----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Eric,
 
You said:
 
During the age of the card catalog, I doubt any librarian would have wanted
to undertake such a task.
 
     Not so.  At U of Utah, we have always cataloged them down to the sheet
level.  In the manual catalog, we used a form card.  For the OPAC, we use a
computer program to complete a form record.  We have, for a long time, tried
to hold to the philosophy that format is not justification for different
(i.e. less) treatment.  Over time, we have received shaken heads, even light
criticism from the Map Community for our "insanity".  But our automated
system of processing federal maps got the "thumbs up" and strong
commendations in the official report from the Federal Inspector.
 
     Currently we are working on a publication about that system and its
future direction.
 
Debra Lords
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Marriott Library
University of Utah
Salt Lake City,  UT  84112