Date:         Tue, 10 May 2005 14:08:52 -0500
Reply-To:     Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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Sender:       Association for Recorded Sound Discussion List
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From:         Karl Miller <[log in to unmask]>
Subject:      Re: Cataloging sound recordings
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On Tue, 10 May 2005, Eugene DeAnna wrote:

> I don't find your notions unrealistic at all.  In fact, I think expanding
access to - and participation in - shared cataloging to small institutions
and expert collectors will be crucial to this institution and other large
sound archives.  As you point out, my numbers confirm that. The benefits go
beyond making cataloging better and more economical.  There is an equally
critical need for institutions and others doing digital preservation to work
collaboratively to avoid duplicatative efforts, fill gaps, identify best
copies, and as you described, to identify treasures that are in danger of
being lost. There is an interesting project underway for moving image
collections that is being supported by LC. The url is
http://mic.imtc.gatech.edu/ - I think it may be a good model for audio as
well.

I was unaware of this. Thanks for sharing this information.

Was this initiated by Rutgers? It looks like the Association of moving
picture archivists are part sponsors of this, along with LC and others.
Why not ARSC for an audio equivalent?

Does anyone know why this initiative was created?

I wonder how this initiative is viewed from the cataloging fraternity? Does
anyone on this list have a sense of this? From what I have read, Ralph P.
has certainly given music cataloging more thought than probably anyone.

Also, what is required to become a contributor to that catalog?
I noticed a password was required. What qualifies one to enter data? From
my reading, it will accept a wide variety of data formats.

I also wonder what some of the audio archivists on this list might think
about such a solution?

Also should ARSC consider providing a set of criteria, guidelines, as to
what might be the best way to "catalog" various sorts of
collections...commercial recordings...broadcast materials...in house
recordings. etc? Or am I just ignorant of such guidelines? Should full
MARC records be limited to commercial recordings?

It seems like the more I think about this the more I wonder...

Again, another example to consider. This morning I had a recording of
Brian Slawson to process. I found a hit, 18241225. I have never heard of
Brian Slawson, but I noticed Stevie Ray Vaughan was a featured on one cut,
and listed on the label, not just the record jacket. His name was not
featured in the bib record. Also, looking at allmusic, I found many
consider Slawson's work to be New Age, so I added that subject heading
plus all 27 side players, 16 being "significant" enough to have their own
record in an authority file.

It seemed to me that the record should have included a reference to Stevie
Ray Vaughan and Freddie Hubbard, also featured on the disc. Ok, the disc
dates from 1988, and maybe those guys weren't famous enough at that time,
however, none of the ten other institutions that tagged that record (no I
don't know when they tagged that record) saw fit to upgrade the
record. I fault the system.

By the way, I spent about 2+ hours updating the record. Had I not done any
authority work, or coding or had to rekey information, it might have taken
me about 15 minutes.

As an aside, does anyone know if Ralph Samuelson the shakuhatsi flute
player is the same as Ralph Samuelson the composer, as listed in the
authority record? If you do know, how did you find that information?

Karl