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| LibraryWorld Realia Object |
The category type "Realia" refers to any 3-dimensional object that occurs in real life. Another definition by a New York Times author refers to Realia as "eccentricity worth preserving." What an exciting classification term! Over the past few years Realia objects have grown increasingly popular [and relevant] to many library collections. University libraries will often receive donations that include non-text items relevant to the story of that collection. Special libraries often obtain preserved animal specimen, old photographs, musical instruments, the list goes on and on. The diversity that the category type allows for requires careful cataloging (how does one, for instance, write a catalog description for a lock of Sylvia Plath's hair?) to be sure. But with the increasingly rich world of multimedia objects the Realia classification appears to be an important option to offer our customers.
To create a new Realia record, navigate to the Catalog app from your main library page. Click 'New Record', and select the 'Realia Object' from the first option on the far right of your screen.
Happy Cataloging!
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThank you for keeping your customers up to date on the changes and additions to LibraryWorld. All are welcome additions and add tremendous value to our subscriptions. My library contains a variety of special collections including company publications and internal documents. It would be hugely beneficial to include a feature, which enables the designation of our own, unique material type (i.e. "technical report, "Pre-Print", etc.) when creating new bibliographic records. This sort of functionality would be something similar to using "007 zz" in the physical description fixed field in a MARC record. Would the addition of such a feature be possible? Thanks again for keeping us all updated and for considering our comments and feedback.
Best,
Philip Brenneise
This is a great category of material types for Architectural and Interior Design special libraries. It will be perfect for cataloging construction materials samples, which, as most architectural librarians are aware, can easily get out of hand and be quite difficult to find in a collection. Combined with a jpeg image snapped by a smart phone and added via your other new file uploading feature, the realia category will be extremely useful!
ReplyDeleteRegards,
Mark Schumacher
Our theater coordinator had just been asking me about the possibility of cataloging their costumes. This is a great (and timely) addition, and we will also be able to add pictures of the costumes. Thanks so much!
ReplyDeleteCarol Scott, Librarian
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