PCC Standing Committee on Standards/Standing Committee on Training

Joint Task Group on International Participation in the PCC

Charge and members

Background:

One of the goals of the PCC, as outlined in the Strategic and Tactical Plan, is to develop a diverse membership, including international involvement, thus ensuring the broadest possible resource coverage. However, a number of obstacles to broader international participation limit or prevent more active contributions from many institutions outside of North America. Some of these obstacles revolve around standards issues (e.g., use of LCRIs and MARC 21); others are training-related (e.g., lack of training infrastructure outside of the U.S.) To meet its stated goals of increasing the availability of records from international sources, promoting the development and use of internationally-accepted standards, supporting wide use of records, and recruiting members who may contribute in under-represented areas, the PCC needs to identify the barriers and devise strategies for overcoming them.

The PCC Standing Committee on Standards and the Standing Committee on Training have designated the Task Group on International Participation in the PCC to address the following issues that currently limit the potential expansion of international membership. The Group is also being asked to formulate recommendations to the SCT and SCS for overcoming these obstacles and to assist the PCC in meeting its goals for greater internationalization of the cooperative cataloging enterprise.

• Outline benefits to both current and potential PCC participants of international cooperation in training and standards Identify potential barriers to the provision of training to international participants
• Identify training and post-training needs of international participants
• Explore options and recommend strategies for the provision of training to potential PCC members outside of North America
• Identify the required PCC standards that impede broader international participation in the PCC's programs and activities
• Consider the effects of recent IFLA activities (especially the reshaping of the concept of Universal Bibliographic Control) on international participation
• Explore options and recommend alternatives or changes in the use or application of standards and practices (as noted above) to facilitate broader international participation
• Submit a final report to the PCC Standing Committee on Standards and the Standing Committee on Training outlining the group's findings and recommendations

Timeline:
The Task Group should submit an interim report to the chairs of the Standing Committee on Standards and the Standing Committee on Training by the Annual ALA Meeting in June 2003, and a final report to the chairs by September 30, 2003.