[DCRM-L] Cataloging rates for graphics

[Deborah J. Leslie]

Dear colleagues,

I'm hoping experienced graphic materials catalogers can help me. We're trying to calculate cataloging rates for item-level MARC records of prints. We have good numbers from our recent Picturing Shakespeare project, but most of that cataloging was done from digital images, which I suspect may be faster than working from the physical objects. Is it? And if so, how much faster? One and a quarter times as fast? Twice as fast?

And completely outside my expertise and possibly of anyone reading this: how long does the item-level cataloging of realia take? I realize that the disparity of objects is much wider than with bibliographical objects. I suppose rates from museum cataloging might be analogous, but we're talking MARC records; think CCO. "Item-level" encompasses finding aids described to the item (such as we'll do with our costumes), as well as separate records (tapestries). We've got period furniture, props, ceramic figurines, souvenirs, &c. Might it be comparable to the average time it takes to catalog a rare book?

Thanks for any help anyone can give.

Deborah J. Leslie, M.S., M.L.S.
Head of Cataloging, Folger Shakespeare Library
djleslie at folger.edu | 202.675-0369  | www.folger.edu

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserver.lib.byu.edu/pipermail/dcrm-l/attachments/20130119/cbabd863/attachment.htm>