The Calvin T. Ryan Library's Cataloging/Systems/Serials Department is the Department of the Month for March. Whenever a member of the UNK community or the public picks up a book, magazine, newspaper, microfiche, VHS, DVD or CD; uses the reference section of the library; or searches for data on ROSI, it is the Cataloging/Systems/Serials Department that made it available.
The department maintains the library online catalog (ROSI); assigns locations of books on shelves in the library; determines call numbers, subject headings and processes to access the books and other materials; updates the Web page; and ensures that magazines, newspapers and journals are shelved appropriately.
Each year the department catalogs approximately 12,000 books. In so doing, the department draws upon the resources of the Online Computer Library Center (OCLC). The Calvin T. Ryan Library has been a member of this extensive international network of libraries for 30 years--long before the World Wide Web and most other computer networks were available. Today, Calvin T. Ryan Library is one of more than 50,584 libraries in 84 countries and territories throughout the world served by OCLC. Further, the Cataloging/Systems/Serials Department members have contributed to, and drawn on, OCLC's WorldCat, which now contains more than 47 million catalog records contributed by more than 9,000 member libraries. The OCLC is a major resource for the department as its members draw upon its resources to serve the UNK academic community.
Members of the department include: Sharon Mason, professor and department head; Jeanne Schultz and Julie Stall, Library Assistant III; Glenda Wilson, Computer Software Technician II; and Rosemarie Wilson, LaVonne Fries, and Cynthia Messenger, all Library Assistant II rank.
As the nomination noted, while members of the Cataloging/Systems/Serials Department may not be very visible to the general library users, the results of their efforts are very visible to the public and UNK community.
Thank you to the sponsors of the Department of the Month: UNK Athletic Department and Staff Senate.