The University Libraries strives to continually improve user access to its various collections. The following article highlights several projects designed to provide better information about what we have on our shelves.
Retrospective conversion (recon) is the term librarians use for converting printed library records into machine readable formats which can then be used in computerized databases. Since the mid-eighties close to one million records for materials in the Libraries cataloged collections have been converted to machine readable form and made available in the UW Libraries Catalog. The most intensive period of recon activity occurred between 1986 and 1990 when the Libraries contracted with the OCLC (Online Computer Library Center, Inc.) to convert almost 500,000 records from the card catalog. The other half million records have been converted by Libraries Technical Services staff.
A major milestone was reached in September 1993 with the completion of the retrospective conversion of the Suzzallo Main Collection which began in 1988. Two large collections, Microforms-Newspapers and the East Asia Library, remain to be converted, but testing is currently being conducted on how to process these special format and language collections.
Currently, most of the retrospective conversion of titles is being done in conjunction with barcoding projects. The process of adding barcodes to volumes so that they can be circulated using the automated system identifies titles for which no records exist in the UW Libraries Catalog. Recently completed collections include Children's Literature, Health Sciences serials, and Natural Sciences storage. Barcoding and conversion of records is currently underway for the Special Collections Division, Curriculum Materials Collection, the Media Center and scores in the Music Library. Collections which have not yet been barcoded are the Friday Harbor Library and the Auxiliary Stacks, a storage location.
The UW Libraries has been a Federal Depository Library since 1890. A limited number of the titles received on deposit were cataloged for branch library locations, but most materials received were kept in Government Publications and did not appear in the public catalog. For 105 years, Libraries users have needed to go to Government Publications to find what uncataloged publications had been received and where they were shelved.
The University Libraries has contracted with Marcive, Inc., to purchase machine readable records for U. S. government publications. These records will be loaded into the Libraries system and will appear in the UW Libraries Catalog. Approximately 330,000 records identifying books, maps, serials, microfiche and electronic materials published between July 1976 and January 1995 are available to be loaded. Before a record appears in the catalog, it will be checked against the files maintained in Government Publications to be sure that the publication has been received by the Libraries. Records for materials received after February 1, 1995, are being loaded into the catalog at the time of receipt. The addition of the Marcive retrospective records to the UW Libraries Catalog is expected to take several years to complete.
While cataloging records have long been automated, detailed information about individual periodical issues has been maintained on over 30 manual card files throughout the Libraries. Since September 1993, over 40 Libraries staff members have been involved in creating automated serial receipt records to add to the cataloging database. With the addition of specific issue information to the database, staff working anywhere in the Libraries can easily identify the latest journal issue received in any unit, the next expected issue, whether an issue is at the bindery, claimed from the publisher, missing, or late in arriving.
A brief summary of the new serials checkin information now displays in the UW Libraries Catalog in a journal record field called Checkin Data. This field records the latest issues received for any particular title. By the end of June 1995, 85% of these records will be added and the project should be finished in late 1995.