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I wanted to respond to the two questions that Mary Charles asked about what happens with 'non-unique' headings and with headings linked to authority records which are subsequently deleted. Each day OCLC loads and processes files of new and changed authority records to update the OCLC copy of the LC/NACO authority file and also to update linked headings in bibliographic records. The outputs of that processing include the reporting of changes impacting linked headings as a result of changes to various elements of the authority record including: - changes to Undifferentiated personal name [008/ 32] undifferentiated to differentiated (and visa versa) - changes to Heading use codes (008/14-16) [names, subjects, series] - links that are 'broken' as a result of a deleted authority record OCLC staff monitor these reports and use them as the basis for adjusting controlled headings as needed. --Glenn Glenn E. Patton Director, WorldCat Quality Management OCLC 6565 Kilgour Place Dublin OH 43017-3395 Phone: +1.800.848.5878, ext. 6371 or +1.614.764.6371 Fax: +1.614.718.7187 Email: mailto:[log in to unmask] ________________________________ From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lasater, Mary Charles Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 5:02 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Horrible record [going off on the tangent of Enc lvl] Bob, Control of headings on OCLC came long after BIBCO. It would be good to know from OCLC what happens now with 'non-unique' headings and headings linked to authority records that get deleted. Perhaps someone can answer that question? When we first became BIBCO participants, I tried to 'catch' changes to our authority records by matching headings on our BIBCO records but I soon gave up that very manual, labor intensive work. I see way too many problems with BIBCO records to have any respect for them. The only use I have for our national level enhance status is to make corrections in access points. Mary Charles (another very personal comment) ________________________________ From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging on behalf of Robert Maxwell Sent: Mon 5/12/2008 3:44 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [PCCLIST] Horrible record [going off on the tangent of Enc lvl] If the BIBCO record has its headings controlled in OCLC when the record is created (or later), I assume that means that if the authority record is later changed the matching heading in the bib record IS changed, is it not? I realize controlling headings isn't one of the requirements for BIBCO, but I always control the headings and think it is good practice. Controlling the headings is an excellent way to make sure the BIBCO records are "kept in synch with the authority records." It's also a convenient way to ensure that all the needed authority work has (or has not) been done. I don't agree that "the BIBCO process never worked." I think it does work well. There used to be the problem of two separate databases (RLIN and OCLC) containing different (and sometimes duplicate but different) BIBCO records, but that problem has been solved with the merger of RLIN and OCLC. Bob Robert L. Maxwell Head, Special Collections and Metadata Catalog Dept. 6728 Harold B. Lee Library Brigham Young University Provo, UT 84602 (801)422-5568 From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Lasater, Mary Charles Sent: Monday, May 12, 2008 1:13 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Horrible record [going off on the tangent of Enc lvl] Amy, A comment I heard a few years ago has made me feel that coding a record 'PCC' is counter-productive. One cataloger of A-V material indicated that she always contributes at the K level because then others can add to her records. My problem with BIBCO records is that I may create that 'perfect' record today with matching authority records and tomorrow someone will change one of those authority records and that BIBCO coding won't mean anything since the matching heading did not get changed. BFM only went one way... to LC, never to other contributing libraries so in my humble opinion the BIBCO process never worked. I support Authority control in many ways and hope we can encourage more participation but until our BIBCO records are kept in synch with the authority records, the only use for the PCC coding is to send these through copy cataloging. Enhance should be relaxed and it should be made 'easy' to correct errors without having to evaluate the entire record. My very personal 2 cents, Mary Charles From: Program for Cooperative Cataloging on behalf of Amy H Turner Sent: Mon 5/12/2008 9:50 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [PCCLIST] Horrible record [going off on the tangent of Enc lvl] I agree that there should not be a stigma attached to K records, and that there are advantages to inputting a record that can be upgraded by any library. It is clear that the various Enc lvls are inconsistently applied, with some libraries and catalogers taking pride in inputting only the higher levels, and others having a philosophical attachment to K or 4, even when the requirements for I or blank are met. At Duke, we no longer use Enc lvl as a criteria for sorting records, because it is not a reliable indicator of completeness or authority. At the BIBCO OpCo meeting, Cynthia Whitacre from OCLC led a discussion of making the Enhance program less restrictive. I threw out a wild idea of also making the requirements for inputting records a bit more restrictive, so there would be fewer messy records to clean up. On reflection, here is a refinement of that idea. What if libraries with full level authorization could input only K, 4 and lower, and could replace those levels (as they can now)? Enhance libraries could input and replace I and lower; national level enhance libraries all levels (as now). Enhance and PCC libraries could take a special responsibility for the database as a whole, with the elimination of the restriction on editing records not held. OCLC could work to expand the enhance program, PCC to expand our membership. WorldCat could become truly a world catalog, with membership taking more responsibility for ongoing maintenance. Amy Amy H. Turner Monographic Cataloger & Authority Control Coordinator Duke University Libraries Durham, NC 27708-0190 [log in to unmask] Wayne Richter <[log in to unmask]> Sent by: Program for Cooperative Cataloging <[log in to unmask]> 05/12/2008 09:16 AM Please respond to Program for Cooperative Cataloging <[log in to unmask]> To [log in to unmask] cc Subject Re: [PCCLIST] Horrible record Ted Gemberling wrote: <<I think another way to approach this matter would be to say that more records should be K level. And maybe that's one of the problems associated with the PCC program, that it puts a subtle pressure on catalogers to claim more competency than they really have. In retrospect, I realize I should have made that modern Greek record a K, so that a more knowledgeable person could revise it easily, though I did try to be careful and thorough.=20 I think there's a sort of stigma attached to a K-level record: you're not a "real cataloger" if you enter records like that. But we need to create K-level records if we're working in an area where we don't have knowledge.=20>> I think Ted has hit the nail on the head. I have entered "K" level records when I can't complete all of the authority work (requires extensive research, time constraints, vital information missing--there are many reasons). I know other libraries do this. I have found many Harvard "K" records far better than many "I"s and "blanks". The descriptive cataloging is usually superb and the only thing missing is that not all authority work has been completed. There shouldn't be any stigma attached to saying "I don't have enough information to do this right at this time." It seems to me that pcc should allow "K" equivalent records. I think it would speed up workflow as well as allowing someone who did have the information at hand to upgrade the record. Wayne Richter Asian Materials Specialist/PCC Liaison The Libraries Western Washington University Bellingham WA 98225-9103