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MLA/TSS (Massachusetts Library Association/Technical Services Section)
NETSL (New England Technical Services Librarians)
ALCTS (Association for Library Collections & Technical Services)
NASIG (North American Serials Interest Group)
OLAC (On-Line Audiovisual Catalogers)
MOUG (Music OCLC Users Group)
ARSC (Association for Recorded Sound Collections)
AMIA (Association of Moving Image Archivists)
Cataloging & Authority Work
Library of Congress cataloging and acquisitions This webpage of LC’s Bibliographic Access Divisions includes links to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ); Information about the Bibliographic Access Divisions; Online Catalogs; Programs & Services; Publications & Newsletters; Reports & Proceedings; Related Products & Services.
Library of Congress Online Catalog Search for and display bibliographic records for the over 12 million books and other items in the collections of the Library of Congress
American Library Association Cataloging Tools and Resources Overview of standards underlying library cataloging, with links to sources for the tools.
Core Metadata and Collections Section A page to promote awareness of the current status of research in cataloging and classification.
Thesaurus for Graphic Materials A tool for indexing visual materials by subject and by genre/format from the Library of Congress
Library of Congress Authority Files Search for and display the approved term for a person an organization or an item
AAT (Art & Architecture Thesaurus) A controlled vocabulary used for describing items of art, architecture, and material culture developed by the Getty Research Institute.
CONA (Cultural Object Name Authority Online) Another list from the Getty Research Institute, this one compiles titles, attributions, depicted subjects, and other metadata about works of art, architecture, and cultural heritage, both extant and historical, physical and conceptual.
ULAN (Union List of Artist Names) A controlled list of names and other information about artists developed by the Getty Research Institute.
TGN (Thesaurus of Geographic Names) A controlled list of names and associated information about places developed by the Getty Research Institute.
WorldCat Free access to the bibliographic records and holdings information in OCLC’s catalog
Authority Control A series of short YouTube videos created by Emily Dust Nimsakont, Catalog Librarian at the Nebraska Library Commission
Cataloging Defensively OCLC's “Cataloging Defensively” presentations are designed to help catalogers use MARC 21 and the instructions in both RDA and AACR2 to the best advantage.
The Cataloging Lab A wiki where people can collaborate to propose additions and edits to LCSH (Library of Congress Subject Headings) and LCC (Library of Congress Classification).
MARC
MARC (Machine Readable Cataloging) Standards Includes the MARC21 concise formats for bibliographic and authority records as well as country, language and relator codes
OCLC (Online Computer Library Center) Bibliographic Formats and Standards A guide to machine-readable cataloging records in WorldCat (the OCLC® Online Union Catalog); it provides tagging conventions, input standards and guidelines
Understanding MARC Bibliographic: Machine Readable Cataloging A quick, easy guide to the most common of the MARC codes used; you can obtain a hard copy of this publication from the Library of Congress or Follett Software Company. Please Note: All information is pre-RDA.
Understanding MARC Authority Records: Machine Readable Cataloging Provides the basic information needed to understand and evaluate a MARC authority record. You can obtain a hard copy of this publication from the Library of Congress. Please Note: All information is pre-RDA.
Ending Punctuation for Variable Fields An expanded version of a posting on Autocat by PACSCL (Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries).
PCC (Program for Cooperative Cataloging) An international cooperative program coordinated jointly by the Library of Congress & PCC participants around the world.
Guidelines for Implementing New PCC Policy Regarding Terminal Periods in MARC Bibliographic Records The title says it all.
Help from Vendors and Libraries
Cataloging Calculator Created by Kyle Banerjee of Oregon Health and Science University, a tool that finds variable and fixed MARC fields (bibliographic and authority data), LC subject headings, and language codes.
TPOT Technical Processing Online Tools is the official library technical services information resource for the University of California, San Diego libraries.
Cataloger's Reference Shelf resources from The Library Corporation
SCL Cataloguing Cheat Sheets Helpful outlines for cataloging a variety of materials from Special Libraries Cataloging of Victoria, BC, Canada.
Information for SCLENDS Catalogers A compilation of helpful resources for catalogers in the SCLENDS community of the South Carolina State Library.
Cataloging @ Yale Everything you could possibly need from the Yale University Library.
Sites for Cataloging Special Materials
Guidelines for Coding Electronic Resources in Leader/06 Guidelines for coding Leader/06 (and fields 006, 007) in bibliographic records for electronic resources; includes examples with coding.
OLAC Best Practices & Guidelines Includes all of OLACs Publications and Training Materials with Best Practices for cataloging DVD and Blu-ray Discs; Streaming Media, and Video Games using RDA and MARC21
CCS Cataloging Manual A wiki of cataloging practices from the Cooperative Computer Services (Chicago, IL)
Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Books) - DCRM(B)
Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Serials) - DCRM(S)
Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Cartographic) - DCRM(C)
Slavic Cataloging Manual Created by the Association of College & Research Libraries, Slavic and East European Section, Automated Bibliographic Control Committee, Slavic Cataloging Manual Review Task Force (ACRL/SEES ABC), the Slavic Cataloging Manual (SCM) brings together rules and practices pertinent to the cataloging of materials in Slavic languages as well as some other East European and Eurasian languages used in former Soviet bloc countries.
Maps, Music, and Serials
Western Association of Map Libraries’ Map Librarians’ Toolbox Information on frequently asked questions related to Map Librarianship
North Carolina Maps A guide for description and Digitization
Cataloging and Metadata Committee (CMC) of the Music Library Association (MLA) blog
OCLC Music Toolkit for generating faceted music data Blog post from MLA CMC that includes many helpful links.
Music Cataloging at Yale Tools for music cataloging from Yale University
The IN Harmony Sheet Music Cataloging Tool From Indiana University
Provisional Best Practices for Using LCMPT Guidelines intended to assist catalogers in the application of medium of performance terminology in bibliographic records for musical resources, using MARC21 field 382.
RISM The International Inventory of Musical Sources - Répertoire International des Sources Musicales (RISM) - is an international, non-profit organization which aims for comprehensive documentation of extant musical sources worldwide.
CONSER – Cooperative Online Serials An ongoing program to create and maintain high quality bibliographic records for serials
MARC21 Format for Holdings Data From the Network Development and MARC Standards office of the Library of Congress
Primer: MARC21 Format for Holdings Data A 24-page pamphlet in .pdf from OCLC
Serials: The Volume Holdings Record (MHLD) Help from Yale University
NASIGuide: Serial Holdings Focus on how serial MARC records differ from records for other formats
Government Documents
Cataloging Toolbox for U.S. Federal Government Information A list of resources for cataloging and processing U.S. federal government information. These tools are particularly helpful in understanding materials distributed through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), which is administered by the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO).
Subject Headings
Subject Headings & Genre/Form Terms See the most recent Subject Headings approved by LC. Propose a new Subject Heading. Read news and annoucements from LC about Subject Headings. Purchase Subject Headings products.
Library of Congress Subject Heading PDF Files A list of Free-floating subdivisions, LC Genre/Form terms for Library and Archival Material, Children's Subject Headings and more.
Principles of Heading Construction Principles of structure and policies for application.
Alphabetical list of genre terms in the OLAC video game genre vocabulary Thanks to the Minnesota State University at Mankato for downloading this list.
Zine Subject Thesaurus A list of subject terms or keywords that can be used to catalogue zines and other alternative materials.
Homosaurus An international LGBTQ+ linked data vocabulary
Spanish Language Subject Headings
Biblioteca Nacional de España (BNE) Authority File
Classification
Map Dewey (DDC) Classification to LC (LCC)
Map LC (LCC) to Dewey (DDC) Classification Thanks to the University of Northwestern, St. Paul for these mapping schemes
Library of Congress Classification Outline
Library of Congress Classification PDF Files
Dewey Decimal Classification Summaries
Dewey Decimal Classification PowerPoint introductions to DDC for adults and kids
National Library of Medicine (NLM) Classification A product of the National Library of Medicine for the arrangement of library materials in the field of medicine and related sciences used internationally. Updated twice a year: winter and summer.
Cutter Table Guidelines for formulating a literary author number; from the Library of Congress
Dewey Cutter Program a software program that automatically provides cutter numbers from the OCLC Four-Figure Cutter Tables (Cutter Four-Figure Table and Cutter-Sanborn Four-Figure Table) upon input of text.
Miscellaneous Helpful Sites
Roman Numerals Convertor Convert Arabic numbers to roman numerals, and vice versa.
ISBN Converter Convert from 10-digit to 13-digit and vice versa. NOTE: use only with 13-digit numbers that begin with 978 (not 979)
Special ALT Characters Add symbols, accent marks, even smiley faces using the ALT key plus the corresponding numbers.
Dana Library Hand is a font created by Margo Burns and downloadable in Open Type and True Type versions.
IFLA
IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) Cataloging Section Cataloguing at the global level for all types of material and media.
Continuing Education
Cataloger’s Learning Workshop Freely available cataloging and metadata training materials, including RDA, from the Library of Congress
RDA-L Instructions for subscribing to this discussion list.
Resource Description & Access (RDA) Written by Salmon Haider, this site also contains RDA resources and a Cataloger's Reference Directory
RDA Workshop Exercises for All A workshop held at the ALA mid-winter meeting in Philadelphia, January 2020. Considered by the presenters as "...a more practical, and simple approach to orienting Toolkit users to some of the changes brought about by the 3R Project."
RDA Toolkit While using the Toolkit requires a paid subscription, you can access the Resources page for free. This page contains the LC Policy statements (including RDA appendices) as well as Policy statements from the German, British and Australian National libraries and the Best Practices documents from the Music Library Association.
RDA: Resource Description and Access The official site of the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA
RDA Registry The RDA Registry contains linked data and Semantic Web representations of the elements and relationship designators approved by the RDA Steering Committee (RSC).
What is FRBR? A colorful, east-to-read, 8-page printable booklet by LC’s Barbara Tillett that explains the Functional Requirements of Bibliographic Records, the conceptual model on which RDA is based.
Bram Stoker’s Dracula in FRBR terms Watch closely because the slides go by quickly; a very good explanation of Work, Expression, Manifestation and Item
Library of Congress RDA Training Materials Includes slides, manuals, exercises, and quizzes
RDA training booklet Created by Mareille Veve of the University of North Florida for cataloging books and e-books. Clear, practical information in 188 pages.
RDA Training Materials from Cambridge University Library The training given to their staff in March 2013; this training involves using a specific ILS (Voyager) so not all details will apply to all libraries
RDA Basics for Copy Catalogers A 1-hour YouTube video that covers the most common differences between AACR2 and RDA in bibliographic records and authority records; designed by Sevim McCutcheon of Kent State University
Yale University Library Training Slides Based on the LC Training modules
RDA Series Webinars Twenty-five YouTube videos compiled by the ALCTS Continuing Education section of ALA
Pinterest Group Board on RDA A Social Media Board For Everyone on Resource Description & Access (RDA) and other issues related to Cataloging & Metadata
Cataloging101 foundations: Authority Work A slideshare program developed by Robin Fay focusing on Authority work in the context of FRBR, RDA and BIBFRAME. Robin Fay is a Metadata Trainer and ILS Consultant based in Georgia.
Examples of Full RDA Bibliographic Records From the JSC; one of the few areas of the RDA toolkit that can be viewed for free
RDA vocabulary terms for content
RDA vocabulary terms for media
RDA vocabulary terms for carrier
RDA in MARC all changes to MARC for use with RDA approved through June 2014
Special Libraries Cataloging materials RDA materials used by this company; you must create a free account in order to view them
An unofficial list of RDA Relator Terms