ABSTRACT
Communication of public catalog issues throughout the University of Alabama Libraries has been and still is a major concern of the cataloging department. Many cataloging department heads hold the firm belief that improved user access to the libraries’ collections can be provided through an improvement in the communication patterns between several key departments of the libraries and the catalog department. Through the input of a group of public service and collection development librarians, the department should be able to assess the time priorities for materials processing, resulting in a greater degree of probability that useful backlogs would be made accessible with a minimum of delay. As a cataloging department head, it is also my belief that a discussion of the cataloging process and the concerns of the catalogers could lead to more consistent and more efficient processing of materials.
In November 1993 the Cataloging Advisory Group was formed as a one-year experiment in communication. Since that time the group has gone through numerous changes in both membership and charge but has continued to be one of the stronger discussion groups in the UA Libraries. The paper explores the group and its successes and failures during its six-year history. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-342-9678, E-mail address: getinfo@haworthpressinc.com <Website: https://www.haworthpressinc.com>]
