Spring+2004+q3+answer

Spring 2004 Question 3

a. Briefly describer your information provider. b. Identify and describe the steps you will follow to bring order to this chaos. Defend why is each step is important. c. Describe the structure of the access methods that you will build. How will the methods improve information retrieval?//**
 * //You have been hired by an information provider (library or provider in some environment of your choice) in your favorite subject area. You discover that while it has been accumulating a collection of materials in the subject (periodicals, reports, books, videos, websites), the staff has been too busy and understaffed to provide access to it. The material and printouts have just been placed on shelves in a conference room, primarily in the order they have arrived. The CEO has indicated that she wants an information center of some sort for access to the information, but she is vague on specifics.

Description of provider: Religious non profit organization – library. Clientele = administrators, staff, regional offices, HR, IT, and missionaries. Lost their professional librarian after 25 years of service. Been piling up Steps: Systematic way to find information quickly – even by self service is important: If an ILS is provided, add the records to it. If not, and money is an issue, open source ILS like Evergreen. Set it up. Important for the systematic way to locate material. Of course, this depends on how MUCH information is backlogged. Basic searches: Au, Ti, KW, SU… and advanced methods truncation, Boolean, limiters (date, format, etc).

Set up of center: Decide philosophically how things should be arranged. Ask for input of others if necessary. Need to make it logical. Best to answer questions: How to best arrange for location? Decide what would be the best way to quickly organize and get access quickly since they have been out of reach.

I would separate by format for quick access. This will allow browsing. I would only truly catalog Books.

Periodicals: Arrange alphabetical order by periodical title (“make hay”…. Easiest way instead of cataloging) – for the time being just enter bib records for title with ranges (can add check in records later) == at least patrons could find that we owned titles.

Reports: Arrange by department: Broad categories to more specific: i.e. Dept of Finance/Accounting/Accounts Receivable

Books: Catalog (hopefully copy catalog) in LC order. Copy cataloging will help.

Videos: Assign Local Call numbers: Add records to the catalog: Assign local call numbers and sort by that in numerical order. Assign Local Numbers in order received (probably indicate the age of the material)

Websites: Make pathfinder to be accessed from the catalog or company web page – Making access possible.

Access is the key… the more ways to find the info, the better.