Basic Cataloging

*Library workers are limited to 2 course enrollments through CALL annually. Already taken 2 courses? Email us to see if an exception can be made: call@cla-net.org.

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Four-week Course | January 20 - February 16, 2026 | Live Session onThursday, Febuary 12 @ 9:00 am 

This four-week online course will provide an overview of library cataloging and classification and prepare you to do copy cataloging. It is particularly focused on the needs of public library staff newly assigned to copy cataloging tasks. We will cover Resource Description and Access (RDA), the current cataloging rule, the Library of Congress genre/form headings project, and Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC) subject headings. MARC format and Dewey Decimal Classification system will be discussed as well. Tips on copy cataloging of newly emerging formats, such as e-books, graphic novels, and downloadable media will be offered.

At the end of four weeks, you will feel comfortable with the basics of cataloging, classification, and MARC records and be ready to begin copy cataloging items in a variety of formats.

Course Description: Through reading materials, online forums, and individual exercises, you will gain knowledge of basic cataloging rules and tools, commonly used controlled vocabularies, the Dewey Decimal Classification system, and MARC21 format. Applying this knowledge, you will be able to decode MARC bibliographic records and perform basic copy cataloging.

During the course, you will: complete assignments, take quizzes, and participate in discussion forums as part of the online learning experience.

Additionally, the course will include a live 60-minute online session:

• Thursday, Febuary 12 @ 9:00 am Pacific Time 

The meeting will demonstrate various cataloging tools. It will be recorded, and the recording will be shared afterward.

Course Outline: When you log in to the Infopeople online learning site, you will see weekly modules with these topics:

• Week 1: Overview of Cataloging
  • Purpose and elements of cataloging
  • General cataloging methods and cooperative cataloging
  • Introduction to cataloging rule: RDA
  • Introduction to controlled vocabularies, such as Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), LC Genre/Form Headings, Book Industry Standards and Communications (BISAC) Subject Headings, etc.
• Week 2: Classification systems and MARC Format
  • Introduction to Dewey Decimal Classification and Library of Congress Classification
  • What is MARC format?
  • Elements of MARC records
  • Summary of commonly used MARC fields for bibliographic data
• Week 3: Basic Copy Cataloging for print material
  • Tasks of copy cataloging
  • Which cataloging record to use?
  • Essential MARC fields to verify
  • Copy cataloging of print material, including graphic novels
• Week 4: Basic copy cataloging for non-print material
  • Copy cataloging of e-books
  • Copy cataloging of DVDs
  • Copy cataloging of CDs
  • Issues and tips on copy cataloging of downloadable media

Time Required: To complete this course, you can expect to spend 2 to 2 ½ hours per week, with options for further study and application. You can work on each module at your own pace, at any hour of the day or night. However, it is recommended that you complete each week's assignments within that week to stay in sync with other learners.

Who Should Take This Course: Anyone from the library community with an interest in learning the basics of library cataloging and classification. Particularly public library staff newly assigned to copy cataloging tasks. This course provides Library Support Staff Certification credits for the Cataloging and Classification competency set. The instructor will provide more extensive work with the Dewey Decimal Classification system than with alternatives, but Library of Congress and other classification systems currently in use will be discussed as well

Presenter:

Xiaoli Li manages the Content Support Services Department at the University of California Davis Library that is responsible for acquiring, licensing, cataloging and preserving scholarly resources. In this position, she works with catalogers to set up local cataloging policies and best practices and coordinates training and workshops. She is also involved in linked data implementation and has helped the UC Davis Library and the library community use modern technologies to transform their technical services operations.

CALL Training Partner: Infopeople

Track: Cataloging