Cataloging was one of my least favorite classes in library school. Nonetheless, as a budding reference librarian I would frequently pull up the MARC display of a record to peer at the fixed fields and find the tidbit of information I knew to be lurking there. But let’s be honest, no one would mistake me for a cataloger.

So it was with humility and some bit of trepidation that I joined the AutoCat electronic discussion recently. My Library Journal column "Will RDA Be DOA?" had just come out, and I was certain that I would find some juicy discussion of it on this large and very active list of catalogers. I was not disappointed.

Shortly after joining I was privately welcomed by Marc Truitt, a co-moderator of the list, which did a lot to make me feel welcome among a group who surely must be out for my hide. For a bit I stayed silent and read the comments without defense or debate. Eventually I chimed in, partly to reveal that I was listening and partly to put up whatever pitiful defense of my points I could mount.

For a while it was interesting, challenging, provocative and insightful. I learned more than I taught. In response to a discussion about the 856 field, I was prompted to perform an anecdotal study of 856 usage that I reported on in this blog. I renewed my appreciation of catalogers, the work that they do, and the dedication and depth of feeling that they put into their work each and every day.

I also saw a community that seemed overly insular, private (the archives are blocked to all but subscribers, although this will likely change), and lacking (by their own admission) enough advocates with the same kind of bully pulpit occupied by yours truly.

This is a shame. We need to have the kinds of debates in which I participated within the AutoCat community out here in the open where all can see and participate. We need to wrestle with questions of the future of MARC and AACR2 and RDA. We need to collectively come to a better understanding of the new kinds of roles that catalogers should play within our institutions to better enable libraries to effectively use just about any bibliographic metadata we find. We need to have raging (but respectful) debates about the big issues facing us among all types of library staff.

In the very best democratic tradition, we need to provide truth the greatest opportunity to be revealed through free and open debate.

Eventually discussion of the big questions died down (as happens on all discussions), to be picked up again another day. But given the volume of the list and the lack of immediate application to my day job, I eventually signed off. But I’ll be back, of that you can be sure. Catalogers, and the value that they bring to the library enterprise, are much too important to do otherwise.