Library Research Models: A Guide to Classification, Cataloging, and Computers

Rating:
Summary: If you don't know the "red books" you're missing the boat
Review: Dr. Mann (who has a Ph.D. in English and worked as a private investigator at one time) is a senior reference librarian at the LoC and knows his stuff. If you need serious help stop by the main reading room on Weds. nights and you'll likely find him. The book is very good but his personal knowledge is even better!

Rating:
Summary: serves its purpose well!
Review: Library Research Models: A Guide to Classification, Cataloging, and Computers by Thomas Mann is a nice little reference book that helps librarians or library students the nature of library work. Not being overly fond of cataloging, I therefore found these chapters in particular to be tedious and I mostly skimmed through these pages. However, when he talks about the fact that we have been able to capture text that is over 500 years old on paper and he, i.e., Dr. Mann wonders aloud if we are going to be able to this with cd-roms and other electronic sources; then this, the argument previously stated, captures my attention since I truly believe that this will be one of the major obstacles for libraries in the future. The book itself, i.e., Library Research Models: A Guide to Classification, Cataloging, and Computers by Thomas Mann, is well developed with an intersecting preface, a well developed table of contents and an index that is not hard or confusing to use. All, in all Dr. Mann has been able to present a well-written guide to Library Research Models.

Rating:
Summary: Not comprehensive as title indicates, but worth reading
Review: Most interesting to me was the author's assertion that digitalization of books adversely affects their preservation, due to the evanescent nature of computer software and hardware standards.A book printed 500 years ago is still readable today. Could the same be said for a CD-ROM 500 years from now