Message-Id: <mailto:199407180352.WAA25900@library.wustl.edu> Date: Sun, 17 Jul 1994 16:52:56 -0700 From: Robert MacKimmie <mailto:rm@CALIFHISTSOC.ORG> Subject: Re: Followup regarding--"another visual imaging project" (long, To: Multiple recipients of list IMAGELIB <mailto:IMAGELIB@ARIZVM1.BITNET>
There has been a simultaneous discussion on the Archives listserv about cataloging photographs with USMARC formatting. I think the discussion is equally appropriate to this group, so if no one minds my dumping more information on the net, this is a summation of how I/we have constructed a method, and networked utilities, which make cataloging of photographs online quite productive. We are attempting to produce the highest levels of cataloging for materials just beginning to be cataloged as seriously as other forms. With the power and speed of computers making image delivery possible, there are solid reasons for great expectation regarding image subject search and resulting image viewing...Below is *hopefully* some useful information about our procedure and some explanation of the MARC look and feel for those not familiar...
Following up on my previous post about the cataloging procedure for photographs here at CHS, as curator and pseudo-expert on the photos, I fill in the pertinent information that "I" would know or be able to decipher. This would be determining the type of photograph, (distinquishing an albumen photoprint on a boudoir card from a gelatin silver printing out paper photoprint, gold toned on a boudoir card takes some years and training); figuring out the shelflisting on the back of the photograph because of variations over time is also sometimes equally as difficult as deciphering some item from the King Tut exhibition.
To make the cataloging process smooth and easy, I have created many online information authority sources that we use as part of the standard cataloging procedure. I have them running on the screen at the same time, though they utilize several different computer applications, (just another reason for a robust computer system.)
The sources I use for the initial data workup are: 1. Photographer Authority file, [this is derived from the materials listed in the George Eastman House Index to American Photographic Collections-I have put this list online and we update it on our list and to the Eastman House as we discover previously unknown photographers in our collection.] 2. CHS Photo Shelf List, (this was the first thing that I put online starting in 1988-making a single source for shelflist listings really cuts down on the confusion and descrepencies as the workflow progresses--there are so many variations at the item level throughout the collection.) 3. 19th Century card mounted format description, (I will include this later. The charted process and sizes very quickly determine what something is, [Boudoir -vs.- Imperial card].) 4. I do have a MARC field *typical example* stlye sheets that I use to drop proper formatting of pertinent field coding into the database which has been created to look like, and when printed out, function as the Visual Image Cataloger's Worksheet. I will put a few examples of those after the photo size chart. 5. The other major group of online tools are the subject authority sources. We use all three as I mentioned in my previous post: LCTGM (Lib Cong Thesaurus for Graphic Materials--I OCR scanned the 750 page book, formatted it to a three-field database and can now search on any related term, even in the hierarchical relations, and turn up a list of headings. By scrolling through the list of potenial heading that result from the subject query, I can copy and paste to my database-cataloging worksheet all of the appropriate subject headings. By not retyping, I catalog very quickly and eliminate mistakes caused by mistyping. The pick list also turns up a wide variety of pertinent subject headings effortlessly that I never would have had the time or enthusiasm to search out. As an example, looking at subject headings for a water canal construction photograph from the Central Valley of California in the late 19th Century, a LCTGM search on the term "water" turned up the following subject headings, which seem appropriate: "Aqueducts--[country or state]--[city]; Canals--[country or state]; Conduits, Water USE Aqueducts Culverts Penstocks; Hydraulic construction works--[country or state]; Water distribution structures--[country or state]" We also run the Getty AAT online with great results and have just begun to use the LCSH CD with equally good results. Our catalogers initially liked getting up to reference the 3 and 4 volume subject sets, but have since become use to the online subject utilities, and so are now fans of computer search for subjects. We DO use all three utilities because, as my previous post suggested, none of the three sources seem to be complete, and all three together do a really great job. Because all three are online, the search time is quick and efficient for using all three. Better records in just about the same minimal time.
Here are the photo size charts (from various sources): DAGUERREOTYPE SIZES-(Booth) Full plate 6-1/2 x 8-1/2" 1/2 plate 4-1/4 X 5-1/2" 1/4 plate 3-1/4 x 4-1/4" 1/6 plate 2-3/4 x 3-1/4" 1/9 plate 2 x 2-1/2"
CLASSIFICATION OF CARD MOUNTED PHOTOGRAPHS- Variations in size occur--LC specifies rounding up to the next quarter inch or centimeter, but I prefer cm because you can mark the exact 1/10 centimeter which fulfills museum standards. dimentions are usually taken "vertical precedes horizontal"...
Cigarette card 2-3/4 x 2-3/4 in.; 7 x7 cm Stereograph card 3-1/2 x 7in. to 5 x 7in.; 8.5/12.8 x 17.8 cm; Cartes de visite 4 x 2-1/2in.; 10.2 x 6.3 cm. Kodak card 4-1/4 x 5-1/4in.; 10.8 x 13.3 cm., (circular) Boudoir 5-1/2 x 8-1/2in.; 14 x 21.06 cm. Swiss card 6-1/2 x 2.85in.; 16.5 x 7.3 cm. Cabinet card 6-1/2 x 4-1/2in.; 16.5 x 11.4 cm. Imperial 7 x 10in.; 17.8 x 25.4 cm. Promenade card 7-1/2 x 4in.; 19 x 10.2 cm. Paris card 9-3/4 x 6-3/4in.; 24.8 x 17.1 cm. Panel card 13 x 7-1/2in.; 33 x 19 cm.
Below are my MARC field stylesheet examples (some of them) and for non-bibliographic people, the number coding of the fields may look crazy, but are actually very simple. The first three numbers are the definition of the pertinent MARC field, the second two digits specify the source of the reference (LCSH -vs.- LCTGM -vs.- AAT), and subdivisions within the fields indicate city, date, size, donor name, etc.
It should be noted by those who think that MARC format is only for books that ANYTHING can be handled by MARC format. The format for inputting information and describing any material would work equally as well. A whale skeleton could be handled just as easily as a glass paperweight, as an historic automobile, as a chewing gum wrapper. The museum field at large must soon get over the notion that their collections are so unique that they are not able to be described in a manner that can be shared with the rest of the world. It just ain't so...MARC and upcoming SGML formatting both will do a great job.
Absolute understanding and demystification of the MARC format can be quickly understood by getting and browsing a copy of "Format Integration and its Effect on the USMARC Bibliographic Format" from the Network Development and MARC Standards Office, Library of Congress, 1988, [(202) 707-6237] ISBN # 0-8444-0627-9.:
So here is a variety of formatted terms for each field, taken from my style sheet which I use to assemble the first set of information in the photo cataloging process. After I get finished with the first round, the catalogers develop up all other information, *CORRECT MY MISINFORMATION*, enter the info into the RLIN database, send all info back to me, we jointly review all entries and when all terms are reviewed and approved, we produce the record. Scanned images are prepared simultaneously, so as soon as the Internet connection and utilities will allow it, the images will be available to match the data record via Telnet searching. Please note that a MARC field is now specified which indicates the computer telnet address where the images resides. It is now a standard and can now be employed, as I understand it. The list of fields below is the basic, core subset. Additional MARC fields are added as required by the materials. We are also cataloging broadsides, maps, ephemera, bookplates, booksellers labels, book illustrations, rare books, oil paintings, drawings, lithographs, fruit labels, and so on. It all works well in MARC.
My/our examples of MARC cataloging terms used for describing photos:
Main entry--personal name: 100 1 Watkins, Carleton E.,Ñ829-1916. Main entry--Corporate name: 110 Corporate name
Title statement (check for subdividing rules): 245 10 Whale fishing, Bay of Monterey, Cal.ÿgraphic] 245 00 Combined harvester, Tulare, Cal.ÿ[graphic] :û[16 horse drawn]
Physical description (fields 300-362, check for subdividing rules): 300 1 photoprint :ÿelatin silver :Â6 x 21 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ÿelatin silver copy photograph:Á8 x 22 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ÿelatin silver postcard photograph:É.5 x 14.9 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ÿelatin silver printing out paper, gold toned :Á9 x 24 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ÿelatin silver photograph, card mounted;üimage 17 x 22 cm., mount 21 x 26 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ÿelatin silver copy photograph, card mounted;üimage 17 x 22 cm., mount 21 x 26 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ûalbumen ;üimage 17 x 22 cm., mount 21 x 26 cm. 300 1 photoprint on boudoir card :ºlbumen ;ü13 x 21 cm. 300 1 photoprint on boudoir card :ºlbumen ;üimage 12.1 x 20.1cm., mount 13.8 x 21.4 cm. 300 1 photoprint on boudoir card :ûgelatin silver, gold toned ;ÿmage 12 x 20 cm., mount 14 x 22 cm. 300 1 photoprint on cabinet card :ºlbumen ;üimage 13.3 x 9.2 cm., mount 16.7 x 10.7 cm. 300 1 photoprint on cartes de visite card :ºlbumen :üimage 6.5 x 4.7 cm., mount 7.5 x 5 cm. 300 1 photoprint :ûcyanotype ;üimage 17 x 22 cm., mount 19.5 x 25 cm. 300 1 photoprint on imperial card :ûalbumen ;ü18 x 23 cm.
Series Statement/Added Entry--Title: 440 0 Watkins' new boudoir series Yo Semite and Pacific Coast :û3897 440 0 Watkins' new series Pacific coast views ;ÿw433 440 0 Views of Southern California scenery
General Notes: 500 On back : Robert Tyron Frederick & others. 500 Title from handwritten note on back of photograph. 500 Title from mount. 520 A military exercise at the Presidio, with S.F. Bay, the "Golden Gate" and Marin Head lands as a backdrop.
Culmative Index/Finding Aids Note: 555 0 "shelf-list-descriptor-here".ÿhelf List (Location)
Exhibitions Note: 585 Included in the Exhibition "California as Cornucopia", originating institution, curator, place, dates.
Local notes: 590 FN-16367. 590 Former owner: Philadelphia Commercial Museum. 590 Formerly owned by William Hammond Hall, C.E., San Francisco, California, 1846-1934.
Subject Added Entry--Personal Name: 600 10 last, first, mi,ý18xx-19xx.
Subject Added Entry--Corporate Name: 610 20 Southwest Airways.
Subject Added Entry--Topical Term: 650 0 Human-animal relationshipsÿCalifornia 650 7 term.òlctgm 650 7 Air mail serviceÿ1911.ÿctgm
Subject Added Entry--Geographic Name: 651 0 San Francisco Bay (Calif.) 651 0 Tulare (Calif.)
Index Term--Genre/Form: 655 7 Group portraits.ògmgpc 655 7 Landscape photographs.ògmgpc 655 7 Cityscape photographs.ògmgpc 655 7 Waterscape photographs.ògmgpc 655 7 Portrait photographs.ògmgpc
Added Entry--Physical Characteristics 755 Albumen photoprints.ògmgpc 755 Boudoir card photographs.ògmgpc 755 Cabinet card photographs.ògmgpc 755 Card photographs.ògmgpc 755 Cartes de Visite card photographs.ògmgpc 755 Cyanotypes.ògmgpc 755 Imperial card photographs.ògmgpc 755 Photoprints.ògmgpc 755 Silver gelatin printing-out paper photoprints.ògmgpc 755 Silver gelatin photoprints.ògmgpc
796 11 Last, first, mi,ý18xx-19xx,þdonor. 796 11 Hall, William Hammond,ïormer owner
797 21 Commercial Museum (Philadelphia, Pa. )þformer owner.
Please remember that these terms are a paraprofessional workup meant to speed the flow of the cataloging process. Any misinformation or misformatting is a result of my being a curator, systems builder and not a cataloger. Real professional catalogers make up for my shortcomings by cataloging properly. I never have my hands on the RLIN keyboard, and only do my portion of the information workup and worksheet production to speed the process along.
Many have responded to my offer to come by and see our Visual Automation Project in action. The computer system and utilities are quite something; a demo is able to convey what is useful, possible and what should be requested of a vendor's offerings when shopping for a system. So, thanks to those who are stopping by, and anyone visiting or in the area, please feel free to visit. The more we educate our own profession as to what is possible and productive, the higher the standards and the more incredible the enabled resulting scholarship opportunities for the public at large...
Happy Monday,
Robert MacKimmie Curatorial Director of Photography California Historical Society, San Francisco 415-567-1848 mailto:rm@califhistsoc.org