Cataloging Consistency in Access Points: Academic Libraries of Turkey

Abstract

Cataloging quality plays a crucial role in libraries. In this context, this study investigates the adherence of access points in bibliographic records to content and format standards. We employed the qualitative descriptive method and analyzed 2,695 catalog records from seven academic libraries in Turkey. We analyzed MARC fields for access points to see whether the bibliographic records adhere to AACR2 and MARC standards. Furthermore, we provide exemplary cases of common nonadherent records. Results demonstrated that analyzed records have inconsistencies from 2% to 75% for the analyzed MARC fields. This study recommends that academic libraries provide ongoing training for catalogers.