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Having catalogueing-experience in our department for over 20
years we estimate a workload of 3,000-4,000 descriptions for a
year of approximately 1,700 working hours. We employ 1,5
experienced full-time cataloguers.
 
Our department does only primary catalogueing as we process only
new maps from the depository library. Only some 15 to 20 % of the
descriptions have to do with topography, the rest is thematic
mapping, including satellite imagery and facsimiles. Maps are in
more than one language and cover the whole world. All series are
described on sheet-level. Should the amount of topographical maps
be higher the workload probably would rise.
 
For profile look under URL:
 
http://www.konbib.nl/kb/skd/profiel/prof-en.htm
 
Description are made in the automated CCK (Dutch Union Map
Catalogue) and include not only ISBD and access, but also
encoding the contents of the maps. All descriptions have
geographical co-ordinates. Most descriptions are loaded with
notes to explain contents and usage of maps.
Maps can be described into a four-level structure. All records
are full descriptions, but output only shows relevant data when
multi-level structures are used.
 
The production is high because of the copy-facility in the CCK
and the fact that we try to assemble maps into groups of similar
content which gains more profit from the copy-facilities.
For reasons of economy and quality we employ also an authority
thesaurus manager for area, subject and family- and corporate
names, making entries more consistent and dependable.
 
For more information look under the URL
 
http://www.konbib.nl/kb/skd/liber/articles/cck.htm
 
Using Scot R. McEathron's arithmetics and putting a workload of
3,500 description a year per cataloguer I would estimate the
costs of Karen Rice's collection at approximately 50
employee-years. Map cataloguers get paid as senior cataloguers
for books and periodicals.
 
Jan Smits
Map Curator Koninklijke Bibliotheek, National Library of The
Netherlands
tel: +31 70 3140241
fax: +31 70 3140450
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
WWW: http://www.konbib.nl/kb/skd/karto-en.htm