Practitioner Perspectives on Cataloging Education for Entry-Level Academic Librarians

Abstract

The role of cataloging education within the library profession is a topic of considerable interest and debate. Fifty-five heads of reference and sixty-five heads of cataloging in Association of Research Librarians institutions responded to a survey based upon the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services Educational Policy Statement, Appendix: Knowledge and Skills, Intellectual Access and Information Organization, concerning the importance of cataloging competencies for all entry-level academic librarians. The survey found that practitioners agreed upon a definite set of core cataloging competencies that all entry-level academic librarians should possess. This finding holds larger implications for library education for academic librarians and for the profession as a whole.