Forty-five years have passed since Lubetzky outlined the primary objectives of the catalog, which should facilitate identification of specific bibliographic entities, and the explicit recognition of works and relationships among them. Still, our catalogs are better designed to identify specific bibliographic entities than they are to guide users among the network of potential related editions and translations of works. In this paper; we seek to examine qualitatively some interesting examples of families of related works, defined as bibliographic families. Although the cases described here were derived from a random sample, this is a quantitative analysis. We selected these bibliographic families for their ability to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of Leazer's model, which incorporates relationship taxonomies by Tillett and Smiraglia. Qualitative analysis is intended to produce an explanation of a phenomenon, particularly an identification any patterns observed. Patterns observed in qualitative analysis can be used to affirm external observations of the same phenomenon; conclusions can contribute to what is known as grounded theory - a unique explanation grounded in the phenomenon under study. We arrive at two statements of grounded theory concerning bibliographic families: cataloger-generated implicit maps among works are inadequate, and qualitative analysis suggests the complexily of even the smallest bibliographic families. We include that user behavior study is needed to suggest which alternative maps are preferable.
False imprint information and other deceptive publication details present problems for catalogers. In this article, I describe different types of misleading information, including fictitious names of publishers, incorrect places of publication, and false dates; mention possible reasons for deception, including fear of prosecution; and emphasize the need for catalogers to be suspicious when handling certain types of material. Erotic printed materials and bootleg sound recordings are discussed in detail, and examples of misleading information in each medium and explanations of how cataloging rules address or fail to address specific circumstances are included. Catalogers need to be aware of both the potential problems associated with certain types of materials and the types of reference sources to consult when dealing with those materials.
Cataloging is an important part of library education. Concerns about the declining number of required introductory cataloging courses led to this study, in which data collected from library school bulletins were compared to data gathered in a similar 1986 study. Results indicate that the number of required introductory cataloging courses has dropped.
Interlibrary loan (ILL) use patterns at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals Library were determined by analyzing one year's worth of ILL requests for journal articles and monographs. The aim of the study was to determine the trends of ILL requests. A total of 1,280 ILL requests processed by the Reference and Information Services in 1997 were analyzed. Results indicated that: the mechanical engineering department generated the maximum number of requests (19%), followed by chemistry (14%), electrical engineering (11%), physics (9%), and civil engineering (8%). Graduate students requested 33% materials, second to faculty, who requested 59% materials. Periodical articles accounted for 84%, while 16% of ILL requests were for monographs. Electronic format (51%) is the single largest citation source of ILL requests, with traditional format contributing 28%. The British Library Document Supply Center (45%) is the major source for supplying materials, followed by Bibliotheek TU Delft (31%). The majority of articles (64%) were supplied to users within four weeks from the date of receipt in the Reference and Information Services.