[MinervaCats] Minerva Cataloging Standards Committee RE: 520 Summary

[Katherine R. Morgan]

        As chair of the cataloging committee I need to address the  
concerns of the use of the 520 field.  First, I want to thank everyone  
for the discussion on this matter. The committee likes to see all  
catalogers discuss cataloging issues. An active group of catalogers is  
a plus for all who use the OPAC.
      At the last Cataloging Standards Committee on June 12, the  
committee discussed the use of the 520 field. As a result the  
committee asked that the 520 summary be a ?Cataloging Tip of the  
Week.? The rule for the 520 field does state that the summary needs to  
be brief and objective. I found this in the cataloging manual ?? a  
brief, objective description given in one or two sentences that could  
be a summary, abstract, annotation, review or a phrase describing the  
material.  
http://www.maine.gov/infonet/minerva/cataloging/manual/ch10.htm#marc520  
(retrieved June 29, 2007).? We need to follow rules as much as  
possible. As the stated above the summary should have one to two  
lines, and that should be sufficient for patrons to decide if they are  
interested in the material.
       I do understand that we want the OPAC to be as user-friendly as  
possible, but the committee wants all catalogers? to abide by the  
cataloging rules. There are other options for getting more information  
such as the ?more about this item? button. Recently movies and music  
has been added to this feature. Also, subject headings are used to  
indicate the subject matter, and reference staff can help patrons  
locate different resources that will give them the information they  
want in regard to a particular material.
    At this point we ask all catalogers to follow the Cataloging Tip  
of the Week for 520. We will be keeping an eye on this issue. At the  
next cataloging meeting, meeting Friday, July 20 9:30-12:00pm at the  
studio at MSL, we will be discussing the 520 field.  Please come and  
join the discussion about this and other cataloging items.



Katherine, chair of the cataloging standards committee







Katherine Morgan
Norway Memorial Library