Cataloging Department

The Cataloging Department is responsible for the creation, maintenance, indexing, and integrity of the Karrmann Library Catalog. The library catalog provides access to the holdings of the library including books, periodicals, microforms, audio-visual materials, musical recordings, government documents, and computer materials such as CD-ROMs. The library catalog, via bibliographic records, will provide the following information to the patron:

A description of the physical or electronic item including author, title, publisher, copyright date, and the extent of the item
Analysis of the item's content by the Department, and the assigning of Library of Congress subject headings (a standardized, controlled vocabulary)
Classification of the item (assigning a call number to the item) using the Library of Congress classification scheme, Dewey Decimal System or another classification scheme as applicable
The location of the item within the library as well as the item's status (availability and the due date, if applicable)

The assigning of subject headings enables the patron to locate library materials by a subject search. The assigning of a classification number will draw like materials together on the shelf thus permitting the patron to browse the shelves in a particular classification number.

Reporting ERRORS in the Online Catalog

If you are searching the library catalog (known as Search@UW) and you find a misspelling or something questionable in a bibliographic record, please notify the librarian who is working at the Reference Desk and they will forward the information to Jessica Donahoe.