"The U.S. RDA Test Process" by Diane Boehr, Regina Romano Reynolds, and Tina Shrader

This article reports the content of a session given at the 2011 NASIG Conference on the process of testing Resource Description and Access (RDA) in the United States in late 2010 and the subsequent analysis of the data in 2011. The presenters represented three national libraries who were an integral part of the testing process: the Library of Congress, the National Agricultural Library, and the National Library of Medicine. While this article does not present the recommendations that came out of the test (those can be found on the Library of Congress's website), it does describe the process of how the test was conducted, how the data were analyzed, and the general categories of recommendations that were arrived at. Given that this presentation was part of the NASIG conference, the topic of continuing resources in the test was highlighted. The presenters touched on issues such as successive entry, what format changes will constitute the need for a new bibliographic record, how translations and language additions will be handled, discrepancies between RDA and CONSER Standard Record practices, and the future of provider neutral records under RDA.

"The U.S. RDA Test Process" can be found in the Serials Librarian, volume 62, issues 1-4 (2012), pages 125-139. DOI: 10.1080/0361526X.2012.652485.

Serials and RDA: An Ongoing Relationship

"Serials and RDA: An Ongoing Relationship" is a report of a preconference given at the 2011 NASIG conference by Judith A. Kuhagen (Library of Congress) and recorded by Margaret Mering (University of Nebraska--Lincoln). The report gives a brief history of the origins of the  new cataloging rules, RDA: Resource Description and Access. Also covered is information on the structure of RDA, an overview of some specific rules, and a discussion of how various relationships will be handled.

"Serials and RDA" is available in a special issue of the Serials Librarian, volume 62, no. 1-4 (2012), pages 5-16. doi: 10.1080/0361526X.2012.652470

“Harnessing the Spiderweb: Collaborative Serial Maintenance, Challenges and Solutions at UC” recorded by Lisa S. Blackwell

Blackwell’s report covers a presentation given at the 2008 NASIG Conference by Sarah Gardner, Melissa Beck, and Valerie Bross on a cooperative cataloging project undertaken by University of California system libraries. The logistics for setting up the UC CONSER Funnel are discussed.

This report is available in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56 (2009), pages 240-245 and to NASIG members on the NASIG Web site.

“Taking the Sting Out of Multiple Format Serials Displays” recorded by Jean Sibley

This is a report of a presentation given by University of Kentucky librarians Marsha Seamans and Nancy Lewis at the 2008 NASIG Conference. They discussed their efforts to improve access to multiple format serials (particularly online journals) in their online library catalog. This report will be of greatest interest to libraries using the Voyager ILS, as its focus is on Voyager’s bibliographic record linking feature.

Find this report in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56 (2009), pages 220-225 or NASIG members can access it via the NASIG Web site.

“MARC Holdings Conversion: Now That We’re Here, What Do We Do?” recorded by Patricia Howe

This is a report of the session presented at the 2008 NASIG Conference by Steven C. Shadle (moderator) and Siôn Romaine, Frieda Rosenberg, Ted Schwitzner, and Naomi Young (presenters).

Presenters for this strategy session covered some of the benefits of using the MARC Format for Holdings Data. They also provided tips for planning a conversion project and discussed the outcomes, both the expected and the unexpected. The report wraps up with a lengthy list of “lessons learned.”

This conference report appears in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56 (2009), pages 168-180. It will also be available to NASIG members on the NASIG Web site.

"Metadata in a Digital Age: New Models of Creation, Discovery, and Use" recorded by Paoshan W. Yue

This article is the report on a preconference held during the 2008 NASIG Annual Conference. It was co-sponsored by NISO (National Information Standards Organization). Yue's report covers presentations given by various speakers on metadata, providing both library and publisher/vendor perspectives.

Two sections in this article of particular interest to serials catalogers are: "ISSN: Linking Data and Metadata" presented by Regina Romano Reynolds of National Serials Data Program at the Library of Congress, and: "Changes in Cooperative Cataloging Standards: Implementation of the CONSER Standard Record" presented by Les Hawkins, who is the CONSER Coordinator at the Library of Congress. Reynolds provided general information about the ISSN program, as well as an update on the status of the new ISSN-L. Hawkins talked about the establishment of the CONSER Standard Record.

This article is available in The Serials Librarian, vol. 56, issue 1-4 (Jan. 2009), pages 7-24. It will also be available to NASIG members on the NASIG Web site.

NASIG 2008 Conference Proceedings Available

The Proceedings for the 23rd Annual Conference of the North American Serials Interest Group are now available as a special issue of The Serials Librarian, volume 56, issue 1-4 (2009). The Proceedings were edited by NASIG members Buddy Pennington and Allyson A. Zellner.

Successive Entry, Latest Entry, or None of the Above?

"Successive Entry, Latest Entry, or None of the Above? How the MARC21 Format, FRBR and the Concept of a Work Could Revitalize Serials Management" was presented by Katherine Adams and Britta Santamauro at the 2007 NASIG Annual Conference. Their session was recorded by Kurt Blythe for publication in the Serials Librarian.

In their NASIG presentation, Katherine Adams and Britta Santamauro introduced their ideas for applying FRBR concepts to both bibliographic records and online catalog functionality. Their ideas are built on the concept of a “superworkspression." They propose an umbrella record that would describe the work and expression levels of a publication. This umbrella record would not undergo title changes unless there is a change in content. The hierarchical structure they present would also have records for each manifestation where only the unique data for each manifestation would be recorded—there would be no duplication of data from the superworkspression record. Finally an item record would contain local holdings information. Their attempt to apply FRBR concepts to real world applications is described as a work in progress and it would be interesting to see their ideas fleshed out more fully in future presentations or publications.

Published in: Serials Librarian, vol. 54, no. 3/4 (2008), pages 193-197.

Risky Business: Outsourcing Serials Cataloging

"Risky Business: Outsourcing Serials Cataloging" was presented by Faye R. Leibowitz at the 2007 NASIG Annual Conference. Her session was recorded by Michael A. Arthur for publication in the Serials Librarian.

Leibowitz’s presentation discussed the University of Pittsburgh’s experience with outsourcing serials cataloging for a special collection. The collection contained approximately 1, 200 serial volumes, mainly focused on international studies. She outlined the workflow for sending volumes to TechPro for cataloging, including searching for already held titles prior to shipment. The process taught them several things. First, recording holdings in the local catalog requires substantial in-house work after titles are cataloged. Having a stable team to handle this part of the project is desirable and should be planned for. Second, monograph versus serial decisions made by TechPro were not always consistent with how the library had treated the same titles in their other collections. Finally, student workers were not always reliable. In summary, the presentation stressed that outsourcing serials cataloging is a risk. Their project began in 1999 and as of 2007 they were still working on clean-up from the project.

Published in: Serials Librarian, vol. 54, no. 3/4 (2008), pages 253-260.

NASIG 2007 Conference Proceedings Available

Co-editors Carol Ann Borchert and Buddy Pennington have announced the availability of the conference proceedings for the 2007 NASIG Annual Conference on the NASIG Web site. In order to view the proceedings, you must log in as a NASIG member.

Not a NASIG member? The proceedings will also be published as vol. 54, no. 1-4 of the Serials Librarian.

2006 NASIG Proceedings Published in the Serials Librarian

Haworth Press has published the 2006 NASIG Conference Proceedings as vol. 52, no. 1/2 and 3/4 (2006) of the Serials Librarian. There are a few articles of particular interest to serials catalogers:

The Shape of Things to Come: Resource Description and Access (RDA) / Ed Jones (presenter) and Patrick L. Carr (recorder)

FRBR in the Real World /Paul J. Weiss and Steve Shadle(presenters)

Mountains, Valleys and Pathways: Serials Users' Needs and Steps to Meet Them. Part II: Steps to Meet Serials Users' Needs: The Access Level Record for Serials, and ISSN Revision / Regina Romano Reynolds (presenter)