I like fussing. This idea of "hoarding" and "hiding" is difficult to understand as it makes it sound as if librarians, and especially those who catalog, are cave dwellers who can't speak. I would also ask you to not generalize all cataloging courses as traditional. We've been incorporating "non-traditional" ideas into our courses for quite some time now--although I don't use those two terms in my syllabi. Fundamentally, no matter the environment, we create a "representation" or "surrogate" of an information object for use within a system (define that as you like).
You write: "Bibliographic data available freely on the web can be combined and presented in different ways, available to those who might want to try new aggregations and methods of discovery and presentation." In your view, where does that bibliographic data originate? Who puts it into a shape or form so that it is available for "the web"? Or does it shape itself? I was recently contacted by a library looking for a fresh new student to help catalog some original materials that have no previous records/bib data in any system. Once those description are made--formed into some sort of representation--then that data can be shaped into anything we want and made available through any system, web-based or not. When I try to understand your argument I don't see that part of it--I just see something "miraculous" happening and then all of sudden things are on the web. Are you suggesting that we set are representations afloat--like paper boats in a stream? My epiphany wore off --I've lost site of your point of view. ************************************************************** Shawne D. Miksa, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Department of Library and Information Sciences College of Information, Library Science, and Technology University of North Texas email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://courses.unt.edu/smiksa/index.htm office 940-565-3560 fax 940-565-3101 **************************************************************
