Standing Committee on Automation

Task Group on Automated Classification

Charge

The PCC Policy Committee charges the Standing Committee on Automation Task Group on Automated Classification to investigate automation-based approaches to easing and streamlining the assignment of classification and call numbers to cataloging records. A coordinated strategy is needed on the national front to establish basic requirements for automated systems of bibliographic control. The task group's results should be applicable to as many classification schemes as possible. The task group will explore existing automation-based classification and call-number assignment techniques, evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of these techniques, and propose a minimum set of functional requirements that should exist in (1) local library systems and/or (2) cataloging utilities.

Proposed outcomes include:

• A functional description of the contents of a "classification toolkit" and the rationale for the choice of tools
• The intended audience for the tools
• The benefits of the tools
• A description of the relationship of the proposed tools to products with similar or related functionality
• A recommended time frame for implementation
• Assumptions and/or anticipated impacts on local library systems and cataloging utilities

Time frame:
Interim report due August 15, 2000. Final report due December 29, 2000.
The final report should contain the information listed above and describe the support required for implementation from other appropriate organizations.