[WEB4LIB] RE: cataloging web sites

[Lydia C Bauer]

Where I work, we decided early on to go with the single-record approach. Our staff and clients made it very clear that they do not want to have to go through multiple records to see whether we have a specific issue of a journal regardless of its physical format.  As a multi-site institution, a method of
handling separate holdings statements for our multople subscriptions to a journal was already established.  For our electronic journals, we added a virtual location and assign all of our electronic holdings to this location.
I personally think the single-record approach is more user friendly.  In the general OPAC usability studies I've reviewed, it didn't seem as though the parts of a marc record that distinguish one physical version from another were high on the list of "important things users look at."  But I suppose a lot
would depend on the user.  Its been a while since I worked in an academic library - do students expect and utilize the details that are available when using the multople-record approach?  For a related study, see Luk's focus group study referenced on this page:
http://www.fis.utoronto.ca/research/programs/displays/
I'd be very interested in your results if you decide to do a study.
Thanks-

Lydia Bauer
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company
lydia.bauer at bms.com



Karen Harker wrote:
<lots of snips below>

> I wonder if there have been any studies on the effectiveness and usability of these two methods of cataloging?
>
> It would be nice to have some evidence on which to base our decisions.
>
> >>> Harvey Brenneise <HBrenne at MPHI.org> 6/21/02 1:45:24 PM >>>
> I've done it both ways (see www.mchel.org).  I see problems with both.  And then there are serials.  What if you have access to the same serial from
> more than one source?  You can certainly put in more than one 856, but then
> how do you deal with different holdings, different access information, and
> so forth.  And on and on.  I personally tend toward separate records myself,
> at least in most cases.
>
> Harvey Brenneise
> Michigan Public Health Institute.
> hbrenne at mphi.org



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