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  • LISWire: Carleton and St. Olaf College Libraries collaborate with Backstage for increased discovery and access

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    December 10th, 2013LISWire aggregatorLISWire

    Contact:
    Kat Kamp
    Backstage Library Works
    801.356.1852
    news@bslw.com
    www.bslw.com

    PROVO, Utah, December 9, 2013 – The Bridge Consortium (Northfield, MN), which consists of the Libraries at Carleton and St. Olaf Colleges, is collaborating with Backstage Library Works in database processing as part of the libraries’ initiative to update and maintain their joint catalog.

    With a view to creating consistency and uniformity within the catalog, the consortium contracted with Backstage for authority control processing and RDA enrichment updates on 1 million authority records and nearly 2 million bibliographic records. Backstage began by updating and correcting the consortium’s MARC records and matching bibliographic headings against the Library of Congress database. In addition to name and subject headings, series and uniform title headings were also updated. Backstage then upgraded the consortium’s existing non-RDA bibliographic records to RDA standards and re-described the records as RDA in an automated fashion according to the consortium’s requests.

    St. Olaf College Libraries head of technical services, Sarah Beth Weeks recounts:

    “During the setup phase of our projects, Nate and Stephanie worked very hard to make sure all our questions were answered. We were impressed with their technical knowledge, quick turnaround and overall helpfulness throughout the process. We have been particularly impressed with the amount of customization Backstage has provided for our records as well as the scope and depth of the ongoing reports that they offer.”

    The consortium’s growing catalog receives 150,000 new records each year, 80 percent of which are e-resources. To maintain the newly updated catalog with next-day heading accuracy and to benefit from future RDA based discovery capabilities, the consortium has subscribed to Backstage’s daily current cataloging and monthly authority control notification services.

    Carleton College head of technical services, Carol Eyler states:

    “Since the completion of our basefile project, we have been pleased with the ongoing responsiveness of Backstage staff to our follow-up questions and requests. I would recommend Backstage to other libraries seeking similar services.”

    Backstage delivers bibliographic records upgraded by authority control processing, authority records not already in the consortium’s authority file that match the headings in their new bibliographic records, and authority records previously distributed that have been updated by the Library of Congress.

    When authority records are updated, replaced or deleted, Backstage alerts the consortium of the changes and supplies the updated records. As a result, cumbersome, time-consuming processes have been eliminated for the consortium, allowing a more streamlined workflow for the libraries. Benefits for patrons include being directed to correct headings when searching on topics of interest.

    About The Bridge Consortium

    The Bridge Consortium was established in 2004 by the libraries of Carleton College and St. Olaf College, two highly selective private liberal arts colleges in Northfield, Minnesota. The Bridge Consortium supports the academic programs of both colleges through shared library programs, resulting in better service to users, cost savings, and increased efficiencies. The libraries share an integrated library system (Innovative Interfaces’ Millennium), exchange print and media resources via a twice-daily courier service, manage physical collections to minimize redundancy, and site materials where they will receive greatest use. Staff work together on decisions regarding operations and user experiences, and in some cases, perform tasks for both libraries jointly.

    The Bridge Consortium joint catalog can be found online at: http://bridge.carleton.edu/

    Backstage vice president of automation services, Nate Cothran relates:

    “The Bridge staff were very knowledgeable and it was a pleasure working with them on the basefile project. They left no stone unturned, and we welcomed their feedback. They were instrumental in helping us modify existing rules and adding new rules to suit their records. We ended up running three samples for Bridge prior to processing the full basefile. Our motto is always to ensure the sample expectations are met before proceeding with the full processing.”

    About Backstage Library Works

    Backstage’s objective is to provide the most technologically advanced and efficient means for delivering professional library services. With over 25 years of experience, the company is known for its expertise in handling complex and unique projects. Backstage specializes in solutions for cataloging, authority control, digitization, preservation microfilm, and on-site needs. In providing services to more than a thousand libraries, large and small, public and private, and in locations across the globe, Backstage has cultivated an understanding of libraries, their mission, their operations, and the challenges they face. Backstage offices are located in Provo, Utah, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

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