Cross Reference Task Group : Members and Charge

Statement of the situation

The current provisions for creating cross references were initially developed for manual catalogs, and the instructions for making such references are scattered in disparate sources. Although the provisions have changed from time to time, there has been no systematic review from the perspective of the machine-readable environment. There may be some references that are no longer necessary. In addition, there are existing restrictions, exceptions, and conditions governing their use in specific cases that pose problems for consistent application by catalogers and are impediments to system-generated references in authority records.
Catalogers have also voiced dissatisfaction with the current presentation for cross references in AACR2 and in the LCRIs. Currently, the provisions for references are dispersed among specific rules in AACR2r, and Chapter 26 of AACR2r with the LCRIs to specific rules paralleling this layout.

Charge

Assuming an environment of computerized bibliographic control, review the provisions for references stated in AACR2r and the associated LCRIs to determine how the current complement of guidelines for references could be adjusted to accommodate efficiency and simplicity in cataloging as well as the change from a manual to an automated environment.

Conduct a review of current provisions with a view to:

• identifying a basic set of references appropriate to different types of headings in most library catalogs, and determining when additional references might be appropriate;
• continuing to meet the needs of a broad range of interests of a widely-shared authority system;
• ensuring the integrity of a file that must be subject to a careful set of file management considerations;
• reducing the number of restrictions and exceptions to an absolute minimum;
• determining if any references should be eliminated or added.
• determining the presentation of reference provisions that would best serve catalogers, e.g., associating them with specific rules, associating them with a specific chapter, presenting them combined together in a single chapter, some other presentation, or keeping the current one.

Deliverables

1. Recommendations for rule changes to AACR2r for consideration by CC:DA.
2. Recommendations for changes or additions to the LCRIs for consideration by LC.
3. Recommendations on how best to present the complement for provisions regarding references to assist ease of use by catalogers.

Time frame: Final report due June 1999