Minimum-Level Cataloging for Dissertations/Theses:
Policy and Procedure Statement
Rationale: Minimum-level cataloging was inaugurated for dissertations/theses in order
to clean up the backlog of uncataloged materials. Since these materials already have subject
access provided through Dissertations Abstracts International, it was decided that brief local records
would be sufficient. These materials will not appear in OCLC.
Affected Materials: FIU Master's theses and FIU Doctoral dissertations.
Procedures: Bound FIU theses are delivered to Cataloging where they receive minimum-level cataloging directly into NOTIS. Item records are created (see exception below). For the copy going to the circulating collection, the call number is penciled in and a spine label and barcode are attached. For the copy going to Special Collections, call number and barcode are attached to an inserted card.
If only one copy is received and the "second copy" is on the web, Special Collections will get the
print copy and a URL for the online version will be added to the catalog record.
Music Department theses and dissertations: All theses and dissertations from the Music
Department should be given to the Special Materials Cataloging Section. The Section Head will determine
whether scores format or books format should be used. If scores format is appropriate, the
minimal-level cataloging record will be created by the Special Materials Cataloging Section.
If books format is appropriate, the item will be returned to the SLTA who normally processes these
materials. Books format theses may contain music as illustrative material. When this is the case, music is entered in subfield b of the 300 field.
If there is a CD bound with the text of the thesis, add this information to the 300 field: "XX leaves : |b music ; |c 29 cm. + |e 1 sound disc (digital)". Do not create a separate item record for the disc. However, do create MARC holdings for the text and the disc.
Bibliographic Description: Each record will have author, title, date, pagination, thesis
note, and a note showing degree area, i.e. "Master of Science in Biology." A tickler will also be
added:
035: : (FMFIU) MLC thesis.
Keywords: The keyword field (653) will be made of 3 separate subfields, all coded a and strung one after the other. No internal or final punctuation will be used unless there is an abbreviation. The first and last subfield a will always be the same; the middle subfield will contain the standardized form of the name of a subordinate FIU body -- a school, college or department. Click here for the list of standardized subordinate bodies.
EXAMPLES
653: : Florida International University |a College of Education |a Dissertations and theses
653: : Florida International University |a Chemistry Dept. |a Dissertations and theses
Classification: A "fake" LC-type call number will be created at the beginning of each
subject area. All theses on that topic will be given that class number, a cutter by author, and date.
For example, chemistry materials are classed in QD1-999. All chemistry theses will be put in
QD0 (zero) so they will all sit on the shelf in the beginning of the chemistry section.
