the catalog’s future karen calhoun helsinki, finland september 5, 2006
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The Catalog’s Future
Karen CalhounHelsinki, Finland
September 5, 2006
The Catalog = The First Self-Service Information Tool
The Way We WorkedBooksJournalsNewspapersGov docsMapsScoresAVDissertations
Special collectionsManuscriptsPapersUniv records
Journal articlesConference proceedingsEtc.
Library catalogs
Archives
Abstracting &Indexing services
September 2006 Calhoun 4
Libraries Today
Starting points: Technology-driven research, teaching and
learning User self-sufficiency (decrease in guided
access to content) Global “infosphere” Accelerating shift in information seekers’
preferences for Web-based information and multimedia formats
September 2006 Calhoun 5
A New Kind of Information Seeker
Even more self-sufficient “Most respondents indicated they have not sought help (64
percent) when using library resources”—OCLC report on perceptions of libraries, 2005
On Web Popular search engine traffic in November 2005: 5.15 BILLION
searches (& Google out front)
Expect seamless linking & instant gratification
September 2006 Calhoun 6
A New Kind of Library
Build a vision of a new kind of library
Examine assumptions Be more involved with
research and learning materials and systems
Move to next generation systems and services
Make library collections and librarians more visible
An online social network
LC Action Item 6.4: “Support research and development on the changing nature of the catalog to include consideration of a framework for its integration with other discovery tools.”
Calhoun, Karen. The Changing Nature of the Catalog and Its Integration with Other Discovery Tools. Washington, DC: Library of Congress, 17 March 2006. http://www.loc.gov/catdir/calhoun-report-final.pdf
September 2006 Calhoun 8
Objectives
Examine the issues broadly (in major research libraries)
Describe current situation Assess obstacles and feasibility Create a vision and (actionable) blueprint for
change Produce a report to elicit dialogue, collaboration,
and movement
September 2006 Calhoun 9
Methodology
Interdisciplinary literature reviewStructured interviews
23 noted library and information science professionals
A business perspective Product life cycle Competitive strategy
September 2006 Calhoun 10
Some “vigorous” comments
“Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy ride”—All About Eve
September 2006 Calhoun 11
The Decline of the Catalog
Users taking the bypass 89% of college students say they begin with search engines vs
2% with library Web pages One piece of a fragmented library information
landscape (and hard to use!) Principle of Least Effort Metasearch in trouble
Cataloging tradition unsustainable “Just how much do we need to continue to spend on carefully
constructed catalogs?”—Deanna Marcum, LC Associate Librarian
From Dempsey, Lorcan et al. 2005. “Metadata switch.” In E-Scholarship: A LITA Guide (Chicago: LITA).
September 2006 Calhoun 13
Affordability and Scalability
Expense of cataloging
Rapid growth of Web resources and digital assets
Need more than descriptive metadata
Interoperability issues
Competition for Resources to Develop New Library Services
Shrinking tech services departments
Streamlining tech services workflows
Increasing use of external sources of data; automated cataloging methods
Changes in Information-Seeking Behavior
Preference for online information
Reliance on simple keyword search
Decline of subject searching
Expectation of seamless linking
Challenges Facing Cataloging
September 2006 Calhoun 14
Availability of Catalog Librarians
LIS grads not choosing cataloging
Graying of the library profession (demographics)
Significance of the Catalog
Catalog is one part of a much larger infosphere
Many new types of scholarly information objects not covered by catalog
Future of Individual Library Catalogs
Less emphasis on one catalog per library
Shift toward multiple catalogs appearing as one catalog; shared catalogs; catalogs interwoven into the Web (Open WorldCat, RedLightGreen)
Challenges Facing Cataloging, Continued
But … Don’t Cry for Me Argentina!
September 2006 Calhoun 16
The Continuing Importance of the Catalog
Books and serials are not dead, and they are not yet digital
ARL libraries spent the lion’s share of $665 million on books and serials in 2004
The legacy of the world’s library collections is tied to the future of catalogs
September 2006 Calhoun 17
What To Do About It
Revitalize:1. Develop new uses for catalog data
2. Find new users for the existing product
3. Find new uses and new users
Existing New
New
USERS
USES
Existing users,Existing uses
Existing users,New uses
New users,Existing uses
New users,New uses
Examples:-Programs for freshmen-“Push” to courseWeb pages
Examples:-Mass digitization-Large scale integration withother systems-Universal access
Examples:-Minor enhancement toexisting catalogs
Examples:-E-journal discovery-Subject pathfinders-Export to bibliographicmanagement software
Innovations and Cost Reductions
Much better linkages: ingest, convert, extract, transfer
Interoperate Simplify & exploit all sources of catalog data Eliminate custom practices Automate and streamline workflows Explore automatic classification, subject analysis;
reengineer and automate LCSH practice Mine catalog data for new uses; experiment with
FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records)
EXTEND
EXPAND
LEAD
Improve the user’s experienceGreatly enhance delivery (fast!)
Standards development/complianceRecycle and reuse catalog data
Innovate and reduce costs
Invest in shared catalogsLink pools of scholarly data
Seek partners
Masscollections& catalogs
DigitizeOpen access
Participate in the substitute industry
“Thirty-two Options &Three Strategies”—A Radical Abridgement
NC State University’s Endeca-Powered Catalog
CalCat
Cover, TOCs, Reviews
September 2006 Calhoun 24
Stones (Boulders) In the Road
Many are not ready for change of the magnitude required
Progress toward interoperability is slow Copyright law has not caught up with the digital
world Precedents for large-scale collaboration are few There may not be enough money
September 2006 Calhoun 25
Vision for Change
The service model for the catalog will be financially sustainable
The catalog will evolve toward full integration with other discovery tools
Shared catalogs and open information systems will radically democratize access to library collections and boost scholarly productivity to new levels
