Subject
Re: REPLY: A Taiwanese Librarian's Question on Classifying
Vladimir Nabokov's works
Vladimir Nabokov's works
From
Date
Body
I don't know what specific work you are trying to classify. As a body
of work, the literature of Nabokov is impossible to classify in any one
category--American or Russian or any other literature he may have graced
with his genius. Lolita is frequently classified as American Literature
(PS), and for many reasons, I think America can claim Lolita as a work
that would not have been quite the same if it weren't for Nabokov's
American experience. Many of his other works, depending on the language
in which they are published, vary from Slavic lit (PG) to Fiction
written in English (PZ 1-3). When you call a work Russian or American
literature, you are essentially saying that it is a part of the literary
culture for this or that group of people. Learn more about Nabokov and
the origin of the specific work you are cataloging. This may help you
make your decision.
In the end, it really is up to the cataloger's discretion and the
specific publication you are trying to describe for the benefit of your
catalog users. As my Russian-born cataloging teacher frequently
said--if you make a mistake in cataloging, make sure you always make
that mistake and it will eventually become the rule. In other words,
there are no mistakes. Consistency is what matters in cataloging.
Abbey
-----Original Message-----
From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On
Behalf Of Donald B. Johnson
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 12:33 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Fwd: A Taiwanese Librarian's Question on Classifying Vladimir
Nabokov's works
EDNOTE. COULD SOME OF YOU LIBRARY PEOPLE OUT THERE HELP ON THIS VIA
NABOKV-L.
----- Forwarded message from hchsieh@mail.wtuc.edu.tw -----
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:56:19 +0800
From: Hui-Chen Hsieh <hchsieh@mail.wtuc.edu.tw>
As a librarian in Taiwan, I am writing this message to seek for your
advice
whether to classify Nobokov's works in Russian Literature or American
Literature. To make my library's collection of Nabokov's works
consistent in
terms of classification and collocation, I need an advice from a
literature
scholoar. Luckily, from the internet search I learn that you are a
former
president of the International Vladimir Nabokov Society and is now the
moderator of NABOKV-L.
I look up the Dictionary of Literary Biography and learn that Vladimir
Nabokov is identified as an American writer. However, after several
searches
in library catalogs such as in Melvyl (catalog of UC libraries) and
OhioLINK,
I become confused because Nabokov's works have been classified under
both
Russian literature and American literature.
Would you please give me your advice?
I'd appreciate your time and patience reading this message!
Sincerely,
Hui-Chen Hsieh (Ms)
Cataloging Librarian
Library, Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
----- End forwarded message -----
----- End forwarded message -----
of work, the literature of Nabokov is impossible to classify in any one
category--American or Russian or any other literature he may have graced
with his genius. Lolita is frequently classified as American Literature
(PS), and for many reasons, I think America can claim Lolita as a work
that would not have been quite the same if it weren't for Nabokov's
American experience. Many of his other works, depending on the language
in which they are published, vary from Slavic lit (PG) to Fiction
written in English (PZ 1-3). When you call a work Russian or American
literature, you are essentially saying that it is a part of the literary
culture for this or that group of people. Learn more about Nabokov and
the origin of the specific work you are cataloging. This may help you
make your decision.
In the end, it really is up to the cataloger's discretion and the
specific publication you are trying to describe for the benefit of your
catalog users. As my Russian-born cataloging teacher frequently
said--if you make a mistake in cataloging, make sure you always make
that mistake and it will eventually become the rule. In other words,
there are no mistakes. Consistency is what matters in cataloging.
Abbey
-----Original Message-----
From: Vladimir Nabokov Forum [mailto:NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU] On
Behalf Of Donald B. Johnson
Sent: Thursday, January 13, 2005 12:33 PM
To: NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU
Subject: Fwd: A Taiwanese Librarian's Question on Classifying Vladimir
Nabokov's works
EDNOTE. COULD SOME OF YOU LIBRARY PEOPLE OUT THERE HELP ON THIS VIA
NABOKV-L.
----- Forwarded message from hchsieh@mail.wtuc.edu.tw -----
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2005 13:56:19 +0800
From: Hui-Chen Hsieh <hchsieh@mail.wtuc.edu.tw>
As a librarian in Taiwan, I am writing this message to seek for your
advice
whether to classify Nobokov's works in Russian Literature or American
Literature. To make my library's collection of Nabokov's works
consistent in
terms of classification and collocation, I need an advice from a
literature
scholoar. Luckily, from the internet search I learn that you are a
former
president of the International Vladimir Nabokov Society and is now the
moderator of NABOKV-L.
I look up the Dictionary of Literary Biography and learn that Vladimir
Nabokov is identified as an American writer. However, after several
searches
in library catalogs such as in Melvyl (catalog of UC libraries) and
OhioLINK,
I become confused because Nabokov's works have been classified under
both
Russian literature and American literature.
Would you please give me your advice?
I'd appreciate your time and patience reading this message!
Sincerely,
Hui-Chen Hsieh (Ms)
Cataloging Librarian
Library, Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages
Kaohsiung, Taiwan
----- End forwarded message -----
----- End forwarded message -----