Rosa Matthys

Started in 1968 as cataloguist in Gent
developing the VLAC Flemish Central catalogue

Until 2009, then stopped by becoming full time librarian, stopping cataloguing.

gent+brussels+hasselt+? organize the general catalog for flanders.

ISBD?
Applying international standards around..
SISO Code (NL)
MARC21 (US)

always adapted the rules for the flemish public.. interpreting the rules.

you have to work for your own people..

not add fields that you don't need. use a small percentage of the marc21.
fields and subfields that are interesting.

national library instead do bibliographic description for the country.

royal library do not give subjects. nor classificaiton numbers? more formal.
all contributors will record them.
Flanders: they only take translators, but f.ex. not for children, they're not important, so they're not catalogued

MARC21
fields that were not necessary:
    f ex country of the publisher
    f.ex different places of publisher, only 1 place
    only 1 data of publishing

classification numbers?
for the flemish libraries used only for the non-fiction collection. s
SISO? related with the Universal Decimal classification system, gives a number, is also spine lable on the book on the shelves
is a way to find a book & to find it on the shelves

early 2000: classification system is not easy for the public

so they made a specific flemish system, with words and icons
the ZIZO Zonder-Inspanning-ZOeken
instead of 912 (history), they say geschiedenis
only possible for small collections, not specific enough for large/central libraries

Doing classification, you have to work for your own people
is it the users of the library? librarians, readers? who is the public?
language/political layers
we work for the public from the libraries
only Dutch for the word system, icons are maybe more accessible for people who don't speak Dutch
numbers are readable for everyone, 'more neutral'

bibliotheek.be
subject/content in only in Dutch, interface of the catalog can be switched to Franch or English
that's a problem

SISO code is very eurocentric
don't know how to resolve that problem
nowadays more a problem than 40ys ago

trends over 40ys?
started with cataloguing cards: author, title, number
later: subjects, subjects for fiction

FRBR Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records
https://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/frbreng.pdf
entity based relational model
you had to search on French title to know if translation existed
now you look for one work and you find all different expressions
only in the public interface
in cataloguing system they make each time full description, not yet relational

cataloguing-librarian, how does the work relate? 
as cataloguer, miss the connection with the public..

they wanted to make me IT-librarian, I wasn't a IT'er
I had to chose, I went to Cultuurconnect to be cataloguist again

IT librarian, the automation of the library.. being responsible for computers, connection, etc.
Gent wanted new building, new vision, collaboration with university, working with all thei IT managers

Martino: combining IT & cataloguing
there should be more librarians involved in how the IT works
trying to open up a space in between

cultuur connect is a VZW that is funded by flemish government, which has the task to organize all digital projects for libraries and cultural centers.

one of the main tasks is the organisation of the catalog and the public interface to the catalog.
so a small library does not need to have to have a catalog, and also the public interface.
ticketing center for cultural centers and streaming of performances as well, all types of digital projects with flemish associations.

aspects of centralization of the work, less working 'in the field'
but lots og connections, working groups, discussions , eschange , negotiations.
days with all the libraries meeting and discussing. not working on an island. with and for the libraires and cultural centers.

what's the protocol if one library proposes a change in the classification?
central library system manages the checkout and is the basis for the catalog. fields are set by cultuur connect, and some libraries want to add subjects.

the libraries can add their own subjects ina specific field.

the muntpunt for example wanted to add the keyword decolonization in the catalog.. so that was a difficult process.

the question was brought up in cultuur connect indeed, decolonization project was quite interesting, but many questions and more time.. look at all subjects and change a lot of them in relation to the decolonization proposal. still try.

politics of language in the categorization.
there was negers in the catalog. which was then changed to zwarte. november last year. receive some elements from dutch libraries and can't change back there.
this was done after communications from people that were shocked by the use of hte word.

change of library system, not the catalog.
stop with UBIS? and start with UAIS? WISE?

technical change. some decisions made in how reservations are made, period. but seem not a lot will change for the public. but easier for the public.
one system is cheaper than multiple systems. easier for the connection with VLAC.

decolonization was problem was also the connection with subjects with VLAC.
if you change subhjects in VLAC, has to go out to lal other systems. they all need to apply same changes.

when you have only two systems, there is only one connection so would be easier to change things centrally.

important that we keep asking. also for assuring there is people that can do that work.