Cornell University Library
Annual Report 1998-1999
Objectives for 1999-2000

goal 3: Organize the collection for effective use.

Cataloging, Backlog Reduction, and Retrospective Conversion Central Technical Services cataloged a record number of titles this year, adding over 123,000 new titles to our database. They accomplished this by employing streamlined procedures and effective use of automation. Based on their achievements to date, they will eliminate by May 2000 a backlog that had accumulated over decades, and that exceeded 100,000 volumes. At the same time, they are coordinating a retrospective conversion project of $900,000 and expect to convert approximately 45% of Olin's remaining card catalog into electronic form.

Cataloging Electronic Resources The processing units of CUL have assumed responsibility for cataloging electronic resources for the Gateway. Because vendors typically bundle numerous titles in a single package, one license to a database can result in hundreds of hours of cataloging. The effort to provide controlled access to database titles is made more difficult by the dynamic nature of the databases, with titles being added and dropped constantly, and the same title being made available through multiple sources, requiring different metadata. To explore effective means of access to electronic resources, the Library is participating in an OCLC-coordinated project called the Cooperative Online Resource Catalog, a research initiative that explores the use of library cooperation, interoperable metadata, new workflows, and automated tools to create a database of Internet resources.

MOA II EAD Cornell is participating with four other institutions in the Making of America II project, which is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities. This project will result in a series of Encoded Archival Descriptions, which will allow users to locate online previously uncataloged materials on the subject of transportation held in the special collections departments of all five participating institutions.