From the
Editors

From the
Chair

Mid-Year
Report

Treasurer's Report

Professional Development:

Feb
March
April
May

News on NISO Standards

ALA CC:DA

Election Slate

Printable version

Technical Trends Vol. 11, no. 3 (1998)

From the Editors

We want to welcome you to a new year and a new issue of Technical Trends. We hope that you are pleased with both. We offer you reports from your officers, lots of CE activities, a slate of candidates for your consideration and more. We thank all our contributors and appreciate their efforts.

We would like to echo Frances' call for contributions to Technical Trends. Remember that it is your publication and can only be made better by your participation.

We also welcome any comments from you on how we could improve Technical Trends.

Best wishes,

Walter Morton
wwm@fiona.umsmed.edu

Dianne Olson
DOLSON@wpo.it.luc.edu

From the Chair

Best wishes for the new year to everyone. The work of the section is moving along as detailed in the mid-year report to be found later in this issue. I again want to thank all the committee members who have worked on these issues on behalf of the section.

One of the objectives we set for this year is to include more substantive articles in Technical Trends and increase the dialogue on the listserv. I encourage all members to think about writing a short article for the newsletter on what's happening in Technical Services at your institution or to pose a question that is troubling you to the listserv. Then, if a question is posed, please respond if you possibly can. That doesn't have to take a lot of time and is a way we can all help each other and get to know each other better.

If you haven't received it already, you will soon be receiving your ballot to vote for next year's officers. You will notice that there is a single slate for Chair-Elect. The Nominating Committee had problems finding a second person who would agree to run. The issue of a single slate was discussed at the Seattle meeting and although members preferred a dual slate, they supported a single slate if necessary. The current by-laws are contradictory about this, a problem which the included bylaws changes seek to remedy, so we decided to go ahead with the single slate. I'd like to hear what the membership thinks about the problem of getting people to run for a section office.

I hope all of you are planning a trip to MLA in Philadelphia this spring. The program is not as set as I had hoped, but it is shaping up to be an interesting one. The session on Managing Internet Resources will include a talk by Eric Jul of OCLC on the work they are doing with metadata, the Dublin Core Record, and other Internet standards. Hope to see you there.

Frances Lynch
Chair

Mid-Year Report 1997/98

Goal 1. Professional Development

The CE Committee announces CE opportunities on the Technical Services Section Home Page and in the section's newsletter, Technical Trends. A CE course on "Cataloging Remote Access Computer Files" has been accepted by MLA and will be taught by a TSS member at the 1998   meeting. A serials course developed and taught by TSS members will   also be presented at the 1998 meeting.

The Section is cosponsoring two program sessions at MLA in Philadelphia. One is a contributed paper session with the Federal Libraries Section and the Medical School Libraries Section entitled "Show Me the Money! Costing Out Services and Generating Income in the Managed Care Era," and an invited paper session with the Collections Development Section on "Managing Internet Resources."

Goal 2. Advocacy

The Membership Committee submitted a proposal for a poster on the history of the section for the 1998 meeting.

All section committees include at least one new section member this year.

The section submitted an article about the section for the January or February issue of MLA News.

The Standards Committee has reviewed and supplied comments on three draft NISO documents relating to technical services: a data dictionary for circulation, interlibrary loan, and user records; the alphabetical arrangement of letters and the sorting of numerals and other symbols; and guidelines for preservation product information.

Goal 3. Organization

The section appointed new editors of Technical Trends, the section's newsletter. Walter Morton and Diane Olson published their first issue in October 1997. This issue was published only on the Web, with a printable Web version used for people needing a paper copy.

The Webmaster added all section members with e-mail addresses to the section's listserv instead of requiring a subscription. The 82 members added increased the listserv membership to 158.

The Bylaws Committee has drafted bylaws changes in accord with motions passed at the 1997 business meeting and will forward them to the Nominating Committee for inclusion with the election ballot.

The Section contributed $250 to support the MLA Centennial.

Goal 5. National Information Policy

The section's governmental relations liaison forwarded two Governmental Relations Committee action alerts to section listserv members.

MOTION

This report is informational and requires no action by the Board of Directors.

Frances Lynch
Chair

Treasurer's Report

Technical Services Section/MLA

The Technical Services Section checking account balance is $2,647.61 as of December 31, 1997. We received $1,219.80 in membership dues in two installments, one of $860.25 and one of $359.55. Our expenses totalled $648, for Technical Trends printing and postage, and for election ballots printing and postage. Our bank continues to give us free checking, so that we incur no monthly banking charges. Since we had no MLA Annual Meeting-related expenses and we have gone to a Web-based distribution system for Technical Trends, our bottom line is holding steady as of this writing.

Susan Gerding Bader, Secretary/Treasurer

Opportunities for Professional Development

Winter-Spring '98 Learning Opportunities

I am writing this column on the day after Christmas, amid the frenzy of holiday activities. Soon, though, the holiday season will be over, and we will be left with winter weather and the demands of New Year's resolutions. If your resolution for 1998 is to improve your professional skills, you will find several opportunities to do so, listed below.

This column also marks the beginning of a feature that I hope readers will find interesting and helpful--a featured workshop, with a personal recommendation from an attendee. If you have attended a workshop or program that you found especially valuable and that is going to be offered again during the summer or fall of 1998, please contact me at crumj@ohsu.edu. In the meantime, I'll kick things off with the following recommendation, this issue's featured workshop:

Troubleshooting PC's

February 23, Tampa Bay Library Consortium, Tampa, FL

This workshop is sponsored by SOLINET (http://www.solinet.net) and taught by Tom Fallon, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Technology, Southern Polytechnic State University, Marietta, GA. I attended this workshop back in 1994, and it remains one of the best continuing education sessions I have ever attended. After receiving an overview of microcomputer hardware, students work in teams to take apart and reassemble a real, working PC. Thanks to this course, I have been able to install sound cards, internal modems, and RAM in my computers with no fear and little frustration. If you would like to learn what's inside that box on your desk and how to fix minor hardware problems yourself, this is the workshop for you!

Fees: $155 for SOLINET members, $225 for non-members.

For more information: http://www.solinet.net/cet/win98dsc.htm or call (800) 999-8558

Now for the standard calendar of events:

February

Online Northwest '98
February 6, 1998, Sheraton Portland Airport Hotel, Portland, OR

This annual one-day conference features sessions on many automation- and Web-related topics, plus several sessions directly related to technical services. These include Technical Services Software Tools, Outsourcing for Cataloging, Serials Cataloging and Related Internet Resources, and How to Make a Smooth Transition to a Web-Based OPAC. The keynote speaker is John Ober of California State University, Monterey Bay, whose talk is entitled, "Information Professionals: Dimensions of Practice from the Digital Perspective."

Fees: $ 80 on or before January 12; $100 after January 12

For more information: http://www.sou.edu/library/onlinenw/online98.htm

Computers in Libraries '98
March 2-4, Hyatt Regency Crystal City, Arlington, VA

Sponsored by Information Today and the Special Libraries Association, this conference features sessions on library systems, search engines, push technology, digitizing resources, virtual libraries, managing Internet resources, training, organizational knowledge and Intranets, future trends, and more. Pre- and post-conference workshops are offered on a variety of topics, including integrated library systems, and electronic journal subscriptions.

Fees: First person from an organization, $299; second, $229; each additional, $109. Pre- and post-conference workshops not included in registration fee.

For more information: http://www.infotoday.com/cil98/cil98.htm or call (800) 300-9868

CatME for Windows
March 11, 1998, Christopher Newport University, Newport News, VA
March 17, 1998, Nashville State Technical Institute, Nashville, TN

If you plan to upgrade to the new Cataloging Microenhancer for Windows, you may wish to check out this workshop, conducted by SOLINET and designed to introduce this new product.

Fees: $105 for SOLINET members, $145 for non-members

For more information: http://www.solinet.net/cet/win98dsc.htm or call (800) 999-8558

Fundamentals of Acquisitions Institute Teleconference
March 13, 1997

This teleconference is presented by the Acquisitions Section, Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) and co-sponsored by the College of Library & Information Science, University of South Carolina. It is designed to give a broad overview of acquisitions operations through use of presentations, case studies, and role-playing. Topics covered include financial procedures, selection and monitoring of vendors, and current trends in acquisitions.

Fees: There is no charge to receive the transmission, but downlink sites must be able to receive KU or C band transmissions, have a room with a television and telephone, and meet Americans With Disabilities Act requirements. Fees for attendees are $75 for ALCTS/Library Network personal members, $90 for ALA personal members, and $115 for non-ALA members. A group rate is also available.

For more information, including a list of downlink sites: http://www.libsci.sc.edu/ann/foaweb/foa5.htm

Knowledge Access Management Tools and Concepts for Next-Generation Catalogers
Offered several times. As of this writing, the only sessions not yet full are March 30-April 1 and April 6-8. All sessions are held at the OCLC campus, Dublin, OH

This popular seminar covers cutting-edge topics related to cataloging Internet resources, including TEI headers, EAD, metadata, automated record creation, and planning for the future.

Fees: $495 for OCLC members, $550 for non-members

For more information: http://www.oclc.org/institute/seminar2.htm, or contact Erik Jul, (614) 7664-4364, e-mail jul@oclc.org

Managing Metadata for the Digital Library: Crosswalk or Chaos?
May 4-5, 1998, Georgetown University Conference Center, Washington, DC

Co-sponsored by the Association for Library Collections and Technical Services (ALCTS) and the Library Information Technology Association (LITA), this institute covers the latest developments in metadata, including standards and tools, and considers the effect of digital library efforts on existing catalogs and processes.

Fees: not listed

For more information: http://www.ala.org/alcts/events/institutes/metadata.html

Collaboration Across Boundaries: Theories, Strategies and Technology: ASIS 1998 Mid-Year Meeting
May 17-20, 1998, Orlando, FL

Program information and fees not yet available. Watch the ASIS conference page, http://www.asis.org/Conferences/ for details.

MLA '98
May 22-27, 1998, Philadelphia, PA

MLA's centennial meeting offers a number of CE courses on a variety of topics, such as Licensing Electronic Resources, Cataloging Internet Resources: Remote Access Computer Files, Building and Managing Your Digital Library, Basic Web Page Design, Serials Management, and MeSH and NLM Classification for Catalogers. Detailed information about the Serials Management course is available, as follows:

Serials Management
Saturday, May 23, 1998

According to the course brochure, participants will "explore the many facets of serials management, including budgeting, selection and deselection, acquisitions, cataloging, check-in, use studies, vendors, stacks management, claiming, binding, gifts and exchanges, backfiles, and public services aspects of serials work." The course is taught by Mary Buttner, Head of Serials and Acquisitions, Stanford University, and Jett McCann, Public Services, EBSCO Subscription Service.

For more information: http://www.mlanet.org/98ce.html

Detailed information and fees for all MLA '98 CE courses will be available soon on the conference Web site.

Fees for the MLA conference: MLA members, $320 inclusive, $250 conference only; non-members, $480 inclusive, $375 conference only; MLA student members, $25 conference only.

For more information: http://www.mlanet.org/mla98.html

Compiled and edited by Janet Crum, Oregon Health Sciences University Libraries, Portland, OR.

Phone: (503) 494-0691; FAX: (503) 494-3227; E-mail: crumj@ohsu.edu

Two NISO draft standards are currently under review by MLA section standards committees: Z39.71-199X Holdings Statements for Bibliographic Items and Z39.20-199X Criteria for Price Indexes for Print Library Materials.

Z39.71-199X Holdings Statements for Bibliographic Items applies to both serials and books and may be applied to any physical or electronic medium. This draft combines two existing standards, one for serials and one for non-serials, and specifies data areas, data elements, and punctuation for the display of holdings data. It also encompasses the MARC holdings format codes for physical form designator.

Z39.20-199X Criteria for Price Indexes for Print Library Materials was developed "to provide criteria for developing price indexes to measure periodic changes in the average list price of these library materials, and, where desirable, criteria for interpreting price changes using units smaller than volume or title" (as stated in the abstract of the draft standard). Price indexes measure the extent of price changes on a periodic basis and are used frequently in budgeting activities for materials price analysis.

In addition to the two draft standards under review, the following standards are currently being developed by various NISO committees: Bibliographic References, Library Binding, Format for Downloading Records from Bibliographic and Abstracting/Indexing Databases, Title Pages of Conference Proceedings, Environmental Conditions for the Exhibition of Library...Materials, BICI (Book Item and Contribution Identifier), and Performance Specifications for the Digital Talking Book. Technical Services Standards Committee Member Nadine Ellero Ferki is a member of the committee that is developing the draft for the Title Pages of Conference Proceedings Standard and reports that the Committee is making good progress towards a first draft.

Earlier this year, ANSI introduced a World Wide Web service called NSSN: A Global Standards Network. The NSSN network is a comprehensive source of information on U.S. and international standards and includes both standards from private sector organizations and from government sources. The basic service is free and offers keyword searching of these standards; it also links to the home page of the standard developer for ordering information. A subscription-based enhanced service provides an abstract of the standard and a list of equivalent standards; it too provides a link to the developer of the standard and in addition features an automatic alert for notification of status changes for the standard.

For further information about NISO standards and activities, visit their Web site at http://www.niso.org or contact Hope Barton (hope-barton@uiowa.edu), MLA representative to NISO.

Hope Barton

American Library Association
Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access

The Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access (CC:DA) is the American Library Association committee that formulates the official ALA policy on descriptive cataloging. The Committee is composed of 9 voting members and 35 non-voting representatives from other branches of ALA as well as other library organizations in the United States, the Library of Congress, OCLC, and RLG. The MLA representative is one of the non-voting representatives providing input to the committee. The representative attended the meetings of the committee held June 28th and 30th at the 1997 ALA Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Some of the activities of the Committee at the Annual Meeting included:

1. Announcement of the publication of the brochure Building International Descriptive Cataloging Standards by the Association for Library Collections & Technical Services (ALCTS). This brochure gives a detailed description of CC:DA's purpose and roles and can be found at http://www.ala.org/alcts/organization/ccs/ccda/pam3www.html. Some of the roles outlined in the brochure include:
   
   • To make a continuing assessment of the state of the art and suggest the direction of change in the field of descriptive cataloging
   • To recommend solutions to problems relating not only to bibliographic description but also to choice and form of access points, other than subject access points
   • To initiate proposals for additions to and revisions of the cataloging code currently adopted by ALA and to review proposals initiated by other groups or individuals
   • To encourage the US library and information services community to express opinions on issues under consideration
   • To keep the profession informed by reporting committee actions promptly through appropriate communication channels.

2. Discussion of the International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR to be held October 23-25, 1997 in Toronto. The conference was charged to review the underlying principles of AACR with a view to determining whether fundamental rule revision was appropriate and feasible and, if so, advancing the direction and nature of those revisions. The papers presented at the Conference as well as the Discussion List Archives can be found at http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/jsc/ Some of the fundamental issues to be questioned and addressed included:
   
   • concepts of "work,' 'edition,' and 'publication'
   • content vs. carrier
   • relationships between bibliographic entities
   • main entry including entry under corporate body
   • code and catalogue production technology

3. Continuation of the Task Force on Metadata and the Cataloging Rules under the direction of Sherry Kelley. To fulfill part of its revised charge, this task force will respond to topics and questions identified by the ALCTS Taskforce on Meta Access. The final report of the Taskforce can be found at http://www.lib.virginia.edu/alcts/about/final.html. A Joint CC:DA/MARBI Meeting on Metadata Issues was held at the Annual Meeting to discuss perspectives both group have on these issues.
   
4. Formulation of a Task Force on ISBD-ER Harmonization. This task force will look at ways to bring more consistency in AACR2's treatment of computer files with the International Standard for Bibliographic Description -- Electronic Resources. The Draft Proposal: AACR2R GMD term change-- Computer File to Electronic Resource was presented to CC:DA and can be found at http://www.ala.org/alcts/organization/ccs/ccda/compgmd.html.
   
5. Report from ALA Editions on the status of AACR2 publications including an electronic edition For more information from ALA Editions, see http://www.ala.org/market/books/technical.html

Valerie S. Gordon
MLA Representative to CC:DA

Technical Services Election Slate

Ballots went into the mail the week of Jan. 26 and are due Feb. 20.

Technical Services Section
Election for Officers, 1998-1999
Nominees

Chair-Elect

Name:	Bob Pisciotta Associate Director, Library Operations, Dykes Library The University of Kansas Medical Center
Previously:	Head, Cataloging, McGoogan Library of Medicine The University of Nebraska Medical Center
Education:	BA (English) Colgate University, 1974 MA (Librarianship) The University of Chicago, 1977
MLA activities:	NPC (1990 meeting) LAC Chair (1996 meeting) MLA News Committee, 1984-87 Created MLA CE course on newsletter production, 1987
MLA TSS activities:	Editor, Technical Trends, late 80s, early 90s. "Ask Callimachus" column mid-90s Research Committee, 1995-present
Other association activities:	HSOCLCUG:   Secretary 1987   President 1989 ALA member

Secretary/Treasurer

Name:	Deborah H. Broadwater Head of Technical Services Eskind Biomedical Library Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN
Previously:	Acquisitions/Serials Librarian Eskind Biomedical Library Vanderbilt University
Education:	Atlanta University, MSLS
MLA activities:	Member since 1990 Presentation at MLA Annual Meeting, Washington, D.C. 1995
MLA TSS activities:	Member
Other association activities:	Member: HSOCLCUG, ALA, NASIG, Southern Chapter of MLA Treasurer for the Mid-Tennessee Health Science Librarians Association Presenter at SLA conference in 1991 Presenter and convener at NASIG conferences Presenter at BCALA in 1997 Poster presentation at SC/MLA in 1997.
Name:	Sandra "Sandy" Arnesen Head, Systems and Databases Denison Memorial Library University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Previously:	Head, Electronic Media and Database Maintence (1993-1997) Head, Learning Resources Center (1986-1992) Denison Memorial Library University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Director, Learning Resources Center (1975-1982) Bio-Information Center, Creighton University
Education:	BA Education, University of Wyoming MLS Emporia State University
MLA Activities:	Midcontinental Chapter Medical Library Association:   Secretary/Treasurer, 1977-78   Vice-Chair, 1978-79   Chair, 1980-81   Chair, Entertainment Committee, MCMLA Convention, 1994
MLA TSS Activities:	Member
Other Association Activities:	HSOCLCUG. Local Arrangements Chair and Member of Executive Committee, 1995-96 Colorado Council of Medical Librarians (CCML) Executive Committee, 1996- Secretary 1996-97 CCML Journal Locator Editor and Committee Chair, 1997 Professional Issues Committee Chair, 1995-96 Special Library Association, Rocky Mountain Chapter Internet Committee, Chair, 1995-1998

Nominee to the MLA Nominating Committee

Name:	Cindy Goldstein Assistant Director Rudolph Matas Medical Library Tulane University School of Medicine New Orleans, Louisiana, 1988-
Previously:	Chief of Technical Services, 1978-88 Acquisitions Librarian, 1973-78 Rudolph Matas Medical Library Tulane University School of Medicine New Orleans, Louisiana
Education:	Louisiana State University Graduate School of Library Science, 1974-76, M.L.S Drury College, Springfield, Missouri, 1962-66, B.A. (French)
MLA Activities:	Board of Directors (Chapter Council Chair), 1995-98 Governance Task Force, 1996-97 Section/Chapter Compliance Task Force, Chair 1995-96 Chapter Council Chair-elect, 1994-95 Consulting Editors Panel for the Bulletin, 1988-90 Ad Hoc Committee to Evaluate the Bulletin, 1987 Editorial Committee for the Bulletin 1984-88, Chair 1987-88 1988 Annual Meeting Local Assistance Committee, Subcommittee on Publicity and Promotion Chair Scholarship and Grants Committee 1981-84, Chair 1983-84
MLA TSS Activities:	Continuing Education Committee, Chair 1991-92 Bylaws Committee 1990-91 Nominating Committee 1987-88
Other Association Activities:	AMIGOS Bibliographic Council, Board of Trustees, 1989-95 South Central Chapter/Medical Library Association   Fundraising Committee, 1997-98   Chapter Council Representative, 1993-95   1993 SCC Annual Meeting, Program Committee Co-Chair   Ad Hoc Credentialing Committee, Chair 1990-92   Past President, 1989-90   President, 1988-89   President-Elect, 1987-88   Bylaws Committee 1982-84, Chair 1983-84   1980 SRG/SCRG Joint Regional Meeting, Local Arrangements Committee, Registration Committee Chair Health Sciences Library Association of Louisiana, member American Association in the History of Medicine, 1988 Annual Meeting Local Arrangements Committee, Book Exhibits Chair NOTIS Health Sciences Users Group, Treasurer 1991-97 New Orleans Rose Society, President 1994-95, Vice President 1991-93

Laurie Thompson
Director of the Health Sciences Library
SUNY Health Sciences Center, Syracuse, NY
thompsol@vax.cs.hscsyr.edu