Minutes of the Meeting of the CONSER Task Force on Long Term Storage of Publication Pattern and Holdings Data, ALA Midwinter Meeting, Boston, MA on Monday, January 17, 2005

1.0 Introduction

Linda Miller provided a brief overview of the objectives of the CONSER task force and how current developments suggested an enlarged conversation between the task force members and representatives from the larger serials community such as the publishers, subscription agents, aggregators, PAMS, and ILS vendors. She started out with definitions, focusing on the goal of a database of publication history, that would describe the complete publication pattern(s) and holdings of serial titles, not in reference to the holdings of a particular institution but rather in reference to an “ideal” or complete run of a particular serial. With the Midwinter announcement of OCLC’s intended support of the MARC21 Holdings Format, including full implementation of MFHD support in the context of its Union List (LDR) customers, other opportunities appear on our horizon to promote improved interoperability and communication about serials and their holdings. The presentation presented the attributes of the current models of holdings distribution, both for inkprint and electronic formats, as well as a listing of problems that attend the current model for electronic formats. The questions to meeting attendees focused on possible changes and improvements to the current distribution (of the serial holdings) chain that would improve the quality of the information exchanged as well as helping achieve the goal of an authoritative database of universal holdings. Finally, the matter of benefits to the various participating players were addressed running the range from the libraries to the publishers, including many of the significant participants that assist in the process such as the aggregators, agents, and PAMS. In addition to focusing on the opportunities suggested by OCLC’s implementation of the holdings format, the opportunities inherent in emerging standards were examined. The Serials Release Notice (SRN) format, currently in draft from the ONIX for Serials sub-group assigned to defining it, provides a MARC21 compatible mechanism for describing a recently published issue of a serial. It addresses the case of a publisher-issued communication providing the issue description (enumeration and chronology) of a newly issued serial unit; it is intended as a communication vehicle between publishers, significant mid-chain contributors such as agents and PAMS, and (ultimately) libraries. A draft of this standard is due out in the beginning of February and will be made available via the ONIX for Serials web page. As the draft is finalized, a pilot effort with potential participation from the entire “holdings distribution chain” will improve on the content and help bring the standard to its “final” form. Potential participation in the pilot effort on the part of stakeholders like those present at this meeting was suggested.

2.0 ISSN transformation: its implications for holdings distribution

In the digital information world, unique resource identifiers are critical to supporting effective meta-data based searching, linking to full-text search results, and migrating systems data. The International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is one of the most used identifiers but the standard defining its structure and usage (ISO 3297:1998) needs revision. Regina Reynolds provided an overview of the conversation in the ISDS community about the ways that ISSN could potentially address the challenge of providing a persistent identifiers for serials in the current environment. She provided background on current discussions to transform the role of the ISSN, enhancing its role as a basis for other standards. The ISSN is perceived by many as a vehicle to solve many problems that include issues related to access management, collection development support, and search and retrieval support. An ISO working group, with participation from NISO, is re-examining the ISSN standard. The goal of this revision is to better address the assignment of ISSNs to all continuing resources regardless of format, to specify requirements for the display of the ISSN in information systems, and to identify metadata requirements when assigning ISSNs. In 2004 the ISO Working Group got feedback from ISSN users on various potential scenarios. The question of what an ISSN should identify (e.g., works or titles or products?) is being further explored. A look-up service at ISSN headquarters is contemplated. In April, an advisory group of user representatives will meet to provide further guidance from the user community. There is a lot of interest maintaining a title level and product level identifier. Rules are in development to support a tISSN, a means by which all resources having the same title…regardless of medium…are identified, in a new subfield of the MARC 024 field. It is thought that the tISSN will be used in conjunction with other standards such as DOI and URI, possibly embedded in another identifier.

3.0 OCLC Support for the Holdings Format

OCLC is moving from the legacy system that supported their LDR activity to fully support the MARC21 Holdings Format. Current projections foresee initial implementation in the fall of 2005. Cathy Kellum discussed conversion plan to assist current LDR customers in making the transition. She also led a discussion of how this new capability can provide the groundwork to support a universal holdings database.

4.0 Serials Release Notice (ONIX for Serials)

Helen Gbala introduced the group to the work of an upcoming serial-related standard that is a part of the NISO/Editeur ONIX for Serials effort. The Serials Release Notice will cover all formats of serial issues running the gamut from inkprint to various electronic versions. The Serials Release Notice will provide an XML-based transaction that identifies the latest published issue of a serial. When the draft is distributed for comment in February, efforts will be made to put together a pilot series of transactions between volunteer publishers, intermediaries, and libraries. The pilot will assist in amending and enhancing the draft document.

5.0 Discussion

By providing an authoritative database of holdings information, the Publication History database could be very important to publishers by enabling more accurate claiming and by validating the accuracy and correctness of citations for references. Such a database could facilitate the work between publishers and back issues houses as well as in the construction of the publisher’s own electronic archives. There was speculation about the kinds of products or services, based on such a database, that OCLC would be in position to provide to non-library participants. The problems of updating holdings information electronically before the “issue” arrives were recognized. Potential models of how a universal holdings database functions were considered. It seems feasible that a trusted partner like OCLC could assume central responsibility for maintenance of the database. Particpants from the community would contribute to building the database and retain the ability to query and make use of the stored information as need arose. This implies a shift in the information model from a dispatch-oriented model to a repository (of holdings)-based model.

There was also interest in the SRN and how agents could be helpful in transmitting this kind of information to interested parties. Oliver Pesch (Ebsco) speculated that agents might be in a position to create and send forward SRN information for those publishers that lack this kind of capability. The potential role of the SRN for contributing release information (in some cases with value added) to local archiving was explored. There was some discussion of potential ways to expand the audience of participating publishers in the discussion. Interest in the SRN pilot (after review of the coming specification) was also expressed.

6.0 Action Items

a. Establish a listserv for meeting participants, send along the minutes
b. Examine the emerging draft of the Serials Release Notice, open for comment in February
c. Figure out ways to interest more folks in the publishing community in the problems attendant to describing e-journal issues and potential sources