VIVA User Services Committee
Subcommittee on Cataloging and Intellectual Access
Minutes for February 12, 1999
Charlottesville, VA

Present: J. Ogburn (ODU, Chair), D. Badertscher (W&L), K. Cary (VCU), E. Day (JMU), B. Hackney (ODU), T. Kearns (W&M), C. Lewis (JSRCC), K. Perry (VIVA), G. Reese (PVCC), J. Shieh (UVA), A. Sleeman (UVA), L. Turner (W&L)

(1) Ogburn mentioned that VIVACAT was cited in "Managing Licensed Networked Electronic Resources in a University Library," an article by John Webb that appeared in the December 1998 issue of Information Technology and Libraries.

(2) Restructuring of VIVA Committees

Kathy Perry attended the meeting to talk about the status of VIVACAT and our plans for a spring workshop. Details of VIVA's reorganization (approved 12/3/98 and effective 7/1/99) can be found on the VIVA Web site. Perry complimented the group on the work that VIVACAT has done including the Cataloging Guidelines, which have gained national recognition. Although VIVACAT will no longer exist as a committee after July 1, Perry suggested that the group's work might continue in the form of projects. These projects could be identified  through informal contact over the VIVACAT listserv, which now has about 50 catalogers from around the state signed on. Projects would then be approved by making a case to the Steering Committee.

Several committee members expressed concern that some activities, such as modifying the Cataloging Guidelines or loading Chadwyck-Healey records for resource-sharing purposes, would require more formal responsibility. There are also lots of promising developments on the horizon that would help libraries maximize the value of their Web catalogs. Our work in these areas would clearly benefit catalogers throughout the state.

Ogburn will send information about our continuing plans and agenda to Jean Major, Chair of the User Services Committee, for a decision on how to proceed after July 1. She suggested an alternative model to the ad hoc committee approach, which called for a working group that would meet and report to the Steering Committee when necessary.

(3) Chadwyck-Healey Records

Day reported that Ed Summers (ODU) has done a lot of work on the script for loading the Chadwyck-Healey records. Five different library systems have loaded or are working on loading the records using the script. JMU hopes to be able to load the C-H records without purchasing a special loader from Innovative. The records contain no series title or digital project name. The "host item entry" (MARC 773) indicates the collection in which each poem can be found. Libraries should check their catalogs' rules for displaying and indexing this field before loading the C-H records. The records will be put on a shared drive. Contact Summers (esummers@odu.edu) or Shieh (shieh@virginia.edu) for FTP info. The availability of the C-H records has generated some philosophical discussion on what it means to load these types of records into the catalog. Perry asked what information vendors could provide to help match their Web resources with titles in library catalogs.

(4) Status of VIVACAT Article

Not much progress to report on the article, since our last meeting in December. Cary would still like to get comments from committee members on the draft she distributed. Appropriate passages can be added to address the group's new working model.

(5) Spring Workshop

Perry talked about the logistics of setting up a workshop (identifying a target audience, registration, handouts, securing speakers, travel money, etc.). The original plans for a two-day workshop this spring have been scaled back. Instead we will hold a one-day workshop that will not involve User Services and will deal strictly with training on the Cataloging Guidelines. The morning session will feature a discussion of electronic serials and Web sites. The afternoon session will be hands-on training.

A discussion followed about the advisability of getting Directors and other non-catalogers involved as originally planned, but unfortunately time will not allow for that in a one-day workshop. It was decided that participation should be limited to VIVA libraries. May is probably the best time to hold the spring workshop. Piedmont Community College is the probable location. If this workshop goes well, we could consider doing another session at the VLA Annual Conference in October. Perry asked to be notified when the speaker and date are decided upon. A core group of plannersfor the workshop has been identified. After the meeting adjourned, they met to further discuss the details of the spring workshop.

(6) Day and Shieh mentioned two helpful sites dealing with Internet resources:

"Guidelines for Selecting Internet Resources" (JMU Libraries): http://library.jmu.edu/libstaff/its/er/web_select.htm

 "Internet Resources Management: References for Information and Background Study": http://www.people.virginia.edu/~ejs7y/NAHSL98.bib.html

David Badertscher
Washington and Lee University