OSU Libraries, Cataloging Department Retreat

March 1999

Summary

The Ohio State University Libraries Cataloging Department held their second retreat on March 22 & 23, 1999. This one and a half day retreat was attended by 17 members of the department. It was held at OSU's Fawcett Center in Columbus, Ohio. The retreat was structured and facilitated by Maddy Weisz of Organization and Human Resource Development.

The Objectives of the Retreat were to:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the progress made on last years action steps
• Develop an effective Mission Statement
• Develop action steps for future improvements.
• Build on the sense of community within the department.

The Structure of the Retreat:

Prior to the retreat, The Cataloging Department sent out a survey to their customers. This survey consisted of four questions.

These were:

• What are some of the Cataloging Department's successes?
• What have we done to help you?
• In what areas can the Cataloging Department improve?
• What can we do better to meet your needs?

There were 17 responses to the survey. The questionnaires provide very positive and clear feedback.

The retreat had five different components based on the objectives.

To build community, we had a series of active and enjoyable ice-breakers/exercises through out the retreat.

To evaluate our progress, we read and discussed the results of the survey. We then as a group brainstormed all our successes. These were put on sticky notes and put up on the wall for all to see and celebrate.

To look to the future, we brainstormed on:

• who our customers are and what they want and need from us.
• what an ideal cataloging department would be like.
• what would improve communications between the department and the administration.

We used the Affinity Diagram Technique. We did this brainstorming on sticky notes and then arranged these sticky notes into broad categories. We took the categories of continuous growth and improving internal communications and in small groups fleshed out these ideas.

• What a new name for the department could be.
• To develop the Mission Statement, we worked as a large group drafting and revising until we were in consensus.

The following is the information we captured for each area:

Our Successes:

• Backlogs eliminated
• Workflow streamlined
• Survived reorganization
• Improved documentation
• Progress in retrocon project/major microform
• Improved documentation/training
• Enhanced website
• Improved communication
• Serial analytics and other special projects
• Response to request
• Improved the environment

Our Customers: Internal

• Students and faculty
• Labeling Division
• Public Services
• Location Libraries
• Collection Managers
• Technical Services

Our Customers: External

• OCLC
• Ohiolink
• Library of Congress
• Interlibrary Loan
• Local, State, National, and International Libraries and their Users

Our Customers want:

• Quality Cataloging
• Speedy Cataloging
• Multiple access points
• Retrocon completed
• No backlogs
• More analytics
• Progress Reports
• Major microform sets
• More contents notes
• Individual special projects
• Bibliographic consistency
• Stable staffing
• NO MORE REORG!!!

The Ideal Cataloging Department would include:

A Positive Physical Environment

• Windows
• Equipment
• More staff
• Heating/cooling system
• Cleaner bathrooms
• More regular maintenance

A Positive Mental Environment

• Good communication
• Documentation and training manual
• Less top-down communication
• Improve evaluation forms
• Administration Retreat
• Administration and Staff Retreat
• Use an outside facilitator
• Include incentives/rewards
• Salary increases
• Increased mutual respect between staff and administration
• Continuous growth

• A pro-active mission statement

• Name reflects function and mission
• Continuous Growth

Department Growth:

• Make opportunities
• Administrative support
• Staffing
• Increase staff
• Replace GAAs with permanent staff
• Training
• Tech pro-take back!
• Special projects
• Theses subject headings (OSU)
• Electronic analytic/monographs (ser)
• In-source cataloging for others
• Increase national participation e.g. CORC, NACO, SACO, BIBCO.
• Metadata/digital library
• "Enhance" (OCLC)

Personal Growth:

• Workshops or training/presentation "forums"
• Internal
• External (e.g. computer, Ohionet)
• Subject headings
• Classifications
• Upgrade positions
• Flexibility in staffing and job duties (cross-training)
• Reviews/refreshers
• Develop new knowledge and skills

Improving internal communication and respect for others:

• Meaningful and concise e-mail this would include reports from meetings and conferences

Meetings:

• A. More frequent dept. meetings ( Department head and coordinators)
• B. Cataloging rule updates (by principal cataloger)

Internal orientation of units

• Respect for other
• Personal interaction-CQI
• Continued acknowledgement of others' expertise and individuality
• Cross training

The values that make the Cataloging Department indispensable.

We are indispensable because:

1. We value ourselves
2. We value our skills and knowledge
3. Our experience has been recognized outside the T. S. arena.
4. We have made a positive contribution to the Library's Mission/
5. We have made tangible progress in historically neglected areas such as backlogs; retrocon, and other major cataloging related projects.
6. We have focused our attention on a series of key special projects.
7. We have successfully planned and executed diverse cataloging activities.
8. Major progress has been made in disseminating cataloging information through our website.

• In order, to continue and enhance the department's role, the Administration's support is a must. This Support should be public as well as private.
• Support from the Administration would go a long way in empowering the department and its members.
• The OSUL Cataloging Department values are consistency and clarity in cataloging procedures and workflow.
• This does not mean a resistance to change but simply recognition of the need to accept and to adhere to values shared among a consortia of
• Libraries, as well as the fact that devising consistent rules and procedures requires special library skills and knowledge.

Narrowed-down list of possible name changes:

• Central Bibliographic Services (CBS)
• Bibliographic Access Department (BAD)
• Bibliographic Access Services Department (BASD)
• Central Cataloging Services (CCS)
• Complex Bibliographic Services (CBS)

Cataloging Department Mission Statement

"To support current and changing academic needs, The Cataloging Department

offers timely and accurate access to library materials to the Columbus Campus, Regional

Campuses and the Ohio Agricultural Research Development Center. It pursues excellence and

provides leadership in descriptive and subject cataloging. It is instrumental in maintaining

holdings and bibliographic information in the Libraries' on-line catalog (OSCAR) and

shared databases for the faculty, staff and students of The Ohio State University community, for

the citizens of Ohio, and for other libraries nationally and internationally."

Cataloging Department, March 23, 1999

OSU Libraries, Cataloging Retreat 1999

1. Participant Evaluations

Please comment on each segment of the retreat.

What did you like?

• The facilitator, the agenda
• The openness that was generated
• Open discussion
• The positiveness of the facilitator
• Open communication
• Icebreakers, group activities
• Pace
• The facilitator

What did you see as improvement opportunities?

• Have the time on the agenda
• Should not try to solve everything at retreat - give people time to reflect and decide later.
• Internal communication.
• Constructive plans
• The shared ideas among our group
• Stop being negative
• The opportunity to express our opinions

Welcome Bingo

• Excellent way to get to know your colleagues. I highly enjoyed this.
• Fun.
• Fun and helped people to relax.
• Good icebreaker.
• Ok, but we really all know each other anyway - although a good "icebreaker"

• Interesting.

• Fun, good icebreaker.
• Fun.
• Good icebreaker and mixer
• Great way to know co-workers
• Fine
• That was fun finding out what people do; what kinds of recreation, etc
• Kind of fun, learned more about others
• Ok

Brainstorming on Customers, the Ideal Cataloging Department, and Becoming Indispensable:

• Good way to achieve retreat goals in a structured yet informal manner.
• It was very good.
• Good group therapy session. Opportunity to hear/listen or get feedback from others.
• This was very good to evaluate ourselves and to find ways to improve.
• Good ideas presented, much progress made (especially re: mission statement)
• I like the openness of discussions and opportunity to express ourselves.
• Good discussion, good participation from group.
• Was good to see the amount of interaction among the department members. This session was helpful because members were able to vent some of their frustrations and ideas.
• Good directions for improvement and future action.

• In a way, good that we lost the rotes; forced us to summarize today; becoming "indispensable" - able to vent frustrations.
• Useful
• Liked developing description of "ideal" dept turned around thinking - about already being indispensable survey results helpful, to see what was positive
• Ok

Circle, Square, Box, Squiggle Exercise

• Best retreat exercise I've seen.
• Good participation.
• Fascinating, it showed the differences in people and how to deal with each other the way we are.
• My favorite. Although personality types include aspects of all of the shapes - there are certain trends co-workers/people in general manifested.
• I enjoyed this. I need to evaluate myself at work and at home and this is a good starting place.
• Fun, but pop psychology.
• It was interesting.
• Fun.
• Fun, let us know others in dept. better
• Gave insight into department members.
• Good expression of individuality
• Got good involvement, especially from the squiggles.
• Not needed
• I found it interesting that I actually was attached to what fit me best!
• Fun thing to do
• Good exercises

Developing Action Steps Session

• This part got a little confusing.
• Clear and successful.
• Practical
• Wonderful way of doing something about all of the information we gathered.
• Same as brainstorming.

• Productive
• Smaller teams were effective - we did seem to run out of time.
• Valuable exercise.
• Well done.
• Did different things, accomplished a lot.
• Most useful
• The coming together with minds and their thoughts about different categories.
• Went quickly, recovery from four lost slips ok.
• Very informative

General Comments

• The facilitation made a very difficult task quite enjoyable. She deserves all the credit of the retreat's success.
• It was a very good experience. Maddy did a very nice job.
• The retreat was well done, the facilitator is very knowledgeable and knows how to deal with diverse groups of people. I am impressed by her skills.
• Enjoyed group facilitator (Maddy) very much. Excellent.
• I have one comment about the Be Positive ground rule: Maybe we should say end on a positive note because we need to look at the negative so we can find positive ways to deal with the negative.
• Maddy is an excellent facilitator - highly recommended.
• It was a very good workshop.
• Very productive as a whole.
• Great leader.
• Opportunity for expressing ourselves was available to us this retreat.
• Retreat well organized, facilitator did a great job
• As good as it gets.
• The retreat in my opinion went quite well and the best one.
• "moved" well - comfortable group
• Great retreat.

Agenda for Cataloging Retreat 1999

Day One:

• Icebreaker: Bingo and Introductions
• Welcome by Magda El-Sherbini
• An evaluation of the 1997 Retreat
• Share Successes
• Analyzing survey results
• Break
• Brainstorm
• Who are our customers? What do they want and need from us?
• What is the ideal cataloging department like?
• Lunch (11:30 to 12:30)
• Communication Activity
• Brainstorm

What can we do to make us indispensable to the organization?

• Break
• Using the three flip-charted lists determine where there is overlap, narrow down, and prioritize.
• Develop Action steps with timelines.
• Wrap-up

Day 2

• Icebreaker
• Begin work on action steps
• Wrap-up

Cataloging Department Customer Survey

What are some of the Cataloging Department's successes?

• The cataloging of major microfilm sets has been a wonderful improvement in the catalog. This project provides information about the rich resources of our collection to the public that previously just wasn't in the catalog except at the set level. Although there have been problems with this cataloging, when we consider the huge number of records added, I have to conclude that it is a very successful project. Given how technical and repetitive the work must be, I hope the staff in cataloging knows that this work is very much appreciated. One new project last cataloging was receptive to working with our department on is the cataloging of dissertations obtained through Interlibrary loan rather than acquisitions. Magda was delightful to work with on this. She was receptive and willing to explore how it could be done. My impression of cataloging was frequently that it said "no" first to new ideas and we got a lot of "it's not my department". It's ironic that it has fewer staff now and more positive attitude. I applaud this receptive attitude in the department. Jennifer Kuehn
• They are working very well with the regionals on cataloging. Magda has been following up on problems. Anna and Bev returned my last batch of materials within 1 week, which is faster than I can finish them!
• Vastly improved turnabout time for cataloging routine materials. Willingness to correct/upgrade cataloging of existing materials.
• Clean up work on the retrocon records - it is going much faster and smoother that I would have said 5 years ago when we started the process. 2. Opening up the analyzed serials option. I know this is a workload but I am sure glad we can add new analytics. 3. The clean up work on serial analytics is moving along smoothly also. Having been on the early task force that looked at the project before it started, I can say it is going easier that we thought it would. 4. Serial Retron is going great also.
• In the past 18 months (thereabouts) you have been much more sensitive to public services issues re multiple access points for a given title, etc. You and your staff have been most approachable and willing to work on a given title to correct longstanding problems.
• I've only dealt with the cataloging dept. for about a year and have found them to be responsive and helpful. Mostly, my questions or concerns have related to authorities control or maintenance issues.
• greatly improved turnaround time
• The cataloging dept.'s greatest asset (i.e., a success) is people like Noelle VanPulis who is a good listener, has held a variety of positions, and has an understanding of both former procedures and future direction. I send my problems to her even when I know they should go to someone else, because I would like to know that there is a person in tech services who has an overall view of what is happening in my library, whether it is misplaced links, double records, errant call numbers, frivolous serials, or things lost in the "in process" swamp. I don't know that she is an official troubleshooter, but every librarian needs one. The constant downsizing and job juggling cannot be easy on the cataloging staff, and overall, I've found them all eager to resolve problems and to assist their "customers," those of us in public services. Sometimes we can't see the problems until they are sitting on the shelf, but there always seems to be someone who wants to make it right.
• Keeping the books moving -- avoiding backlogs or shortening the time it takes to eliminate them. Managing graduate students (training, supervising, etc) - being flexible with their schedules, etc -- and appreciative of their efforts. Communicating and maintaining good relations with people outside the department. Great Thanksgiving parties!!
• Eliminated most of the backlog undertaken a number of projects to meet special needs continue to keep current.
• The biggest successes of the Cataloging Department have been doing away with the backlogs, outsourcing some cataloging of areas where we have limited language expertise (at least some are moving through even though TechPro has a limited quota), working closely with collection managers and other Technical Services Depts. on working out things and fixing problems, the new attitude of service.
• Significant achievement in retrocon. A coherent reorganization that makes sense in today's tech-services climate
• The department has been successful in reducing the backlogs of several areas in responding to the needs of Collection managers with regards to Special projects.

a. What have we done to help you?

• Magda came and talked with the regionals on proper procedures to send cataloging items down. It seems to running much more smoothly.
• I appreciate the way you are willing to sit down and work out things with us. Working together on projects such as the serial analytics is great. 2. I appreciate your willingness to teach us non-catalogers and put up with our repeated questions about why something is a certain way. It helps to know why and to be able to talk about when a change can and should be made in the way something is handled.
• Being open and helpful when asked to coordinate on projects. Offering assistance (loaner terminal space, etc.) when needed. The new Cataloging Dept. has been a "good citizen" of Technical Services helping to further the goals of the library instead of the "old" system of being a black hole for materials.
• Beverly McDonald has always been very supportive of special needs for the Ed/Psych Library and Jose Diaz has followed in her footsteps. In the past year he has worked on several titles for us to pull related volumes together; to add access terms/titles for "oddball" documents that contained important subdocuments under a generic title, etc. Jim Murphy worked with Cheryl Grossman to add analytics to over 200 Fast Backs, a heavily used series in Education. I can't begin to list the special projects you worked on for all the merger libraries to facilitate the consolidation of our collections. We probably haven't thanked you all enough for this support. Believe me we appreciate all your efforts on our behalf.
• You have managed to catalog (copy catalog) virtually all the new books in the music and dance field. You have not opposed our creating a decentralized "music cataloging unit" in the Music & Dance Library for scores and A-V materials (mostly sound recordings). (Your predecessors would not have tolerated such decentralization!)
• Dealing with those pesky analytics and being willing to do more of them - very valuable to librarians and patrons.
• The department has improved the physical environment with regard to our work areas. An advantage in the department is its flexible working schedule.

2. In what areas can the Cataloging Department improve?

• Five years into OSCAR I would have hoped our serial records would be in better shape--maybe that's not cataloging given the "new" organizational structure, but its cataloging, none the less. I hope that the new structure helps focus attention on this, getting the clean-up projects done. Jennifer Kuehn
• Sometimes if our contact changes, or if there are staff changes, we don't always know about them or if there has been a change in procedure, sometimes we don't hear about them. It's been getting much better. Serials always continue to be difficult on my campus as far as understanding how to catalog them properly and remembering all the little parts.
• listing of contacts for various issues (i.e. problems with continuations; isbn number missing from bib record)
• It is helpful for the staff in location libraries to be able to meet the cataloging staff and to see what you do - be able to put a face to the name and voice we talk to on the phone. Maybe some open houses or tours for location staff and then we need to invite you to come visit us.
• More training for Faculty, staff and GAAs so that OSU can be in the forefront nationally. Increasing cataloging of electronic resources (web sites, etc). Better documentation of procedures, etc (there's been a lot of improvement, but things can still be improved)
• Just continue doing the great job everyone is doing. RetroCon is almost over! Backlogs are under control. There is good communication with other areas. It is just time that is needed to work through the remnants of the problems from previous administrations.
• Learn a little bit more about collection development and patrons' needs so that you understand the entire picture better - don't just assume that anything a collection manager asks you to do is some crackpot idea dreamed up to annoy you. Help teach other library staff more about the cataloging process -- break through the mystique that so many people should shroud the process in don't hind behind "national standards" as an excuse not to do something - provide a thoughtful, well-reasoned answer that explains why the national standard is important and needs to be followed.
• Stop being so defensive. Understand that everyone who works in the libraries is working towards the same goal - there is no us vs. them.
• Do you think we can keep people in the same positions for a while now? We can't keep up, and you folks must be positively dizzy! This impedes communication at times.
• For our library, BPL, we have two major concerns, both of which involve the need for increased access to the collection: a large number of titles we would like to have analyzed; in some cases, the title is now partially analyzed a number of foreign language titles, mostly serials, for which we would like to have added titles, or in some cases a change of title.
• Give us more specific information on progress on retrocataloging of serials so we know whether or not to forward a problem title to you. I have a few special collections, Mental Health Newsletters that need to be cataloged. Suspect the cataloging would be relatively simple; but would need to talk with someone re the pros and cons of a simple Main entry and list of Newsletter titles included in each collection as well as a few added entries (source of gift, etc.) These collections are now being accessed two or three times a year by graduate students. Cataloging records might increase their use and value to the University. Analytics, Analytics, Analytics.
• I would like to see full tables of contents display (when available) on OSCAR, not just on OhioLINK. It significantly improves retrieval in key word searches.
• The Catalog Department can improve in the area of personal communication with all department members.

a. What can we do better to meet your needs?

• Continue to be willing to talk with us, communication is the key. We need to feel free to bring concerns to you and you need to continue to consult with us - particularly before a new procedure or policy is put in place.
• Sometimes I am confused as to whom I should send a question - and also feel bad to bother someone who is very busy. Would something like "libmicro" work? (an email address to which all questions or suggestions could be sent)
• Someday, I would like to meet the folks who work on our materials. I like to know whom it is I talk to, or e-mail, etc.
• Work with other units more to expedite decision-making. As I look at the major microform set chart for the most recent month, it says, "need collection decision" in several cases. Do the people who will make those decisions know you are waiting for them? I'm thinking the Food & Nutrition set, but others as well. On others, where you need a clarification of holdings to proceed, I wonder who is going to look at the set and clarify what we own? I'd be happy to look at the sets myself and ask others to verify my impressions, but getting others working with cataloging to complete projects like these does take time, communication, and cooperation outside the department. Jennifer Kuehn
• We have a lot of received direct titles that have been sent to be cataloged. It would be helpful to get at least a short record on OSCAR for those shortly after they have been sent to you. Because they are not on OSCAR, it can be confusing in location. If later issues of the received direct title are handled by someone who is unaware that it is being cataloged, it can end up in our sample file, forwarded to a collection manger (maybe not the one who approved the catalog decision), or discard.
• Just more of the same. I have no specific suggestions because I think people are doing a good job and the department is moving in the right direction. I think the Department needs to be supported with a few more professional catalogers, not only for cataloging but also for other projects for collection managers, etc. Keep up the good work.
• Keep up the good work and your willingness to listen and ACT on public service needs.
• I would like to be able to search titles in foreign languages without having to search twice every time, with and without the initial article. I would like to have the Music shelf list completely converted (all short records converted) by the beginning of fall quarter 1999. There are 3000 such titles to be done. A separate memo went to the Library Admin. (copy to Magda) about this.
• With the cost of the personal computer and email, we are losing the ability to communicate face to face with each other. I know that everyone wants fewer meetings, but there are times when a meeting is needed to disseminate information, especially, when changes are happening in the department. Email is impersonal especially when so much is received. You may miss something important because you think that it does not pertain to you. Occasional meetings would give the staff the feeling that they are part of the department and not just working in a vacuum.

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