The document discusses strategies for reorganizing the Technical Services Department (TSD) at Western Michigan University Libraries. The goals are to streamline workflows, reduce backlogs, standardize procedures, and promote collaboration both within TSD and with other units. Key aspects of the reorganization include retraining staff, implementing PromptCat and FastCat to handle simple copy cataloging, focusing on backlogs and special collections, and forming best practices teams to standardize cataloging across units and contribute to global metadata efforts.

1. Cooperation, Communication, and Collaboration: 3 C's of Workflows at WMU University Libraries’ TSD

2. Reorganization of TSD Goals Format blind Standardize procedures Streamline workflow Reduce backlog Think globally

3. Retraining & Rethinking Rewrite job descriptions Retraining of staff PromptCat and students take over “fastcat” Upgrade skills of staff catalogers Collaboration with other units

4. PromptCat FastCat and Processing students take over bulk of simple copy cataloging PromptCat checklist Student copy cataloger

5. Upgrade staff training Train staff “fast” cataloger to do complex copy and original cataloging Train staff in electronic formats Train Acquisitions staff to catalog serials Rare Book School Non-MARC metadata training

6. Backlogs and “Hidden” Materials “ Enhance access to rare, unique, and other special hidden materials.” On the Record. 2008 Survey to identify backlog Inventory of Special Collections Collection-level records TechPro Custom Cataloging

7. Collaboration outside TSD “ Facilitate the formation of new partnerships between cataloging departments and other units, both internal and external to the libraries.” White Paper on the Future of Cataloging at Indiana University. 2006

8. Collaboration in Cataloging Maps Government documents Special Collections Music & Dance Archives & Regional History Visual Resources

9. Collaboration in Metadata Civil War diaries and letters TEI XML EAD finding aids Migrate art slides from Image Cat to Luna MARC to VRA crosswalk Upgrade and standardize metadata in existing digital collections

10. Benefits of Collaboration Done better Combined subject/metadata expertise Done quicker Spreads out the work Creates good will More in touch with our users Greater appreciation of what we do

11. Thinking Globally - Practices “ Eliminate local practices and customized workflows in favor of best practices.” Karen Calhoun Best practices teams: Cataloging Best Practices Serials Best Practices Electronic Resources Best Practices Redesign Processing Slip Fast Cat/PromptCat Best Practices Database Maintenance Best Practices

12. Goals of teams Streamline and standardize Accept member-contributed metadata as much as possible Focus on interoperability and shareability of any metadata created Make ILS metadata machine-readable and reusable

13. Best practice teams Normalize & standardize serial holdings Create macros for standard notes Simplified PromptCat checklist and procedures Elimination of local call numbers Elimination of printouts Outsourcing of authority control

14. Thinking Globally - Contribution “ Increase distribution of responsibility for bibliographic record production and maintenance.” On the Record. 2008 Contribute to global database SACO funnel NACO Institutional records in Connexion Working on “enhance” status

15. Results so far … Increased staff morale Global point of view Quicker throughput Increased contribution Reduction of backlogs

16. Sheila Bair Cataloging & Metadata Librarian Western Michigan University Libraries 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5353 [email_address] 269-387-5160