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Online Quality CommitteePresent: Susan Simpson, chair, Carol Brown, Donna Rusk, Martha Hanscom, Sukey Hohl, Crystal Stratton, Mary Jayne Jordan, Edie Phillips, Bobbi Thorpe and Des Saunders and guest Brian Greene.
The agenda was approved.
The minutes from the December 9, 2004 meeting were passed with no changes.
PROGRESS REPORTSCirc Map Simplifying: No new progress to report.
OLD BUSINESSDatabase Guidelines:
A discussion was held on whether we should have print copies of the Database Guidelines available at the Annual Meeting as well as the online version available at the WYLD site, and who should get copies. It was agreed to have a print version and to attach a note saying that the recipient was responsible for disseminating copies among tech staff at all member libraries. This print version would be three hole punched and members could provide their own binders. We then discussed the timeline. There is still plenty of time to finalize and approve the guidelines before the Annual Meeting. We then agreed to discuss just the highlights-the really controversial issues regarding the Database Guidelines.
Susan mentioned three issues that she and Bobbi had identified as problematic: 1) Summary statements for non-serials 2.4.7d, 2) Creating item records 2.6.1 and purging item records 2.6.2, and 3) Online Quality Committee mandated to assist the WYLD staff 1.2.2. Susan would prefer the word "support" to "assist."
Sukey added that she would like to see a "cheat sheet" added to the guidelines that would provide a quick reference list of common errors/oversights. Bobbi said she would pull together an appropriate list and make it an appendix.
Mary Jayne mentioned that VDX does not allow patrons to request a specific hardcover or paperback item type when both are attached to the same marc record. This is inconvenient for teachers and book discussion groups who are trying to "keep everyone on the same page." Des suggested that the requestor use the note field to request a particular edition. We don't really want to have multiple records for the same titles so we need to work on the issue from the VDX angle.
We then started to discuss the summary holding statement issue. People tend not to look to see if there are summary holding statements on non-serial items. If they merge with such a record, the info is lost. Crystal believes that there are valid uses of mfhd records for non-serial items and would prefer that the guidelines not prohibit such use.
Adding item types: do we want to have network-wide standards on item types, i.e. a paperback is a paperback, a hardcover is a book, etc. Probably not possible, but we may want to specify a minimum of fields that need to be filled out to constitute an item record-call number, type, location for example.
Perhaps we need another tech note to address issues-"unexpected quirks" that are specific to Sirsi. For instance, you must fill out itemcat2 (juvenile) for an item to appear in Kids Cat.
Would it be acceptable for Bobbi to go through our comments on the Database Guidelines line by line and use her best judgment? Yes. Bobbi and Susan will continue to edit the draft.
Susan commented that Brian Greene suggested that we add to the introduction that the document is designed for the novice and/or new to WYLD cataloger.
Indexing Committee. Sukey has volunteered to head the Indexing Committee if someone else takes over the minutes. No one volunteered to do minutes so Susan volunteered her new administrative assistant. Sukey will head the Indexing Committee, Crystal will be on it ex officio, and either Bobbi or Des or both will also participate. Susan will email the volunteers and Des so she can post info to website.
Next Meeting: February 22, 2005 at 3:30 pm.
Sukey Hohl, Secretary