Map Cataloging Workshop

9/28/2004
NELA Annual Conference
Manchester, New Hampshire

This was the second year that NETSL has offered a workshop on a specific type of cataloging, and once again the response was very favorable. We catalogers appreciate opportunities to meet with experts and learn more about our craft from them.

David Bertuca, Associate Librarian, Arts & Sciences Libraries, University at Buffalo, and an experienced map cataloger, began the workshop with an introduction to cataloging sheet maps that included a very well thought-out argument for why this should be done. This argument could be used by one who wants to introduce map cataloging into his or her library. He next briefly spoke about the differences between maps and books as information resources. The rest of David's presentation covered the basics of map cataloging and some of the problems. He has an excellent web site, Map Cataloger's Tool Box, that everyone who catalogs maps should know about. The URL for the site is: http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/maps/cat/map_cat_tools.html.

David is also a member of the North East Map Organization (NEMO), an excellent resource for information and support for map librarians http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/maps/nemo.html.

Timothy Strawn, Geospatial Resources Cataloger at Harvard College Library, took up the topic of geospatial information in electronic form. He explained the difference between vector and raster GIS data types, which is fundamental to cataloging and using these important resources. He then went through the MARC fields that are crucial to GIS data cataloging, with reference to their related AACR2 rules. Tim illustrated his presentation with examples of digital geospatial resources and examples of records to point out how the records reflect aspects of the resources. His handout is a valuable resource for anyone setting out to learn how to catalog these bewildering materials.

The speakers took questions throughout the session and at the end. The number of questions about both paper and digital maps indicates that there is great interest in this topic and that a full-day workshop would be useful to a number of people in the New England region. Based upon audience response, this was a very successful program.

Reported by
Christina Bellinger
University of New Hampshire