OCLC has created their subscription pricing for the fiscal year 2008/2009. Current OCLC cataloging and resource sharing subscriptions will be subject to a 4% increase from July 1, 2008 - June 30, 2009. Access fees remain flat again this year. With the complete implementation of subscription pricing for OCLC, MLNC ceased the practice of sending the full OCLC Price List.

Your existing subscriptions will renew automatically on July 1, 2008, and no action is needed on your part to continue with your institution’s OCLC resource sharing and cataloging services. Please contact support@mlnc.org if you would like your institution’s OCLC subscription pricing or have any questions about your subscriptions.

There’s still time to register for these upcoming MLNC online workshops:

Database Demonstration: Camio and ArchiveGrid - online via WebEx, May 22, 10am - 11am
Join MLNC and OCLC for a FREE demonstration of CAMIO and ArchiveGrid online databases. CAMIO-OCLC’s Catalog of Art Museum Images Online-is a growing online collection documenting works of art from around the world, representing the collections of prominent museums. ArchiveGrid is an important destination for searching for historical documents, personal papers and family histories held in archives throughout the world. Please join us for a look at these exciting resources.

MP3s, Macbeth, and Morning Edition: Exploring Digital Audio - online via Centra, June 10, 9:30am - 11:30am
Ready to move into the world of digital audio? In this live, interactive workshop we will explore: choosing a digital audio player; downloadable audiobooks from NetLibrary and other vendors; podcasting examples and resources; using Windows Media Player to copy or transfer files.

OCLC Research Update - online via WebEx, June 12, 10am - 11am
OCLC has established its presence as a global cooperative, connecting libraries to local, group and worldwide resources. Join us in this FREE workshop to learn how OCLC is addressing today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities as we gain access and delivery to more of the world’s resources.

For more information about these sessions and to register, visit http://www.mlnc.org/workshops.

MLNC is excited to announce plans for “Just When I Get Comfortable … Everything Changes,” a change management workshop to be led by Andrew Sanderbeck of the People-Connect Institute (http://www.peopleconnectinstitute.com) on Thursday, October 23, 2008 in Independence, MO.

Change is all around us today. Library 2.0 Technology evolves and changes. We change the look of our buildings and of our personnel. We change our policies and procedures. And many times, change is “dumped” on us, where we have little if any input into the implementation and effects of the change. The good news is … change can be effectively managed. There are processes and techniques that we can use to make the most of change–or at least to minimize the resistance to it. Communicating information is critical. The more aware the management and staff are of the nature of the change, the more successful the change implementation process will be everyone involved.

MLNC will announce registration details once they are finalized. We hope to see you at this or another MLNC workshop. For a complete list of upcoming sessions, visit http://www.mlnc.org/workshops.

Below is Deanna Marcum’s response to the final report of the Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control, forwarded by request of Richard Amelung, a Working Group member. Please excuse any cross-postings.

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May 1, 2008

Dear Colleagues,

The Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control submitted its final report, On the Record, to me on January 9, 2008. I have distributed the document to three groups within the Library of Congress for analysis and comment. I expect to respond formally to the report in early June.

On the Record contains more than one hundred recommendations aimed at the Library of Congress, other specific organizations and entities, and to the broader library community. In the words of the members of the Working Group, they envision “a future for bibliographic control that will be collaborative, decentralized, international in scope, and Web-based…change will happen quickly, and bibliographic control will be dynamic, not static.” The group urged the readers of the report to view it as a ” ‘call to action’ that informs and broadens participation in discussion and debate, conveys a sense of urgency, stimulates collaboration, and catalyzes thoughtful and deliberative action.” The many recommendations suggest ways in which the necessary systemic change can take place.

When the Library of Congress issues its response, we will be focusing on how it will position itself to work in this new, networked, and collaborative environment, not simply on single recommendations. We recognize that any cataloging code (AACR2 or the proposed Resource Description and Access–RDA) is but a part of this environment. It may seem counterintuitive that we issue a joint statement with our colleagues from the National Agricultural Library and the National Library of Medicine on RDA before we issue a full response to On the Record, but we do so because the international Joint Steering Committee and the Committee of Principals continue their work, and because so many librarians are asking about the national libraries’ plans to implement the proposed code.

We are pleased to report that we three libraries have worked together to establish an approach to the consideration of RDA in the attached joint statement.

We ask that you bear in mind that it is the entire bibliographic system that needs to be considered and reworked, and the cataloging code is only one small piece of the work that lies ahead.

Sincerely,

Deanna B. Marcum
Associate Librarian for Library Services
The Library of Congress
Joint Statement of the Library of Congress, the National Library of Medicine, and the National Agricultural Library on Resource Description and Access

May 1, 2008

Leaders of the Library of Congress (LC), the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and the National Agricultural Library (NAL) met on March 10, 2008 to discuss the recommendation from On the Record: the Report of the Library of Congress Working Group on the Future of Bibliographic Control to suspend work on RDA.

The group agreed that the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA’s work on Resource Description and Access (RDA) is an important international initiative that has been underway for several years and is one that requires continued collaboration with our international partners who have joined with the United States in a global initiative to update bibliographic practices to make the library resources more accessible and useful to users. The participants also agreed that their decisions whether or not to implement this new standard must be made jointly. Further, participants agreed that LC, NLM, and NAL have collective leadership responsibilities to assist the U.S. library and information community to remain relevant and vital in an increasingly digital future. Key to this role is providing a broad assessment and commitment to RDA if they believe this standard will further national strategic goals for improved bibliographic control and access. Colleagues from NLM and NAL are most concerned that a systematic review of RDA has not yet been possible and, given the potential magnitude and broad impact of the changes, such a review is essential. While draft chapters of RDA have been available, a clear, concise, and cohesive understanding of the overall impact of the entire standard is needed. Until the completion of the rules and the availability of the RDA online tool, reviewers will not be able fully to assess their impact on:

–Description, access, and navigation practices for a broad array of users and types of materials

–Current and future electronic carriers and information management systems to support RDA goals

–Estimated costs for implementation and maintenance during a time of flat, even reduced, budgets The three national libraries agreed on the following approach: First,
we jointly commit to further development and completion of RDA. Second, following its completion, a decision to implement the rules will be based upon the positive evaluation of RDA’s utility within the library and information environment, and criteria reflecting the technical, operational, and financial implications of the new code. This will include an articulation of the business case for RDA, including benefits to libraries and end users and cost analyses for retraining staff and re-engineering cataloging processes.

Together, we will:

–Jointly develop milestones for evaluating how we will implement RDA

–Conduct tests of RDA that determine if each milestone has been reached; paying particular attention to the benefits and costs of implementation

–Widely distribute analyses of benefits and costs for review by the U.S. library community

–Consult with the vendor and bibliographic utility communities to address their concerns about RDA

Included among the tests that will be developed to assist in formulating implementation decisions:

–Usability testing with cataloging staff, i.e. librarians and technicians, experienced and newer staff from the three national libraries in consultation with representatives from the U.S. library community (including OCLC and library vendors) about its participation in the process

–Testing of records for a broad array of materials created during usability studies to determine compatibility with existing record sets and ensuring records are usable and understandable for our end users

–Testing the feasibility of integrating this new cataloging standard into all relevant technology systems

The three institutions agreed that these steps will be followed and, if there is a decision to implement RDA, that the implementation would not occur before the end of 2009.

The collective resolve is to complete the development of RDA, to conduct appropriate tests that will inform and involve the broader U.S. library community as to the utility of the code, and to ensure a product that is useful, usable, and cost effective. The Library of Congress will continue to work with its international colleagues on the Joint Steering Committee for Development of RDA and the Committee of Principals and keep them apprised of the evaluation progress and outcomes as the three national libraries, representing their constituents, undertake the tests outlined above.

The May issue of QuickFlash, a newsletter with general and OCLC news for MLNC members, is available at http://www.mlnc.org/quickflash/.

In this issue:

– Registration is now open for the MLNC summer workshop schedule! You can view a complete list of workshops online at http://www.mlnc.org/workshops. Topics include: CatExpress; OCLC Authority File; OCLC Updates; Serials Cataloging; and WorldCat Resource Sharing.

– MLNC is pleased to offer our members a new NetLibrary eBook collection targeted towards community college students. The MLNC 2008 Community College eBook Collection will remain open for orders through June 10, 2008. All MLNC members are eligible to purchase this collection. For title lists, pricing, and ordering information, please visit http://www.mlnc.org/electronic/netlibrary/cccollection or contact Asia Gross at the MLNC office.

– MLNC is pleased to announce a partnership with Atlas Systems, Inc. (developers of ILLiad) to distribute Aeon, special collections circulation and workflow automation software. MLNC members are eligible for a 10% discount. For more information and pricing, visit http://www.mlnc.org/services/aeon.html or contact Elizabeth Madson at the MLNC office.

– Following an install in April, WorldCat Resource Sharing is happy to announce the redesigned two-per-page printing .PDF layout. A group of twenty librarians and nine network representatives worked closely with OCLC and helped them determine that left justifying all the information except the patron information would allow for easy reading and consistency of style between the one and two per-page.

– On April 1, a record for the 1950s publication from the U.S. Fisheries Laboratory, Miscellaneous Contributions, marked the 100 millionth bibliographic record entered into WorldCat. The record was part of a retrospective conversion project for the University of Washington Libraries. You can “Watch WorldCat Grow” online at http://www.oclc.org/worldcat/grow.htm.

Also in this issue: Facts on File demonstration; CONTENTdm updates; EZproxy 5.0 release; Blackstone eAudiobooks; copyright reports; and more!

Olive Software brings state of the art digitization and archive solutions to MLNC members

MLNC member libraries are now able to take advantage of Olive’s digitization, archiving, and hosting services at a discounted rate. With Olive Software, libraries can now provide global online access to rare materials.

Olive Software is the leading provider of digital archiving solutions for the library and publishing industry with more then 250 publishers and 650 titles worldwide. Olive’s solutions enable libraries to preserve newspapers and periodicals in an open format, creating full text searchable digital archives. Long-term preservation needs and a growing number of patron requests for information have public and academic libraries taking a serious look at the accessibility of their resources, making the Olive-MLNC partnership a timely event.

We are excited to add Olive Software to our growing collection of electronic resources available to member libraries. Olive’s Software not only preserves content through digitization, but also enables instant access to the materials through a powerful web application.  

To learn more about Olive products and services, please visit http://www.mlnc.org/services/olive.html

Relais International Inc announces the launch of the newest release of Relais ILL and Relais Enterprise, their ILL Management and Document Delivery systems. Version 2008 includes several new features and enhancements to Web Services, OpenURL interface, and support for the NCIP protocol. Also part of the release is the addition of standard reports, and support for additional scanners such as the Widetek Scanner and the Bookeye Planetary Scanner.

Relais International Inc is based in Ottawa, Canada, and has been selling systems to support interlibrary loan and document delivery services since 1996. Relais International assists libraries in implementing intelligent and automated methods to support the delivery of documents. Relais products range from scanning stations through to fully integrated request management, scanning and delivery software suitable for a single library through to a consortium.

For an overview of Relais International Inc, please visit http://www.relais-intl.com/relais/home/index.htm.

MLNC is pleased to announce a partnership with Atlas Systems, Inc. (developers of ILLiad) to distribute Aeon, special collections circulation and workflow automation software. MLNC members are eligible for a 10% discount. Aeon is a circulation management system that enables special collections libraries to provide better customer service in a more secure and controlled environment. Aeon improves customer service and staff efficiency while providing unparalleled item tracking, security and statistics.

For an overview of Aeon, please visit http://www.atlas-sys.com/products/aeon/.

Introduction to CONTENTdm for MDH Users
St. Louis - May 1, 2008
Independence - May 7, 2008
Columbia - May 8. 2008

Learn how to manage your digital collections using the CONTENTdm Acquisition Station, the digital collection management tool for the Missouri Digital Heritage Initiative. This hands-on workshop will cover the complete workflow from importing and describing digital objects to uploading files to the server. Course participants will have an opportunity to add images to a temporary collection, create metadata, and view and search the collection on the Web. Topics will include:

– Start a new project
– Brand a project and set user permissions
– Import items singly and in batch
– Import metadata from a tab-delimited file
– Build a compound object (e.g. linked pages in a document or book)

This workshop is limited to past, current, or future LSTA Digital Imaging Grant recipients and to other institutions that wish to contribute digital collections to the Missouri Digital Heritage database. Your institution MUST sign the Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) agreement with the Missouri State Library prior to attending a workshop. For more information about the AUP, contact Carl Wingo, MDH Project Manager, at 800-325-0131 ext. 9.

A limited number of stipends are available for hotel rooms for this workshop. Contact Keri Cascio (ext. 813) at the MLNC office for more information. You must register to attend, registration information is online at http://www.mlnc.org/workshops/vmcontentdm.html.

MLNC is pleased to announce our Summer 2008 workshop schedule. In addition to the topics listed below, we are also working on the next MLNC Speakers Series event for July, more details will be announced in the coming weeks. We hope to see you at an MLNC event!Cataloging Workshops
– Copy Cataloging with CatExpress
– Serials Cataloging: The Basics
– Using the OCLC Authority File
– Using the OCLC Connexion Browser

Interlibrary Loan Workshops
– Introduction to WorldCat Resource Sharing

MLNC Speakers Series
– Reserve the date: July 16 in St. Louis. Details coming soon!

Special Workshops
– Licensing Agreements: What You Need to Know
– Make the Most of Your OCLC Statistics
– OCLC Local Holdings Maintenance
– OCLC Public Services Update
– OCLC Technical Services Update
– Using WorldCat Collection Analysis in Public Libraries
– Using WorldCat Collection Analysis in Academic Libraries

Complete workshop descriptions and online registration are available on our Web site at http://www.mlnc.org/workshops/. If your institution has a specific training need that is not on our current schedule, please contact Deb Ehrstein (deb@mlnc.org, ext. 816) at the MLNC office (800-969-6562).