DSS Staff

DSS library project staff consists of experienced, fully-trained, professional librarians (MLS/MLIS), cataloguers, library technicians, bibliographic technicians, data entry technicians, and processors. Many DSS staff members have more than three languages other than English to their credit.
All project staff members are thoroughly trained on project-specific cataloguing, conversion and processing procedures. Almost all DSS library staff members are cross-trained in multiple ongoing projects.
In addition to online and automated checks of cataloguing records at the time of creation, a professional librarian, acting as a project leader, performs manual on-line spot-checking of the database records for bibliographic correctness.
The project leader trains project staff, interprets procedures, provides quality control through online automated revision checks and through manual review, and approves cataloguing records to move into product production.
As with most other DSS staff, the project leader also catalogs; typically, custom current cataloguing for public, academic and special libraries is performed by DSS librarians.
DSS cataloguers may or may not have their MLS/MLIS or library technician diplomas; for those who don't, some have qualifications or extensive experience in libraries outside of Canada, some have non-library-related university degrees and were recruited initially as data entry technicians, but then quickly moved up the ranks through bibliographic technician and have continued to be trained as cataloguers.
DSS data entry and bibliographic technicians do not catalog, per se, being employed for the most part in retrospective conversion projects and union catalogue update and maintenance projects.