College Pamphlets

College Pamphlet Cataloging Project

The College Pamphlet collection consists of approximately 2,197 volumes containing approximately 24,000 titles. In 1991 it was decided to disbind the volumes since it was believed that there was a high rate of duplication within the collection and with material classed elsewhere. George Miles, assisted by William Reese, reviewed all the volumes and identified those that should not be broken up due to their provenance. They also compiled a list of the provenance that needed to be traced for both bound and disbound titles. Students disbound the appropriate volumes, marking the call number and source on each title. Contents pages and selected covers were retained. Students entered the beginning of the title (disregarding initial articles) and the volume number into an Inmagic database. The disbound titles were arranged alphabetically by title followed by the bound volumes arranged by volume number.

Students then searched the College Pamphlets in order to identify duplicates that needed comparison. After completing titles that began A-Ch, it was decided that the number of duplicates actually discarded did not warrant the time being spent on searching and comparing. Instead it was decided to recatalog the College Pamphlet collection, and complete comparisons of titles for which we have more than three copies in the College Pamphlets collection. Approximately 7800 titles had records in Orbis at the beginning of the project. The quality of these records range from full level to minimal level.

The purpose of this project is to:

• Create full level cataloging records in Orbis for all titles retained.
• Identify and discard duplicate titles for which we have more than three copies in College Pamphlets.
• Identify and catalog titles in other bound pamphlet volumes that are not in Orbis.

Workflow

1. Pull box from end of alphabetical sequence.
2. Locate charged out copies.
3. Pull all copies of title. If more than three copies, set aside for comparison and review by curator.
4. Cataloging

   Cataloging staff will catalog each title. Many of the titles in the collection have a record that may need to be updated to reflect current cataloging standards. Add appropriate copy specific information including provenance from individual volumes. (See also alphabetical list of frequently used provenance headings). Make a quick comparison if other copies in Beinecke are found in order to verify that they are indeed the same title and edition.

   On occasion there are call numbers for College Pamphlet copies that are in Orbis, but are not found in the box. Some of these are in volumes that were not disbound and haven’t been recataloged. Others are records for copies that were withdrawn years ago. Delete holdings for copies in College Pamphlets that are not located.

5. College Pamphlet call numbers in Orbis.

   Follow the instructions in the Call Numbers: format and marking with the addition of a fourth line for the item number based on the order in which it was cataloged.

   Example:

   852

   8

   0

   ‡b beingen ‡h College Pamphlets ‡i [volume number] [item number]

6. Marking items and folder

   Mark the call number on the lower right corner of the last page as indicated below. If there is insufficient space then mark the call number horizontally.

   Examples:
   Beinecke
   Library
   College
   Pamphlets
   [vol. number]
   [item number]

   Beinecke Library College Pamphlets [vol. number].[item number]

   Erase the title on top of folder and remark the call number in upper right corner of the folder.

7. Statistics.

   Treat this material as recataloged material.

8. Physical processing.

   Students or cataloging assistant will:

   • Stamp each volume.
   • Shelve upstairs in volume number order.
9. Duplicates.

   If a title is identified as a potential duplicate, flag as the item when the box is returned to Printed Acquisitions who will do the following:

• Complete a comparison form for review by curatorial staff.
• Add a ‡x indicating which copies were discarded to the 852 of the holdings record to the Orbis record for the volume(s) that were kept indicating which copies were discarded.
• Example: ‡x: College Pamphlets 222 & 1555 were discarded.
• Note in statistics the number of volumes discarded.
• Update the College Pamphlet database. In the notes field make the note: Discarded [month]/[year]
• Put downstairs with the other discards.

Other issues

• Multiple titles still bound together. Sometimes a mistake, sometimes done because of condition.
• Pages left with either the preceding or the following title. (e.g. ads., half-titles, charts)
• Serials. If you find serials in a box, the cataloger will need to decide whether to go ahead and catalog the title or to return them to Printed Acquisitions to go with other serials from College Pamphlets. If you don’t catalog them, just send the material back flagged as such.  We already have two paige boxes of serials to catalog at some point.  Unfortunately sometimes we had several issues bound together that are now dispersed since this material was reshelved alphabetically by title.