Classification and Cataloguing Challenges for Automated Systems

Challenges for Library Automation

Classification and Cataloguing Challenges for the Designers of Automated Library Systems

There is a common perception that library automation must be relatively easy. It is erroneous. Because books come from various countries, and are published in various editions and languages, bibliographic descriptions can be quite complex. Since library systems, in the interest of retrieval speed, often use indexes of authors, titles, call numbers, subjects, and so forth, terms must be extracted from various MARC record fields and sorted properly when the indexes are created or updated. Authors sometimes go by their initials, or write under several names. As well, patron information can present interesting challenges.

Call numbers present some interesting sorting problems, especially if a library or a consortium of libraries contains agencies using a mixture of classification schemes, for instance, Dewey and Library of Congress. Both schemes can include both letters and numbers, and rely upon decimal places to define classes of literature further, all of which makes sorting them far from simple.

823.52 F461	AE 2.18313 1985	BR 60 M4	PN 173 A7 R6
PQ 1425 A5 E5 1987	Z 658 U5 U459 1988	Z 679.6 S52 1999	Z 702 A3 B87 1973

MARC bibliographic records present even more interesting challenges for the designers of automated systems.

Author:	Migne, J.-P. (Jacques-Paul), 1800-1875.
Title:	J. P. Migne: Index alphabeticus omnium doctorum, patrum, scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum quorum opera scriptaque vel minima in Patrologia Latina reperiuntur. J. B. Pearson: Conspectus auctorum quorum nomina indicibus Patrologiae Graeco-Latinae a J. P. Migne editae continentur.
Imprint:	[Ridgewood, N.J., Gregg Press, 1965]
Description:	[42] p. 28 cm.
Contributors:	Migne, J.-P. (Jacques-Paul), 1800-1875. Patrologiae cursus completus. Series Graeca (Indexes) . Migne, J.-P. (Jacques-Paul), 1800-1875. Patrologiae cursus completus. Series Latina (Indexes). Pearson, John Batteridge. Conspectus auctorum quorum nomina indicibus Patrologiae Graeco-Latinae ... continentur.
Other Titles:	Index alphabeticus omnium doctorum, patrum, scriptorumque ecclesiasticorum.
Notes:	The Index alphabeticus is extracted from v.218 of Migne's Patrologia Latina, published 1844-64. The Conspectus auctorum is a reprint of a separate work, first published in 1882.

Note that the record below lists the place of publication as "Oxonii: Typis Leon, etc. But then examine the next record, where it's "Oxonif". (How will the indexes be affected by human errors, or problems switching between various character sets?).Note also the additional fields present in the second record.

Author:	Wallis, John, 1616-1703.
Title:	Operum mathematicorvm [microform] / Johannes Wallisi.
Imprint:	Oxonii : Typis Leon. Lichfield, Impensis Tho. Robinson, 1656.
Description:	1 v. in various pagings : ill.
Series:	Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1243:19.
Notes:	Each part has special t.p. and pagination. Reproduction of original in the Cambridge University Library. Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich. : University Microfilms International, 1982. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm. (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1243:19)
Contents:	De angulo contactus et semicirculi disquisitio geometrica--De sectionibus conicis, nova methodo expositis tractatus--Arithmetica, sive, Nova methodus inquirendi in curvilineorum quadraturam--Eclipsis solaris Oxonii visf ... 1654.
Subjects:	Mathematics --Early works to 1800.

Author:	Wallis, John, 1616-1703.
Uniform Title:	Opera mathematica
Title:	Johannis Wallis S.T.D., geometrif professoris Saviliani, in celeberrima Academia Oxoniensi Opera mathematica [microform]
Imprint:	Oxonif : E Theatro Sheldoniano, 1693-99.
Description:	3 v. : ill., ports.
Series:	Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 753:6. Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 753:7.
Other Titles:	Opera mathematica.
Notes:	Includes errata. Imperfect: vol. 2 lacking in filmed copy. Reproduction of original in Cambridge University Library. Microfilm. Ann Arbor, Mich. : University Microfilms International, 1977. 1 microfilm reel ; 35 mm. (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 753:6 and 753:7)
Contents:	v. 1. Mathesis univeralis, sive, Arithmeticum opus integrum --Adversus Marci Meibomii de proportionibus dialogum tractatus elencticus -- De sectionibus conicis, nova methodo expositis, tractatus -- Arithmetica infinitorum -- Eclipsis solaris Oxonii visf -- Tractatus duo, prior, De cycloide et corporibus inde genitis ; posterior, Epistolaris, in qua agitur, De cissoide et de curuarum -- Mechanica, sive, De motu tractatus geometricus -- v. 3. Claudii Ptolomfi, Porphyrii, Manuelis Bryennii Harmonica -- Archimedis. Arenarius & Dimensio circuli, cum Eutocii commentario -- Aristarchi Samii, De magnitudinibus & distantiis solis & lunf -- Pappi Alexandrini, libri secundi collectaneorum, hactenus desiderati, fragmentum -- Epistolarum quarundam collectio, rem mathematicam spectantium -- Opera qufdam miscellanea.
Subjects:	Astronomy --Early works to 1800. Mathematics --Early works to 1800.