Library of Things

The rules on this page are a draft until reviewed by SCRAP and CAMM. Do NOT follow the rules on this page. Please send any feedback to help@ccslib.org.

Library of Things

Library of Things refers to useful, but non-traditional, object that libraries have recently begun to add to their circulating collections, including telescopes, mobile hotspots, guitars, and more. For any questions on how to catalog these items, refer to OLAC’s Best Practices for Cataloging Objects in RDA and Marc 21.

When possible, libraries should use an OCLC record. If there is no OCLC record available, libraries should follow rules for cataloging unique local materials. If the records should not be added to Worldcat, 945 ‡b should include OCLC DO NOT SET. Libraries may attach their item records to an existing bibliographic record with items owned by other CCS libraries, provided there is nothing in the existing bibliographic record that is specific to a single library. Item holdable and circulation settings will determine whether that item can be checked out locally by patrons or sent in-transit to fill holds for patrons of other libraries. Libraries may also create a local record for their items only by identifying their library as part of the title. This makes it is possible for staff to find a library’s local records in the hit list. Brackets are not required for supplied titles of objects.

Example:

245 00 ‡aLake Villa District Library Mobile HotSpot.