Cataloging for School Librarians

by Marie Kelsey, Jen Spisak

This easy-to-use text teaches school librarians how to catalog materials using RDA. By following the instructions in this book, the new cataloger will become proficient at creating bibliographic records that meet current national standards and make library materials accessible to students and faculty. Cataloging for School Librarians, Third Edition presents the theory and practice of cataloging and classification to students and practitioners needing a clear sequential process to help them overcome cataloging anxiety. By following the instructions in this book, the new cataloger will become proficient at creating bibliographic records that meet current national standards and make library materials accessible to students and faculty.

This new edition fully integrates RDA. FRBR, Sears, and the Dewey Decimal Classification are covered. It presents numerous examples of how to catalog books, non-print and electronic library materials, and 3D objects using the MARC format.

Appendices include MARC Record examples across formats, “cheat sheets,” and a compilation of a “one-stop shop” list of commonly used website resources mentioned throughout the book. A glossary and an index are also included.

Genres: Nonfiction

340 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Kari]

How many of you have ever been personally victimized by Marie Kelsey? Just kidding, just kidding. Zero shade to the author of this book - it was an invaluable resource for my library cataloging course.

That being said, I cried many times while reading this book. Usually I consider that a good thing, as a book that can move me to tears is usually one that I'll be thinking about for ages. This is one that I truly hope I never have to revisit, as I learned through this course that cataloging is NOT my jam. I have so much respect for the catalogers out there, but I don't think I'll ever be joining their ranks. I've created enough MARC records to last me a lifetime, and the book succeeded in its mission of helping me to understand why we catalog the way we do and to practice doing so.

But I hated pretty much every minute of it… so there you go.

[Nichole]

I guess I understand why Kelsey needs to include the before RDA things (school librarians will encounter old records and need to be able to discern what's going on) but the way in which it is addressed seemed backwards to me. As a general rule, she tells you how to do something and then says, but now with RDA... I just thought I learned the right way... but I learned the old way. Now I have to rethink what I learned because of the new rules. I'd personally prefer to be taught the right way first, but then told that older records might say/ be/ do whatever. I find that better because I don't feel like I've been taught the wrong thing.

Major pros: LOTS of examples that include figures of both MARC records and the items the records are coming from. Very helpful. I actually felt that the exercises at the end of chapters were pretty helpful as well. I was not required to use them for my class and still typically did.

[Chaos & Confetti]

For those looking for information about cataloging, this is a great resource. It is full of history, examples, and details. The book can definitely be a bit dense, but if joined with some basic knowledge of cataloging or a cataloging class, it should quickly become decipherable and extremely useful.

Some of the text can be a bit dry and feel a little dated (sections devoted to less prominent media and practices), but those can easily be skimmed or skipped. Also, a third edition of the text is currently in the works as of this writing, so many of the slightly dated issues should be addressed.

[Rusty del Norte]

This book can easily be read by anybody who is using MARC records that uses LCSH, Sears, or BISAC subject headings and Dewey or LCC classification. In other words - most American libraries. I do like one tidbit - that Sears updates more regularly than LCSH.

Overall, this book is repetitive but does provide some decent information. Just needs more Dublin Core, RDA, BIBFrame, and XML information.

[Rebecca Caufman]

When pared with a catalog class this book will eventually make sense.

[Megan Miller]

I read this for a course in my library science program, and it did exactly what it needed to do. It’s a solid, straightforward guide for school librarians working with MARC records and other cataloging standards.

✅ What Worked:
🗂️ Covers the Basics – The book provides a good overview of AACR2, RDA, FRBR, Sears, and Dewey Decimal, which makes it useful for both new and experienced catalogers.
📖 Clear Examples – The inclusion of practical examples helped clarify some of the more abstract cataloging theories.

🔍 What Could Be Improved:
📚 Missing Details – There were a few gaps where I had to look up supplemental information elsewhere, especially when working through more complex MARC elements. A bit more depth in certain areas would have made this a more complete reference.

📘 Final Take:
It’s a solid starting point for school librarians learning cataloging or brushing up on current practices. Not perfect, but a helpful resource overall.

[Claire]

Highly recommended.