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Metadata and Cataloging Department
Annual Report 2007-2008

The Metadata and Cataloging Department contributes to the NCSU Libraries' mission, vision, and values by providing effective, accurate tools that assist our clients in locating information resources of value to them, either locally or remotely through the Internet. We organize and maintain these information resources in all formats and process them in a timely manner. In pursuit of these goals, Metadata and Cataloging had an active and productive year.

In order to prepare ourselves strategically going forward, we restructured the department to achieve the following goals:

1. to orient the department towards a focus on post-cataloging processes and mass data manipulation (rather than a focus on in-hand item-by-item cataloging) and to begin to identify the necessary skillsets to do this new kind of work,
2. to provide more direct support for non-MARC metadata and database quality issues,
3. to encourage flexibility amongst staff and build project management capacity, and
4. to integrate SFX and E-Matrix activities related to data management/data integrity into Metadata & Cataloging.

Under this organizational structure, the three departmental sections now comprise:

1. Monographs (current monographs, workflow development, projects requiring monograph cataloging expertise),
2. Continuing & Electronic Resources (current print and electronic serials, electronic monographs, workflow development, projects requiring serials or electronic cataloging expertise),
3. Metadata and Data Quality (post cataloging processes, corrections, non-MARC metadata, mass data loads, data enrichment, project management)

The new organization was a result of substantial task analysis and brainstorming by the management team and one-on-one discussions with staff. One approach towards helping understand departmental needs was to undertake a project to model our RapidCat and current serials workflows. We used job shadowing as a strategy for analyzing tasks and material hand-offs. We then created visual representations of the RapidCat and serials workflows through both Acquisitions and Metadata & Cataloging as a means to strategize towards increased efficiency, problem-solving, and to encourage greater understanding of workflow by all staff.

Metadata & Cataloging provides data leadership in forwarding the Libraries' strategic initiatives and goals. These activities are categorized below. Cataloging output for the year is described statistically in the appendix.

Endeca

In support of both the Libraries' and TRLN-wide implementations of Endeca, Metadata & Cataloging:

• Performed an OCLC "Reclamation Project" to insert OCLC numbers into existing Unicorn cataloging records, enabling our records to "roll up" against the records of our TRLN partners. This is what enables a single bibliographic display for a single title held by more than one library. The reclamation project saw over 1.8 million local records matched against WorldCat and our holdings symbol set.
• Contributed to the implementation of new features this year, including pass-through of searches to TRLN Endeca from the local catalog, book jackets, tables of contents, and reviews, and fuller bibliographic description on the TRLN side.

Electronic Resources

In support of the Libraries' efforts to increase both content of, and access to, electronic resources in our collections, Metadata & Cataloging:

• Participated in the Open Content Alliance Working Group and (a) established pre-digitization workflows through Metadata & Cataloging for un-barcoded materials and (b) established post-digitization workflows for adding e-records to the catalog.
• Batch loaded records for Early American imprints. Series I, Evans (1639-1800), Early American imprints. Series II, Shaw-Shoemaker (1801-1819), and American Broadsides & Ephemera (collectively referred to as Evans Digital and totaling 104,116 titles).
• Worked with NC LIVE to create original cataloging records for streaming PBS video for state-wide benefit, and negotiated with OCLC for fair pricing for the purchase of existing cataloging.
• Conceptualized and led the implementation of an Organization Name Authority (ONA) Tool within E-Matrix in order to facilitate sophisticated reports needed to improve our Libraries' collection intelligence capabilities. Collection Management librarians will be able to quickly run complex financial, licensing, and subject reports based on related organizations that currently would take numerous staff weeks to compile.
• Developed local ISSN policies and workflow to facilitate normalization and disambiguation of serial identifiers for effective utilization by E-Matrix and performed associated record maintenance.
• Designed and implemented tools and workflows to more effectively utilize SFX monthly reports to identify changes to relevant resources in our knowledgebase and perform systematic database maintenance. We designed workflow to manage the data maintenance across Acquisitions and Metadata & Cataloging and began training staff to execute accurate analysis and resolution of data errors.

Physical Formats Cataloging

In support of the Libraries' goals to build strong print and non-print collections and to provide excellent customer service to Collection Management, the branches, and directly to users, new physical formats cataloging totaled 36,258 titles and 61,775 volumes. These volumes either came physically through Metadata & Cataloging or we were responsible for the general oversight, training, policy setting, and overall decision making to ensure the intellectual integrity of the Libraries' collections. Of special note from the overall statistics (see appendix):

• Metadata & Cataloging (as did Acquisitions) processed 1,143 Walk-thru items, 1,024 Rush items, 564 Holds, and 263 Notifies, responding rapidly to specific and immediate patron requests.
• 321 Chinese language volumes for the Confucius Institute were added to the collection within just a few weeks. This was a new initiative for the university and our cataloging process has solicited the interest of other Confucius Institutes across the country. We have volunteered advice and information to facilitate their workflows as well.
• 226 titles in the Subhash K. Batra Collection were cataloged within two weeks.
• 108 titles in the Upchurch Collection cataloged with a two week turn-around.
• The original Animal Rights Collection is now near completion.
• 274 Hindi/Urdu entertainment videos (i.e., Bollywood and other feature films) were cataloged with the hiring of a wage employee possessing the necessary language expertise. Some of these materials had languished since 2003 because of the lack of internal language expertise; others are newer DVD purchases to support South Asian Studies, from the Triangle South Asia Center National Resource Center Title VI grant.

Non-MARC Metadata

In support of the Libraries' goals to increase both content and access to electronic resources beyond those integrated into the Libraries' traditional catalog, Metadata & Cataloging engaged in the following non-MARC metadata projects:

• Repository-related activities have reached an all-time high this year with the addition of over 700 full-text articles, chapters, & conference papers to the Scholarly Publications Repository along with 3,794 new citations. This includes several hundred pre-1997 citations gleaned from faculty bibliographies and websites.
• The full-text Technical Reports Repository has also increased in size this year, with the addition of 218 Water Resources Research Institute reports and over 500 papers from other series entered into DSpace.
• We re-invigorated our involvement in the Special Collections Research Center's University Archives Photograph Project (UAPC).
  • We initiated and completed a project to catalog 1,300+ images of NCSU faculty researchers, Presidents, Provosts, Deans, etc., "People Photographs", and
  • We worked with SCRC staff to create a new database structure (EAC, or Encoded Archival Context) to enable a single point of entry for both descriptive information and cross-references related to personal and corporate names to reduce redundancy in the metadata creation process and improve the overall integrity of the data.
• We completed the Course Catalogs project for the Special Collections Research Center.
• We consulted on the migration of data from the Design Images Oracle database into VCat (formerly VireoCat), a relational FileMakerPro data structure, to facilitate a new infrastructure for the Design image collection. The new infrastructure will promote efficiencies in the image cataloging process, transform the current brief-citation database into a robust digital image library with substantially improved search capabilities, and will enable the development of specialized tools to create and deliver images and image metadata on the web.
• We led a cross-departmental group to develop specifications for non-MARC metadata creation tools, designated specs as required or desired, and analyzed our current infrastructure in relation to those specs. Work is ongoing on tool evaluation to make for efficient and quality non-MARC metadata across our various library projects.

Training & Professional Development

In developing our staff and ensuring that we are providing training, support, and building cataloging skills for the 21st century, our staff engaged in a number of professional development activities, including:

• Local training for new staff and ongoing training for existing staff, including the continual reevaluation of our training programs, as well as NCSU Information Technology Division (ITD) technology classes.
• SOLINET online training, TRLN workshops (see appendix on staff activities)
• Departmental discussion of issues and topics pertinent to the current professional cataloging environment, including the Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control and updates/reports from conferences attended.
• Unicorn GL3.1 was successfully installed and all staff were trained, supported, and moved over to the new Java client in late summer 2007 without much stress.
• Veronica Walker held weekly meetings with Linda Sellers, SCRC Head of Technical Services, training her in monographs cataloging (both descriptive and subject analysis), and providing her resources and expertise to ensure high quality cataloging throughout the Libraries. Charley Pennell similarly consulted on a variety of non-MARC metadata projects to promote quality and sustainability in our data practices.

Staffing

The year began with a number of significant staffing changes which led us to focus energy and activity on hiring, the realignment of reporting lines, and the new organizational models described above. Bao-Chu Chang retired in June, 2007 and Karen Letarte, Jennifer Krause, and Courtney Horton all left over the summer. Veronica Walker served as Interim Assistant Department Head and Erin Stalberg began in September as the new Head of Metadata & Cataloging. Lisa Madden was promoted to Library Technical Assistant II at the end of June and assumed supervisory responsibility for the serials section. Alston Brake, Sara Newell, and Laura Abraham all started over the course of this year as new Library Assistants, and Marianne Dale and Keisha Poole were promoted to Library Technical Assistants I. Additionally, Jacqueline Samples returned to Cataloging as the Continuing & Electronic Resources Librarian (from Acquisitions), and with her return, re-integrated the data management activities of SFX and E-Matrix into Metadata & Cataloging. Finally, Metadata & Cataloging became the home department for a new Library Fellow, Kristen Blake. Kristen's project is in Acquisitions (E-Matrix) and, along with Jacquie, Kristen quickly became a crucial link between the two departments.

Committee Work

Metadata & Cataloging staff participated in the following Library-wide committees:

• Collections and Technical Services Heads (CTSH)
• Digital Collections Technical Oversight Committee (DCTOC)
• Create Subgroup
• Access Subgroup
• Digital Repository Management Committee (DRMC)
• E-Books Task Force
• E-Matrix Product Team
• ISSN Subgroup
• Workflow Subgroup
• Organization Name Authority (ONA) Tool Subgroup
• E-Matrix Reports Subgroup
• Licensing Subgroup
• Endeca Product Team
• Hunt Library Focus Groups
• Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC)
• rowse Subjects Product Team
• Reference Linking (SFX) Product Team
• Integrated Library System Management Committee (ILSMC)
• Management Council
• Materials Management Team
• Nomination Committee for Special Collection Research Center positions (Digital Programs Librarian and Assistant Head & Curator)
• Open Content Alliance (OCA) Working Group
• Travel Committee

Looking Forward

Metadata & Cataloging looks forward to the following goals for 2008-2009:

1. Identify & implement efficiencies in Metadata & Cataloging departmental workflows and work throughout the technical services departments to identify and implement efficiencies from acquisitions to access.
2. Collaborate with IT staff at NCSU and its TRLN partners to further develop catalog search functionality for both keyword and browse searching of the Libraries' holdings. Look at alternative ways of providing subject access to our collections.
3. Assert cataloging expertise into other departments, branches, or campus units needing metadata to expose their collections, as well as helping them to enable the use of metadata for collection analysis in new and creative ways.
4. Co-lead (with Acquisitions) the development of E-Matrix and lead development of the Organization Name Authority (ONA) Tool to facilitate normalization of organization names in order to advance Libraries' goals and to enhance collection intelligence of continuing and electronic resources.
5. Complete the process of documenting seriality and the serials lifecycle as it occurs in Metadata & Cataloging and throughout the NCSU Libraries to strengthen knowledge of serials and improve efficiencies in department workflows.
6. Continue collaborative efforts with Special Collections Research Center to mainstream the creation of non-MARC metadata and to provide access to new and unprocessed SCRC materials in an expedient manner.
7. Hire, provide support and training for Technology Support Analyst (in conjunction with Information Technology), and ensure integration into the Technical Services departments.
8. Develop staffing & skillsets surrounding efforts at mass data manipulation, creation of non-MARC metadata, batch electronic resource processing and ensure that Metadata & Cataloging staff (across all sections) learn new skills and keep fresh the ones they have already acquired.

Appendices: Statistics & Staffing

Personnel

List of Cataloging Department employees as of 1 July 2008