ISO and LC transliteration standards

Following my earlier posting to this list about the ISO transliteration
list, [log in to unmask], two issues which it might be worth discussing on
either that list or on this list are:

(a) whether ISO standards meet the needs of librarians (they have been
    used in some non-English speaking countries, largely in specialist
    libraries); and

(b) whether Library of Congress (LC) transliteration schemes might benefit
    from being additional ISO standards, and having the actual status of
    international standards.

    Currently they are predominantly used only in English speaking
    countries in bibliopgraphic records, largely because the hard work of
    actually doing the transliteration has been done by an LC cataloguer,
    or a cataloguer in one of the large bibliographic networks.

    Such as thing is possible: ISO now allows the possibility of well used
    PASs (Publicly Available Specifications) to be "fast tracked" to the
    status of an international standard.

Comments are very welcome on either of these issues: I look forward to hearing
you views.

                                   Yours sincerely


                                     John Clews
--
   John Clews (Chairman of ISO/TC46/SC2: Conversion of Written Languages)

SESAME Computer Projects, 8 Avenue Rd. * email: [log in to unmask]
Harrogate, HG2 7PG, United Kingdom * telephone: +44 (0) 1423 888 432