What does "This item is being catalogued in library" mean?

Question

Library Terms

Answer 1

It takes time to properly catalog a book or media item. The librarian has to make a decision where to classify the book, enter it into the database, check for duplicates, and be sure the subject classification is right, and fits what that library needs. Correct labels have to be made, and put on. Then it has to be put in the library's database with a "unique" number so it can be tracked and checked out by library patrons. Usually the most time-consuming part of this is getting the classification (shelf number) just right, so that all the "turtle" books will be together, for example. The other tricky thing is if the Library has 40 different editions of "Hamlet", all slightly different, how to show which one this is, and how to show this in it's classification number? The other time-consuming thing is moving the books around, labeling them correctly, etc.

Answer 2

It means that the library has not finished cataloging this item. I'm assuming you found a partial reference to a book in an on line library "card catalog" -- probably only the title and author. In the old days, before on line catalogs, libraries would catalog the books and put all the relevant information about the book on an index card. The card would contain the author, title, and publishing information about the book such as the name of the publisher, location of publication and date. In addition, the card would contain any relevant subject headings. Identical cards would be printed and then filed so you find them by author, title, or subject. Today all the same data is collected for each book and put into an on line catalog. It takes time to collect all of this data and put it into the correct electronic format. Library catalogers, like many other professions, have standards and guidelines to follow. AACR2 is one set of standards and they can be quite complex and detailed, depending on the book or item being cataloged. In addition to cataloging, the book usually must be stamped with the library name, recorded in an accession record, pocketed or jacketed, labelled with spine labels and barcodes. Some libraries want to let you know right away that they have an item and they do this by providing limited data -- such as only the author and title. They tell you "This item is being catalogued in library" so you know that the data presented is not complete and that you may not find the book of the shelf like you would expect to. Best suggestion: ask a librarian the status of the book and ask if you could be notified when it's ready for check-out.

Answer 3

The library has the item, but it's not actually ready to be used by the library patrons. Cataloguing a item allows the library or users to search for the book via the catalogue through various search terms, search as the title, author, and keyword searches.

Answer 4

it's in the library but not ready to be checked out by a patron. they probably have to receive it, label it insert security devices and a pocket for the library return date card