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Re: Photograph Cataloging?



Considering that MARC was designed to catalog collections, it's not
surprising it doesn't show individual photograph cataloging.  In addition,
how useful is a catalog of words to describe a visual object?  Cataloging on
a national database should point to collections of photographs.  Then the
researcher should contact those repositories to look for specific images or
types of images.

Researchers who do this are likely to discover a wide range of cataloging
available.  Cataloging of photographs on computer has been a priority in the
last three collections in which I have worked, and there are many, many
projects out there.  With digital imaging becoming relatively simple, the
number of projects is going to increase quickly.

It is a time-consuming project.  Research is needed to correctly identify
the subjects in photographs.  When I worked at Minneapolis Public Library, I
became adept at providing date ranges for city scenes based on when landmark
buildings went up.  For fields, I recommend unlimited subject heading
fields; a title field with some attempt to apply a title that reflects the
main subject of a picture; formats available
(negatives/prints/transparencies/color vs. black&white/sizes); photographer;
date (allowing ranges);  possibly a "type" of view (cityscape, landscape,
action, portrait, exterior, interior, among other possibilities);
provenance; collection (important when separating items by format).   Of
course, it all needs to be tied to some sort of numbering system which is
consistently applied.

The packages I have used are:  Inmagic (currently with the name
DB/Textworks); Folio Views; and PastPerfect.  Inmagic was by far the best
software of the three for the photograph cataloging.  You may wish to
contact the Special Collections Department at Minneapolis Public Library for
details of their system.  When I worked there, we distributed the basic
system outline and the thesaurus on request.  You should look online for
other examples, and search this listserv's archives for announcements.  The
only one I have used is the Western History Collection at Denver Public
Library, which has an immense collection of photographs online with a good
search system.  Sorry I don't have their address handy.

Erin Foley
Archivist
Circus World Museum
550 Water Street
Baraboo, WI  53913

608-356-8342, ext. 3283
efoley.cwm@baraboo.com


----- Original Message -----
From: schaal <schaal@ALEXIA.LIS.UIUC.EDU>
To: <ARCHIVES@LISTSERV.MUOHIO.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2000 10:37 AM
Subject: Photograph Cataloging?


> If anyone can provide me with alternative cataloging system such as
software
> packages, etc. or websites (like the Library of Congress' American
Memories),
> I would be eternally grateful.
>
> Thank you.
> Donna Schaal
>

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