Cooperative Cataloging Council Meeting

Library of Congress
April 22, 1993
Summary Report

Present: Liz Bishoff (OCLC), John Byrum (LC), Ann Della Porta (LC), Judy Henderson (LC), Suzanne Liggett (LC), Carol Mandel (Columbia University), Sue Phillips (University of Texas at Austin), David Reser (LC), Karen Smith-Yoshimura (RLG), Pat Thomas (Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library), Sarah Thomas (LC), Linda West (Harvard University), Beacher Wiggins (LC)

On Thursday, April 22, 1993, the Cooperative Cataloging Council met at the Library of Congress to begin its work. Sarah Thomas, Director for Cataloging at LC, welcomed the group which worked through a full agenda. The Council revised and approved its charge statement, a list of assumptions regarding the planning process, the mission of the national cooperative cataloging program, and program goals and objectives. The Council then established seven task groups which will work on specific goals and/or objectives, and identified task group chairs, as well as liaisons from the Council as noted below. These task groups, working in consultation with the greater library community, will present a preliminary "plan of action" to the Council in June, and a final list of recommendations at the end of October.

The Cooperative Cataloging Council would especially like to thank the Council on Library Resources for supporting travel and meeting expenses for some of the participants.

CHARGE TO THE COOPERATIVE CATALOGING COUNCIL

The Cooperative Cataloging Council will develop a strategic plan for achieving the goals in support of the mission of the national cooperative cataloging program, including a timeline for the planning process. The plan will identify topical issues which need to be addressed as part of the planning process and the Council will determine the best forum for examining these issues, such as the establishment of small single-issue task forces, as necessary. The Council will determine the best mechanisms for soliciting comment from, and disseminating proposals to the greater cooperative cataloging community. Finally, the Council will prepare the strategic plan and make recommendations on implementation of the plan to the Director for Cataloging at the Library of Congress as convener of the Council and coordinator of the effort.

ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE CATALOGING PROGRAM

1. The program must minimize administrative overhead and limit constraints on participants.
2. Records contributed to this program will be distributed widely.
3. Records produced by the program can be upgraded by participants.
4. Rather than reconfiguring NCCP, the Council will determine the set of objectives that will facilitate cooperative cataloging most effectively, acknowledging a "clean slate" in the planning process.
5. Records contributed to a national cooperative cataloging program should be identified as program records with a standard identification system.
6. Participants must be able to catalog on utilities and/or in local systems.
7. Program should be designed to cover all materials except serials, working in a complementary fashion with CONSER.
8. Bibliographic records will be supported by appropriate authority work.

MISSION OF THE NATIONAL COOPERATIVE CATALOGING PROGRAM

The group agreed on the following mission statement:

In support of the need to provide access to materials in libraries' collections, the program will seek to increase the availability of unique records created under mutually acceptable standards, to facilitate the creation and use of these records, and to provide leadership in the information community.

GOAL 1. Together, increase the timely availability of bibliographic and authority records by cataloging more items, by producing cataloging that is widely available for sharing and use by others, and by cataloging in a more cost-effective manner.

1.1 Increase the output and ensure the contribution of non- duplicative, cost-effective cataloging. [Task Group I - - "More, Better, Faster, Cheaper"]

1.2 Increase the number of records that can be used by libraries cost-effectively. [Task Group I -- "More, Better, Faster, Cheaper"]

1.3 Identify the means to decrease the costs of original cataloging. [Task Group I -- "More, Better, Faster, Cheaper"]

1.4 Ensure that records will be widely available quickly and easily. [Task Group II -- "Availability and Distribution"]

1.5 Reduce barriers created by the multiple database environment. [Task Group II] -- "Availability and Distribution"

1.6 Ease and broaden contributions to the national authority files (name and subject). [Task Group III -- "Authorities"]

GOAL 2. Develop and maintain mutually acceptable standards for records.

2.1 Develop standards that will support wide use of records in a cost-effective manner. [Task Group IV -- "Standards"]

2.2 Promote and facilitate the use of mutually accepted standards. [Task Group IV -- "Standards"]

2.3 Evaluate the need for quality standards or conformance measures. [Task Group IV -- "Standards"]

GOAL 3. Promote the values of timely access and cost- effectiveness in cataloging, and expand the pool of catalogers who catalog to the mutually-accepted standards.

3.1 Identify the need for training programs, workshops, and/or institutes aimed at developing cataloging skills that support the program goals. [Task Group V -- "Cataloger Training"]

3.2 Identify, develop as necessary, and widely distribute easy-to-use cataloging documentation in support of program goals. [Task Group V -- "Cataloger Training"]

3.3 Foster cooperation in cataloging training and sharing of expertise. [Task Group V -- "Cataloger Training"]

GOAL 4. Increase the sharing and use of foreign bibliographic and authority records.

4.1 Identify the sources of and increase the availability of foreign authority and bibliographic records. [Task Group VI -- "Foreign MARC"]

4.2 Enable and encourage the use of authority and bibliographic information created outside of the U.S. [Task Group VI -- "Foreign MARC"]

GOAL 5. Provide for ongoing discussion, planning, and operations among participants in order to further the program's mission.

5.1 Develop an organizational structure that ensures leadership and representation from participants. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

5.2 Develop and maintain an effective planning structure. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

5.3 Provide mechanisms to ensure effective communication among participants and within the library community. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

5.4 Ensure resources to support the program. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

5.5 Develop and implement program evaluation mechanisms. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

5.6 Encourage effective participation. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

5.7 Evaluate current programs. [Task Group VII -- "Program Planning"]

Task Group Charge and Leadership

Task Group I -- "More, Better, Faster, Cheaper"

chair: Brian Schottlaender (UCLA)
liaison: Pat Thomas (Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library)

members:

Marty Joachim (Indiana University)
Harriet Selkowitz (University of Washington)
Carol Walton (University of Florida)

Task Group II -- "Availability and Distribution"

chair: Michael Kaplan (Harvard University)
liaison: Linda West (Harvard University)

members:

Ichiko Morita (Ohio State University)
Carlen Ruschoff (Georgetown University)
Marti Scheel (National Library of Medicine)

Task Group III -- "Authorities"

chair: Barbara Tillett (University of California, San Diego)
liaison: Sue Phillips (University of Texas at Austin)

members:

Karen Calhoun (OCLC)
Ana Cristán (LC-Cooperative Cataloging)
Bill Garrison (University of Colorado at Boulder)
Amy McColl (Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries)

Task Group IV -- "Standards"

chair: Willy Cromwell (Stanford University)
liaison: Karen Smith-Yoshimura (RLG)

members:

Lynn El-Hoshy (LC-Cataloging Policy and Support Office)
Kay Guiles (LC-Cataloging Policy and Support Office)
Roxanne Sellberg (University of Washington)
Margaret Shen (Cleveland Public Library)

Task Group V -- "Cataloger Training"

chair: Joan Swanekamp (Columbia University)
liaison: Carol Mandel (Columbia University)

members:

Pamela Brown (Arlington Heights (Ill.) Memorial Library)
Glen Patton (OCLC)
Gretchen Redfield (Bibliographic Center for Research)

Task Group VI -- "Foreign MARC"

chair: John Byrum (LC-Regional & Cooperative Cataloging Division)

members:

Marda Johnson (OCLC)
Sally McCallum (LC-Network Development/MARC Standards Office)
Ingrid Parent (National Library of Canada)
Karen Smith-Yoshimura (RLG)
Susan Tarr (LC-Cataloging Distribution Service)

Task Group VII -- "Program Planning" (Cooperative Cataloging Council)

chair: Sarah Thomas (Library of Congress)

members:

Liz Bishoff (OCLC, Inc.)
John Byrum (Library of Congress)
Carol Mandel (Columbia University)
Sue Phillips (University of Texas at Austin)
Karen Smith-Yoshimura (Research Libraries Group)
Pat Thomas (Stockton-San Joaquin County Public Library)
Linda West (Harvard University) Rev. 07/15/93