Craig Haggit, Senior Cataloger

Craig Haggit, Senior Cataloger Craig Haggit

Craig Haggit
The Western History and Genealogy Department is a library within a library. In addition to the usual operations of reference services and shelving, it has cataloging, archival and photographic units. This is the result of the specialized knowledge that the staff needs to manage our resources and the processes to make accessible the collections on the 5th Floor.
Heading up the cataloging unit is Craig Haggit, who began his relationship with the Denver Public Library as a volunteer in April 2015 and received the position of Senior Cataloger later that year.
Craig grew up in Michigan and Wyoming, where he spent his free time cycling and hiking. Somewhere along his path, he developed a rapier wit and a knack for punning. He holds a graduate degree in Library Science from the University of Kentucky. “Go Cats,” says Craig. He earned a postgraduate Digital Library Certificate from Drexel University. The Lancaster Public Library was fortunate to employ him for several years, as was MapQuest. He moved to Denver in 2015 with his wife, Kumiko, who manages the B2B [Business to Business] development team for MapQuest.
In addition to Craig, the Department’s cataloging unit has two catalogers who create original bibliographic records for the unique items in Western History and Genealogy; two assistant catalogers who also produce catalog records, process newly received books, and administer our magazines, newspapers, and journals; and the Library’s photo technician who operates our imaging services lab. So far this year, Craig and his team have created 1,077 original catalog records, and 1,635 copy catalog records that they based on records created by other institutions.
Craig finds the map collection “impressive.”  He is intrigued by the “depth of the historical collection” and his “new experience working with archival materials.” To help let the world know about Western History and Genealogy, he participates on a statewide committee that is establishing the local infrastructure so that Colorado and Wyoming libraries can join the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). The DPLA is national aggregate database that links together research collections throughout the country. Establishing linked resources and creating the metadata needed to describe library materials are Craig’s passions. He notes, “Making resources of all types much easier to find on the web using any device” is the goal of linked data.

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