Navigating Reclassifying from Dewey to LC: Reclass Rehash

NAVIGATING RECLASSIFYING FROM
DEWEY TO LC: RECLASS REHASH
Michael Arseneau, John Bourgeois, William Charron

Communicate Cooperate Collaborate October 7-8, 2015
BACKGROUND
• In November of 2011, it was decided to reclassify the collection at Ellender Memorial
Library from the Dewey Decimal Classification system to the Library of Congress
Classification system.
• From the beginning, the process was handled by hand, each title or volume being
done one at a time.

BACKGROUND
• In July of 2014, it became apparent that doing the reclass by hand was far too slow
and that automating the process was necessary.
• A site visit from LOUIS and the resulting Footprint began the process of getting this
project automated.

PROJECT TIMELINE
• July 30, 2014 - Initial conversation with LOUIS staff about automating the conversion.
• Aug. 22, 2014 - Open Footprint to have a custom report created.
• Jan. 27, 2015 - Report testing begins in Training.
• Feb. 18, 2015 - Automation process begins with report moved to Production.

MANUAL PROCESS
Process:
1. Pull a truck of books.
2. Pull shelf list cards.
3. Use LC number on bottom of shelf list
card.
4. If no LC number, searched OCLC or
Library of Congress.
5. Still no LC number, one would be
assigned.
1. Would write new LC number in book and
on back of shelf list card.
2. Add new LC number to all records in WF.
3. Labels printed for completed book truck.
4. Shelf list cards were separated from the
books.
5. Books were processed with new label.
6. Shelf list cards were kept for a monthly
count of number of books converted.
• Started with Reference collection
• The first main collection areas chosen based on accreditation
• Then areas as needed for shifting

REPORT REQUIREMENTS (1/4)
 Be able to select a range of Dewey numbers by home location.
 The report will change the existing Dewey numbers in the call number/item
tab to the LC number from the 050 or 090 field if they met criteria.

050 and 090 Criteria:
 Use 050 if it exists.
 Use 090 If an 050 does not exist in a record or when there are two subfield
“a”s in the 050.
 In the case where there are two 090’s, then the record should be added to
the list of errors.

 The new LC number should leave the |z and volume information from the
Dewey numbers in place.
 Class scheme will need to change from Dewey to LC.
 Create a Dewey number sorted list of all items successfully converted to LC.
 Create a Dewey number sorted list of item IDs for label printing.
 Create a Dewey number sorted list of errors/problems.

Possible errors:
• The following were not edited due to multiple 050 or 090 tags.
• The following were not edited due to multiple 050 subfield a's.
• The following record lacks both an 050 and 090 tag.
• The following were not edited because the call numbers in 050 and/or
090 start with Z.
LOUIS staff suggested we add a 500 item limit on the report as a fail safe.

ACCESS SERVICES
 Beginning and End of the Process.
 Pull the books for reclass.
 Shelve them once reclassed.
 Mediate Migration with Users.
 Help students navigate between the systems.
 Emphasize clear divisions of LC from Dewey.

POTENTIAL APPROACHES
 Plan #1 – Pull in Dewey order.
 Easy on front end for Access Services.
 Easy for Tech Services to run.
 Difficult on back end for Access Services.
 Plan #2 – Pull in LC order.
 Impossible for Tech Services.
 Impractical for Access Services on front end.
 Easy for Access Services on back end.

PLAN #3 – THE HYBRID
 Pull Dewey based on LCC.
 Ranges based on where the space exists for LC.
 Easy for Access Services to consistently pull.
 Easy for run in Tech Services.
 Mostly easy to shelve with minimal outliers and minimal ad hoc shifting.
CAVEAT – Front end legwork.
Needed to know the LCC for Dewey
books.

ACCESS SERVICES ACCESS
 Manually done.
 Tech services.
 Exported txt
 Sent to me
 Translated into workable interface.
 Into excel
 Into access
 Train staff in Access
 Each member got ~45000 items
 Divided by Dewey Ranges

FILLING IN THE LC’S
-Workflows -WorldCat

PULLING (1/2)
 In actuality, ~500 items can be done per day, three days per week.
Approximately 6 carts.
 Student workers useful in regular semester.
 Access Services staff assist Technical Services in summer.
 Truncated hours.
 Reduced patron volume.

PULLING (2/2)
 Prior to going to Tech Services, items on cart compared to items in Access
list.
 Discarded/Missing Books
 Misshelved Books
 Checked Out Books
 Wrong Call Number
 Identify oddities – sets, volumes, series – for Cataloging.
 Chance to clean up the catalog.

TECHNICAL SERVICES PROCESS
1. Get the Dewey range to be processed.
2. Run the report.

RUNNING THE REPORT
 Enter call number range of books.

RUNNING THE REPORT
 Limit by Home location.

REPORT RESULTS
 List MARC Holdings edited.

REPORT RESULTS
 Total number of items edited followed by a count and list of any
errors/problems.

REPORT RESULTS
 Final Results section list all completed edits.

REPORT RESULTS
 End of Log contains a comma-delimited list of all item IDs in original Dewey
order.

CATALOGING PROCESS
3. Pull the cards: Pull out any that show there are copies, and those not in the stacks
location. The new LC call number is written on the cards with copies. Also the last
four numbers of the barcode are written next to each item.

CATALOGING PROCESS
4. Go through the LC call numbers on the report: Look for any call numbers
that seem incorrect. Search in OCLC to see if the record has been updated
with a correct call number. If no number is found set aside as a problem.

CATALOGING PROCESS
5. Pull the problems: Any problem items
listed on the report are taken off of the carts
and put aside on a “Problem Cart.”

CATALOGING PROCESS
6. Run the Print Labels report: Using the comma-delimited item IDs, run
the report to print the labels.
7. Go through the labels: Manually change any that need to be edited or
copies added.

CATALOGING PROCESS
8. Print the labels: Print to the label printer. Glance over to make sure
everything printed correctly (not outside of margins, etc...). Keeping the
sheets of labels in order, place on corresponding cart, shifting books as
necessary.

CATALOGING PROCESS
9. Physical processing: Three labels per item. Label protector.

SHELVING
 Books ordered on carts prior to moving to the stacks.
 Projected locations not always correct.
 Shifting on the fly.

MANAGING THE TRANSITION
 Monitoring Student Workers.
 Fluctuating call numbers create issues.
 Pressuring Librarians to Review Sections for Discards prior to
Reclassification.

BY THE NUMBERS
Manual Process
 Done Monday - Friday
 43,995 books in 3 Years and 3
months.
 Averaging 1,128 books a month.
 220,000 book collection would take
approx. 16 Years and 3 months.
Automated Process
 Done 3 days a week
 37,413 books in 9 months.
 Averaging 4,157 books a month.
 220,000 book collection would take
approx. 4 Years and 6 months.

Navigating Reclassifying from Dewey to LC: Reclass Rehash

More Related Content

Similar to Navigating Reclassifying from Dewey to LC: Reclass Rehash (20)

More from LOUIS Libraries (13)

Recently uploaded (20)

Navigating Reclassifying from Dewey to LC: Reclass Rehash