JEFFREY BEALL: OCLC: A Review p. 85-93

From the opening paragraph: “…I aspire to the high road: objective analysis, keeping in mind that the word radical is in this book’s title.” (p. 85). While I’m not a huge fan of OCLC myself these days, this chapter offers very little by way of objective analysis. It is more of a curmudgeonly rant. Offering little or no compelling evidence, Beall alleges that:

1. OCLC is more interested in hiring MBAs that MLSs
2. OCLC’s primary mission is to “separate libraries from their money” (p. 87)
3. The launch of the Connexion Client software was a complete fiasco that lasted several years
4. OCLC does not provide sufficient incentive (or support) for libraries to upgrade records in WorldCat, leading to a serious degradation of quality in the database
5. OCLC Research is little more than a propaganda machine.

The only one of his allegations that I tend to agree with is 4. The lack of credible evidence and the overall belligerent tone of this essay makes any criticisms Beall levels, regardless of their validity, excessively easy to dismiss. How does this help solve the very real problems that catalogers face today?

BETH THORNTON: The Existential Crisis of a Cataloger p. 13-17

Presents a summary of challenges facing cataloging, supported by analysis and quotes from reports by Calhoun (2006) and the UC Libraries Bibliographic Services Task Force (2005), among others.  She describes her personal response to the current situation, including conflicted feelings. Some of the criticisms leveled at the cataloging establishment in these reports are valid, so what can librarians do to address them and remain relevant? Thornton cites a number of available resources:

1. Libraries continue to advertise cataloging positions, and they are hiring young, intelligent, energetic professionals for these positions.
2. At least some people within the library community continue to recognize the value of traditional cataloging standards and vocabularies that have evolved over many years and continue to do so.
3. Cooperative cataloging organizations seek to provide training and opportunities for innovation through collaboration. She cites CONSER efforts to simplify serials cataloging, while continuing to create records that serve user needs.
4. Catalog advocates like Thomas Mann.

Thornton concludes by saying that librarians should bring valuable cataloging traditions with us as we “chase after the shiny things” that are paving the way to the future.