Describes the work in progress toward an international machine-readable cataloging system and discusses the problems remaining. (Author)

In order to facilitate the international exchange of machine-readable bibliographic descriptions, the International Federation of Library Associations Working Group on Content Designators was organized in 1973 to arrive at a standard means of identifying data elements or providing additional information about a data element. In three meetings the…

Description of the Library of Congress' Networking Advisory Committee focuses on recommendations it has made concerning issues pertinent to intellectual property in an information network environment. Alternatives to the present Copyright Act are examined, the economics of sharing information are discussed, and questions involving databases and…

Reviews programs aimed toward building of national database--RECON Working Task Force's Study of feasibility of converting the retrospective records of the Library of Congress, Cooperative MARC (COMARC), REMARC, and CONSER (continuing effort to build national database of serial records). Current efforts contributing to the evolving network are…

Consideration of problems associated with development of national database for bibliographic control of library materials, focuses on those which "alert" individual directors, and those created by organizations and people not under immediate control. Standards, objectives, change, ownership and distribution, economic and legal issues,…

This discussion of the use of authority control to ensure consistency of headings in machine-readable and card catalogs highlights the basic concepts and rationale of authority control and library catalogs, and efforts of the Library of Congress and bibliographic utilities. Six references and causes of name variations are appended. (EJS)

Four intertwined issues in networking--local systems, linking, linking standards, and database ownership--need to be dealt with by bibliographic utilities and librarians, as their members, in the very near future. The resolution of these major issues will significantly affect the future direction of nationwide networking. (Author)

Reviews history of events leading to the Linked Systems Project and describes two major components: communications facility and applications programs. The initial application--sharing of authority data based on the Library of Congress Name Authority Cooperative Project--is discussed, and future applications and their implications are briefly…

Traces the development of library networking over the last 20 years, and examines the current attitude toward an integrated national network. The political and economic problems of the Linked Systems Project are discussed, as well as issues relating to copyright. (10 references) (Author/CLB)

One of the specific recommendations in the Retrospective Conversion (RECON) feasibility report (ED 032 895) was that a pilot project be established to test various conversion techniques, ideally covering the highest priority material (English-language monograph records from 1960-68). A two-year pilot project was initiated in August 1969. This…

The Library of Congress presents the history of its Machine Readable Cataloging (MARC) system. Descriptions of MARC pilot projects and distribution services are followed by a discussion of several conversion projects undertaken by libraries in order to implement MARC. Then MARC's influence on standardization of formats for information interchange,…