RE: [Videolib] Cataloging Foreign Language Feature Films

Tatar, Becky (bltata@aurora.lib.il.us)
Fri, 28 May 2004 08:45:55 -0500

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Holly, in keeping with the fact that consistency does not live at our
library, I have found titles done both ways. However, the English title is
always searchable, and quite often is the first title in the record.
Several titles I looked at did not even give the foreign title. This could
be because of several factors - the foreign title is not on the video
sleeve, or perhaps is not listed in the OCLC record that was used as the
basis for cataloging. Or, one option is to put both titles in the primary
line. I see this a lot with books that have been translated into Spanish.
So, Garcia Marquez' book would be entered as Vivir para Contarla = Living to
Tell the Tale. "Living to Tell the Tale" would be listed as the Additional
Title. As long as they can search by the most commonly known title, I think
that your patrons who want foreign films are probably savvy enough to read
through a bib record to see all the title information. Hope this helps.

Becky Tatar
Unit Head, Periodicals, Audiovisual
Aurora Public Library
1 E. Benton Street
Aurora, IL 60505
PHONE: 630-264-4100
FAX: 630-896-3209
www.aurora.lib.il.us
E-mail: bltata@aurora.lib.il.us

-----Original Message-----
From: Holly Sammons [mailto:sammons@ocpl.lib.ny.us]
Sent: Thursday, May 27, 2004 8:16 AM
To: videolib@library.berkeley.edu
Subject: [Videolib] Cataloging Foreign Language Feature Films

Before I ask my question, let me preface it by saying I am NOT a
cataloger! But I am having a cataloging battle.

I'd like my foreign language videos (dvd's and vc's)to be cataloged with
the primary title being English and the additional title in the language
the film was made (making it more user friendly). For instance, the film
"Shower" would have that as the primary title, and the Chinese title, "Xi
zao" would be the additional title.

My contention is that the average patron would search for "Shower" not "Xi
zao"!!! I know the general rule about title page, but with a video there
is no way a patron can view the "title page" without putting it in a
machine! And often there is NOTHING on the container that says the
foreign language title. Titles on video packages are often in English.

Is this reasonable? How do other libraries do it? My library's catalog is
so user unfriendly that this detail makes an enormous difference.

Thanks in advance.

-- Holly Sammons, Librarian Onondaga County Public Library 447 So Salina St Syracuse NY 13202 315-435-1894

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