Comparing Catalogs

Abstract

Evaluative and comparative studies of catalog data have tended to focus on methods that are labor intensive, demand expertise, and can examine only a limited number of records. This study explores an alternative approach to gathering and analyzing catalog data, focusing on the currency and consistency of controlled headings. The resulting data provide insight into libraries’ use of changed headings and their success in maintaining currency and consistency, and the systems needed to support the current pace of heading changes.