I've been doing this completely WRONG!

I currently work as an assistant in an elementary school library.  As the librarian spends much of her time teaching classes, pretty much every thing else falls to me.  This includes processing and cataloging new books.  The first year I worked, I only did copy and paste cataloging and only from two websites the librarian preferred.  However, after I became familiar with bibliographic records and MARC tags, she showed me other sites she uses and what items may need to be edited.  She also showed me how to create a record from scratch.  I do this every week and it is a very simple process. 

Now I am taking a cataloging class and looking over all the codes, acronyms, and abbreviations I have to learn how to use.  Not to mention the amount of detail involved in each record.  The librarian I work for does not do it this way.  She is primarily in charge of her library and not really accountable to anyone else, so she can basically do what she wants.  The more classes I take in LIBS the more I realize how much she really does her own way. 

I'm a little overwhelmed right now, but I decided to quit looking ahead and pace myself according the assignments.  I think if I become familiar with each new piece of information in a step by step process, I will understand everything just fine.

Kristy Boling
January 31, 2011
235 words