Cataloging & Metadata Services at Western Libraries

Cataloging and Metadata Services team (CMS) creates, enhances, remediates, and maintains descriptive metadata for the Western Libraries’ collections. As a section within the Collection Services division, we collaborate with other units to ensure robust discoverability and timely availability of scholarly resources in various platforms, including OneSearch, CEDAR and MABEL. Drawing on our broad expertise in metadata content standards, encoding standards and taxonomies, we strive to continually improve the research, teaching and learning experience of our campus community through constant enrichment of the Western Libraries resource discovery environment.

Western Libraries is part of the Orbis Cascade Alliance and works within its shared repository, accessed through our resource management tool Alma. Through this and membership in the OCLC cooperative, we benefit from highly streamlined metadata processes. The preponderance of print textual resources (books and serial/periodical issues) are cataloged by Resource Access Unit staff at the time of receipt. Those routed to CMS for expert attention are typically cataloged and made available for use within days.

CMS staff participate in programs and activities sponsored by the Alliance’s Shared Content & Technical Services Team to ensure Western’s resource management needs are met through Alma, to participate in Alliance-wide development efforts, and to serve as a conduit of information between the Alliance and other Western Libraries staff. CMS also participates in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging’s national metadata sharing programs.