The Library Reloaded: The Catalog
[In previous editions of the Library Reloaded series, there has been discussion about what materials make up a collection, different ways to approach fines, and alternate forms of library cards. Unlike those previous posts, in writing and thinking about the catalog, I have found that my thoughts have lingered on what the catalog of the future should do and look like rather than offer alternatives to the catalog. So, this post will have more of a sandbox feel to it in listing what I’d like in the next generation of library automation. Also, since I’m vastly unfamiliar with cataloging, I am hoping that any cataloger reading this will write their own blog post to fill in that aspect so that I can link to it. –A ]
There’s a quote that is attributed to astronaut John Glenn, remarking on his space flight:
“As I hurtled through space, one thought kept crossing my mind: Every part of this capsule was supplied by the lowest bidder."
