Re: Upgrades to OCLC bibliographic records? Frieda Rosenberg 12 Feb 1998 08:33 UTC

On Thu, 12 Feb 1998, Kathleen Thorne wrote:

: first: when you use OCLC bibliographic records for
> cataloging materials, do you upgrade the records to current AACR2
> standards if the record is an older one created under AACR standards, or
> do you use the record in the exact form you find it?

If we have the serial in hand, we upgrade to AACR2. If, however, we are
enhancing a record in the CONSER database, we use CONSER guidelines, which
are more restrictive, for the national record. We then may upgrade for
our own database.  If we are retrospectively converting a record from a
catalog card, we do not upgrade the description, though we upgrade
access points.

> And second question: if you have journals which were cataloged &
> classified back in the days preceding computer access to OCLC/LC
> records, and the call numbers which were assigned then do not match the
> call number assigned by LC, do you now go back and re-classify to the LC
> call number (as found in the 050 field) and re-label all the bound
> volumes, or do you leave them with the call number which the journal has
> had in your library for all these years?

We would reclassify only if there were a strong reason (such as that
access was hampered by its current call number).

> Thanks - from soggy California..
Hope you're dry soon.

Frieda Rosenberg
UNC-Chapel Hill
<friedat@EMAIL.UNC.EDU>