-------- 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