Cataloger's Judgment: Music Cataloging Questions and Answers from the Music OCLC Users Group Newsletter

Since 1989, the Music OCLC Users Group's MOUG Newsletter has published a regular Q&A column featuring music cataloging questions from catalogers in the field and answers supplied by Jay Weitz, MOUG's OCLC Liaison and subject matter specialist on music. In this lighthearted and practical compilation, Weitz collects and updates all of the relevant questions and answers that have been featured over the years. Topically arranged and carefully indexed, the questions span the range of problems and issues that music catalogers encounter every day in their dealings with scores and sound recordings. The answers are both pragmatic—with specific references to the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, the Library of Congress Rule Interpretations, the MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, and OCLC's Bibliographic Formats and Standards—and entertaining to read. From the Foreword: The book you now hold in your hands is a truly amazing resource—one that tackles real music cataloging situations, not examples contrived to illustrate rules. If you are a cataloger, keep it close at hand; you'll be consulting it often. And if you're not a cataloger, browse through this book anyway and enjoy Jay's effortless lucidity. You may find yourself disabused of the common perception that catalogers are humorless drones who care nothing for the needs of library users. More importantly, though, you'll gain a new appreciation of the problems catalogers face every day, and how they solve them with grace and style.

Table of Contents:
Foreword Acknowledgments Cataloger's Judgment: A Sort of Introduction Editor's Note Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Other Cryptic Designations When to Input a New Record Sound Recordings Main and Added Entries Titles Description and Related Fields Notes Subject Access Numbers Fixed Fields OCLC Services Bibliography Indexes

About the Author :
JAY WEITZ is a consulting database specialist at OCLC Online Computer Library Center, Dublin, Ohio. Formerly a music cataloger at Capital University, he received his B.A in English from the University of Pennsylvania, M.L.S. from Rutgers University, M.A. in Education from Ohio State University. He serves as OCLC Liaison to the Music OCLC Users group, and has participated in many other standards and professional cataloging committees. He compiles the Q & A column for the MOUG newsletter. He is the author of Music Codingand Tagging: MARC 21 Content Designation for Scores and Sound Recording, Second Edition (Soldier Creek Press, 2001). He is also the winner of the 2005 Nancy B. Olson Award.

Review :
?[a]n interesting look at the evolution of music cataloging practice as traced through the author's question and answer column... Recommended highly for music catalogers and anyone interested in cataloging history and practice.?-Technicalities ?[J]ay Weitz, once again, has performed a fantastic service for the music-cataloging world.?-Reference & User Services Quarterly ?Cataloger's Judgement is an excellent source for music catalogers. It is particularly useful as a cataloging reference tool to keep on the cataloger's desktop; it may eliminate having to check multiple cataloging resources. It is a good resource for those who are new to, or inexperienced in, the music cataloging field; it is also appropriate as a refresher for those who have more experience as music catalogers. The useful bibliography and indexes, MARC field organization, and straightforward manner make this an excellent tool for music catalogers at all levels of experience.?-The Library Quarterly ?Useful not only to catalogers who are music specialists, but also to the rest of us whose musical knowledge is limited to knowing who Eminem is. Recommended.?-Technical Services Quarterly "Ýa¨n interesting look at the evolution of music cataloging practice as traced through the author's question and answer column... Recommended highly for music catalogers and anyone interested in cataloging history and practice."-Technicalities "ÝJ¨ay Weitz, once again, has performed a fantastic service for the music-cataloging world."-Reference & User Services Quarterly "[a]n interesting look at the evolution of music cataloging practice as traced through the author's question and answer column... Recommended highly for music catalogers and anyone interested in cataloging history and practice."-Technicalities "[J]ay Weitz, once again, has performed a fantastic service for the music-cataloging world."-Reference & User Services Quarterly "Useful not only to catalogers who are music specialists, but also to the rest of us whose musical knowledge is limited to knowing who Eminem is. Recommended."-Technical Services Quarterly "Cataloger's Judgement is an excellent source for music catalogers. It is particularly useful as a cataloging reference tool to keep on the cataloger's desktop; it may eliminate having to check multiple cataloging resources. It is a good resource for those who are new to, or inexperienced in, the music cataloging field; it is also appropriate as a refresher for those who have more experience as music catalogers. The useful bibliography and indexes, MARC field organization, and straightforward manner make this an excellent tool for music catalogers at all levels of experience."-The Library Quarterly