Technical Processing is an important part when the document is received by the Librarian.
Every Document has to go through technical processing, without that a document can't be
disseminated. A document may be Book, Journal, Manuscript, CD, DVD collection, etc.
The good collections of documents are necessary for providing better library service. The
collection is built up by the coordination of librarians and users.
The Technical Processing department performs some tasks like physical processing,
classification, cataloging, etc that facilitate the use of the document collection. The
Technical Processing Section is the Back Bone of the Library. It works in the background
so users are not aware of what things are mandatory before it is being issued to users.
Technical Processing of Library Materials
Different names are given to the Technical Department such as Cataloguing Section,
Classification Section, Physical Processing, etc. The Technical Processing Department
facilitates the use of documents in the Library. This Is a vital part of the Library. The
documents are being made ready for dissemination. The Documents go through the
following procedures.
Physical Processing Work
The Documents are ordered after the recommendation by users. The Librarian verifies it
and then selects the documents for acquisition. Then the book is procured and received
by the Librarian. The documents are verified with the order list. Then the documents are
sent in the technical section for physical processing. The following work is done in Physical
processing.
Cutting
Most often the book's pages are joined together or not cut properly. If these are left
unnoticed users will open the page by inserting the fingers or pen and ultimately the page
is damaged. To prevent this, the whole book is checked and any uncut edges are properly
cut. This cutting work should be done with proper instruments like knives or scissors.
Easing
Newly acquired books from the vendors may not open well, as it is hard at the spine. This
needs easing to make it flexible. This is done by opening the document somewhere in the
middle and placing it on the table and pressing it from the top. This can be done slowly
and repeatedly.
Stamping
The Library Stamping is a vital part of Technical Processing. It is generally done on Title
Page and last Page. Then another place where stamping is done is Secret Page. It may
differ from one organization to another. Stamping should be done properly, as sometimes
the text is upside down. The alignment is disturbed. Stamping should not be done on the
reading matter
Book Pocket Fixing
The Book Pocket fixing is an important work done in the Technical Processing Department.
It is put inside the first cover page. The pocket should be checked as there should not be
any obstruction while putting Book Card.
Date Label Fixing
The Date Label may be put on the title page. The date stamping is done on this page for
users must know when the book was issued.
Tagging
The Book Tag is put on the spine of the document. It is put at the bottom of the spine.
These days barcode sticker comes of standard size is pasted there. If the barcode is not
available then the tag measuring one inch is stuck after writing the Accession number and
Call Number. If the book is thin and less than one inch, then it is put at the bottom of the
front cover page.
Library Classification
Library Classification means translation of Title into Notation. This will convert the title
into a number. It is done with the help of the Classification Scheme. It provides a number
of different subjects and their topics. The Index is there to help the Classifier. It is an
important part of technical Processing.
Preliminary sorting
When documents received after physical processing, then the Classifier checks the books.
It is checked whether the books are fiction or Non-Fiction. It is sorted on that basis. Then
the Language of the book is checked and sorted on that basis. The purpose is to distribute
the books and the specialist will take care of further processing.
Checking with the catalogue
The Classifier then checks the catalog. He will know that the document is a copy of
already processed items, whether it is a new volume or part of a multi volume set of
already processed items. If it is already processed then no processing work is done, the
same previous call number is allotted. If the Document is new then only a new class
number is allotted.
Determining the specific Subject
The classifier's first task is to decide the specific subject of the document. Lots of
documents, Titles are misleading and so the classifier has to go through the preface, table
of content, and even chapters. Sometimes it is a difficult task to ascertain the specific
subject. Sometimes two or three subjects are combined and so to determine one specific
subject is really hard to do.
Assigning the Class Number
After determining the specific subject, the classifier assigns Call Number, with the help of
Classification Schemes. A Classifier sometimes takes help from new bibliographies, when
topics are not available in the classification scheme.
Writing the Call Number
The Call Number provided to the document should be written at four places i.e. Title Page,
on the Date Label, On the Book Card, and on the Spine of the Book Tag.
Cataloging Work
Cataloging is an important task performed in the Technical Processing Section. The
catalog provides the location of the document. The Catalogue should be made, keeping in
mind the different approaches of users, to retrieve the documents. The following
procedure should be taken care of while doing cataloging are:
Assigning Subject Headings
Subject Headings are to be assigned as these are required for specific subject entries. It
is a necessary element and essential quality of good cataloging.
Main Entry
The Main Entry Catalogue contains bibliographical information of the documents. The
following information is mandatory in the catalog are Call Number, Accession Number,
Author, Title, Edition, Year and place of Publishing, Pagination, ISBN, Series, Tracing, etc.
The main entry can be handwritten or typed also.
Added Entries
The Added Entries vary according to the document. The Cataloguer will decide about it. It
is indicated in the main entry. It may be subject entry, Title Entry, Author Entry, etc.
Book Card
The Book Card is also made in the Technical Processing Section. It is already a printed
card where you have to write Author, Title, Volume, and Year. In that card, the Date of
Issue, The Borrower Name and Signature is mentioned, and the third column is to write
Returning date.
The Cataloguer writes Book Card for each document and puts it in the Book Pocket. Book
Card is retained after issuing the book. It is arranged according to the ascending order of
Accession Number in a tray. When the book is returned, The Librarian searches the card
and after writing the return date, puts it in the book pocket.
Conclusion
The Work is connected with each section of the technical Processing Department. The
Head of the technical department supervises the progress of work. He checks after the
completion of processing work. The Documents are released and put in the display section
of New Arrival. Users get to know about new documents.
Thus the Technical Processing Section of the Library plays an important role after the
acquisition of books. They make it ready for dissemination to users. Some users are in
urgent need of particular documents and so technical processing is done in quick time
keeping in mind the user's requirements.
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