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ALCTS Technical Services Directors of Large Research Libraries Discussion Group

These reports were distributed over the Big Heads electronic discussion list in the weeks prior to the New Orleans, LA annual meeting.

This compilation was prepared by Judith Hopkins, University at Buffalo

SOME OF THE FOLLOWING LIBRARIES DID *NOT* ISSUE A ROUND ROBIN REPORT.

LIST OF LIBRARIES

Columbia University
Cornell University
Duke University
Indiana University
Library of Congress
National Agricultural Library
National Library of Medicine
New York Public Library
New York University
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Princeton University
Stanford University
University of California at Berkeley
University of California at Los Angeles
University of Chicago
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Michigan
University of Minnesota
University of Pennsylvania
University of Texas at Austin
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin at Madison
Yale University

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY

1. NEW ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE:
   With a new University Librarian, Gerald Lowell, in place we are moving towards a new organizational structure to take effect July 1st. Three new Associate University Librarian positions (Public Services, Collections, Doe/Moffitt Complex) have been created and are currently in the recruitment process; Lee Leighton, AUL for Access Services during the past year, will return to his former position as AUL for Technical Services effective July 1st; he will continue as Interim Head of Doe/Moffitt Circulation; Armanda Barone, Interim Director of Technical Services during the past year, returns to her position as Assistant Director of Technical Services.

2. STRESS/BURNOUT ISSUES:
   Professor Christina Maslach of the University of California Psychology Department (well-known nationally for her research in the area of burnout) worked with a group of library employees as part of a Job Stress Suvey Team. The team was formed to design a survey to be distributed to Library staff in the month of May. The purpose of the survey is to gather information on what works well and what does not in order to improve Library operations.

3. RoweCom:
   On April 27, 1999, the Library notified RoweCom that we wished to close our account with them. At the time of notification, the Library had approximately 1200 serial orders placed with them. Our decision was based on consistent problems with the level and quality of RoweCom's customer service, despite intensive efforts over the past year to work with them on correcting the problems we've been experiencing. In addition, the range of services offered by RoweCom is not as comprehensive as those offered by other vendors Berkeley is using (for example, Ebsco, Blackwells, Nijhoff, Harrassowitz)

4. VENDOR SURVEY:
   In an effort to ensure that we make good vendoring decisions based on current, consistent data on prices and services offered, Berkeley's Technical Services Department sent out vendor survey letters this spring to approximately 50 of our most heavily used monograph and serial vendors. We are also taking this opportunity to request current Letters of Agreement from vendors with whom we don't have such a letter on file. Responses are just beginning to come in, but we expect to have complete data by the end of summer. Among the questions asked are those concerning service charge, PromptCat, electronic interfaces with Innovative Interfaces software, and future developments. Rebecca Green, Head of Order Division, can supply a copy of the survey upon request (rgreen@library.berkeley.edu).

5. BERKELEY FINANCIAL SYSTEM (BFS) IMPLEMENTATION:
   In March 1999, the Library began using the campus' new software program for financial functions, the Berkeley Financial System (BFS). BFS is a PeopleSoft program which has been modified to fit the campus' needs. It includes payroll and other disbursement functions. The Library has had some problems adjusting the electronic interface between its Innopac system and BFS, and in adapting its workflows as well to accomodate new BFS requirements. One problem has been the need to find Tax Identification Numbers for all U.S. vendors.This is a particular problem for new and nonmajor vendors. Problems with BFS implementation have increased the workload in Technical Services.

6. BOOK BAG E-LINK AND ACADEMIC BOOK CENTER:
   Technical Services and Library Systems Office staff have been working in recent months with Academic Book Center to initiate testing of this service which will allow us to transmit acquistions data into Innopac and our online system, GLADIS.

7. TECHNICAL SERVICES WORKFLOW/STAFFING ISSUES:
   With additional collections money allocated recently, Technical Services units are beginning to see an influx of new materials. The impact on Technical Services has been evident. We are beginning to see backlogs developing in the processing and cataloging of materials. Several permanent and temporary staff positions have been approved for Technical Services to accommodate the increased demands.

8. CATALOGERS DESKTOP-WEB :
   We participated in the beta testing of the LC Catalogers Desktop-web version during several months this past fall and winter.

9. TECHNICAL SERVICES TRAINING PROGRAM:
   A Training Program Coordinator (50% position) was hired last summer as an outcome of our Technical Services Performance Standards efforts. Several classes have successfully been offered and a website publicizing the program is in the works.

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INDIANA UNIVERSITY

Indiana University Libraries

1999 ALA Annual Technical Services Report

1. Reorganization:

   Since the Technical Services Reorganization Committee submitted its report to the Director of Technical Services last July, we have been awaiting campus approval of funding for the physical moves that the report presupposes. Funding has finally been approved and we expect to consolidate the Department this summer. Members of the former Serials Department will be moving up to the Third Floor to join the rest of the Department. We are now organized along 'classical' lines, with an Acquisitions Division and a Cataloging Division. Acquisitions includes a FastCat component (utilizing student help) and an Electronic Databases Acquisition Specialist. Cataloging includes a unit devoted to Area Studies, principally CJK, Slavic, and Eurasian studies. JoAnne Deeken, formerly of Clemson University, joined Indiana University in February as Head of the Acquisitions Division, and Mechael (Gago) Charbonneau was promoted to Head of the Cataloging Division this spring.

2. Accounting systems:

   Indiana University had long used a shadow accounting system for monographs. Serials, on the other hand, used the NOTIS accounting system. Effective July 1 monographs will be moving to NOTIS accounting. Not only did we need to unite on a single standard and strengthen staff competencies, but also it turned out that the FoxPro database might not have been Y2K compliant. At the same time as this has been going on, we have introduced a new funds structure in NOTIS to reflect better the new organization of serials, monographs, and approval plans. We are beginning to move toward a heavily subprofiled set of approval plans with Academic Book Center (Blackwell) and are receiving MARC files corresponding to the books being shipped on a weekly basis. (Actually, we receive pre-notification for most books on these approval plans and their recordsare loaded into the catalog at that time and marked 'on order'.) We have built an inhouse, Visual Basic-based loader to run these records into the catalog and build their OPR structure based on the encoded fund information.

3. Y2K:

   Meantime, we will be devoting several hundred hours of TS staff time this summer to testing NOTIS 6.5 and our new Y2K mainframe for Y2K compliance.

4. Search for new ILS The search for a new ILS continues. We will be making a choice shortly after ALA (we hope). Our hope is to move all IU campuses, both those on NOTIS and those on Horizon, to the new system in a single migration late spring or early summer of 2000.

5. Staff workstations:

   As part of the overall strategy and as part of a regular upgrade practice for desktop computers, we will be ordering and placing into service some 700 staff workstations this summer and fall. These machines will be vastly more powerful than their 3-year old predecessors which were mostly 133 MZ Pentiums. The most significant changes, for the users, will be the 19" monitors and use of Windows NT. The initial specification for the new generation is:

   • 400Mhz Intel Pentium II or greater w/ minimum 512K cache
   • 128 MB ECC SDRAM
   • 6 GB (minimum) Ultra DMA Smart II EIDE hard drive
   • Windows NT 4.0
   • AGP PCI Video card with 16 MB RAM (minimum)
   • 19" SVGA Monitor
   • 32X CD-ROM Drive (minimum) Ultra DMA, NON-CADDY, drawer type
   • Microsoft or Logitech compatible wheel mouse
   • 1.44 MB High density floppy drive
   • Spacesaver 104 key Window Keyboard
   • SoundBlaster compatible 16-bit Sound with external speakers
   (The final configuration may differ in some particulars.)

6. Consolidation of accounts:

   As part of the long-term migration strategy toward a new ILS, we will be consolidating a number of our monographic and serial accounts. Currently IU has many accounts direct with publishers, and we also use a number of different jobbers. We plan to cut that number down considerably as we move toward a heavily EDI-dependent environment. Our hope (perhaps our fear) is that this will be one area of the new ILS where we can and should be able to expect major productivity gains.

7. File loads:

   We succeeded in loading the complete LC authority file (names and subjects), the complete GPO file, the complete LC maps and music files, and 3 years' worth of LC books this winter. We now batch-load our holdings to OCLC, although we still contribute our original cataloging on a real-time basis. With these and other changes to our OCLC telecommunications structure, we have succeeded in reducing our telecommunications costs by over 50% and our transaction costs by a considerable margin, as well.

8. Recon projects:

   OCLC has now converted about 100,000 of the 380,000 titles we are submitting to them as part of our Recon project. The good news here is that the Campus at last agreed to pick up most of the cost! We have just about finished adding holdings for those titles that had records already in the catalog, and the CJK and Cyrillic conversions (in-house) will be finished shortly. HAPY will continue throughout the year. While we are still working out the details of the Arabic/Persian conversion, we are upgrading a fair amount of the Hebrew cataloging that we find in OCLC. Classed-together monographic series (250,000-300,000 titles) remain to be done in house, probably over the next two years. Conversion of the Lilly Library's rare book collections will begin in a few months (Dis volentibus) and continue for three to four years.

9. Data Warehouse:

   After a year's development we brought online a Data Warehouse this spring. It has been put to immediate use in TS in identifying serial titles that are candidates for vendor consolidation, unlinked item records for cleanup prior to ILS migration, etc.

10. Authority control:

    Finally, we are beginning to investigate options for vendor-supplied authority control in the context of the new ILS. The days of NOTIS new heading lists are drawing to a close. We need to move beyond one-at-a-time heading control and approach authority control on a machine-driven batch basis.

Michael Kaplan, Ph. D.
Associate Dean of Libraries & Director of Technical Services
Indiana University Libraries
Main Library C2
Bloomington, IN 47405-3907
Email: mkaplan@indiana.edu
Voice: (812) 855-3403
Fax: (812) 855-2576

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UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

From: Barbara A. Stelmasik < b-stel@maroon.tc.umn.edu

Here is the Round Robin Report for the University of Minnesota Libraries.

I will not be able to join you at the meeting due to a meeting conflict. Stephen Hearn, Team Leader for Authority Control and Database Management will substitute for me.

Barb

********************************************************************

1. Systems:

   The State Library Planning Task Force reaffirmed its decision to enter into negotiations with DRA. If all goes well and we get a contract out of the state and DRA within the next six months (and UCLA and DRA have product for us to review during that time frame), we anticipate we will be migrated by summer, 2001. General information about the MnLINK project is posted at http://www.mnlink.org/

   The MnLINK Gateway is available in both frames and ADA compliant versions. You can link to either from http://www.mnlink.org/ . Discussions regarding the impact of the gateway on ILL protocols and agreements have begun.

2. CORC:

   We are participants in the CORC project. Our planning group includes staff from reference, distance learning, special collections, administration and technical services. The group has developed goals and standards (posted at http://www.lib.umn.edu/ts/drafts/Cat/CORC/index.html

3. MLAC:

   The new access center on the West Bank of the Minneapolis campus nears completion with occupancy expected this fall. Many staff are involved in planning strategies to move special and archival collections into the center and planning both bibliographic and physical control of both the storage portion of the building and the special collections. See http://www.lib.umn.edu/ts/drafts/Cat/CORC/index.html for the latest information on the center.

4. Collections on the move:

   Major building renovations on the Twin Cities campuses have or will dislocate many collections. Some of the moves are temporary and some long term. We have made it through the first round of moves and hope that we have learned from that round how to better manage the next moves. Education, psychology, social work, science and engineering, journalism, film and video, architecture and other collections either have or will be relocated because of the building renovations or related events. Communication and timing have proven challenging.

5. Projects specific to technical services:

   Three working group projects were completed this spring;

   1. a report on leadership evaluation, http://www.lib.umn.edu/ts/drafts/Cat/CORC/index.html,
   2. a report on team evaluation, http://www.lib.umn.edu/ts/mac/lc/teamevalreport.html and
   3. a pilot project to acquire shelf-ready materials, http://www.lib.umn.edu/ts/mac/archive/ybpsrpilot.html .
   We are pleased with all of these as preliminary steps and we plan to take additional action as recommended by the working groups.

   Barbara A. Stelmasik
   Team Leader, Materials Acquisition and Control
   University of Minnesota Libraries
   160 Wilson Library
   309-19th Ave. So.
   Minneapolis, MN 55455
   Mailto:b-stel@tc.umn.edu
   Phone: 612-625-8074
   Fax: 612-625-3428
   http://www.lib.umn.edu/ts/

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   From: ARNO KASTNER kastnera@elmer4.bobst.nyu.edu
   Subject: Round Robin Report from New York University

   NEW YORK UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

   1. Personnel:

      Carol Mandel joined NYU as Dean of Libraries on April 19. Linda Lerman began as Head of Acquisitions on April 5. We are currently recruiting for a Special Formats Cataloger and Head of Member Copy Cataloging.

   2. New system release:

      We are installing release 6.8 of Geac ADVANCE, which among other things will give us USMARC holdings.

   3. BIBCO:

      We received BIBCO training in January. We got off to a slow start, but should be "official" contributors next month. At this point full-level continues to be our default.

   4. OCLC:

      In February we loaded our 1.5 million records into OCLC...and our ILL Department has felt the impact.

   5. Retrospective conversion:

      We have signed a contract with MarcLink to convert approximately 125,000 manual records for the New-York Historical Society Library. As we inventory monographic holdings for Bobst Library--NYU'S main library--we continue to uncover thousands of books that mysteriously escaped conversion during our REMARC recon project of the late 80's. Otherwise, aside from about 14,000 Middle East vernacular script records and microform titles, our retrospective conversion is complete.

   6. Digital issues:

      In July we begin a one-year, NYU/New-York Historical Society Library grant-funded project to digitize visual and archival materials from the N-YHS collection relating to the Civil War. This project, coordinated by the Library of Congress and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, will provide access to collections of caricatures, posters, sketches, stereographs, newspapers and letters with MARC records linking to browsable databases for each collection.

   7. Out-of-print buying:

      The Acquisitions Unit has completed a preliminary analysis of the Library's out-of-print vendors for domestic titles. Currently vendor selection is divided between Blackwell North America's O-P service, Bibliofind and Fred's Book Service depending on the status of the request as replacement copy, firm order or reserve order. BNA is supplying 43% of orders placed; of the titles that BNA cannot supply, 55% appear on Bibliofind--an increase from last year's 40% hit rate. Fred's has been successful for locating rarer materials. A complete report will soon be available on the Library's web site along with a pricing comparison.

   8. Serials holdings:

      We are embarking on a major serials holdings clean-up project of over 47,000 titles. Under Linda Lerman's direction, the shelf verification project will utilize staff from Bobst and departmental libraries in a two-phase project that takes advantage of scheduled system downtime in August during the installation of Geac release 6.8. Holdings will be corrected to conform to USMARC Format for Holdings and input according to the recently approved NISO stand Holdings Statements for Bibliographic Items.

   Arno Kastner
   Director of Technical Services
   Bobst Library
   New York University
   70 Washington Square South
   New York, NY 10012
   voice:212-998-2477
   email: arno.kastner@nyu.edu
   

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   PRINCETON UNIVERSITY>

   From: Richard J. Schulz rjschulz@Princeton.EDU
   Subject: Princeton update
   

   Don Thornbury, Head of Catalog Division, will represent Princeton at Big Heads and will present a brief report on our CORC activities which he has chiefly been responsible for initiating. The following is an update on major developments of the past six months.

   1. Library Systems:

      The saga of acquiring a new (integrated) library management system continues, with light finally flickering at the end of the long tunnel (or so we hope!). In May, a first round of single day product demonstrations by various academic market vendors was completed, and the reactions of the several hundred staff, faculty and students invited to participate in the evaluations were tabulated and analyzed. On the basis of this exercise two system vendors have been invited to return in July for more intensive multi-day (in effect week long) demonstrations of their systems for evaluation committees targeted on specific modules, processes and/or technological aspects. Selection Committee site visits to libraries running these systems are planned for July as well. Migration to whichever system is selected is scheduled for completion by September 2000.

      The migration schedule is being driven hard by our local systems situation.

      1. Circulation operations were moved from the Geac 9000 (GLIS) system to NOTIS last September, but we have been unable to bring the process to technical conclusion due to the incompatibility of custom security programming on the newer (OS390) mainframe with NOTIS release 6.5 (and subsequent releases). We have been working around this problem by running NOTIS circulation and OPAC operations as the sole application on the old mainframe. However, this solution does not provide sufficient port capacity to support local cataloging and also frequently results in access problems for OPAC and circulation functions. There have been some very recent technical breakthroughs which look like they will solve this impasse, but the plans of the university remain to phase out mainframe based legacy systems as soon as possible, so whatever improvements we may accomplish are still only of short term application.
      2. We learned in April that Geac made a corporate decision not to invest in the programming necessary to make the GLIS (9000) system Y2K compliant. As we are still running GLIS as our acquisitions and serial control system, we are compelled to move these operations elsewhere by December 31st at the very latest. Anticipating that the above mentioned solution to the mainframe port problem is achieved, we plan to make an interim move of acquisitions and serial control to NOTIS where we could also achieve data integration which would serve to facilitate the migration to whichever new system we select.

   2. Retrospective Conversion:

      On the brighter side, our ambitious recon project continues apace featuring the conversion and loading of 70,000 records per month on average. For this we are definitely grateful to have that robust mainframe processing power at our disposal. With the exception of the CJK catalogs of the Gest East Asian Library which were not included in this project, full conversion will be completed by the first quarter of 2000, in time for the migration to the new system.

   3. CORC:

      We have invested a lot of cataloging time and effort in the CORC project in the form of training, discussion and record production. Virtually the entire professional staff of the Catalog Division are actively participating. Our goals at this point continue to be general and educational rather than targeted and practical, i.e., to stay abreast of metadata related developments particularly the application of metadata to bibliographic or analogous control of information resources, keep the professional catalogers educated and involved as a means to shift their intellectual focus to the evolving field of electronic resources which bodes to require a different order of application of their talents and skills, and to stay positioned to participate in or lead campus wide efforts to provide integrated access control to locally produced digital resources supporting teaching and research.

   4. Pay for Performance:

      All management and support staff of the library are currently heavily engaged in the design and implementation of a new salary increase distribution system for support staff. The Princeton University Library Assistants union agreed in the last round of contract negotiations to a merit increase program which goes into effect on July 1, 2000. Preparatory to this a new system of performance rating and appraisal has to be devised as a supporting structure. This involves the development of mutually agreed upon standards and criteria to measure work performance, an appraisal instrument to document performance, and a merit pool distribution system.

   5. Remote Storage partnership:

      Bob Wolven and I are representing our respective institutions on the Library Operations Group of the Columbia-NYPL-Princeton consortium which will jointly build and operate a high density book storage facility in Plainsboro, New Jersey, on Princeton's Forrestal Campus. The facility is scheduled for opening on July 1, 2001 and is projected to receive nearly 5 million volumes during its first three years of operation due to pent up demand. Environmental control set points of the new faciltity will be extremely book friendly at 50 degrees (F) and 35% RHU for the main storage area. Separate cold storage areas for acetate and non-acetate based film and other color media are also part of the design. Delivery of materials requested from the facility will be next business day. Our efforts to date have perforce concentrated what it will take to get the facility operational within the project's timeframe. Some of the more interesting longer term issues, such as joint access and cooperative operations in areas such as preservation, digitization, collective de-duping, etc., which have the potential for significant additional common advantage, will be explored later on.

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   CORNELL UNIVERSITY

   From: Christian M. Boissonnas cmb3@cornell.edu
   Subject: News from Cornell

   1. NEW LIBRARY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM:

      We are in the process of negotiating for the acquisition of a new system to be installed in July 2,000.  We anticipate some difficulties particularly involving the migration of information from serials acquisitions records.

   2. BACKLOG ELIMINATION:

      We were charged by Sarah Thomas 15 months ago with eliminating our cataloging backlog in three years.  We plan to finish by June 2000, or 9 months ahead of schedule, in order not to have to contend with this project while we are implementing a new system.

   3. RETROSPECTIVE CONVERSION:

      We have contracted with OCLC to convert all materials in the P, D, and E LC classifications, or 440,000 titles.  This will be completed by February 2000, and will leave 600,000-700,000 titles to convert.

   4. PCC ACTIVITIES:

      As a result of discussion at PCC meetings at Midwinter, the chair of the Standing Committee on Automation, who is a Cornellian, worked with the CONSER Coordinator at LC to prepare a charge for the Standing Committee on Automation's Task Force of Journals in Aggregator Databases.  The task force has been working since February, with John Riemer of the University of Georgia as chair and other members from Cornell, Harvard, Yale, the University of Maryland, MIT, and EBSCO.  The task force member from Cornell has devoted a good deal of energy to this task force.

      To date, the task force has

      1. defined the MARC content of vendor records and
      2. completed a demonstration project with an interested vendor, EBSCO.   Conversations are under way between the task force and Bell and Howell (formerly UMI) and CIS concerning, respectively, record sets for the ProQuest Direct and Lexis Nexis Academic Universe products.

      Members of the task force will be discussing their work at this conference--on Saturday from 9:30 to 12:30 at the Medium Heads of TS meeting, and on Sunday evening from 7 to 9 pm at the PCC Participants meeting.

   5. CORC:

      We have become CORC participants and have been trained.  Through participation in CORC, we expect to:

      • Select and catalog new Internet resources of interest to the CUL community (we could opt to focus on a specific class of resources, e.g., Web resources created at CU?)
      • Experiment with the centralized, cooperative creation of portal pages (subject guides) of particular interest to CUL users
      • Provide staff with the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of and practical experience with Dublin Core, highly automated record creation, and other new standards
      • Provide free access to the CORC database across campus (although record creation will be restricted to project participants)

      Our specific research objectives include:

      1. Comparing record editing/creation in CORC to the procedures and technology now in use for resource description of Web resources (e.g., speed, ease of use, content of records (DC vs. MARC), record transfer capability (MARC, RDF/XML import and export), etc.)
      2. Assessing the level, education and training needed for cataloging, using the CORC model of highly automated resource description
      3. Exploring the feasibility of a new work flow for record creation, with the reference librarian or selector entering the URLs into CORC and generating a preliminary record, then the cataloger further refining the record.
      4. Evaluating the feasibility of a centralized, cooperative system such as CORC for creating and maintaining subject guides to Web resources (including shared, centralized maintenance of URLs)
      5. Evaluating the usefulness of the CORC model for networked resource selection

      Staffing includes .5 FTE provided by a variety of staff across campus (project coordinator, original cataloger, copy cataloger, reference librarian and collection development librarian).

   6. ELECTRONIC PUBLISHING:

      We are moving forward on three projects.

      1. Electronic dissertations.  We have formed a task force to plan the implementation of electronic theses and dissertations at Cornell.  Its charge is to analyze the requirements for capturing, serving, and archiving electronic theses and dissertations, to recommend procedures and milestones for implementation of a trial electronic dissertation service, and to prepare a budget for supporting this activity.  In addition, you should consider measures for evaluating the service and for its future following an appropriate period of prototyping.  A report and recommendations are due by September 15th.

      2. Production of preprints in print and electronic formats for the Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering Division (PMSE) of the American Chemical Society).  We have made a proposal to the Division to provide its members with both print and electronic versions of their conference preprints.  Right now they get printed copies from Elsevier.  The Division is reviewing our proposal.

      3. Project Euclid is an electronic publishing endeavor to support cost-effective, timely, and creative scholarly communication in the field of theoretical and applied mathematics.  Currently a cooperative undertaking of the Cornell University Department of Mathematics and the Cornell University Library, Project Euclid will expand to include collaboration with scholarly societies and associations, commercial publishers, university presses, and others engaged in the dissemination, evaluation, and use of mathematical research. The goal of the Project is to create a unified and reliable source of electronic information relating to mathematics that is economical and widely accessible to scholars and others.

   7. OTHER LIBRARY PROJECTS:
      1. PURL Server We are implementing a Persistent URL  by using the PURL system from OCLC.  At the same time we are working closely with staff from the Computer Sciences with the view of eventually implementing the Handle system supported by CNRI which promises, eventually, to be more sophisticated and flexible software.  We estimate that we have about 4,000 URLs in our on-line catalog that will have to be standardized.

      2. Decentralizing serials receiving All serials for the endowed divisions of Cornell except for the Law Library are received and checked-in centrally in Central Technical Services.  We have decided to decentralize the receipt of periodicals only.  It will speed up by a day or two the delivery of journals which are in high demand by users, and it will allow us to recover some staffing from CTS to be used for other purposes.

      3. User survey A user survey of Cornell library users is being planned for the fall.  The purpose of the survey is not so much to find out how users think we are doing, but to find out what services they want now and in the future.  We are especially interested in finding out how they would prioritize their needs and what they would be willing to pay or trade for things they do not have now (for example, more electronic journals for fewer paper copies in the stacks).   It will be a telephone survey which guarantees a much better response rate in this environment than a paper survey.

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   NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

   From: Roxanne Sellberg sellberg@nwu.edu
   Subject: Northwestern round robin report--6/99

   Here is the news from Northwestern.

   1. BUDGET:

      In the category of "be careful what you wish for"--or maybe just when you wish for it, Northwestern is working with the results of a healthy increase in our materials budget this year (note: our fiscal year ends August 31). Combined with the challenges of adjusting to the Voyager system, the pressure this year to order and pay for significantly more materials is running Technical Services staff ragged. For the past several months, monograph cataloging staff have been asked to spend many hours helping with orders and invoice processing instead of cataloging. Backlogs are resulting. The collection budget increase is to the base, and we are expecting another healthy increase for FY2000; so the challenge to scale up technical processing production is definitely a long term one.

   2. TECHNICAL SERVICES REORGANIZATION:

      As some of you may remember, we are also in the midst of a reorganization in Technical Services. The combining of monographic acquisitions and copy cataloging staff into one unit seems to be working pretty well. Part of the goal of the change was to increase the flexibility of monographic processing staff--to develop staff who would be able to do both acquisitions and copy cataloging work comfortably as needed. For reasons mentioned above, the former copy catalogers have been doing a lot of acquisitions work and that has been wonderful, but the former acquisitions staff have not had much chance to master copy cataloging yet. On the other side of the aisle, the new Serials Department is also doing as well as could be expected. Serials staff are working hard to create purchase order records and predictive checkin "patterns" for Voyager. Although we have a long, long way to go, the patterns we have already created are starting to have a positive effect on checkin of some frequently-received serials, and we plan to begin automatic claiming on the Voyager system in September. We also hope to be able to make an announcement about a new Head of the Serials Department soon (thanks to those of you who suggested possible candidates).

   3. OTHER TECHNICAL SERVICES PROJECTS:

      Among the other things we have been working on in Technical Services are: CORC, a big withdrawal/transfer project connected with the physical merger of our "core" collection with the reserves operation, a retrospective conversion/barcoding/tattle taping effort designed to facilitate the move of the Transportation Library into new quarters, a re-design of the Library's Website, and hosting a number of visitors, most inquiring about Voyager.

   4. SPECIAL BOOK PLATES:

      I'll mention one more thing because I am especially happy about it. We recently had a breakthrough on what has seemed a perennial problem at our Library: how to make sure the correct special book plates are affixed to monographs purchased with money from named gift funds. Gary Strawn was able to add a feature to the system he developed for generating call number labels for books, which automatically alerts the labeling staff when they are about to label a book needing a special gift plate. We think this will work better than any of the methods we have tried before (assuming we are alerted to update the relevant table when new gift plates are created). Yeah!

   See you all in a few days,
   Roxanne

   Roxanne Sellberg
   Assistant University Librarian for Technical Services
   Northwestern University Library
   1935 Sheridan Road
   Evanston IL 60208
   tel: (847)467-5359
   fax: (847)491-8306
   e-mail: sellberg@nwu.edu

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   OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

   From: Carol Diedrichs diedrichs.1@osu.edu

   HIGHLIGHTS FOR BIGHEADS, June, 1999

   1. DIRECTOR SEARCH:

      The search committee has completed its work and we are awaiting word from the Provost's Office re the naming of a new director.

   2. RENOVATION OF MAIN LIBRARY:

      The University has placed the renovation of the Main Library on its planning agenda and capital funding request. In reality, this means the beginning of a 5-8 year process for planning, fund raising and renovation of the Main Library. This renovation is long overdue but represents an substantial undertaking in actually renovating a building under very active use and filled with people and materials!

   3. TECHNICAL SERVICES REORGANIZATION:

      Technical Services was reorganized in December 1998 to realign three large departments into five smaller departments: Monographs, Serials/Electronic Products, Cataloging, Special Collections Cataloging and Technical Services Accounting and Administration. After approximately 6 months, the new organization is settling in as expected and many improvements are already evident. I am very pleased with the manner in which the staff and faculty in Technical Services have adapted to these changes and thank them for there support and positive outlook on these changes.

   4. VACANCIES:

      Interviews have been held for two vacant librarian positions: Serials Coordinator reporting to the Head, Serials/Electronic Resources; and Non-Roman Cataloging Coordinator reporting to the Head, Cataloging Department. I am please to announce the appointment of Tschera Connell as the Serials Coordinator. Previously, Tschera was a faculty member teaching at the Kent State library school, Columbus Program. She begins in August 1999. A decision has not yet been made on the Non- Roman Cataloging Coordinator position.

      The Head, Special Collections Cataloging, Hannah Thomas, has resigned. A job announcement will be going out shortly. A copy of the job description will be sent to the Big Heads and other listservs. I would welcome any nominations for this important position.

   5. OhioLINK APPROVAL PLAN:

      As part of the OhioLINK Approval Plan Project, OSU moved our English language approval plan to YBP on January 1, 1999. We have also implemented PromptCat and the YBP GOBI system for transfer of orders between YBP and our III system. Although we are still working out the inherent bugs in a transition from one approval vendor to another, we are pleased with the new plan.

      As planned, OSU has begin using YBP's GOBI system for order request and selection by our collection managers. The OhioLINK view of the system will allow them to see what their colleagues around the state are doing and, we hope, make better informed decisions on marginal titles. Collection managers can tag orders that they want to purchase directly in GOBI. Those orders are then gathered in the Monograph Dept., searched for duplication, transferred to our III system and then confirmed for order online with YBP.

   6. CONTRACT CATALOGING:

      We continue to use OCLC TechPro for Slavic materials and serials cataloging. We have just implemented an agreement to extend our use of TechPro to Arabic and Hebrew materials. In addition, we are in discussions with the University of Kansas to outsource some Slavic cataloging to them through BCR.

   7. CORC:

      As a member of the CIC, we have committed to participation in OCLC's CORC Project for the cataloging of Internet resources. It took considerably longer than we anticipated to get the CORC contract signed locally. Thus, our use of CORC is still under exploration.

   8. OCLC Flat Rate Internet Access:

      With its availability in April 1999, we switched to OCLC's flat rate Internet access structure. At present, we allow staff over the threshold of 23 users to sign on and be charged at the hourly rate as we assess whether 23 users is the appropriate number. Our early statistics indicate that we do regularly exceed 23 users but rarely for extended periods of time or by more than 2-3 users. We will decide how to proceed, i.e. whether to turn off the hourly access, raise the number of flat rate users, after a bit more data is available. However, the flat rate approach has already lowered our monthly invoices by $2000-3000.

   Carol Pitts Diedrichs
   Assistant Director for Technical Services and Liaison to the Regional Campus Libraries
   Editor, Library Collections, Acquisitions and Technical Services
   The Ohio State University Libraries
   1858 Neil Avenue Mall
   Columbus, OH, 43210-1286
   tel: 614-292-4738
   fax: 614-292-7859
   Internet: diedrichs.1@osu.edu
   

   Return to List of Libraries

   ---

   LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

   From: Beacher J E Wiggins bwig@loc.gov
   Subject: LC update

   1. Integrated Library System:

      In May 1998 the Library of Congress awarded a contract to Endeavor Information Systems, Inc. for their Voyager integrated library system.

      Since January 1999, over 400 people working on the 76 implementation teams have all made great progress, and we are still on target to have all the components up and running by our original target of October 1999. We are conducting several *test loads* of our records in preparation for the production load and the results have been very helpful in refining our preprocessing programs for loading bibliographic and authority records, as well as patron records, vendor records, circulation charge records, and open orders. Formal training began in April with classes on OPAC and staff searching taught by our cadre of excellent volunteer trainers from among LC staff. Starting June 1 we began cataloging training. Approximately 3,000 LC staff members will be trained through October in the various modules (cataloging, circulation, OPAC, and acquisitions/serials check-in). Cataloging, circulation, and OPAC are scheduled to *go live* in August, and acquisitions and serials check-in on the LC ILS will begin in October.

      LC*s bibliographic and authority records will continue to be distributed during the transition. Please see the Cataloging Distribution Service announcement about the plans for the MARC Distribution Service. The official master CONSER database will remain on OCLC, and LC will continue to provide maintenance for those records. The LC ILS Local Database will reflect all records for materials in LC collections, as well as all authority records. A special database in the LC ILS will be established to continue the production of the Handbook of Latin American Studies, and a master database will be maintained for the production of the Library of Congress Subject Headings.

      Over 2,000 PCs have been replaced and loaded with the latest Voyager software - a huge effort accomplished by the Automation Planning and Liaison Office (APLO), the ILS Workstation Group, plus many volunteers from divisions library-wide and staff from t he Information Technology Services (ITS). The Library installed its two new ILS servers during February, and a performance benchmark was conducted in April. The benchmark included documentation of the system's Y2K compliance. The results from the bench mark will be used to optimize performance of the system.

      As important steps in capturing our *manual* inventory information, the Library will have three Requests for Proposal (RFP's) out for bid this year:

      1. data transfer from the Library's sheet shelflist to the Library's card shelflist (announced in early June),
      2. conversion of the card shelflist holdings information into the LC ILS (to be announced in late summer or early fall), and
      3. conversion of holdings information from manual serials check-in files into the LC ILS (to be announced in late June or early July).

      The Library introduced a public ILS home page on February 8, 1999. The Internet address is: http://lcweb.loc.gov/ils/

   2. Bibliographic Enrichment Advisory Team:

      Since January 1999 the Bibliographic Enrichment Advisory Team (BEAT), which operates under the auspices of the Cataloging Directorate but includes representatives from many areas of the Library, including public services and electronic programs, has focu sed particular attention on three projects:

      1. Expanding the digital Table of Contents (D-TOC) project while developing systems and new programs to allow the project to operate in the Library's Integrated Library System (ILS) environment;
      2. Undertaking experiments to explore linking electronic bibliographic materials to works they contain (as well as linking discrete items to the bibliographies) and to expand these links to additional resources in various formats (BeCites+);
      3. Continuing the BEOnlin e project, which deals with numerous issues surrounding electronic works that are remotely available on the World Wide Web.

   3. Digital Table of Contents (D-TOC) Project:

      The Digital Tables of Contents (TOC) project creates TOC data from surrogates of the actual TOC, and using scanning and optical character recognition (OCR) as well as original programming written by project staff, materials are subsequently HTML-encoded and placed on a server at the Library. In the process the underlying MARC records are also modified to include links to the TOC data. Both the MARC records themselves and the linked TOC data may be viewed through the Library's online catalog, at URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov/catalog . The Z39.50 server and the browse search capability are recommended for direct searches and subsequent viewing.

      This project originally concentrated on printed monographic publications in the fields of business and economics (particularly, the areas of small business and entrepreneurship). Now fully in production mode, the scope of materials covered has expanded to include wider areas of economics, computer science, technology and other areas in which BEAT sponsored projects or conducted investigations previously. The project has created about 1,400 TOC records to date and adds approximately 100 new TOC data and their related links each month.

      An additional project is underway which aims to substantially modify and rewrite in the Visual Basic language, the original OS/2 VX-REXX program so that it will be compatible with the Library's new Integrated System.

      For further information about TOC, contact Bruce Knarr, project manager, at bkna@loc.gov

   4. BECites+

      BECites+ is a new BEAT 1998/1999 initiative, designed to enhance traditional bibliographies by placing them on the World Wide Web and including, along with annotated citations, links to the scanned tables of contents, indexes, and back-of-book bibliograp hies contained in the sources. In addition, the project plans to provide links to pertinent online indexes to journals and other related web resources where available. For the initial phase of the project work has focused on a single bibliography, "Guide to Business History Resources," a revision of chapter 13 of Finding Business Reference Sources at the Library of Congress, comp. Richard F. Sharp. (Library of Congress. Business Reference Services, 1995). Most of the works included in the bibliogr aphy have now been linked to the types of sources described here, and a number of test records have been already been created. The team anticipates that public availability and access will be provided through the Library's Web-based cataloging search tools shortly.

      For further information about BECites+, contact the project chair, Carolyn Larson, at clar@loc.gov

   5. BEOnline:

      BEOnline continues in production mode, and as originally conceived was intended as a pilot project to serve as both a model and a catalyst for developing approaches to meet the challenges of identifying, selecting, and providing bibliographic as well as direct access to electronic works that are remotely available on the World Wide Web. This project is concentrating on business- and economics-related materials, especially those which will facilitate business reference in the area of entrepreneurship and small business.

      Monographic BEOnline records were released from the Library's database for distribution in April, and more than 200 BEOnline records can now be found in OCLC, RLIN and with other subscribers to Library of Congress cataloged records. Each selected resource is listed on the BEOnline Web page and can be accessed directly through hyperlinks. The address is URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov/rr/business/beonline/beohome.htmL

      For further information contact the project head, Allene Hayes, at ahay@loc.gov.

   6. Cataloging Policy:

      • Subfield $v
        LC monograph, serials, moving image, and sound recording catalogers began explicitly subfield coding form subject subdivisions with $v instead of $x on February 17.

      • Subject authority records
        There is an ongoing project to recode instances of form subdivisions as $v in existing authority records in LCSH. 781 fields for the subject subdivision forms of geographic names are being included in new and revised geographic subject authority records. LC plans to add this 781 field to all existing subject authority records for geographic headings as part of a special project to begin later this year. CDS began the distribution of subject subdivision authority records for free-floating form subdivisions in February. However, distribution of these records was suspended in mid-March because of a programming problem. CPSO expects to resume distribution when the problem is resolved.

   7. Music Cataloging Sabbatical

      The Special Materials Cataloging Division continues to make its Music Cataloging Sabbatical available to qualified music catalogers. The sabbatical is an opportunity for working music catalogers to come to the Library of Congress for three to six months and receive one-on-one training with a senior music cataloger in cataloging sound recordings. The participants will also participate in various arrearage reduction projects. If you would like more information, please contact Susan Vita ( or Phillip De Sellem (

   8. Pinyin Romanization:

      The Library of Congress and RLG are working together to prepare for conversion of Chinese bibliographic records in the RLIN database to pinyin. LC is now identifying bibliographic records in the Chinese script which need to be loaded into RLIN for conversion. The target for their conversion is the spring of 2000. The Library has sent draft specifications to RLG. The draft will be used to write a computer program which will perform as much of the conversion as possible. The program should also be able to change headings for the most frequently used Chinese conventional names. A copy of the draft specifications was also sent to OCLC.

      Changes to subject headings that contain Wade-Giles romanization are being evaluated in the Cataloging Policy and Support Office. Class numbers will be retained whenever possible, and the reference structure will be utilized in the classification schedule to lead the user to the proper location. Beginning later this year, probably around October 1, subject headings in the Subject Authority File will be converted to pinyin. Related changes to classification schedules will begin to be initiated at the same time. Topical subject headings will either be converted just after subject authorities, or at the time bibliographic records are converted. After that date, new subject headings with romanized Chinese words will follow the new pinyin romanization guidelines.

      In recent weeks, the Library has heard from librarians and automation experts from several institutions who have recommended conversion of Name Authority Records in advance of conversion of bibliographic records. The Library has held several strategy sessions in recent weeks and is attempting to rework its time-line to respond to these concerns. Possible scenarios for conversion of authorities will be presented during meetings to be held at ALA, and input will be widely sought.

      The Library has also begun a related project to bring Chinese conventional place names into conformance with the forms currently recommended by the U. S. Board on Geographic Names. CPSO changes headings for geographic locations, one province at a time, along with the cities therein. Catalogers then change related authority records. As of June 1, 24 provinces and major cities (including Beijing) have been changed; only six more remain to be changed. Up-to-the-minute information about changes can be f ound on the CPSO home page at URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/china.html

      Further information regarding the pinyin conversion project is available on the Pinyin home page, which was recently mounted on the Library of Congress's Web site to provide a vehicle for significant documentation and up-to-date news. The address is: http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/pinyin

   9. PREMARC Heading Integration Plan for the LC ILS:

      In the Library's existing local online systems, MUMS and SCORPIO, the PREMARC File includes about 4.7 million bibliographic records created prior to the adoption of AACR2. These records, since they reside in a separate physical file, have heretofore not been taken into account for daily cataloging activities such as headings maintenance. The descriptive and subject headings on these records may differ from current practice and for the most part have not been assessed with respect to accuracy or completeness. Under the LC ILS, the records from PREMARC will be included in the LC Local database along with all other bibliographic records for materials held by the Library. The Cataloging Directorate is responsible for maintaining the overall quality of the LC catalog and to this end has developed a plan for treatment of these records in the LC Local database. It basically proposes that the headings on these records will be assessed, heading by heading, and brought into conformity with current descriptive and subject cataloging practice. The content of the records (the bibliographic description) will not be assessed.

      Excluded from the heading integration plan are about 1.47 million records which were replaced by external records and loaded into PREMARC to replace counterpart records in that file. They can be identified in LC Local by the code *oclcrpl* in subfield c of the 906 local processing field. These records in general are much closer to current cataloging practice and the headings generally meet AACR2 standards for accuracy and form. They will become subject to regular bibliographic heading maintenance by cataloging staff on Cataloging Day One of the ILS.

      The remainder of the PREMARC records will be loaded into LC Local with value *premunv* or *premver* in subfield c of the 906 field, indicating that the record has not been assessed with respect to completeness or heading structure. The Cataloging Direct orate is currently forming a new database maintenance unit within the Cataloging Policy and Support Office to perform quality sampling, removal of duplicate records, and maintenance of holdings and item records; to handle necessary cleanup of records orig inating in PREMARC, shelflist conversion, and general bibliographic problem resolution; and to carry out PREMARC heading integration projects, perform global updates to headings, and generally maintain ILS authority records. It is anticipated that most of the heading integration plan will be accomplished within five years after Day One of the ILS. The first headings to be assessed will be those, generally subject access points, which were established in earlier decades and are considered offensive by c ontemporary standards.

      Until each heading has been assessed and brought into alignment with current practice, it will be identified by the addition of a character string, such as *[non-current hdg.],* at the end of the last field in the heading that will serve to mark it as originating from the MUMS PREMARC File. The addition of this label will result in *split files* for many headings in LC Local, but it is essential to enable the CPSO maintenance unit to identify those access points which are candidates for the integration plan, as well as to alert end users of the LC catalog that the Library does not consider them to be current standard headings.

   10. Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) Activities:

       Mid-year statistics show that contributions of new name authority record submitted to the NACO program equal 39% of last fiscal year's totals; new series contributions stand at 54%; new SACO contributions equal 47% of last year's total and contributions of new bibliographic records to the BIBCO program are at an all time high surpassing last year's mid-year totals by 23%. International growth has increased dramatically with five new international libraries scheduled to join the PCC in the coming months which will bring the number of overseas participants to 25 libraries.

       • BIBCO
         BIBCO libraries added over 27,385 new bibliographic records to the ever-growing pool of bibliographic contributions created to a shared cataloging standard. This increase comes as the BIBCO program continues to expand, now numbering 37 participating libraries.

       • CONSER
         Jean Hirons, CONSER Coordinator, submitted the report *Revising AACR2 to Reflect Seriality* to the Joint Steering Committee on the Revision of AACR (JSC) in late March and the report was made available for worldwide review in May. Catalogers from the AACR constituent countries and Germany participated in the process of developing initial recommendations to Hirons which led to the final report. The report presents broad recommendations for the cataloging of traditional and electronic serials, as well as other *continuing resources,* such as loose-leaf publications and Web sites. In addition to addressing electronic resources, a primary goal is harmonization with ISBD(S) and ISSN. Comments on the report are due to the JSC by September 1st.

         The two major initiatives currently being addressed by CONSER members involve aggregator databases and publication patterns and holdings. The aggregator issue originated with CONSER, but is now a task force under the PCC's Standing Committee on Automation. Further discussion of this topic will take place at the CONSER At Large meeting on Sunday morning.

       • NACO
         Outreach to the international library community has resulted in the scheduling of 5 new libraries from abroad to join NACO: Trinity College, Dublin, the National Library of Wales, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, the State Library of Pretoria, and the University of South Africa, Pretoria.

       • PCC Standing Committees
         The Standing Committee on Automation has submitted the final report of the OCLC Batchloading Task Group and an interim report from the Task Group on Aggregator Databases in Journals to the PCC Policy Committee (PoCo). The interim report is available on the PCC home page or directly at URL: http://lcweb.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/aggupdrpt.html

   11. Cataloging (Books and Serials) Production:

       Bibliographic Records	FY99 through April	FY98
       LC Full-Level Cataloging	96,516	175,103
       Copy Cataloging	16,943	39,265
       Minimal-Level Cataloging	2,123	24,880
       Collection-Level Cataloging	1,645	2,965
       TOTAL records created	117,227	242,213
       TOTAL volumes cataloged	NA	274,890

       Authority Records	FY99 through April	FY98
       Names	51,360	167,441*
       Series	4,960	9,713
       Subjects	3,625	7,194
       TOTAL	59,945	184,348

       *includes 64,194 machine-generated Names

   12. Collections Policy:

       The Library entered into a cooperative agreement with the UMI Company for US dissertations. Under this agreement, UMI will submit copyright claims and dissertation deposits in digital format through CORDS (Copyright Office Electronic Registration, Recor dation, and Deposit System). The electronic copyright deposits will remain in the Copyright Office repository and LC will eventually have access to all dissertations in digital form (all dissertations beginning in 1997) through UMI's digital repository "ProQuest Digital Dissertations." The Library will, for the foreseeable future, also receive and retain microfiche copies of the dissertations.

   13. Cataloging Distribution Service Meeting with MARC Distribution Service (MDS) Subscribers:

       CDS will meet with MARC Distribution Service subscribers on Sunday, June 27, 9:00-10:30 am, (location TBA), to review information sent to subscribers in April 1999 about impacts of the LC Integrated Library System (ILS) on the MARC Distribution Services.

       The information sent to MDS customers during the week of April 19, 1999, is posted on the Web at URL http://www.loc.gov/cds/mds-ils.html .

   14. MARC Bibliographic Format: New Edition

       The first edition of the MARC bibliographic format with its new name, "MARC 21," went to press on Monday, May 10th. The first printed copies are expected to be available from the Government Printing Office (GPO) in late June. The 908-page publication c ulminates more than a year of editorial work required to prepare the new "harmonized" format. The MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data replaces the USMARC Format for Bibliographic Data and the Canadian MARC Communication Format for Bibliographic Data, w hich were fully harmonized in 1997. Part of the revision process eliminated more than 200 pages from the document, making it more manageable physically. Although still in two volumes, each volume is now lighter and more succinct. A French language edit ion will also be available, prepared and published by the National Library of Canada, facilitating MARC 21's continued expansion and success. Separate English and French web sites will be maintained for the revised format. Plans are to revise and publis h the other four MARC formats as "MARC 21" editions in the near future. These will be supplemented by MARC 21 document sources in other languages maintained by other national agencies. At present work is underway on MARC 21 documentation in German, Russ ian, and Spanish. Collaboration of Dublin Core/MARC Mapping

       NDMSO is collaborating with OCLC, Inc. on updating and expanding the Dublin Core to MARC mapping, which is currently available at the MARC Web site ( http://lcweb.loc.gov/marc/dccross.html ). This effort is undertaken as part of OCLC*s Cooperative Online Resource Catalog (CORC), which uses a mapping for integrating, exporting and importing records for online resources both in Dublin Core and MARC. The mapping will provide a crosswalk in both directions, both from Dublin Core to MARC and from MARC to Dubl in Core.

   15. Z39.50 Server Changes:

       At the present time, the search system being accessed via LC's Z39.50 server is MUMS. This will change to the Voyager system when LC catalogers begin using Voyager in mid-August. (The current Z39.50 server will still be available for several months after Voyager is implemented.) On Cataloging Day One, searches through the WWW/Z39.50 Gateway will begin to be sent to the Voyager system. Prior to Voyager implementation, library system software vendors and Z39.50 interest groups will be notified about th is change.

       Some anticipated changes to LC's Z39.50 service when Voyager is implemented include:

       1. system availability will improve to seven days a week, 24 hours a day;
       2. all LC bibliographic records will be in a single database; and
       3. search access to LC's aut hority files will not be possible.

   16. Mass Deacidification

       In November 1997, the Library awarded a second contract to Preservation Technologies (a Pennsylvania company) to provide book preservation services to the Library using the firm's Bookkeeper mass deacidification process. This contract will run through October 2001; we are now in the second half of year 2 of this 4-year contract. Continuing application of the mass deacidification technology has ensured the effective deacidification of 225,000 Library books to date.

       Given the effective operation of its mass deacidification program in recent years, the Library is serving as a demonstration site for managers and technical staff from other libraries, archives, and cultural institutions who are interested in learning firsthand about administrative and workflow procedures required for mass deacidification programs. Interested organizations should contact Kenneth E. Harris,
       Preservation Projects Director,
       Preservation Directorate,
       Library of Congress, LM-G21,
       Washington, DC 20540-4500.
       Telephone: (202) 707-1054;
       Fax: (202) 707-3434;
       Internet: khar@loc.gov.

   17. Map Cataloging:

       In September, the Geography and Map Division hosted a six-day meeting of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Committee for Cartographic Materials. Representatives from all five member countries, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the Unit ed States, were present and participated in the meeting. These meetings were held to discuss and finalize the revision of Cartographic Materials: A Manual of Interpretation for AACR2. The second edition of Cartographic Materials will document and expla in the changes made to the rules in the 1988 and subsequent revisions. The publication will also be expanded to cover the cataloging of remote-sensing images and electronic or digital cartographic resources.

       In March five members of the Cataloging Team presented a two-day workshop on cataloging cartographic materials sponsored by the Federal Library and Information Center Committee. The workshop covered descriptive cataloging, subject analysis, and classifi cation of maps, atlases, and electronic cartographic resources. Although the class was limited to 25, the session was so popular that the attendance was expanded to 28 federal librarians and one public librarian.

   18. AMIM Revision:

       The comment period has ended for the draft revision of Archival Moving Image Materials: A Cataloging Manual. The purpose of this manual is to provide rules for the descriptive cataloging of archival film and video within the framework of AACR2. The LC AMIM Revision Committee is currently examining the comments received in order to consider them in the final revision process. Committee members are Arlene Balkansky (chair), Laurie Duncan, Pearline Hardy, Stephen Kharfen, Marzella Rhodes, and Betty Wilson, all M/B/RS Moving Image Processing Unit staff. Bob Ewald, CPSO senior cataloging policy specialist, is serving as CPSO liaison to the revision committee during this process. The following organizations were among those who reviewed the draft revision:

       • ALCTS/CCS
       • CC:DA,
       • ALCTS Media Resources Committee,
       • Association of Moving Image Archivists Cataloging and Documentation Committee,
       • Music Library Association Bibliographic Control Committee,
       • National Library of Medicine Cataloging Section, and
       • Online A udiovisual Catalogers Cataloging Policy Committee.

       Return to List of Libraries

       RESEARCH LIBRARIES OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

       From: khsu khsu@nypl.org

       Round robin report from The Research Libraries of The New York Public Library

       1. Authority Control:

          When NYPL first started automation for cataloging in 1972, it designed its own system which had a linked authority control function. Any change in a heading made to an authority record would automatically be reflected in the heading used in any bibliographic record. That great feature was lost when the Library abandoned its own system and moved cataloging to RLIN in 1980, NYPL being one of the founding members of RLG.

          In 1997, as a result of an RFQ process, WLN (Now OCLC/WLN) was selected as the vendor to do authority control for the Library's records. WLN's service consists of two steps: Machine-processing and manual review. And in addition to verification of headings (name, subject, and series) against Library of Congress Name Authority File and Subject Authority File, the service also includes deletion of obsolete MARC fields and subfields or moving them to valid ones. Last year close to 3.7 million records were sent to WLN and 3.1 million were modified by machine-processing. The Library is now in the midst of reloading these records into its local system CATNYP. In order to avoid disrupting any day-to-day CATNYP operations such as ordering, check-in and other cataloging maintenance, reloading is taking place only in the evenings and weekends. It may take two to three months to finish the reloading. After that, records modified during manual-review will then be reloaded. Newly created records will also receive authority control. This is going to be a long process. But the staff accepts this as growing pain and eagerly awaits the time in early next year when all the see and see-also cross references will be in CATNYP to serve the library users.

       2. Retrospective Conversion:

          The Library launched a huge 5-year retrospective conversion project in early 1996 to convert two million monograph records into machine-readable form. There are two catalogs that the library users must consult now, one online and one printed catalog. Everything cataloged since 1972 is online while records created before 1972 are in an 800-volume printed book catalog called the Dictionary Catalog of The Research Libraries. It is estimated that 2.5 million titles are listed in the Dictionary Catalog, of which two million are monographs published in the Roman alphabet. OCLC has been contracted to do the conversion for these two million monograph records. NYPL's shelflist cards are shipped to OCLC for OCLC's operators to use as a basis for conversion. The overall hit rate for copy found on OCLC was projected at around 79%, with 21% requiring creation of original records. In some subject areas the copy hit rate was actually as low as 60% and in some other areas as high as 87%. As of the end of May, 1999, over 1.4 million titles in the humanities, sciences, business, and economics have been converted. The remaining are records for the Rare Books Division and Performing Arts Center, also microfilmed titles and titles belonging to the pamphlets collection. Roman-alphabet titles for the Jewish Division, Oriental Division, and the Slavic and Baltic Division are also included in this category. By September of 2000, all monograph records in the Roman-alphabet should be converted. The only non-Roman conversion project presently in place is the conversion of records in Hebrew characters. This is a separate 3-year (1998-2001) project being processed by an in-house staff.

          Immediately after the completion of monograph conversion, the Library will proceed to the conversion of around 130,000 serials titles in the humanities. Further down the line is the conversion of non-Roman records such as CJK and Cyrillic. Also waiting at the sidelines are records for non-book non-print materials such as sound recordings, music scores, and moving images. Converting everything online is a process which seems to go on forever.

       3. Remote Storage Facility:

          Adding to the urgency of retrospective conversion is the Library's imminent plan to build a high density off-site storage facility. Columbia, Princeton and NYPL have formed a consortium to jointly construct and operate a remote storage facility on Princeton's campus. In two years time two million items from NYPL could be moved into this new facility. A unique problem faced by NYPL now is that the collections of The Research Libraries do not have bar codes nor do they have item-level records. Since NYPL is a closed-stack non-circulating library, there has never seemed a real need to attach a bar code to the items in its collections.

          Plans are being aggressively drafted and soon to be executed on attaching bar codes to two million items which are targeted to be transferred to the off-site facility. At the same time, online bibliographic records must be ready for the bar codes to be scanned into item-level records. The titles to be transferred will be mostly infrequently used older items, the timing of the conversion of their records is crucial. There will be no problem with regard to monograph records. However, some of the targeted titles will inevitably be serials, whose conversion project will not commence until late next year. The Cataloging Division is planning to revise its serials cataloging routine in order to absorb the conversion of some of these serials.

       4. Electronic Resources:

          While there are so many issues concerning the handling of physical items, one would think that things would be much simpler if everything were online. As a matter of fact, online resources have presented themselves with even more issues and problems. What kind of access, both bibliographic and virtual, should the Library provide for its users? How should the Library handle the servicing issues? And how should the Library address the maintenance problems? These issues have been discussed and debated within the Library, and an NYPL Metadata Task Force has made its report. Among the recommendations made are a one-record approach for multiple versions, providing MARC records for the free Internet resources that are deemed worthy by the public services staff, and using metadata Dublin Core elements (instead of MARC records) to describe non-textual images digitized by the Library. As to the aggregator databases, it is hoped that eventually publishers would provide some sort of set records.

       5. Future Home for Technical Services:

          A new structure is being constructed within the south court of the Library's Central Building on 5th Ave. and 42nd Street. The Central Building, being a landmark, may not be altered in any way. Therefore, the new structure will not touch the existing walls except at the roof. There will be several levels. Two of them will house the better part of Technical Services. The senior staff of Technical Services have been involved in the planning of the floor space, and everyone is looking forward to the completion of this structure in two years.

       6. Director of Technical Services:

          The position of the Director of Technical Services has been vacant for several months and the Library vigorously continues its efforts to fill it.

       Karen Hsu
       NYPL's Interim Representative to the Big Heads
       Assistant Director and Chief of Cataloging
       The Research Libraries, The New York Public Library
       42nd St. & 5th Ave., New York, N.Y. 10018-2788
       (212) 930-0702
       (212) 930-0785 (Fax)
       Internet: KHSU@NYPL.ORG

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       UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO LIBRARY

       From: Judith Nadler judi@midway.uchicago.edu

       UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO UPDATE, June 1999

       1. Reconfiguration:

          Phase I of the Regenstein Reconfiguration Project, which includes

          1. installing compact shelving for a net added capacity of 1.2 million volumes;
          2. reconfiguring Special Collections;
          3. remodeling the main entry foyer;
          4. relocating and consolidating Circulation, Reserves, ILL, Entry/Exit Control, and the Privileges Office; and
          5. removing the card catalog from the main floor, is now close to completion. Although we were able to maintain all services during construction and to keep disruption to patrons and staff to a minimum, we are eagerly awaiting the conclusion of this phase.

          Phase II of the Regenstein Reconfiguration is in the planning stages. This phase will include the relocation of Technical Services, which now occupies prime space on the main floor. Where to?!

       2. Retrospective conversion:

          The project to convert the approximately 1.3 million cards in the General Card Catalog is almost complete. Editing and correcting will continue for some time. The Card Catalog will be removed from its prime first floor location but kept available for consultation until we complete the editing work.

          Approximately 120,000 titles from the John Crerar Library collections are also to be converted within this calendar year. A pilot project to establish standards and cost for the conversion of the East Asia Library collections (approximately 150,000 titles) is now in progress.

       3. Grants:

          The Library received the following grants:

          1. National Endowment for the Humanities, $882,366. Project period: July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2001: Preservation of Materials in the History of Religions. This award will support the microfilming of 8,500 volumes and conservation of 7,000 volumes through physical treatment. This collection contains rarely-held primary sources for the study of religions as well as for a wide range of disciplines across the humanities.

          2. Library of Congress/Ameritech National Digital Library Competition, $145,596. Project period: July 1,1999 - December 31, 2000: The First American West: The Ohio River Valley, 1750-1820.

             This award will support digitizing rare books, pamphlets, maps, prints, and manuscripts relating to the early development and settlement of the Ohio River Valley. The resulting digital collection will bring together related holdings from two partner institutions, the University of Chicago Library and the Filson Club Historical Society of Louisville, Kentucky. Upon completion of the project the digital collection will be made available through the Library of Congress American Memory Collection.

          3. Library Services and Technology Act, through the Illinois State Library, $152,835: A Shared Scanning Service for the eCUIP, the CUIP Digital Library.

             This project will contribute to the CUIP, a collaboration between the University of Chicago and the Chicago Public Schools to enhance teaching and learning through the use of the Internet and computer technologies. The grant will support the creation of a shared scanning facility, housed at the University of Chicago Library; the purchase and installation of 8 satellite scanning stations and 32 workstations in eight local public schools; the creation of a model technology training program for educators in the eight public schools; and the digitization of materials drawn from the Library's collections to act as a seed collection for the CUIP digital library. Material to be digitized will be keyed to the public school curriculum and will include the Ida B. Wells collection, held by the Department of Special Collections.

          4. Save America's Treasures Program. Program administered by the US. Department of the Interior. Funding to the University of Chicago awarded via the National Endowment for the Arts. $125,805. Project Period: 10/1/99 - 9/30/01

             The Poetry Magazine Archives Project: This project will conserve, stabilize, reformat, and digitize materials from the archives of Poetry; A Magazine of Verse. Selected materials will be conserved by deacidification, paper repair, and encapsulation. The entire archive will be re-housed in acid-free folders and boxes and re-formatted onto microfilm. The first decade of the printed magazine,1912 - 1922, will be digitized and converted for full-text searching. Selected materials from the archive, for which permissions can be obtained, will also be digitized and a web site will be created to provide an historical and cultural context for the material.

       4. Digital Library:

          Two interdivisional task groups: the Intellectual Access to the Digital Library Task Group, charged to recommend guiding principles and goals for providing intellectual access to digital information, and the Task Group on Retrospective Digitization, charged to consider the future role of retrospective digitization at the University of Chicago Library, have submitted reports to the Director. The task groups have done very fine work in addressing these complex new areas of development, and their reports and recommendations will be invaluable as we continue to incorporate information technology into the Library's services to the University Community. Recommendations from these reports are to be implemented soon.

          A Library Web Site Redesign Project is underway. Along with others, staff from Technical Services will contribute to this project as a priority commitment.

       5. CORC:

          We have been participating in the OCLC Cooperative Online Resource Catalog project (CORC) since its beginnings. The following points reflect the status of our CORC project to date:

          1. A web site for the project has been developed,
          2. A goals statement has been developed: project goals include learning, definition of standards, issues of access, and management. Also, they include testing of organizational alliances in a metadata environment,
          3. University of Chicago working guidelines for DC record creation have been written.
          4. A CORC advisory group is putting together a proposal for appropriate projects. An initial project has been set up to catalog selected web sites and electronic serials referenced on the Oriental Institute's web site.
          5. Ten catalogers were trained to work on CORC two hours a week to meet the .5FTE requirement for the project. Total production to date is 53 records.
          6. We are in the process of looking for additional projects; e.g. The First American West grant includes provision for creating both DC and MARC records.

       6. Organization:

          We are in the process of reassessing Technical Services programs and organizational structure with an eye to changes that will strengthen our position to meet present and future goals. In light of everything else we are engaged in, this has been a slow process so far.

       Judith Nadler
       Assistant Director for Technical Services
       University of Chicago Library
       773 702-8743
       FAX 773 702-6623
       judi@midway.uchicago.edu

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       STANFORD UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

       From: Catherine Tierney ctierney@stanford.edu

       Stanford Update, Catherine Tierney
       June 23, 1999

       1. FAST TRACK ACQUISITIONS
          Fast Track acquisitions (shelf-ready and EDI receiving/invoicing) has expanded to include "classed as separate" standing order volumes from YBP. This represents annual increase of 2,000 or so volumes included in Fast Track. Though not totally trouble-free, Fast Track is working extremely well, and we're able to keep current with receipts and payments of all materials (perhaps excepting "gifts") with reasonable stability and consistency. We will pilot direct receipt (from YBP) at a branch or two in fall; you recall we wondered if direct receipt was more trouble than it was worth -- we now judge it is worth a try.

       2. TWO LIBRARY INITIATIVES
          At midwinter, I reported on the planning for two relentless library initiatives with significant impacts on Technical Services for spring and summer: reopening of "main" library, and new Union Catalog interface. The total redeployment of all (non-branch) collections and resulting database changes for upwards of 750,000 records is progressing in stages linked to activation of physical spaces in Green Library. August 1, 1999 will see most of the space, collections, and records in their new configuration; start of fall quarter (end of Sept.) is target for the rest. A "gentleperson's reading room" is designed to have 5,000 volumes of "classics" in many disciplines. We're in midst of short-term project to acquire and specially process 2,000 of these volumes by August 2 opening date.

       3. WEB CATALOG
          Fall quarter also is target for our web catalog, Socrates II, to be the Union Catalog. We're in final stages of specing retrospective dataloads and prospective weekly updates to Unicorn for records from CARL (for Business and Medical libraries) and from RLIN (for East Asia and two Archives collections). Plug on Socrates I must be pulled no later than last day of the millennium (as interpreted by public opinion).

       4. CATALOG DEPARTMENT PLANNING
          The Catalog Department is in midst of redesign of the broad range of traditional functions with plans to incorporate metadata projects, collections liaison work, and other broader responsibilities with overall need for production cataloging. The concept document has been very well received by the UL and by the Collections and Services program; the Catalog Department seems intrigued with the possibilities. This planning has a different flavor than our redesign of "acquisitions to access" five years ago in that we are not driven by need to reduce staff any further than has happened over time anyway. But we're still taking EVERYTHING apart and putting it (and then some) back together in innovative ways that take best advantage of our excellent staff. One major objective is flexibility to reasonably incorporate "bulk" purchases into standard receiving and cataloging processes without developing backlogs. Target for first phase of implementation is September 1.

       Asst. Univ. Librarian for Technical Services
       Stanford University Libraries
       Stanford, CA 94305-6004
       650.723.2015 (voice)
       650.723-9325 (fax)
       

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       UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON LIBRARIES

       From: Geri Bunker bunker@u.washington.edu

       1. REORGANIZATION
          As part of a library-wide reorganization, the former Technical Services Department has been combined with collection development, preservation, and international studies to form a new department: Resources and Collection Management Services. The department includes Collection Management Services, International Studies (Near East, Slavic & East European, South Asia, Southeast Asia), Monographic Services, and Serials Services. The Preservation Librarian is also a member of the new department. Joyce Ogburn, the new Associate Director of Libraries for Resources and Collection Management Services, assumes the position on August 23. With the Associate Director of Libraries for Research and Information Services, Joyce will co-chair the Information Resources Council, a group formed a year ago and charged to focus on the selection of information resources, management of the Libraries resources budget, and alignment of information resources and services to users.

          Geri Bunker Ingram, Interim Associate Director of Libraries for Resources and Collection Management Services (formerly Tech Services) since 1996 will turn full-time attention to her position as Coordinator, Digital Initiatives. She will continue to report to Betty Bengtson, Director of University Libraries.

       2. GUI, WEB-BASED CATALOG, AND DIGITAL REGISTRY
          During the past year, the UW Libraries implemented a new graphical user interface (a.k.a. the "Information Gateway,") and a Web-based catalog. The information gateway replaces a suite of character-based services known as UWIN/Willow. The Web-based catalog uses software from Innovative Interfaces and replaces a locally-developed and maintained public catalog based on BRS software. During the same time period, the Libraries also created a digital registry of electronic resources. Comprised of a subset of augmented records from the local catalog, the digital registry supports the generation of subject-based Web pages or pathfinders. Staff in acquisitions and cataloging units within Monographic and Serials Services created most of the records for the digital registry and the WebPAC catalog and assisted in the design of the digital registry.

       3. UNION CATALOG
          The Libraries is participating in the implementation of a union catalog for the six state-supported colleges and universities in Washington. The catalog will use the InnReach software from Innovative Interfaces. Each of the six institutions currently uses Innovative Interfaces software locally. The catalog is targeted for public release in January 2000.

       4. BIBCO, CORC, AND CONSER
          The participation of monographic catalogers in BIBCO expanded this past year. Monographic catalogers are also participating in CORC. Serials catalogers continue long-standing participation in CONSER.

       5. BUILDING RENOVATION
          Planning has resumed for the renovation of Suzzallo Library--the building housing nearly all of the Resources and Collection Management Services Department. A major focus of the renovation is seismic strengthening of the building. Beginning in summer of 2000, most units in Suzzallo will be moved to temporary quarters in other parts of Suzzallo or into the adjacent Allen Library. Construction is scheduled to last two years.

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       UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

       From: Leighann Ayers layers@umich.edu

       1. METADATA
          We have created a new Library position with a focus on metadata. The Metadata Specialist will serve three primary roles: educational, access and development, and infrastructure and operations. This position will provide leadership for the University as units develop digital access to collections that use intellectual metadata, monitor trends on metadata issues, investigate and evaluate national and international standards, and help design metadata production processes for collaborative projects. The Metadata Specialist will report to the Associate Directors for Public Services, Technical Services, and Digital Library Initiatives.

       2. ENHANCED CATALOGING PROJECT
          Monograph Cataloging staff created records and scanned images for a collection held in the Taubman Medical Library. The title page, signature, and selected illustrations were scanned and linked to the bibliographic records. 370 items were cataloged and 5,000 images were scanned.

       3. CLASSIFICATION STUDY
          We have undertaken a comprehensive review of all non-librarian positions. Approximately 300 position descriptions will be analyzed for comparable responsibilities and qualifications. The purpose of the study is to obtain accurate and descriptive information about the job duties currently being performed by Library staff. The information will be used to obtain new University classification descriptions and determine appropriate salary grades.

       4. PEOPLESOFT
          The Peoplesoft financial module was implemented this year with a major impact on the acquisitions units. We continue to use Innovative for all acquisitions functions.

       5. CORC
          We are participating in the CORC project for the cataloging of Internet resources. Four staff members have received training. Technical Services is working collaboratively with Public Services to select Internet resources for cataloging. The sites selected are Healthweb and a local government documents page.

       6. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES
          During the past year a new model for selecting and funding electronic resources was developed. Subject based teams were created to assess priorities and requests within the cluster. An Electronic Resources Steering Team (E-Team) was created to play a lead role in monitoring issues associated with pricing and licenses, mediating between and among teams as needed, and weighing competing priorities for funding or implementation.

          An electronic resources tracking database was created to enable staff to track titles from selection through cataloging. The database is currently in test.

       7. MASS DEACIFICATION
          In spring of 1998 the Preservation Division of the University of Michigan Library completed a pilot project that sent over 1000 volumes on acidic paper to Preservation Technologies in Pennsylvania for treatment by the Bookkeeper mass deacidification process. During the fiscal year 1998-1999 the Division demonstrated that the deacidification of books can be handled as routinely as binding, providing the Library yet another option in the battle against the disintegration of its resources on the shelf.

          Between August 1998 and the end of June 1999, 4,700 volumes from the Library's RLG conspectus level 5 collection in mathematics were treated by the Bookkeeper process. Every two weeks a batch of 225-270 volumes were sent to Preservation Technologies where the books were treated and returned the following week. Costs were under $18 per volume, including vendor costs, shipping, and Library staff.

          The only obvious difference to the book after treatment is a slight chalky feeling on the paper; books with slick cover material or glossy paper may have a visible thin coating of white dust, which wipes off. This dust - magnesium hydroxide - is not toxic. The treatment regularly raises the pH of the paper to 8.5 to 9.5 (sample papers are randomly inserted In several volumes in each batch for testing) and is estimated to extend the useful life of the paper by a factor of three to four.

          A recent Preservation survey shows that as many as half of the books in the Library's collection of nearly seven million volumes are now too brittle to benefit significantly from deacidification. About 17% of the collection is printed on paper that is already alkaline since manufacture. The rest, over two million volumes, are printed on acidic paper that is in good condition now but will deteriorate significantly over the next century unless treated. While the Library is pursuing a vigorous program in microfilming and digitization, reformatting - at costs of $100 and up per volume - is not the best option for every book. Deacidification provides an alternative.

       Leighann Ayers
       Head, Acquisitions/Serials Division
       University of Michigan
       Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1205
       

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       COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

       
       Update, June 1999
       From: Bob Wolven wolven@columbia.edu

       1. DEPUTY UNIVERSITY LIBRARIAN SEARCH:
          The search for a new Deputy University Librarian to replace Carol Mandel is under way. The position has been posted and advertised, and screening of applicants will begin after July 1.

       2. OTHER VACANCIES:
          Within Technical Services, searches are also under way for: Head, Serials Acquisitions Services; Digital Imaging Coordinator; Archival Processing Coordinator (with a focus on digital projects); and supervisors of Acquisitions Accounting and Binding/Shelf Processing. In the fall, we will begin recruiting for Mid-East Languages (Arabic) Cataloger.

       3. RENOVATION:
          The multi-year renovation of Butler Library continues, with a new Media Center having opened in March, and the main Reference Room and Circulation Department scheduled to open in September. Wotk on phase 3, completing the 3d and 4th floors, will begin in the coming year. Architectural drawings have been developed for 8 subject-focused research reading rooms for the 5th and 6th floors. The Business Library is also undergoing extensive renovation this summer, including the addition of a new mezzanine providing more reader seating.

          This spring also saw the opening in Butler of a new Center for New Media Teaching and Learning. Operated by the University's Academic Computing Inforation Services, the Center provides consultation and support for faculty in incorporating electronic resources and technology in curriculum development.

       4. CoPY:
          In collaboration with Penn, Yale, and RLG, work continues on the CoPY project, designed to allow online, patron-initiated borrowing from the holdings of all three universities. Over the spring, required changes in the underlying software from CPS have been refined and tested. A milestone was passed in early June with the acceptance of the basic software, and agreement on further functional requirements needed to begin live pilot operation in the fall.

       5. REMOTE STORAGE:
          We continue to work with Princeton and New York Public on plans for the joint remote storage facility scheduled to open on the Princeton Forrestal campus in 2001. (Details appear in both the Princeton and NYPL reports, so I won't repeat them here.) In the meantime, we are very actively preparing materials for shipment to the new facility, as well as continuing to send some materials to an Interim Storage facility in the Bronx.

       6. WEB DESIGN, INTERACTIVE SERVICES:
          The Libraries' website has been redesigned, and an "interactive services" section added that allows users to submit requests for interlibrary loan, backlog and offsite retrievals, reference assistance, and similar services. This is the penultimate phase of a strategy to replicate essential services that had been available only through the telnet-based CLIO Plus interface. In the fall we will make a final assessment of any additional Library Web enhancements needed in order to supersede CLIO Plus.

       7. CORC, PCC:
          We joined the CORC project formally in March, have received the initial training, and are experimenting with use of the toolkit. We continue to participate in all components of PCC. Most PCC original and enhanced cataloging is now done directly on OCLC. Our East Asian library is using the RLIN Authorities Assistant to create NACO records in RLIN for Chinese, Japanese, and Korean headings.

       8. AUTHORITY CONTROL:
          An Authority Control Task Force was appointed this spring to investigate options for resuming vendor authority control processing. (We had used Blackwell's service for ongoing processing from 1989-1997, but have suspended automated processing since then. We continue to use Blackwell's Table of Contents service to enhance records with contents and summaries.) The task force report is due at the end of June, with a formal rfp to follow.

       9. RECON:
          We have contracts with OCLC and MARC Link to convert another 225,000 records in the coming year. Of the remaining 700,000 titles in need of conversion, we expect to be able to complete about 500,000 over the next four years.

       10. DIGITAL LIBRARY PROJECTS:
           Several long-term projects are continuing, including the Online Books Evaluation Project, the Digital Scriptorium (a joint project with Berkeley), and the Advance Papyrological Information System (with 5 other institutions). Our Master Metadata File has been redesigned, and a choice of a new database system (to replace the current Ingres) is under consideration. The MMF, already used to manage metadata for online books, electronic reference tools, APIS, and Art Humanities images, will be enhanced over the summer with the exract of electronic journal records from the online catalog. Plans are also under way to fully implement a prototype for menu-driven topical subject and resource type interfaces to digital library resources managed through the MMF.

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       NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

       
       From: "Duane Arenales" arenaled@mail.nlm.nih.gov
       

       NLM ALA Update 1999

       1. ILS
          NLM continued implementation of the Voyager Integrated Library System and functioned as a principal beta-tester of Voyager 98.1 including the closed stack call slip function.

          In January the Serial Records Section began using the check-in module. By the end of the first quarter, staff had completed creation of the prediction patterns required by the new system for about 7,000 of the Library's current serial titles. In mid-April NLM released the client and Web-based versions of the online public access catalog LOCATORplus for public use and implemented the call slip and other onsite circulation functions.

          NLM staff are continuing to work with Endeavor on adding new features to the product, including a binding module and also are participating on the Acquisitions Task Force that is looking at a redesign of the acquisitions/serials module.

       2. LOCATORplus
          LOCATORplus, released in April, is NLM's online public access catalog , a component of the integrated library system. It serves as the retrieval engine for the Library's cataloging, on order and in process records. Records for all formats - monographs, serials, and non-print titles are included in a single file. LOCATORplus replaces, LOCATOR, the former online catalog, as well as CATLINE, AVLINE and SERLINE. Direct access to a variety of other resources is available from LOCATORplus including MEDLINE, MEDLINEplus, Images from the History of Medicine, and TOXNET. LOCATORplus can be found at: www.nlm.nih.gov/locatorplus/ .

       3. Data Distribution
          In March, after a hiatus of five months for ILS implementation, NLM began distribution of MARC bibliographic records from Voyager. The first group contained over 11,000 new and maintained records in all formats, including nearly 3000 serials. Records for print and non-print monographs and serials are now made available weekly to licensees for ftp in a single file, CATFILE.

          Subject headings in CATFILE are recombined for distribution in the conventional LCSH main heading, topical subheading, geographic and form subheading string rather than in the indexing like format now used in NLM's online file.

          NLM's CIP and authority record covering the same period were submitted to the Library of Congress (LC) and made available through LC's record distribution service.

          In April, NLM began distributing SERFILE, which replaces SERLINE, in MARC 21 format. The base file contained 110,000 serial records. SERFILE is now available for monthly ftp distribution.

       4. Core Level Cataloging
          NLM has greatly expanded its use of core level cataloging. It now includes CIP, English language monographs, most serials, all audiovisuals and computer files. The impact of this change cannot be assessed at this time since more NACO level authority work is required than heretofore.

       5. SERHOLD
          SERHOLD, the National Biomedical Holdings Database, supports automatic routing of requests through DOCLINE, NLM's online interlibrary loan system. The Library is in the process of developing a new web-based DOCLINE/SERHOLD system for implementation later this year.

          The goals of next generation SERHOLD are to provide holdings data to support routing of ILL transactions, to improve the quality and timeliness of holdings data by empowering all SERHOLD participants to view and maintain data online, to facilitate the exchange of data by conforming to national standards (USMARC, ANSI/NISO Z39.71-199X), and to provide SERHOLD services and products in a resource effective manner.

          The new system was previewed at the Medical Library Association meeting in May. NLM hopes to allow Regional Medical Libraries to test the new system in early Fall and to put the system into production by the end of the year.

       6. NEW MESH BROWSER
          NLM's MeSH Section has produced a new MeSH browser to provide free Web access to the same detailed information available in the ELHILL MeSH file. It is designed to help locate descriptors of possible interest and to show the hierarchies in which the descriptors appear. Virtually complete MeSH records are available including scope notes, annotations, entry vocabulary, history notes and allowable qualifiers. The browser is available at www.nlm.nih.gov/MeSH/99MBrowser.html.

       7. NLM Classification
          The NLM Classification, 5th edition rev. is scheduled to be published by the end of the year and will include additions and changes through 1999 MeSH.

       8. MEDLINEplus
          Medlineplus, launched last October, is NLM's new website for consumer health information. It's growing every week and is getting great reviews. Try it out at www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

       9. Staff News
          Betsy Humphreys is NLM's new Associate Director for Library Operations, replacing Lois Ann Colaianni who retired at the end of 1998. Bill Willmering, head of the Serial Records Section for almost 18 years, retired at the end of March. Two new technical service section heads have been appointed effective June 21. Dianne McCutcheon, who served as NLM's ILS Coordinator for the last two years, will head up the Serial Records Section. Patricia Bosma is the new head of the Selection and Acquisition Section. Formerly assistant head and recently interim head, she replaces Brenda Swanson. Principal cataloger Wen-Min Kao also retired in February. Her position will not be filled at this time.

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