Cataloger's Reference Shelf
CONSER Editing Guide
Cataloger's Reference Shelf
CONSER Editing Guide
A4. CONSER Membership
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The following list includes some of the benefits of participation in the CONSER Program:
Participation in national and international
cooperative bibliographic programs
Influencing policies for the bibliographic
control of continuing resources
Ability to modify or enhance records
in the CONSER database
Opportunity for staff training by
national authorities
Opportunity for interaction with
colleagues at national libraries and other CONSER institutions
Opportunity to contribute to CONSER
documentation
Sharing of contributed records through
national distribution service
Opportunity to serve on standing
committees and task forces
A4.2. Categories of membership
Information concerning CONSER membership and an institution's eligibility can be obtained from the CONSER Website: http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/about/aboutmem.html or by emailing the CONSER Coordinator at conser@loc.gov.
Based on the initial communication, the Coordinator will direct the prospective applicant to an appropriate membership category. Forms for the various levels of CONSER membership are available from the Joining the CONSER Program page (http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/about/forms.html).
The five categories of CONSER membership are Full, Associate, Enhance, Affiliate, and CONSER Funnel. Associate Level membership includes cooperative projects as well as single institutions. Refer to A.4.2.3. for a description of project-based membership. A description of each membership category and the obligations related to that level of participation follow.
This category of membership is characterized by national agencies and research institutions that have on an ongoing basis, a high volume of serial bibliographic record creation and maintenance.
1) Criteria for FULL Level Participation in CONSER:
Use RDA,
LC-PCC PSs (US
agencies), CONSER documentation and standardized schemes for subject analysis
and classification
Independent NACO participant
Contribute cataloging output routinely
to the OCLC database
Exhibit a willingness to commit institutional
support (staff and financial resources) for program participation
Demonstrate a commitment to regional
and national cooperative cataloging
2) Evaluation of Membership Applications is Based on:
Strength of the collection and scope
of expected subject/language contributions as indicated in the accompanying
application
Quality of contributions based on
a sample of bibliographic records
Experience and strength of serials
cataloging operation
Authenticate and maintain records
for print and non-print serials
Contribute to Name and Subject Authority
Files
Contribute a minimum of 200 newly
authenticated or modified records
Disseminate CONSER records to the
cataloging community (LC)
4) Administrative/Governance Obligations:
Provide in-house training as appropriate
(Operations)
Recommend additions and changes to
documentation, including LC-PCC Policy
Statements,
CONSER Editing Guide, CONSER Cataloging
Manual; draft modules for CCM (Operations)
Serve as representatives on Policy
and Operations Committees and participate actively in meetings; institution
supplies full or partial funding for committee meetings depending on the
rotation of members funded by OCLC
As appropriate, serve on CONSER task
forces, draft position papers on continuing resource issues
5) Other Potential Contributions:
Serve as a mentor to Enhance participants
(Operations)
Serve as a cooperative project coordinator;
train project participants; review and monitor contributions (Operations)
Identify issues of current concern
to CONSER and contribute to their resolution
Serve on task forces related to standards
for serials
Participate in workshops, institutes
and other educational or training activities for the cataloging community
Provide specialized language expertise
This category of membership includes single institutions and cooperative projects. Single institution members include those with a special subject, language, or format focus, such as state and special libraries, centers, and associations. Also included are smaller research institutions that make broad contributions encompassing a range of subjects, languages and formats. Contributions at this level are generally ongoing but may also encompass a specified time period, as for a specific cataloging project.
Cooperative projects include groups of libraries that are subject, format or regionally based that have joined together to contribute records to the CONSER database. One institution is named as the project coordinator or leader. This may be a CONSER full or associate member, or an institution that is new to the program. The coordinating or lead institution represents the group on the Operations Committee. The coordinator is responsible for training, reviewing records contributed by project members until they achieve independence and begin authenticating their own records, answering cataloging and procedural questions and ensuring that participants have access to appropriate documentation. Project members are responsible for ongoing quality control of records contributed.
The following criteria and obligations with the exception of the numerical contributions apply to both single institutional members and project members. As part of the application process, project members will provide an estimate of the number of transactions to be contributed.
1) Criteria for ASSOCIATE Level Participation in CONSER:
Use RDA,
LC-PCC Policy Statements,
CONSER documentation and standardized schemes for subject analysis and
classification
Independent NACO participant
Contribute cataloging output routinely
to the OCLC database
Exhibit a willingness to commit institutional
support (staff and financial resources) for program participation
2) Evaluation of Membership Applications is Based on:
Scope of expected subject/language/format
contributions as indicated in the accompanying application
Quality of contributions based on
a sample of bibliographic records
Experience and strength of serials
cataloging program
Authenticate and maintain records
for print and non-print serials
Contribute to Name and Subject Authority
Files
Contribute a minimum of 100 transactions
per year that may include first time authentication, subsequent authentication,
or maintenance transactions
Contribute the minimum transactions
projected per year (Project members)
4) Administrative/Governance Obligations:
Provide in-house training as appropriate
Recommend additions and changes to
documentation, including LC-PCC Policy
Statements,
CONSER Editing Guide, CONSER
Cataloging Manual.
Serve as representatives on Operations
Committee/represent cooperative project on Operations Committee and participate
actively in meetings on a rotational basis (Operations, At Large); institution
supplies partial funding for committee meetings
As appropriate, serve on CONSER task
forces, draft position papers on serial issues
5) Other Potential Contributions:
Serve as a mentor for new associate
members
Serve as a cooperative project coordinator;
train project participants; review and monitor contributions
Identify issues of current concern
to CONSER and contribute to their resolution
Serve on task forces related to standards
for serials
Participate in serials workshops,
institutes and other educational or training activities for the cataloging
community
A4.2.3. CONSER Enhance membership
This category of membership is characterized by institutions that enrich and/or maintain certain data in already authenticated records. Enriching records entails adding data to authenticated records that is not present (e.g., MeSH headings, vernacular data, publication patterns, classification numbers, etc.). CONSER Enhance members may elect to retain membership on an ongoing basis, or for duration of a specific project.
1) Criteria for CONSER ENHANCE Level Participation in CONSER:
Use RDA,
LC-PCC Policy Statements,
CONSER documentation and standardized schemes for subject analysis and
classification, as appropriate to contributions
Ability to work online to the OCLC
database
Participate in NACO/SACO, as appropriate
to expected contributions
Exhibit a willingness to commit institutional
staff support for program participation
2) Evaluation of Membership Applications is Based on:
Scope and type of expected enhancement
activity as indicated in the application
Experience of serials cataloging
staff
Enhance and/or maintain already authenticated
records as well as create and/or maintain unauthenticated records to reflect
changes in the serial title
Contribute a minimum of 50 transactions
per year
4) Administrative/Governance Obligations:
Provide in-house training as appropriate
As appropriate, serve on CONSER task
forces, draft position papers on serial issues
5) Other Potential Contributions:
Identify issues of current concern
to CONSER and contribute to their resolution
Serve on task forces related to standards
for serials
Participate in serials workshops,
institutes and other educational or training activities for the cataloging
community
This category of membership is characterized by vendors, organizations or other commercial service providers (e.g., abstracting and indexing services, subscription agencies, publishers) who, through contractual arrangements, enhance and maintain already authenticated records.
1) Criteria for AFFILIATE Level Participation in CONSER:
Affiliate membership is limited to
commercial vendors contracting with OCLC for CONSER participation. CONSER
contributions are limited to specific fields as defined in the contract.
Use RDA,
LC-PCC Policy Statements,
and CONSER documentation as appropriate
Have online access to OCLC
Exhibit a willingness to commit institutional
staff support for program participation
2) Evaluation of Membership Applications is Based on:
Scope and type of bibliographic data
enhanced or maintained as indicated in application
Quality of contributions based on
sample bibliographic records
Enhance and maintain authenticated
records at the pre-determined field-specific level (e.g., fields required
to close off a record, etc.)
Contribute a minimum of 75 transactions
per year
4) Administrative/Governance Obligations:
Provide in-house training
Represented at CONSER meetings through
the CONSER Coordinator
Invited and encouraged to attend
Operations Committee and At Large meetings; no funding provided
As appropriate, serve on CONSER task
forces, draft position papers on serial issues
5) Other Potential Contributions:
Identify issues of current concern
to CONSER and contribute to their resolution
Participate in serials workshops,
institutes and other educational or training activities for the cataloging
community
For a list of CONSER members by category of membership, see the CONSER Website: http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/contact/conmembs.html.
This category of membership includes institutions contributing records or enhancing records for resources of specialized or common interest. Coordination is done by a designated funnel coordinator or committee. Objectives, training needs, and the review process should be formally determined in establishing the funnel.
CONSER Funnel level membership is discussed on a case by case basis. Please contact the CONSER Coordinator at conser@loc.gov to discuss details of establishing a CONSER funnel.
A4.3. Full and Associate levels membership
Information concerning CONSER membership and an institution's eligibility can be obtained from the CONSER Website: http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/about/aboutmem.html. If an institution is considering membership, please contact the CONSER Coordinator at conser@loc.gov. An application form is also available on the Website.
Based on the initial communication, the Coordinator will direct the prospective applicant to the likely membership category. A letter from the library's or institution's chief executive must accompany a completed application form. A copy of the forms for the various levels of CONSER membership is found in Appendix D and on the CONSER home page (http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/).
Full and Associate applicants must affirm that, in addition to the administrative and cataloging support needs, their institution is prepared to make resource commitments for the following CONSER related needs or activities:
Active participation in the managerial
and operational concerns of the CONSER Program at large.
Travel and per diem for staff to
attend training sessions at the Library of Congress or elsewhere. CONSER
training per se
is restricted to matters of CONSER conventions and procedures; it does
not include basic training in cataloging, MARC tagging, or terminal operations.
Per diem for representative to attend
standing committee meetings. (OCLC funds the airfare travel
expenses for standing committee members.)
Support for the needed complement
of computers, printers, and telecommunications.
A4.4.1. Role of the CONSER Coordinator
1. Receives request for application from potential member and discusses the process, benefits of membership, and appropriate membership level with the applicant.
2. Receives application and sample records.
3. Assigns a CONSER cataloger within LC or another CONSER institution to review the records for overall quality.
4. If records are of sufficient quality, sends application and recommendation to PCC Steering Committee for approval.
5. If records are not of sufficient quality, discusses with the applicant and may request a second set of sample records.
A4.4.2. Role of the PCC Steering Committee
1. Evaluates membership applications based on recommendations from Coordinator and criteria in A4.2.
2. Approves or disapproves membership.
3. Recruits new members.
The PCC Steering Committee will, as appropriate, consider inviting institutions to apply for CONSER membership and welcomes communication concerning institutions that might be potential members.
4. Monitors ongoing membership.
The PCC Steering Committee monitors ongoing membership based on materials supplied by the Secretariat. If a need for improvement is indicated, the procedures in A4.7. are followed.
5. Acts on membership conclusion (see A4.7).
A4.4.3. Role of the PCC Policy Committee
1. Approves criteria for membership.
2. Reviews goals for membership growth on a periodic basis.
1. Modifies or enters into legal agreements, as appropriate.
2. Assigns CONSER-level log-on authorization (this may be done via the regional network).
A4.5. Getting started as a new CONSER member
Information on getting started as a new CONSER member is available from the CONSER Website: http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/membership.html. It includes a training curriculum, a new member checklist, and information about the review period.
The first step for a new CONSER member is to request a CONSER-level logon authorization via an OCLC authorization request form. This authorization will allow the new member to update and replace non-LC-authenticated records on OCLC. To request CONSER-level authorization new members should contact the CONSER Coordinator to arrange authorization with OCLC.
The CONSER Standard Record, CONSER Editing Guide, CONSER Cataloging Manual, RDA, the LC-PCC Policy Statements, and Descriptive Cataloging Manual (DCM) Z.1 Name and Series Authority Records are the primary tools used by CONSER participants. Additional guidelines and policies have been posted on the PCC website.
To ensure knowledge of CONSER practices, a new Full or Associate member's representative to the Operations Committee normally undergoes an initial training session with Library of Congress staff or CONSER catalogers from another CONSER institution. A checklist of material covered in the training is available from http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/curriculum.html. It is essential that this person be completely familiar with the documentation described above before coming to the training session. Once trained, this person will train the appropriate people at the home institution.
Following an orientation to the CONSER workflow, the representative is assigned to a serial cataloger from a CONSER institution for the duration of the training session. Special attention is given to the sample records submitted during the application process and to particular problems and questions brought by the representative. During the training session the new member's logon authorization is also tested with records created from start to finish.
The nature of the training is customized to meet the needs of the new member but usually focuses on specific CONSER practices and procedures rather than basic serial cataloging. During or immediately following the training, a block of LCCNs is given to the participant for use on new records.
The training for affiliate members and CONSER Enhance members may take place in person or by email, telephone or online conferencing.
Following the initial training, the records of the institution undergo review to ensure that CONSER policies and practices are being properly applied. Bibliographic and name authority records are reviewed with particular attention given to the application of LC-PCC Policy Statements, modifications to existing records, and database maintenance routines. Name headings are checked in the course of the review. Once the review is complete, the new member makes any needed corrections and authenticates the record. See a fuller description of the CONSER new member review process at http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/newreview.html.
A4.5.5. Completion of the review period
The review period is completed when the institution demonstrates knowledge sufficient to independently authenticate records and to modify LC-authenticated records. Successful completion of the review period will generally be three to six months.
A4.6. Review of continuing membership
Membership review consists of the periodic confirmation that all participants are upholding their membership obligations. The working assumption is that the contributions of the participants fully conform to expectations. Review of continuing membership takes into account 1) accuracy of records, 2) volume of activity, 3) type of activity, and 4) degree of participation.
Random accuracy review sampling is limited to new members and those identified as needing further assistance. Accuracy review is done by senior LC serial catalogers or other CONSER catalogers. An institution may identify a need for review (e.g., a change in staff), or others may identify the need to the CONSER Coordinator. If an institution is identified as needing review, both the Operations and Policy representatives will be notified at the beginning and throughout the review to assure that they benefit from the comments and suggestions.
A4.6.2. Volume of activity (statistics supplied by participants) (See also C13)
Authenticated original records
Authentication of existing records
Maintenance of authenticated records
Maintenance of unauthenticated records
A4.6.3. Participation
Degree of participation in the operational and managerial concerns of CONSER is also an aspect of continuing membership. Review of participation in CONSER concerns will include, e.g., assessment of a participant's level of representation at meetings and comments on draft documentation.
A4.7. Improvement/Conclusion of membership
For the overall effectiveness of the program, members must be in good standing. All reasonable efforts are made by the program management to support members to ensure any needed improvement.
A4.7.1. Early indication of need for improvement
The CONSER Coordinator informs the PCC Steering Committee of a member's deficient performance or predicted deficient performance, based on statistical or other information available to the Coordinator. As noted in A4.6, review of continuing membership takes into account 1) accuracy of records, 2) volume of activity, 3) type of activity, and 4) degree of participation. Deficient performance can include failure to meet quantity standards, quality levels that would be judged insufficient, or lack of participation in CONSER activities.
The CONSER Coordinator alerts the member to its performance inadequacies through a telephone call to the appropriate representative and discusses options for improvement sufficient to remain a CONSER member in good standing.
A4.7.3. Timeframe for improvement
If the member is unable to commit to continued CONSER membership and improvement, membership will be curtailed and the member will be invited to re-apply for membership at a later time. If the member is able to commit to improvement, the CONSER Coordinator will help arrange any training or review that is needed for improvement for the course of a year.
A4.7.4. Assessment of improvement
The CONSER Coordinator or assigned reviewer will assess the member's performance throughout the year. At the end of the year, the CONSER Coordinator and member representative will determine whether membership should be concluded or not.
CONSER Enhance participants maintain and/or enrich CONSER and non-CONSER records. CONSER Enhance participants maintain records by adding, changing, and in some cases, deleting data in order to reflect the current status of the serial. Most of these changes will reflect title changes, cessations, or changes to frequency, issuing body, numbering, and so forth. If headings are added to the record they must be authoritative, i.e., contributed to the Library of Congress/NACO Authority File (LC/NAF).
CONSER Enhance participants enrich records by adding data that are not already present in the records, such as special types of classification and subject headings, vernacular data, etc. If an institution has been accepted to contribute subject-related data, changes are not generally made to the descriptive portion.
A4.8.1. Applying for membership
Information concerning Enhance membership and an institution's eligibility can be obtained from the CONSER Website: http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/about/aboutmem.html. If an institution is considering membership, please contact the CONSER Coordinator at conser@loc.gov. An application form is also available on the Website.
Acceptance at the Enhance level is dependent on the qualifications of the applicant and the availability of a CONSER institution or LC cataloger to serve as mentor. Based on the geographic location or collection strengths of the applicant, the CONSER Coordinator will select possible institutions and determine availability. Applicants may also make initial inquiries of CONSER institutions with which they are familiar before discussing with the CONSER Coordinator.
The application form is designed to gather information concerning the types of Enhance activities being proposed, the experience of the serials cataloging staff, and the anticipated number of contributions. See also A4.2.3. for a further description of the criteria for qualification and responsibilities of Enhance membership.
A4.8.2. The membership process
1. Role of the CONSER Coordinator
Receives application for membership and discusses the process with the applicant
Selects mentoring institution based on requests from the applicant, availability of CONSER institutions, etc.
Forwards sample records to mentor for review
Notifies PCC Policy Committee of application for opportunity to comment
Notifies applicant of acceptance
Notifies OCLC of new member
Notifies Enhance member of independence and need for CONSER log-on
Provides assistance to mentors and keeps documentation up-to-date
Adds new members to CONSERLST (CONSER discussion list)
2. Role of the Operations Committee
Suggest potential members based on observed quality of records
Serve as mentors
3. Role of the Mentor
Reviews records submitted with application and notifies Coordinator of acceptability or need for improvement
Provides initial training and review for new Enhance member
Notifies Coordinator of member's readiness for independence
4. Role of the OCLC
Modifies or enters into legal agreements, as appropriate
Assigns CONSER-level log-on authorization
A4.8.3. Getting started as a new CONSER Enhance participant
1. Documentation
The CONSER Editing Guide, CONSER Cataloging Manual, RDA, the LC-PCC Policy Statements, and Descriptive Cataloging Manual (DCM) Z.1 Name and Series Authority Records are the primary tools used by CONSER participants. Additional guidelines and policies have been posted on the PCC website.
It is up to each mentor and applicant to determine where and how to begin work. See CONSER New Member Review Period (http://www.loc.gov/aba/pcc/conser/newreview.html) for further information.
3. Independence
Once the CONSER Enhance member exhibits a thorough knowledge of the procedures and is comfortable with CONSER policies and practices, the CONSER mentor recommends to the CONSER Coordinator that the applicant be granted independence.
4. Other aspects of CONSER involvement
CONSER Enhance members are included on the CONSER discussion list, are invited to attend At Large meetings at ALA and may also attend the annual meetings of the CONSER Operations Committee at their own expense. They may also be invited to serve on task forces or contribute in other ways to the development of standards and the ongoing review of the CONSER Program.
Related fields, etc.
See also: