-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Cataloger's Camera
Date:   Tue, 07 Oct 2008 07:00:58 -0600
From:   Barbara Glackin <[log in to unmask]>
To:     <[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>,
<[log in to unmask]>, <[log in to unmask]>
CC:     <[log in to unmask]>
References:     <[log in to unmask]>



Forwarded by request--please reply directly to Dan Lester. Thank
you--Barbara
---
Barbara Glackin
Head of Cataloging and Online Catalog
Boise State University, Boise, ID

>>> Dan Lester <[log in to unmask]> 10/6/2008 8:44 PM >>>

Back some 40 years ago there was a device called a "Cataloger's
Camera" that librarians used to assist in cataloging books. I would
like to get a jpg image of one, preferably in use.  For the younger
folk, let me explain.

Long before there was an OCLC to print cards (much less have a union
catalog online) a great deal of cataloging was done by copying the
data from the National Union Catalog volumes, or the Mansell (NUC up
to 1956) books.  Originally it was done by someone typing a new card
from the image in the book.

However, a "cataloger's camera" was developed in the late 60s.  It was
a Polaroid camera with a closeup lens on a frame stand.  The staff
member placed the camera over the correct card image in the book and
took the picture.  Later the picture was trimmed to include just the
proper text and pasted to a blank card.  Then that card could be
copied onto a full set of cards with another brand new invention, the
Xerox 914 copy machine.  With a full set of cards created, staff could
then overtype the added entries, file the cards, and so on.

Now that I've covered the history lesson, I've searched a variety of
places and not found an image.  Googlebooks cites a number of books
and journals with information about the camera, but there is no
indication of
whether they have an image of the camera.  I hate to borrow a bunch of
books or journals on speculation on interlibrary.

If someone had such an antique around, knew where there was an image
of one, or could find an image of one, I'd be eternally grateful.

Just sending a jpg or gif or whatever to my personal email would be
great. Thanks

dan
--

Dan Lester, Boise, ID