Bibliographic standards in South Africa

Bibliographic standards are standards aimed at consistency and uniformity of practice in the creation of bibliographic records. Coetzee, Helena Do we still need bibliographic standards in computer systems?

Types of bibliographic standards Format standards – essential for the exchange of records MARC21 Data content standards – to ensure consistency of practice in the creation of bibliographic records AACR2R, LCSH, DDC, ISBDs Item identifiers – to identify items by using unique numbers ISBN, ISSN Internet cataloguing standards – aimed at creating order on the Internet Dublin Core

1997 SAMARC > USMARC Official MARC office Format standards – MARC 21

Data content standards AACR2R SA cataloguing community / Sabinet Online: adhere to LC rule interpretations Aligned with cataloguing community contributing to WorldCat

Data content standards LCSH Academic and tertiary institutions MESH Wits Medical School Medical Research Council of South Africa Medunsa campus of the University of Limpopo

Data content standards SEARS School libraries Public libraries Special Libraries Library schools Scaling down cataloguing courses?

Data content standards Dewey Decimal Classification DDC22 : Academic & tertiary institutions, Government departments, Provincial & local government, Special libraries Abridged ed. 14 : Schools WebDewey : Universities, Provincial & local government, Special libraries

Data content standards LC Classification ex University of Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) University of the Witwatersrand U.S. Embassy in Pretoria

Item identifiers ISBN13

Internet cataloguing standards Dublin core for the description of simple textual or image resources (objects, photographs or slides)

Internet cataloguing standards TEI (Text Encoding Initiative) for text markup EAD (Encoded Archival Description) for description of archival materials

Authority control – pre-2000 Authority records created for South African National Bibliography not available to South African libraries SAMARC: No development of a MARC authority format Disparity between libraries

Authority control – after 2000 Sabinet Online started using Innopac library system Authority records downloaded from OCLC All records created on OCLC GAELIC and CALICO consortia opted to become NACO participants 17 NACO libraries in South Africa

SACO participation

South African Academic Library Consortia GAELIC (1996) Gauteng & Environs Library Consortium CALICO (1992) Cape Library Cooperative FRELICO (1996/7) Free State Library & Information Consortium eSAL (1997) Eastern Seaboard Association of Libraries SEALS (1998) South Eastern Alliance of Library Systems COSALC Coalition of South African Library Consortia

Founded in 1996

Information Resources Team GCATS (GAELIC Cataloguing and Technical Services Workgroup ) Operational Focus Promoted bibliographic control and adherence to international cataloguing standards within GAELIC…

GCATS Main products/services - Authority records - Shared bibliographic records - Training Functions - Promote adherence to international cataloguing standards - Provide training and guidance in the application of international cataloguing standards

GCATS Established core records Posted examples of bibliographic records on GCATS web site Compiled authority control manual and policy guidelines Initiated & coordinated NACO/SACO cooperation Provided training Established peer reviewing process

ESAL (Eastern Seaboard Alliance Libraries) Currently on URICA Library system – SAMARC Migrating to Unicorn (SirsiDynix) – MARC21 DIT (Durban Institute of Technology) – DDC22 Other libraries – earlier editions of DDC

Mergers, transformation, name changes In November 2003, the Cabinet approved proposals for the restructuring of the institutional landscape through mergers and incorporations. – Press release University of South Africa, Technikon SA, VUDEC > University of South Africa VUDEC books classified according to Zastrau schedule Project: Assign DDC call numbers to Vudec items

Mergers, transformation, name changes

Unisa Library

Aim To promote and facilitate the application of bibliographic standards in South Africa

Objectives - Provide for the exchange of ideas and experiences with regard to the application of bibliographic standards among members - Address issues which affect the application of bibliographic standards - Identify training needs in respect of bibliographic standards

South African distributor of both the printed DDC 22 edition and the abridged DDC / WebDewey Hosted listservs Sabinet Online Standards Committee (SOSC) - formed in 1999

Sabinet Online Standards Committee (SOSC) Investigates and advises on issues relating to the standard and quality of data input to the SACat database Standing Groups: Quality Control Working Group Cataloguing input standards, rule interpretations, MARC coding and improving the overall quality of the SACat database.

Carnegie Foundation sponsorship To provide basic cataloguing skills training Aimed at better equipping practitioners in the field for standardized and cooperative cataloguing Training offered in South Africa - free of charge Over 200 people have been trained

Unisa Infoweb

Bibliography Coetzee, Helena Do we still need bibliographic standards in computer systems? [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 29 September 2005] ul04_Bib_Stds_Helena_Coetzee.doc Digital Imaging Project of South Africa. No date. [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] Durban Institute of Technology [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] GAELIC. No date. [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] LIASA : Library and Information Association of South Africa. No date. [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005]

Bibliography cont. Medunsa Campus Library. No date. [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] National Library of South Africa [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] Sabinet Online. c2005. [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. c [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 22 September 2005] Van der Merwe, Ina MARC21 and its relevance to the South African cataloguing scene [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 29 September 2005]

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