Standard Cataloging Procedures
The Standard Cataloging Procedures (SCP) articles and video tutorials (below) are meant to be a guide for cataloging practices in the Montana Shared Catalog library consortium. For more explanation of the topics covered herein, please refer to the Help menu in WorkFlows (F1), or contact the MSC staff or your cataloging mentor.
Guidance for content and management of the records in the Montana Shared Catalog comes from the MSC Content Management Committee. A description of the committee’s functions and operations, as well as a current list of members, is available on the
MSC Governance page.
9.1 All about mentors
Mentors are available to help libraries that are new to the MSC or need cataloging assistance.
MSC Cataloging Mentors can assist members with difficult copy cataloging and original cataloging questions. Mentors do not catalog for members but can offer support and peer training. Please understand that this is volunteer program and mentors and their home libraries are not paid for their services.
Record review
If you have cataloged a title in OCLC Connexion and would like someone with a little more cataloging experience to look at it, contact your mentor. Have your record’s OCLC number or Title Control number ready so that your mentor can easily find it. The review process can consist of checking for accurate tags, indicators, fixed fields, authorities, etc. Mentors must be notified when a new record needs review. For easy communication, it is better to contact your mentor before you catalog a new record. The cataloging mentor will strive to review records in a timely fashion and make suggestions for approval.
The
MSC Website contains valuable information and reference for all MSC members. The
MSC Knowledge Base exists as a reference for all MSC policies that pertain to cataloging and technical services. MSC staff are available for ongoing training and support. Individual staff member’s contact information can be found on the
About Us page.
Training
MSC staff regularly offer regional and online training specific to cataloging and technical services. Upcoming trainings and webinars are announced on the “
msc-discuss” General Discussion Group. The
MSC Knowledge Base page is indexed by topic and features specific articles pertaining to
Cataloging, including instructions and archived webinars. Because not all cataloging staff are on the msc-discuss list, directors can request that staff be added to the msc-techservices listserv for special topics pertaining to cataloging. To make this request please
open a help desk ticket with the staff member’s email address.
Support
MSC staff can assist with cataloging in many ways. For example, if you have a group of records that need a specific change, MSC staff may be able to apply that change to the records all at once rather than individually. To request assistance,
open a help desk ticket.