Discusses the importance of cataloging to library service and addresses some of the debilitating effects that downsizing or elimination of cataloging departments, combined with outsourcing, and the consequent decline in bibliographic integrity, have on library service. Includes a sidebar on outsourcing. (JKP)

Discusses how archivists use the MARC AMC (Archival and Manuscripts Control) format for descriptive information about archival materials. Modifications that MARC AMC introduced to the standard MARC bibliographic formats are explained, and examples of a record in AMC formats on different bibliographic utilities are given. (24 references) (LRW)

A year's cataloging backlog was sampled to learn if there were categories of materials that would receive priority cataloging at the Library of Congress or identifiable categories that should receive immediate local cataloging attention. Characteristics of uncataloged materials examined included subject areas, type of purchasing plan, and type of…

Discussion of the revision of cataloging rules to simplify catalog records focuses on the information relating to publication, formerly called the imprint. Highlights include a review of cataloging codes; Library of Congress rules interpretations; the impact on bibliographic utilities; implications for technical and public services; and publishing…

Discusses the reasons and methods for retrospective conversion of library catalog data into machine-readable form. The need for standards is emphasized and suggestions are given for documenting local standards. Ideas are included for completing the conversion of a project done by a vendor, where some parts may have been overlooked. (Author/EM)

Discusses the problem of subject access to material by, for, and about teenagers, and the role that vocabulary and heading assignments play in this problem. Appendices provide examples of Library of Congress Marc records dealing with adolescents, and corresponding records from the Hennepin County Library designed to alleviate the problem. (CLB)

Describes the Utlas database with specific reference to its design, file structure, and content. Features discussed include access to the database, products and services supported by the database, interfaces to local systems, the interactions between bibliographic and authority records, and Japanese language processing. (Author/CLB)

Introduces and briefly describes modifications to the Library of Congress cataloging rules, to be implemented January 1, 1994, which will allow catalogers to describe multiple formats in a single bibliographic record using both fixed and variable field data. (NRP)

Describes the trend toward decentralization and local, integrated systems in the library network environment. The response of the bibliographic utilities to these trends is discussed in terms of distributed processing systems, participation in the Linked Systems Project, the introduction of new and improved services, and international ventures. (1…

Describes the results of a survey of Canadian libraries that explored the nature and frequency of use of the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, second edition revised (AACR2R); the preferred publication formats for acquiring AACR2R; and the contribution of records to a bibliographic utility or other database. (Contains four references.) (LRW)

Presents a comprehensive model for identifying the processes and costs involved in preservation efforts that was developed for the Columbia University libraries. Preservation activities are described; costs are assessed for staff time, supplies, and bibliographic utility use; and appendices outline the preservation process and the roles of the…

Discusses the decision by Library of Congress (LC) to include preliminary cataloging records for monographs as part of its tape distribution service. The records' impact on work flow in a research library's cataloging department that uses OCLC is described, and a survey of OCLC/ARL (Association of Research Libraries) members is discussed. (eight…

Reviews the ways in which technical processing personnel enable libraries to provide fast and accurate access to information, and discusses the impact of technological change on the role and duties of technical processing personnel, the nature of library service, and existing organizational structures. (CLB)

Discusses results from a 1992 survey of various types and sizes of Canadian libraries that was conducted to establish a baseline profile of libraries contributing to shared databases, and to determine the nature and extent of AACR2R use for creating original records being contributed to bibliographic utilities or other networks. (LRW)

Discusses the impact of changing library technologies on the role of technical services personnel. The areas discussed include online library systems, bibliographic utilities, networking trends, the proliferation of serials, electronic publishing, and the increased need for quality control in technical processes. (32 references) (CLB)