries. Most libraries provided the outsourcing vendors with detailed cataloging and/or processing specifications before the outsourcing programs started. They have set up QC procedures as an integral part of their outsourcing operations. In most cases, both librarian-catalogers and senior library assistants/technicians were involved in the QC programs. The error rates reported were low and the majority of bibliographic records provided by the vendors were either LC/OCLC records or records compatible with the Core-Level Standard recommended by the Cooperative Cataloging Council's Task Group on Standards. A large majority of these libraries were satisfied with the services provided by the outsourcing vendors. Based on the definition of quality of cataloging as a combination of accuracy, consistency, adequacy of access points, and timeliness, most libraries reported that the quality of their library's cataloging was not affected by the outsourcing programs.