ETL505 Module 1 Charles Cutter's objectives

Charles Cutter's objectives (1876). Adapt Cutter's objectives for today's libraries. 

Charles Cutter made the first explicit statement regarding the objectives of a bibliographic system in his Rules for a Printed Dictionary Catalog in 1876. According to Cutter, those objectives were:


1. To enable a person to find a book of which either (Identifying objective)
* the author
* the title
* the subject
* the category
is known.


2. To show what the library has (Collocating objective)
* by a given author
* on a given subject
* in a given kind of literature

3. To assist in the choice of a book (Evaluating objective)
* as to its edition (bibliographically)
* as to its character (literary or topical)


In today's library these would be greatly different. Although they could be kept in the same format I would reword them to be:
1. To enable a person to find information resource of which some identifying feature is known: (Identifying objective)
* the author
* the title
* the subject
* the category
* URL
* the agency responsible
is known.


2. To show what information resources are available to the user, either immediately deliverable or accessible via online or in hardcopy - what the library has online or in hardcopy (Collocating objective)
* by a given author
* on a given subject
* in a particular media or form


To show what the library has3. To assist in the choice of information an information reource as it its edition, character or type (Evaluating objective)
* as to its format, or edition (bibliographically)
* as to its character (literary or topical)

To assist in the choice of an information source that MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE USER in regard to the CURRENCY and RELEVANCE of its information

It's not that different but I think that the information needs of our users is the central focus of modern library services and must be acknowledged.



Other objectives in today's society would also be appropriate in terms of making specific objectives for online resources and specific objectives for hardcopy resources.

I also believe that there are solid differences between Libraries, Archives and Museums in 2010. In this case a set of objectives could be made for each, keeping commonalitites for consistency.



*To show what information resources are available to the user, either immediately deliverable or accessible, by a given author, on a given subject, or in a particular media or form.*
D. by a given author
E. on a given subject
F. in a given kind of literature