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Cataloging COI

Community of Interest

Cataloging COI Updates - Fall 2025

Summary of the latest updates, best practice suggestions and decisions from the Cataloging COI meetings and discussions:Cataloging COI Updates

  • The group discussed establishing OPAL standards and best practices for cataloging in Alma. A working group was formed to identify OCLC export fields to be addressed through normalization processes (Laurence, Skirvin, Noreen Mulcahy, Drew Timmons and Matt Polcyn). This will be followed by flowcharts to document scenario-specific cataloging workflows.
     
  • Post migration data cleanup projects include:
    • Cleaning up 590 notes that contain other instittuions' information and moving notes to local fields.
    • Institutions should also prioritize P2E duplication issues. Part of that involves evaluation of collections like bible commentaries, Naxos Music Library, and video collections like Swank and Kanopy to determine the ones where local bibliographic records might be preferable.
       
  • Lauren shared survey results of requested Idea Exchange topics:
    • Primo configurations and customizations - decision making
    • Simple acquisitions workflows
    • Creating and managing brief bibs
    • Deriving records
    • Cataloging e-resources that are owned by other institutions 
    • Creating and managing brief bib records
    • Creating and using sets
    • Basic acquisitions and cataloging (and how they are related) - this topic was selected for a January session with the intent that it will be informed by the results of the flowchart group's work. Details TBD.
       
  • The group agreed there is a need for OPAL meetings and events that address Electronic Resources management.
     
  • Josh Springer has volunteered to coordinate the spring meeting.
     
  • Next meeting: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 10 am  - Virtual. 

 

The full meeting minutes can be found under the Meeting Documents tab.

Statement of Purpose

The Cataloging COI establishes and maintains standards, policies, and procedures that ensure high quality bibliographic records in the OPAL online catalog. The Cataloging COI recommends policies for record selections, input, and deletion, in accord with OhioLINK directives, and plans and implements modifications to catalog records in response to changes in accepted cataloging practices and system enhancements.

Policies and procedures are developed in consultation with the OhioNet Director of Technology Services and are published and maintained in an online cataloging manual. The COI also serves as an advisory body to the Directors’ Council, works in collaboration with other OPAL groups with shared interests, and regularly disseminates its work through OPAL communication channels.

Cataloging COI Coordinator

Scribe: Hayley Fuhrer (Heidelberg)

Previous Coordinator: Lauren Marshall

Previous Scribe: Drew Timmons