Lisa Hardy is a cataloger, trainer, and team lead in our Metadata department in Provo, Utah, and I was able to grab a few moments of her time to talk to her about her experiences at Backstage – which goes back to before Backstage was even called Backstage.
L: I started in 1993. Back then, there was only part time positions with 3 different shifts, and I worked noon to 5 p.m. We only did Recon at that point and I often worked from microfilm reels. Full time positions became available in 1999, so I moved to that.
A: Where did you work before?
L: After teaching a year of middle school band I needed a change so I was working part time in a grocery store’s deli and as a janitor.
A: You wear multiple hats in our Metadata department. Training, Team Leading, Cataloging. What are your favorite things to do within the department?
L: I really enjoyed producing on reclassification contracts or cataloging the art books we receive from one of our long-term, ongoing clients. I also love helping my team have great quality in their work.
A: If you could hazard a guess, how many records do you think you’ve cataloged since you started at Backstage?
L: That is hard to say. It would be much less than others who have been here just as long as I have because I’ve spent so much time training new employees and doing quality assurance.
A: In that case, how many people do you think you’ve trained at Backstage?
L: I’ve trained probably 150 to 200 individuals. That sounds high, but when I think of all of the groups and how many are in each, coupled with how long I’ve been with the company, it seems realistic.
A: Is there a project that stands out to you as having been particularly rewarding? Can you tell me about it?
L: I mentioned that art book cataloging project earlier – I’ve enjoyed learning the intricacies of cataloging art books for this client and keeping up with the changes that have come up over the years. Since I really like art, architecture, and photography, it’s particularly enjoyable. I’m not artistic myself but I’ve come to like going to exhibitions.
A: What do you find to be the most important part of creating an accessible, quality MARC record?
L: Having exceptionally good quality – not only in terms of absence of typos but also in making sure the record has followed the correct cataloging rules for all parts, especially for call numbers and subjects. Although quality is my top priority I also make sure that I’m cataloging efficiently and quickly. I encourage the same kind of quality and production on my team and make sure the resources that make these things possible are readily accessible for my cataloging team.
A: What do you do outside of work?
L: I like to ride a scooter (not motorized) and go to concerts. Concerts I’ve seen this year were Josh Groban and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. I really love country and bluegrass but I like a little of everything. I’ve been to orchestra, jazz, folk, Christian rock, pop.
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