After reading Library Journal’s writeup on the Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control, I headed over to read Karen Coyle’s take on things:
Whenever the question comes up of how we will define the library catalog of the future, most librarians exhibit an interesting schizophrenia, trying simultaneously to satisfy the library management need of inventory control and the much broader needs of users who simply want the best information now, no matter who owns it. We really must resolve this conflict if we are to move forward.
Since I’m a Reference Librarian, my perspective often matches that of my users: I want it in my hands and I want it now (ususally on their behalf). Working in the library world gives me a concrete understanding of the need for inventory control, recording how much a book weighs, etc. However, I have a hard time believing that these two perspectives work against each other. But since I don’t have an insider’s understanding of cataloging (yet), I’m really waiting to hear what the Free Range Librarian says.
