Meeting Summary
December 20, 2001
Previous minutes available at: tscomm.htm
Present: Carol Diedrichs (chair); Marsha Hamilton, Trisha Davis, Geoff Smith, Tschera Connell, Magda El-Sherbini, Marian Shemberg, Eleanor Block, Beth Russell, Tina Schneider, Lynda Hartel, Laura Tull, Sheryl Williams, Wes Boomgaarden.
- Future of monthly "virtual reports" via the listserv.
Background: "virtual reports" – monthly summaries from technical services units in the library system – have tended to fall off in recent months. Are they still of value?
Discussion: Not surprisingly, some of our group’s on-line reports have more value and generate more interest than others, with Laura Tull’s IT report described as among the most useful. Communication among Main Library units and those in Law, Health Sciences and Regional Campus libraries is still important, despite generally improved communication since the "virtual reports" were begun some years ago.
Action: The group consensus is to continue these brief and concise reports from members of TSC, with encouragement to all participants to post a monthly report.
- III Release 2001: new features in the system.
Discussion: Some new features and enhancements in Release 2001 are in the system but have not yet been activated. Laura Tull has these details and has distributed the list.
Action: Department heads are asked to review these and to make recommendations via the Technical Services list.
- Monographic URLs with problematic links
Background: A recent one-time data collecting effort for URLs linked within the catalog indicated 8000+ URLs; 1,492 of them possessed link error problems. 270 of these were for serials (including government documents), with the remaining 1,300+ for monographs. Problems with these URLs can be characterized in at least five types: 1) typographical errors in keying the URL; 2) incorrect format for the URL; 3) changes in the location of the URL’s server; 4) temporary shut-down of web sites (most recently related to Federal emergencies); and 5) dead links. Monographic materials’ links can be characterized as links in the monographic item record that link to supplemental or related Library of Congress American Memory materials (as an example); full text of the same edition as the received paper copy, as is the case for Center for Library and Information Resources (CLIR) reports; and others.
Discussion: Not surprisingly, correcting and maintaining monographic URLs is a significant workload. An important general principle in our streamlined Technical Services processing is not to edit records; editing for URL problems creates significant and in some cases insoluble workflow concerns; consulting with collection managers may sometimes be required; Law, for one, may wish to proceed differently.
Action: Carol Diedrichs appointed a working group to gather more data and to make recommendations; Laura Tull, Magda El-Sherbini, and Tschera Connell agreed to serve.
- General Media Descriptors (GMD)
Background: Tschera Connell noted that the Libraries now use the new GMD [electronic resource] rather than [computer file]. The question has arisen whether to change the wording in the call number of CD-ROMs to reflect the "electronic resource" phrase. In the past "computer file" has been added to the call number.
Discussion: There is a consensus that "electronic resource" is a less helpful descriptor than "computer file" for CD-ROM.
Action: We will continue our current practice, using "computer file" rather than "electronic resource" for CD-ROM products.
- "Local Practice" changes
Background: Refer to Magda El-Sherbini’s Memorandum to TSC dated October 24, 2001. The document identifies ten (10) areas in processing where streamlining could result in significant time and resource savings, but with real public services implications. The 10 points (with an 11th added) center around the efficiencies in accepting LC’s cataloging copy or LC standard rather than continuing OSU-custom approaches. The 11 points are outlined below:
- Not adjusting call number for classes M,N, and P.
- Accepting and using LC’s Table 40 cuttering
- Not adding a third cutter number
- Accepting LC’s cuttering tables
- Accepting LC’s translation tables
- Accepting LC’s adaptations, criticisms, etc.
- Accepting LC’s editions and conferences
- Using subject classification other than "Z" for bibliographies
- Accepting the national standard for prefixes and suffixes in call numbers
- Ceasing creation of new bibliographic records for printings of literary works (e.g., novels)
- Ceasing the use of copy numbers for monographs and/or serial titles.
The overarching question for TSC and public services remains: Which "local practices" are essential to good library service and justify the continuation of processing with current local practices. Data, with ranges of specific and realistic examples, are needed to begin to measure objectively the practical effects of changing each and every one of these 11 local practices.
Action: Technical Services department heads will discuss an approach to this at their early-January (2002) meeting. They will bring it back to TSC at the next meeting.
Wes Boomgaarden
Secretary, pro tem.
December 20, 2001
Document last revised: 1/15/02
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