Watching my sweetheart combine our CDs
They're intermingling on the shelves. It's kinda sexual. Only not.
We compromised. I agreed to go alphabetically by first name...a big change. She agreed to organize within artist by date of release.
We compromised. I agreed to go alphabetically by first name...a big change. She agreed to organize within artist by date of release.
posted by TeacherRefPoet at 9:48 PM
8 Comments:
Alphabetically by First Name? First Name? You mean like "Joe Jackson" next to "Joe Cocker"?
Gahh... buhh... ifyoujus... arrrgh!
(Your Friendly Neighborhood Librarian is generally very live and let live, except about things like this.)
Joe,
This has been a possibility since September, so now that we've gone and catalgoued them all don't you think it's a little late? :)
Joe,
But now that we have your librarian attention...
How would you file Tommy James and the Shondells? Simon and Garfunkel? Kenny Rogers and the First Edition? Ben Folds Five? These arguments had Michelle win me over to the Dark Side.
Yeah... I remember that first post now. The EMTs were very nice about getting me out from under my desk. Only took two tranquilzer darts.
And I would file those under James, Simon (but after all Paul Simon solo albums), Rogers, and Folds. That's not even hard, unless you're aware of an album by "The Shondells" or "The First Edition." I, myself, am not.
But there are harder examples; aren't there "War" albums which are not "Eric Burdon And War" albums? And let's not even talk about the fact that I thought "Cat Power" was a person and not the name of a one-person band.
Mr. Librarian,
I must respectfully disagree with your filing of "Ben Folds Five" under "Folds."
If there were five people in the group I might understand. HOWEVER, said group is a trio. Therefore, it is not a statement of, "I am Ben Folds and these are my five!" But rather, I have chosen to include my name as part of my band's name, but am going to be kind of wacky in the process.
And this is a large reason why I have chosen to catalog the CD's the way I have, rather than the more traditional method. Because to put "Ben Folds Five" under "Ben" (for the reasons mentioned above) and put "Brian Setzer Orchestra" under "Setzer" just addles my little brain.
And I won't even go into the fact that I have issues with "Van" as a first name and prefer to think of "Van Morrison" as a single name like "Cher" rather than "Morrison, Van." So this method of alphebetization allows me such liberties.
And isn't the point of a cataloging system for ease of consumers use? So if Sweetie and I are consumers isn't it OK if we catalog our CD's different from everyone else?
Because as long as the dewey decimel system and library of congress system of cataloging books exists, I think multiple methods of cataloging CD's are appropriate in this world.
Joe,
J. Geils Band. It's the name of the band. They chose it as a compromise name, to avoid naming the band after either Peter Wolf or Other Famous Guy.
File under J. It's the name of the BAND.
And isn't the point of a cataloging system for ease of consumers use?
Ahhh, Grasshopper, you have wisdom beyond your years. (Far too many professional catalogers have trouble with this concept.)
So if Sweetie and I are consumers isn't it OK if we catalog our CD's different from everyone else?
No. My way is right. Ultimately, it would actually be easier if everyone did everything my way. :-)
I was unaware of the Ben Folds Five actually being Three. Very good example. But you see, with my system, you get to look smug and well informed every time you tell someone like me why it's under B and not F.
I still disagree about the J. Geils Band, because it's a real person in the band. If they'd chosen the Ludwig van Beethoven Band as a compromise name, I'd agree. But you look informed and smug, and I do not, which (see above) suggests that your method is right. :-)
The point of the CD cataloging system is not to look informed and smug. The CD's do a good enough job of that for me. :)
The point of the cataloging system is so that I can grab an appropriate CD even when I'm bleary-eyed in the morning and not really awake yet. Therefore, I can't have to think about it AT ALL.
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