Customer Reviews

Cataloging and Classification: An Introduction (Second Edition)

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you find yourself needing to learn how to catalog, this is the book to teach you! Dr. Chan walks you step-by-step through the cataloging processes. This book explains the steps of AACR2R2, MARC, Dewey, and LC. Not everyone can take one of Dr. Chan's cataloging classes in person, this book is second only to that.

I have been using this book for almost two semester because this is one of our primary reference in our cataloging subject. Our subject includes Descriptive Cataloging and Non-book materials cataloging.

Everytime we are asked to do some cataloging, I always prefer to have read first this book before doing some cataloging exercises because this gives me clear picture of what really am I going to do. The examples are there, and the corresponding catalog entry are there sited clearly.

I can't forget when we were given a problem to catalog the compact disc that we brought in our class, I don't know what to do with that CD, and then I went to our library that time, and borrowed this book, and there I found clear explanation of what was to be done first in cataloging that type of non-book material. When I've seen the example, I just compared it with our compact disc(music CD), and I gathered every little bit of information that are needed in my catalog entry. And at last, I've done my work.

The book gives layman explanation, you can't find here straight rules, there's an explanation for every technical terms that the author used. The book covers not oonly descriptive cataloging, but also, non-book materials cataloging. The book is very down to earth, you will find yourself just as reading simple mathematics. When I read the book everytime we have an exerice I just always find myself looking for the significant information in the chief sources of information and just plugged it in my catalog entry and I'm finished as easy as that.

This book in short doesn't just set the rules in cataloging, it gives understanding how every rules in cataloging are being used. Now I'm on my third year of my Library and Information Science degree, and still I'm using this book as my primary reference because this book really gives me picture of what I am doing.

Although this is an introductory-level text, it seems to be aimed at people who already have a certain amount of knowledge and experience in cataloging and classification. I am fortunate that I had a little knowledge beforehand; otherwise I would have been a bit lost. The book is packed with useful information, and although it is not the most exciting reading in the world, it is good as textbooks go.

If you need to learn about cataloging, this book will teach it to you. It is detailed and thorough and contains a bit of background on the subject. However, like the subject, I found the book a bit dry at times. It was as if i were reading an instruction manual that went on for hundreds and hundreds of pages. Because that's what it is.

Of course, I am not a fan of cataloging so it figures I would find the book boring too. Some in my class who are really into the subject tell me that they absolutely love this book. So if you are the kind of person who thinks that cataloging is fantabulous, you'll most likely find this book exciting and cool as well. Personally, and I know I'm not alone in this, I read it to cure my insomnia.

This was s required book for my Organization of Information (Cataloging) class in library school. The book is very thorough and offers examples. It also has a companion web site for review, quizzes and recommended reading. I found it on Amazon for $90, but my colleagues found it for less than $50 on Barnes and Noble. I usually purchase all of my textbooks from Amazon, but if it is cheaper elsewhere, I will purchase it elsewhere.

So far, so good. I've only just begun reading "Cataloging and Classification" for my cataloging class at San Jose State, but it's very readable. Complex cataloging schemes are made understandable. I would recommend it for those interested in library cataloging, though I can't imagine reading it as a causal book.

This text is okay, as an MLS student I found it a bit frustrating that it seemed you needed to have a fair amount of knowledge about cataloging before you could understand this book. But, then again, I've never planned on cataloging -- so I got through it okay and can't wait to re-sell it! Otherwise, I have to say that I preferred this book to the other text (Organization of Information by Arlene Taylor) because this book is arranged in a more intuitive way.

Good luck, but do yourself a favor and only buy this if it is required.

It's required reading for an MLS course. It's very dry reading, but then again -- it's a textbook. What more can you expect? 9 out of 10 of them are. It is very coherent and easy enough to follow. But does it HAVE to be so incredibly boring? If this were my first class, I would have left the program.

This booked is packed with information however the presentation needs vast improvement.
Specifically the inclusion of a concept map at the beginning that gives a graphic view of hte concepts to be presented. Then concepts maps of each chapter's topics is necessary then. And if possible more concept maps for topics with in each chapter. These concepts would be more understandable with concept maps as graphic organizers of the information presented.