As catalogers, we look forward to delving deeply into putting together the puzzle of any item placed in front of us. Often, we have segments already collected through past knowledge or training. At other times, we must find new tools, take on skills, and possess a deep curiosity to connect everything together. When Northern Illinois University began sending the Cataloging Maintenance Center (CMC) a special collection of Vietnamese language items, we at the CMC were intrigued and ready to compile all our learning to catalog this new collection.

One of the first items we encountered was Giao Thừa: Tập Truyện Ngắn by Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, which loosely translates into English as New Year’s Eve: A Collection of Short Stories. This is a collection of short stories by author Nguyễn Ngọc Tư that looks at a variety of human emotions, the lives of rural farmers, the people of southern Vietnam, and more.

Likely one of the most fascinating items we received was an autobiography of Nguyễn Tường Nhung. Nguyễn was the eldest daughter of Thạch Lam, a prominent writer and journalist in Vietnam, as well as the wife to General Ngô Quang Trưởng, who was an important officer in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War and before. Nhung’s autobiography tells of the ups and downs of her life, from the Cam Giang camp of the Nguyễn Tường family after her father's death to her marriage to Lieutenant Ngô Quang Trưởng, and then exile to the United States in 1975.

To catalog these items, the CMC utilized a mixture of Google Translate and Translate.com as well as OCLC Bibliographic Formats and Standards as an additional resource.

These items are just some of the world languages that the CMC has cataloged for libraries all over the state. Do you have a collection of world language items you need assistance cataloging? Contact the Cataloging Maintenance Center about this free service and see if your items qualify at cmc@illinoisheartland.org!