database integrity Archives - Problem Cataloger

The paternity of Abraham Lincoln; was he the son of Thomas Lincoln? An essay on the chastity of Nancy Hanks by William E. Barton. (OCLC #882677)

The form of Lincoln’s heading on the bottom card is the current one; the form on the top card has already been modified once by hand, but not quite to the current form – the original form on the top card is not even in the current authority record. It does have a link to a similar heading, United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln) describing that role, though it is not for use as a subject.

Maintaining consistent name authority is much easier and less error-prone with a modern ILS. Always control your headings in OCLC when you can to help this process!

Problem patron manual / compiled by Becky Croft, Geneva Pullen, Diana Seidel. (OCLC #13521606)

We came across this gem as an outlier in the catalog; our local record somehow had five or fewer variable fields, but did have an OCLC number and holdings representing an actual book on the shelf. (Also a subtle caption on the comic.) It now has a full OCLC record.

Next to its statement of challenged materials (“no challenged library materials should be removed from the library under any legal or extra legal pressure”), it includes a form which patrons can use to challenge books. It includes the thoughtful questions:

To what in this book do you object? (be specific)
What do you feel might be the result of reading this book?
For what age group would you recommend this book?
Is there anything good about the book?
Did you read the entire book? (what parts?)
Are you aware of the judgment of this book by literary critics?
What do you believe is the theme of this book?
What would you like the library to do about this book? (do not lend to my child, withdraw from all readers, send to staff for re-evaluation)
In its place, what book of equal literary value would you recommend that would convey as valuable a picture and perspective of the subject treated?