BISAC this!Alternatives to Dewey at the

Nassau Library System

Michele Zwierski, ManagerCataloging Services/Nassau Library System

michele@nassaulibrary.orgPublic Library Technical Services IG

ALA Annual ConferenceJune 27, 2015

Who we are

• The Nassau Library System is a cooperative library system

• Consortium comprised of 54 member libraries and a Service Center for the libraries

• Each member library is independent, autonomous, supported by local taxes, and governed by its own board of trustees

• Innovative/Sierra ILS

• Member Libraries order and receive materials at their local libraries

• Provisional bib records created– Automatically through the Acquisition process– Keyed in by Member Library staff

• Item records created by Member Library staff

Cataloging at NLS

• NLS-Cataloging Services– 3 professionals (myself included); 4 copy

catalogers– Replaces all Provisional records with full cataloging

records– Creates original cataloging records– Authority work– Catalog 3000 to 5000 titles per month (10%

original)

Cataloging at NLS

• 082/092 is a suggested number

• Member Library staff can accept or reject

• Assigned call numbers are keyed in manually into the Call No. field of the Item Record

Member Library classification

Dewey challenges

• Not spine friendly

• Confusing for patrons and staff– Top complaints:• Travel ; Shakespeare ; Native Americans

• Old-fashioned

Solutions

• Use Dewey ; add signs

• Use local adaptation of Dewey– Dot-less Dewey

• Use something else

BISAC

• Book Industry Standards And Communications

• Publishes BISAC Subject Headings

• https://www.bisg.org/complete-bisac-subject-headings-2014-edition

• Subject terms assigned by the publishers

BISAC list headings (excerpts)SEL041040

SELF-HELP / Compulsive Behavior / Sex & Pornography Addiction 

SEL009000 SELF-HELP / Creativity

SEL010000 SELF-HELP / Death, Grief, Bereavement

SEL012000 SELF-HELP / Dreams

SEL014000SELF-HELP / Eating Disorders & Body Image

FIC027000 FICTION / Romance / General

FIC027260FICTION / Romance / Action & Adventure *

FIC049060 FICTION / Romance / African American

FIC027270FICTION / Romance / Clean & Wholesome *

Where can you find these headings already assigned to materials?

• Maybe in the NLS catalog record– If they are in the copy cataloging record, my staff leaves in

• Baker and Taylor (and other vendors?)

• Cataloging In Publication (verso of title page)– BISAC headings not yet included ; – Local staff can translate from LC subject headings or Dewey

classification

• Local staff self-assign

Pros of using

• Clearly displays browsing areas of the collection (signs and labels)

• Classification sub-headings are clearly visible to browsers (signs and labels)

Cons of using

• Re-labelling materials and editing of item records

• Most classification done by staff person on-site

• Many more places to look for a specific book in the library

• Need more shelf space to accommodate same amount of materials

BISAC at NLS

• Always have been sub-collections of materials– Large type– DVDs– Test preparation– Reference

• Not BISAC

BISAC notions at NLS

• “We do BISAC and here is our Cooking area”– Done exclusively by Dewey call number range;

“Cooking” sticker applied ; signage

• “We do BISAC and here is our Young Adult fiction area”– Sub-categories “Mystery” “Romance” “Sports”

identified by labels ; still in Author A-Z sort

Label examples

Advice from the trenches

• “You will need more shelf space”

• Local procedures need to be created (and followed)

• “Label the books outside and inside”

• Consider ordering custom labels