>From Kelley McGrath: > Although I feel Martha's frustration, I also agree with Karen that > (perceived) finger pointing is not a good direction and we somehow have to > find a way for system >>>>>>designers and catalogers to work together rather > than at odds.
While I agree in general with Kelley's sentiments, I agree more with what Mac has posted in this thread, and I sympathize with Karen Coyle when she says "We are not a bunch of ignorant dolts." But the thing is, neither are the rest of us. And the facts remain, despite this detour, much as Mac described them. And as far as the new Statement of International Cataloguing Principles goes, this latest manifestation is, to say the least, underwhelming. Further, I think we should internalize what Karen said toward the end of her posting: "I can see many things in the current RDA drafts that simply WILL NOT DO what they are intended to do when taken off the written page and managed in a machine-readable record. Those of us in systems can only manipulate the data we are given, and we have very little say over its form. A better dialog between catalogers and the folks who will actually bring the catalog into being using computers would only benefit everyone, and the users most of all." But neither side in this debate (to the extent to which there are only _two_ sides to it) is entirely blameless as far as being insensitive to the feelings of those with whom they disagree. Mike Tribby Senior Cataloger Quality Books Inc. The Best of America's Independent Presses mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
