Libraries organize their collections to help library users find what they need. Organizing library collections may seem like a straightforward and streamlined process, but it can be quite complex, and there is a large body of theory and practice that shape and support this work. Learning about the organization of library collections can be challenging. Libraries have a long history of organizing their collections, there are many principles, models, standards, and tools used to organize collections, and theory and practice are changing constantly. Written for beginning library science students, Organizing Library Collections: Theory and Practice introduces the theory and practice of organizing library collections in a clear, straightforward, and understandable way. It explains why and how libraries organize their collections, and how theory and practice work together to help library users. It introduces basic cataloging and metadata theory, describes and evaluates the major cataloging and metadata standards and tools used to organize library collections, and explains, in general, how all libraries organize their collections in practice. Yet, this book not only introduces theory and practice in general, it introduces students to a wide range of topics involved in organizing library collections. This book explores how academic, public, school, and special libraries typically organize their collections and why. It also discusses standardization and explains how cataloging and metadata standards and policies are developed. Ethical issues also are explored and ethical decision-making is addressed. In addition, several discussion questions and class activities reinforce concepts introduced in each chapter. Students should walk away from this book understanding why and how libraries organize their collections.

Table of Contents:
Part I: Theory of Organizing Library Collections 1: Purpose and History of Organizing Library Collections Library Collections How Library Collections are Organized: Theory How Library Collections are Organized: Practice Factors That Influence Organization in Libraries Limits to Organizing Library Collections History of Organizing Library Collections 2: Metadata and Encoding: Fundamental to Organizing Library Collections Metadata Types of Metadata Purpose of Metadata Metadata Standards Metadata Created in Libraries Encoding Standards and Markup Languages Encoding Standards in Libraries: MARC Encoding Standards in Libraries: Digital Collections 3: Describing and Providing Access to Library Collections Descriptive Metadata and its Purpose Descriptive Metadata in Libraries: Descriptive Cataloging Resource Description and Access (RDA) Other Content Standards Metadata Schemas Used in Libraries 4: Providing Subject Access to Library Collections Subject Analysis Controlled Vocabularies Uncontrolled Vocabularies Controlled Vocabularies Used in Libraries Library of Congress Subject Headings Children’s Subject Headings Library of Congress Genre/Form Terms (LCGFT) Sears List of Subject Headings Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) Faceted Application of Subject Terminology (FAST) Other Controlled Vocabularies 5: Classifying Library Collections Classification Library Classification Library Classification: Construction Issues Library Classification: Application Issues Arranging Library Collections Classification Schemes Used in Libraries Dewey Decimal Classification Library of Congress Classification National Library of Medicine Classification Superintendent of Documents Classification Other Library Classification Schemes Alternative Library Classification Part II: Practice of Organizing Library Collections 6: Organizing Library Collections: Standards and Policy Development Standardization The System of Standards Standards and Policy Development at the International Level Standards and Policy Development at the National Level Standards and Policy Development at the State and Regional Level Cataloging Policy Development at the Local Level 7: How Libraries Organize Their Collections Cataloging Practice Monographs, Serials, and Electronic Resources Organizing Books Organizing Serials Organizing Media and Other Formats Government Publications Metadata Practice Issues in Cataloging and Metadata Practice 8: Organizing Collections in Academic, Public, School, and Special Libraries Similarities and Differences Among Libraries Academic Libraries Public Libraries School Libraries Special Libraries 9: Ethical Issues in Organizing Library Collections Neutrality and Power Ethics and Values Statements The Role of the User Less Customization Bias and Marginalization in Subject Standards Ethical Obligations of Catalogers and Metadata Specialists 10: Current Developments in Organizing Library Collections Linked Open Data Linked Data in Libraries Identity Management Electronic Resources Metadata Work Discovery Products