BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 01:15 PM

Then the person who tried to help you should be re-educated (I mean that in a GOOD way) or the library should replace their public access catalog with one that works for the patron.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 11:05 AM

I don't have a library science degree ,but I worked in the Milwaukee Public Library and the Kansas City Kansas public library, helping the public the same as a librarian.

That was years ago, however. The library today is different, and not in a good way.

For example, my niece developed serious eye problems. I had seen a book about the eye in the new books section, but I couldn't find it using the computertized catalog. Neither could a person with an MLS. Not unusual, in my experience.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 09:32 AM

"Cutter" is library shorttalk for "Cutter Number", a process whereby the main entry (author, usually) is assigned an alphanumbic combination to indicate where it goes alphabetically. For example, if the American Reproductive Society issued a book on human reproduction, it would be classified in the Dewey Decimal Class 612.6 (Medicine: Human Reproduction) and Cuttered in A512 (where the first few letters of "American" fall in the three-digit Cutter-Sanborn Table).

The Library of Congress (LC) classification makes up its Cutter numbers based upon a formula developed by...the Library of Congress.

Charles Aimee Cutter was a pioneer in the classification of materials and invented the Expansive Classification scheme (oh, go look it up!). He worked with Kate Sanborn to prepare the Cutter-Sanborn Tables so people wouldn't have to create their own numbers (naturally, LC went their own way).

Some libraries (ours, for instance) don't use Cutter numbers -- they just put the first one, two, three or four letters of the author's surname under the classification number. It's still call the "Cutter number" in the jargon.

Sometimes you see one or more letters after the Cutter number: A512w2, for example, might mean the 2nd edition of the American Reproductive Society's best selling work, "WHOOPEE! : Sex In American Life".

Please note in the above example I have used the ISBD(M), or International Standard Bibliographic Descriptor (Monograph) method of colon place..................zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.........

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Roger the Skiffler
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 08:24 AM

The academic institution from which I am happily retired now has a "social learning space" and "information consultants". In my day a library with librarians. Potential applicants have to demonstrate "influencing skills". I used to use my boot.


RtS

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Will Fly
Date: 10 Jun 09 - 04:01 AM

Good to hear people using the term "library", at any rate. In a bid to make them cool, trendy and popular, some UK public libraries are calling themselves "knowledge stores" or "information shops" and suchlike. Gawd 'elp us!

WF (ex-public library, university librarian for 30+ years)

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Slag
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 10:43 PM

OK Rap, I don't get it. What is cutter that Libarian? or did you mean like a registered Liberian Cutter? I know there are a lot of Liberian freighters floatin' around out there but cutters?


On the less nonsensical side, why do so many folks pronounce the word as "Lye-berry". I hear it from news people, average folks and some who really should know better, PhD types. I cringe every time I hear the mispronunciation.

PS, No, not a librarian though I have been known to frequent such establishments on occasion.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 10:24 PM

In Oz, different libraries used the most relevant classification.

Public Libraries tend to use Dewey. I worked in a small Govt. scientific library that used LC. I think there were/are other classification in use too, but I stopped cataloguing & classifying many years before I retired.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 10:19 PM

International Standard Book Number = ISBN. A now 13-digit number indicating the country of publication, the publisher, and other stuff. Used as a number to order a book with, usually searchable by a library's automated catalog (nice, if you happen to have the damned thing), but otherwise rather useless to the general public.

I have long failed to see any benefit in dropping the classification schemes currently in use (DDC, LC, UDC, etc.) and replacing them with the "bookstore model". Instead of the expense of re-classifying everything why not simply use better signage? The classification schemes group everything by subject already.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: gnu
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 06:05 PM

ISBN?

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 05:53 PM

I thought Dewey was replaced by LOC everywhere years ago.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 09 Jun 09 - 02:27 PM

Dewey Decimal Dropped

Rangeview Library District, CO, First System To Fully Drop Dewey

WordThink is adaptation of book industry headings

Norman Oder -- Library Journal, 6/5/2009
•Goes beyond example in Maricopa
•Largest collection: 85,000 items
•Labels added by vendors, staff
The six-branch (plus bookmobile) Rangeview Library District, Adams County, CO, will be the first library system in the country to fully drop the Dewey Decimal Classification in favor of a system adapted from that used in the book industry. While Dewey has been dropped in some smaller branches, Rangeview's biggest building will have 85,000 items.

Rangeview's WordThink system, like that in the Perry branch of Maricopa County Library District, outside Phoenix, draws on BISAC (Book Industry Standards and Communications).

However, while Maricopa follows BISAC subject headings very closely, Rangeview spokeswoman Stacie Ledden told LJ, "We've narrowed and adjusted some of those categories. In some cases this required us to create more specific categories than Maricopa uses while in other cases we created our own categories for easy browsing."

"For instance, materials on parenting and child rearing were in two different categories at Maricopa because BISAC classifies them under two different subject headings," she said. "WordThink places them in a single main category called 'Parenting.'"

Beginning in two branches
So far, Rangeview's Perl Mack branch (38,000 items) and the new Bennett branch (25,000 items) use WordThink and, by the end of the year, all branches will use the system.

Rangeview, serving a growing community just north of Denver, is building three new branches, two of them replacements. The new Wright Farms library will have 85,000 items in its Opening Day collection.

"At Rangeview, our main focus is to provide exemplary service to our customers," said director Pam Sandlian Smith. "WordThink is just one more example of how Rangeview puts its customers first."

Vendor cooperation
Rangeview's vendor Baker & Taylor already has access to the BISAC subject headings, so B&T converted those to WordThink from the list provided, said Ledden.

"The materials for our Opening Day collections already have the WordThink labels included on them," she added. "For those materials we already had in-house that needed to be converted, we automatically created the new labels from our MARC records."

ILS changes
As for the library's Horizon ILS, Rangeview's collection development team has been working for months to change the records. "They started by changing records in batches by Dewey range, and then revisited the materials in each category to confirm they were in the right place," Ledden said.

"Of course, in sections of Dewey like the 'generalities,' they needed to examine each record to find the best fit in the new system," she said. "As each branch is converted, the call numbers are changed in the ILS. From a technical standpoint, there were small tweaks necessary to make to the ILS like changes to display the call numbers properly. There will be future changes necessary for statistics that we're still working on."

Other changes afoot
Some other libraries, according to Rangeview, are experimenting with BISAC: Frankfort Public Library District, IL; Richmond Public Library, BC; and Arapahoe Library District, CO.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Oct 04 - 08:14 AM

I work in a middle school library, been at it for over twenty years, I do all the cataloguing, filing, purchasing,processing, project work with kids but guess what? I ain;t allowed to call meself the librarian! Go fegger

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 02:10 PM

Librarians are in high demand here in the U.S.--many of the Information Technology companies have realized that not only do librarians understand tech stuff, they know how to search and use lots of databases and they on occasion know how to do all of the maintenance on their systems. And surprisingly (but happily) English majors are experiencing the same sort of cache--because they know how to read and write and do research, employers are now making the assumption that from there they can learn to do all sorts of other jobs in which reading and writing and researching are important components. It's easier to teach an English major to do a technical job than it is to teach a technician how to read and write.

Who'd a thunk it a dozen years ago when the punchline for the English major employment joke was "do you want fries with that?"

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Pogo
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 01:56 PM

I'm not a librarian but I owe a lot to my elementary school librarian who was my dearest friend as a kid (next to the books {O)). I credit her for giving me the desire to write and I still tell her when I see her that she'll get the first book I publish. And she will too...

So I hope one day that I'll have my books in all of your libraries, I salute you!!! ^_^

*whispers* Oops...sorry...Too loud...

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: GUEST,SueB
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 11:45 AM

I'm a librarian's daughter, and heavily dependent on the Rural Bookmobile, which is a service I greatly appreciate and couldn't do without. The bookmobile, however, is my first contact with librarians who don't seem to know very much about books, which seems very strange to me.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: GUEST,bbc at work
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 11:25 AM

Boy, do I have people contact! This is my 7th year as the librarian at a U.S. grade 3-5 library in a small, rural school w/ approximately 225 students. I lead 45-minute library/research classes & 30-minute computer/tech classes. Busy, busy, busy! Most of my students, parents, & colleagues are great!

best,

bbc

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Sarah the flute
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 11:25 AM

OK I'm a Librarian...umm but I don't do a lot of reading and I failed my O Level English Literature. However I did manage to get a degree in biochemistry and another higher one in information science and some how the Institute of Information scientists let me in and that then became CILIP the UK Library prof soc. Now I am working in a posh school as SKOOL librarian and guess what....because I'm "Librarian" all my qualifications seem to have disappeared overnight according to my Headmaster and now I am low priority because "I'm probably only needing to deal with the lower ability pupils" and because "the clever ones all use the internet these days" and anyway I wouldn't know about that because i'm a "booky person". .....Do I REALLY want to admit to being a Librarian???? worse a SCHOOL LIBRARIAN!!!!

I wish the education departments over here would look at the wonderful work done by Teacher Librarians in the USA.

MOAN MOAN MOAN...and I'm not even on a teacher's salary BUT it's HALF TERM YIPPEEEEEEE who cares

Sarah

(PS well in truth it will be half term at 1.00pm tomorrow)

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Once Famous
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 10:55 AM

My wife is a Tech Services Head for the last 10 years or so at our village library. She also does 1 night a week and 1 weekend a month at the reference desk.

recently, I heard a story about a minor league baseball park that did a promotion where there was to be no talking at the scheduled game. Fans who entered the ballpark were given two paddles each, one that said "YAY" and the other that said "BOO"

The hired ushers for the game?

The community's librarians, of course!

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 10:25 AM

Same here, unfortunately. I am a writer and work at home (telecommuting) or in the administration office. But a call went out recently looking for bodies to work at the new Information Desk (in addition to circulation and reference, this is more general information to do with all of campus or the town or the state or whatever people want to ask), and I think I'll sign up. I like that public contact, and used to do it all the time as a National Park Service ranger.

The director of our library who recently retired always had a two-hour stint at the second floor reference desk on Fridays. His reason was that he was covering for the reference librarians who had their weekly meeting then, but whenever I went through I could see that he simply loved getting out there and working with the students and faculty every week. It kept him in touch with what they really needed and what they were really thinking.

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 08:49 AM

Wilfred:

"Librarians are the secret masters of the Universe. Don't ever piss one off."   --Spider Robinson

I, too, work with little or no contact with the folks who use the library, because I'm the Director. Now I have to deal with politicians and other unsavory sorts. But I do try to see that people are pleased.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 06:44 AM

Oops - Nowadays I work without contact to customers.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Wilfried Schaum
Date: 22 Oct 04 - 06:42 AM

Doing research for librarians in the forum I found this thread.
I am a librarian, too. For more than 30 years I managed the library of the Giessen Oriental Institute, an OPL, until we both were incorporated in the University library. Nowadays I work without contact to Sometimes I miss the old days with the mostly beautyful oriental girls (NO boldness!), and their male counterparts teaching me Turkish soldier songs.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Bobert
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 09:51 AM

A big haha on the Opera House gig, Rapaire...

But them folks down in Clarksdale, Ms. offered me a job as a janitor. Even said I can play all the gitfiddle I want in the park down the street as long is oit was during my lunch hour, ahhhh, which down in Mississippi is only 30 minutes. Mab them folks is so poor down there that they only get 30 minutes in them lunch hours....

Hmmmmm, maybe I'll rethink the Opera House gig. Heck, the P-Vine can sing that stuff and maybe I can get her a job, too, and they got real lunch hours with 60 minutes in 'em an' all. An' all that high brow stuff could rub off on me and I could lernt to spell and type and do blue clicky things like smart folks and maybe....

Sorry, Rap, I must have nodded off. Where were we...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 27 Aug 03 - 09:22 AM

Librarians wouldn't know about da blues, right Bobert? But you could, of course, get a job here,
or here, or here.

But having figured out your Secret Musical Love, you'd probably be better off working here.

(Sorry -- there ain't no blues libraries to be found in West-By-God-Virginia. Not even in Morgantown.)

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Bobert
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 10:07 PM

Whew, Rapaire. Yuou weren't kiddin' when you say I'd be busy with these folks. Man, Iz come away with a new perspective. Man them Alberta liberrian chicks is some hotties. Yeah, I ordered the calendar.... And them Deaducated, as in "Dead heads" were a trip but them gals with them awfull tatooes were way out.... Maybe I'll go back and see if I can get a job as a liberrian just so I can hang with them cool folks....

Yo, Rap. How comes they won't let the liberrians play their gitfiddles while thay is on the job. Hey, I think that would make going the the liberry a little more inneresternatin'.... Man, like I could just take my reso in there and play blues all day long, get a pay check, groove with them foxy liberrians and go home at night knowin' that....

(Hmmmmm, Bobert? Like what would you know?)

Nevermind that last part, Rapaire...

Hey, come on back to Tweeds and get yerseff acqainterated...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 08:52 PM

Yo! Bobert!

Looky here.   And here. (That's the International Federation of Library Associations). And here. And here. And of course, this one.   Not to mention the one here. And the one over there. Let's not forget this this one, either.

Those'll keep you busy for a while.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 07:42 PM

What is this L-Space thing

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 06:57 PM

No...Mr. Taylor is a Libertarian.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 06:28 PM

We've been hearing a lot about liberrians lately. Aren't they having a big civil war over there or something? Isn't Charles Taylor a liberrian?

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 06:28 PM

Terry Pratchett's idea, Laurel- he's very complimentary about librarians.

And of course it's true, MMario!

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: artbrooks
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 06:02 PM

LadyJean, are you in Pgh?...that library's where my daughter's working now.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: open mike
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 04:59 PM

what's L-space?

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 02:08 PM

so - is it true about L-space?

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: open mike
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 02:02 PM

blickifier test
butte county library -HDQTRS Oroville, CA
and here is a picture of "my" book mobile
keep on bookin'
I saw one in idaho that had this painted on it:
"Take Me To Your Reader!"

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 01:26 PM

I'm a Libran, does that count?

Giok

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Bobert
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:05 AM

Yo, Rapaire:

Yer dirty piccures musta been purdy danged steamy 'cause they've been sensored...

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Noreen
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 09:00 AM

RAPAIRE'S LIBRARY
Nothing wrong with the blickifier, it's just that you need to use the FULL URL i.e. http:// before the www, or it's looked for on mudcat's own server.

I'm trying hard to be a librarian; had two temporary jobs since retraining, looking for another now :0( (preferably permanent).

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 08:50 AM

There's something wrong with the blickifier.

JennyO told me weeks ago & I forget the details - something about Cut & Paste instead of Copy (or vice versa).

Following the exact instructions tags "www.mudcat.org' on the front of the URL you want, as Rapaire found.

sandra

ps. Dick, I love the poem, I'll send this thread to work & share it.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 08:19 AM

My library.   (The blickifier isn't doing what it should, so if this doesn't work, visit www.lili.org/Marshall.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Dave Bryant
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 06:38 AM

John Conolly ("Fiddler's Geen", "Punch & Judy Man" etc) was a librarian. I think June Tabor was as well.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: open mike
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 12:29 AM

now i want an iron frog, too--
see thread "what do you collect?"

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: LadyJean
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 12:27 AM

Two years ago, I wanted to find the story of Black Annis. I asked the readers' assistant at the Oakland Carnegie Library. She said one of the suburban branches had a copy, and she could have it for me in five days. I didn't care to wait. I went off to the Children's section. They had Katherine Briggs' "Nine Lives", on the folklore of cats. Which does not belong in the children's section. But it does have the story of Black Annis. Andrew Carnegie is spinning in his grave.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Nancy King
Date: 26 Aug 03 - 12:11 AM

It's a date, Bobert!

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 11:23 PM

Well danged, Rapaire, cut it loose. Yeah, you got some stuff on the liberrians. Lets have it! Yeah, you got pics? Post 'em! I'm lookin' forward to seein' Nancy King in the 900's isle. Whew!

Bobert

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:27 PM

Bobert, you have it wrong. It's not the librarians in the joints, it's the joints in the librarians. Especially those from the '60s. Lots of 'em DID inhale. Obviously you have never visited this library site, or this one, or this one, or even this one. And these are just a small sample. Why, I could tell you stories about librarians and libraries that'd turn yer hair right over on yer head!

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: open mike
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:09 PM

cybrarian blickie

I am a volunteer book mobile driver, and have in the past driven the
van which delivers interlibrary loan items to 15 different counties in
the northern california area.

So i am connected to and related to the library.
Do not seem to find time on my orunds to make
house calls, though.

Whils reading Farley Mowat's autobigraphy, I learned
that his father drove the book mobile in Canada.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Bobert
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:07 PM

Contrary to the rumors going 'round, I ain't a liberrian. I tried out for it once but was too danged loud... ("Hey, you in the back! Yer outta here!). How rude. Iz been in therapy over it fir the last 35 years. Hey, I could have been a liberrian much as the next guy. Okay, Iz got bad case of lexdexia but liberries need lexdexic liberrians, too for the other partially literate folks that come in... But, no, they go ahead and hire folks that can, like, ahhhh.... read! Now, that's discrimination fer as I can see.... And what's with the "Shhhhhh" stuff that goes on in them joints. Where else can you go where yer guarenteed to be told to shut the heck up?

Ahhhh, nevermind.

Yo, Nancy King from Maryland, like "Hey, liberrian". I live 'bout 8 miles south of Harpers Ferry and like liberrians.... Really....

"Shhhhhhhh, Bobert!"

Danged.........

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Burke
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:06 PM

No fines for college employees. I get a notice of what I have out every six months & renew everything.

It's amazing the things that turn up when people are leaving the college and clear out thier offices. The worst is when a faculty member tells a student there is a book that must be consulted for a paper. It turns out to be checked out to the faculty making the recommendation.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Burke
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:01 PM

Here's you link

It's not music but here's one of my favorites. I'm thinking Cletus will really like it.

Subject: RE: BS: Librarians!' Fess Up!!
From: Billy the Bus
Date: 25 Aug 03 - 09:00 PM

Chuckle, chuckle....

You librarians are nailed! I've 'traced' this thread! As I have no access to a Library (apart from the WWW), I'll call on you for "Look-ups". Be warned, they'll be esoteric.

Cheers - Sam