Reading alphabet soup: RDA, the JSC, the PCC, and the future of cataloging Matthew Beacom PCC Participants Meeting ALA Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois June 26, 2005

Current roles of AACR and PCC AACR –The content standard for describing library materials and making access points for them –Vital part of library cataloging work –Purpose: describe and organize library resources to support their discovery and use PCC –An organization promoting shared work in library cataloging –Looks at whole of library cataloging work –Purpose: cooperatively increase quality and quantity library cataloging, or, more, better, faster, cheaper

A bit about RDA and PCC How will RDA differ from AACR2? –Display separated from recording data –Deeply FRBRized –Designed for digital environment How does PCC influence work on RDA? –Through its liaison on CC:DA –Use of back channels to AACR constituencies, other rule makers, libraries, etc. –How else might PCC influence RDA?

The future of cataloging: 4 texts Opacs and Our Changing Environment: Observations, Hopes, and Fears / Dale Flecker. Jan – To integrate, disintegrate / Lorcan Dempsey. June 20, 2005 Weblog – The Future of Cataloging / Deanna Marcum. Jan – Metadata's Bitter Harvest / Roy Tennant. –Library Journal. July Vol. 129, No. 12.

Multiple information universes Once, the bibliographic universe –AACR, MARC, OPAC Now, an information multiverse –HTML, XML, MPEG21, Google, etc. Future, what role for libraries and catalogs in the information multiverse? –Services to users built upon collections and metadata

Future roles for RDA and PCC RDA –A content standard for describing information resources, and for relating them to one another (and other relevant entities); it is designed for a digital, networked environment that integrates with analog resources –Vital part of information services work –Purpose: describe and organize information resources to support their discovery and use

Future roles for RDA and PCC PCC –An organization promoting shared work in providing information services based on good quality metadata –Looks at whole of information services work –Purpose: cooperatively increase quality of information services by increasing production of good quality metadata

Opportunities for PCC Change the name –From Cataloging to Metadata Restructure the organization –Unify: no BIBCO, no CONSER, etc. Expand membership –Publishers, vendors, users Expand domain –From bibliographic control to metatdata support for information services Change the culture –No more us/them thinking