-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        Re: MAPS-L: Major issues facing Map Librarianship today?
Date:   Fri, 12 May 2006 11:49:48 -0400
From:   Paige Andrew <[log in to unmask]>
To:     Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum <[log in to unmask]>





Hi Greg!

I hope you get many replies to this query, it will be informative to
hear from different map librarians who are under different expectations
and settings. I know one of -- probably THE primary -- factors as a map
/cataloging/ librarian at a major research university where
research/publication/creative activities is a part of being a tenured
faculty member is a lack of time! To be more specific and honest about
it, its not a _lack_ of time working against me in trying to keep up
with my basic responsibilities of cataloging maps (and related
activities such as participating in creating headings in the NACO and
SACO programs, still doing my OCLC Enhance work, helping with a variety
of ongoing records maintenance issues, etc.) but the _multiple_
_demands_ on my time beyond covering the above-mentioned cataloging
bases. Co-editorship of a successful journal, staying active on
committees or as an officer within professional organizations,
delivering or co-delivering usually two map cataloging workshops a year
(this year it will be seven!), committee and other assignments here in
the PSU Libraries -- coupled with demands at home and church -- makes
things difficult at best. I'm constantly juggling, and constantly worry
that I will "drop something" and then let someone else down, and that is
the biggest challenge to me professionally and otherwise.

How can this time factor change for the better (or worse)? Well, first
and foremost is me deciding to say "no" more often than I have in the
past and not feeling guilty about it. That is a huge challenge for me. I
would love to be able to say less committee assignments and meetings
here at my own library but to be honest that's been down to a minimum
for awhile now and its up to me to keep it that way. At this point I
think the only thing that will make my situation better is the passage
of time and completing some things, and THEN saying "no" more often as
well as re-prioritizing as best as I can. The saying "no" thing is
getting a bit easier as I get older and more experienced and want to try
and put more quality time into my family and home, but I'm still not
there yet. We'll see!

Keeping up with technology and its constant changes is another big one
for me, and not just the hardware and abilities of the software. Its
also staying on top of how we, as catalogers, "do our thing" and in
particular right now is the momentous change from AACR2 to RDA. Also,
decisions such as LC no longer wanting to create and maintain a series
authority file, or the merger of OCLC and RLG, these things demand
attention and time, and also participation at some or multiple levels in
order to stay on top of how our records are created and by what
standards. Things evolve constantly but it seems that evolution is
approaching revolution -- i.e., things change faster and that means we
have to run faster to keep up.

Sincerely,

Paige Andrew
Maps Cataloging Librarian
Penn State University

At 08:43 AM 5/12/2006, you wrote:
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject:        RE: MAPS-L: Major issues facing Map Librarianship today?
> Date:   Fri, 12 May 2006 07:21:55 -0400
> From:   gmarch <[log in to unmask]>
> To:     Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum
> <[log in to unmask]>
>
>
> Hello All,
>
> I apologize for the typos in the last sentence.  The last sentence should
> read:
>
> I am interested to know what practicing map librarians face on a day
> to day
> basis, and what they think should or needs to change for the better of
> everyone?
>
> Thank you,
>
> Greg
>
>> ===== Original Message From "Maps, Air Photo & Geospatial Systems Forum"
> <[log in to unmask]> =====
>> -------- Original Message --------
>> Subject:        Major issues facing Map Librarianship today?
>> Date:   Thu, 11 May 2006 17:03:56 -0400
>> From:   gmarch <[log in to unmask]>
>> To:     [log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am curious to know what major issues map librarians face these days?
>> Depending on the environment/setting in which a map librarian works, the
>> issues may be different, but in general, issues relating to serving the
>> public, technology issues, metadata issues, other.  I am interest to know
> what
>> practicing map librarians face on a day to day basis, and what they think
>> should or needs to change for the better of the everyone?
>>
>> Thank you,
>>
>> Greg
>>
>> Gregory March
>> Graduate Research Assistant
>> Digital Library Center and Map Library
>> University of Tennessee
>> Knoxville, TN 37996
>> (865)974-4315
>> [log in to unmask]

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