I feel the need to comment on Mr. DeSantis' remarks about libraries not
changing their headings to match current authority practice:

DeSantis said:
For libraries which outsource authority control to a vendor, the local
maintenance resulting from the changed headings would presumably be done
automatically through the periodic updates.
For libraries which handle their authority control manually, the
implementation of this proposal would have a more pronounced effect on their
catalog maintenance.  Such libraries could certainly choose not to change
their headings in bib. records to match the altered authority record.

One of the reasons that adoption and implementation of this proposal would
be such a nightmare would be the lack of consistency it would cause
throughout library catalogs for the very reason Mr. DeSantis stated. It is
just bad practice to adopt a policy that would promote such inconsistencies
in library catalogs. We also need to consider how this proposal would affect
the larger cataloging community of non-PCC libraries. It would certainly
make authority vendors happy campers, but it opens up a bad can of worms.

Robert O. Ellett, Jr.
Catalog Librarian
Joint Forces Staff College Library
7800 Hampton Blvd.
Norfolk, VA 23511-1702
Voice (757)443-6405
Fax   (757)443-6044