Cataloguing in the digital epoch: B. N. Yeltsin Presidential Library’s experience

Abstract

The digital cataloguing experience of Presidential Library is discussed. The integrated e-collection comprises digital copies of library materials, archival documents and museum objects, which requires designing methods for describing entries new to library preservation. The Presidential Library’s interdepartmental working group has developed principles and approaches toward integrating presentation and access to the library, archival, and museum resources into the single catalog in accordance with existing international standards. The Presidential Library acts as a methodological center developing special methods for describing diverse information resources. Methodological publications by Presidential Library are considered the logical extension of RUSMARC Application Examples guidance series intended for Russian bibliographizing institutions. The Presidential Library’s work within the framework of the National Standardization Program, National Electronic Library and the union catalog of electronic resources is also discussed. The Library participates in IFLA UNIMARC permanent committees and IFLA Subject Analysis and Access Section. The Presidential Library is an educational center for digital content cataloguing for libraries, and holds training work-shops. It enrolls university graduates in generating the descriptive metadata. The prospective vectors in cataloguing are examined, e. g. designing model description of digital collections and Metadata Encoding and Transmission Standard (METS) implementation.