Official Publications at Texas A&M University: A Case Study in Cataloging Archival Material

Institutional reorganization and staffing changes at Texas A&M University's Gushing Library, which houses the university's archives, made necessary the cataloging of a substantial number of publications produced by different university agencies and departments, publications which had previously been largely inaccessible. The authors designed and implemented a plan to catalog thousands of pamphlets, reports, newsletters, conference proceedings and other material; a project that resulted in increased exposure and usage. This article outlines the development and ongoing refinement of the project. Undertaken in a cooperative spirit aimed at creating an integrated catalog of information resources, this project illustrates ways in which local practices can be improved through the use of technology.