Issue 22

Have you ever calculated the amount of time that a T /L spends cataloguing resources for the school library? Have you considered the amount of money that could be saved if your T /L used SCIS instead?

The Schools Cataloguing Information Service (SCIS) database contains approximately 600,000 bibliographic records of educational books, audio-visual materials and computer programs. From this database, Curriculum Corporation produces a wide range of information services and products for schools and school libraries throughout Australia and overseas.

SCIS reduces the cost and duplication of effort required by T /Ls in cataloguing resources in schools. Approximately 3500 catalogue records are added to the SCIS database each month by SCIS cataloguing agencies around Australia. Recently published book and non-book h ttp.://www.ibm.com.au materials are evaluated for their suitability in supporting school Curriculum programs before being selected. Each record has complete cataloguing details and includes title, author I editor, Dewey Decimal Classification numbers (from the latest editions of DDC and ADDC), SCIS subject headings (designed specifically to suit school needs), ISBN, publisher, publication place and date, a brief physical description and a SCIS Order Number.

The products and services of the SCIS database are based on agreed national standards in classification, descriptive cataloguing and subject headings. The establishment and implementation of these standards has been instrumental in improving the quality and consistency of cataloguing materials for schools.

Based on figures provided by an independent consultant, we have used the following formula to calculate the approximate annual cost of cataloguing resources in a school library:

[No. of resources catalogued per/ year] x [no. of hours per/week spent cataloguing] x [T/L salary + on costs] divided by (42 weeks] divided by (40 hours] = Cost to catalogue resources per/year($).

For example, take an average school: T /L salary ($45,000/year inc. on costs), working 40 hours/week, 42 weeks/year, cataloguing 300 resources/year with each resource taking 1/2 hour to catalogue would cost $4,017.85 or nearly four weeks per I year. If your school used SCIS for cataloguing, it would not only save your school library money which could be spent on resources, it would also allow your T /L to spend more time on curriculum-related tasks such as teaching students research and information skills ... after all, we are TEACHER-Librarians.