A checklist for training new CONSER members
Rev. January 15, 2009
The following outlines the essential information with which a new CONSER member needs to be made acquainted before beginning CONSER cataloging and the new member review period. This is usually accomplished through one-on-one training of the new institution's operations representative by an experienced CONSER cataloger, but may also be achieved in part by other forms of communication and by the trainee's study of the CONSER Editing Guide. The purpose of this training is to establish a practical familiarity with the procedures, policies, and information sources used routinely in the development and maintenance of the CONSER database. Mastery of this knowledge comes over the course of a CONSER career through regular consultation of CONSER documentation, practical experience, and communication with peers.
A. Introduction: What It Means to be a CONSER Member
A1. Background (for general discussion with new member)
A1.1. Rationale for CONSER and benefits of being a CONSER member (cf. CEG A1.1, A2, A4.1)
A1.2. CONSER member's relationship to ISSN center(s) (cf. CEG C1.1.4, C1.2.4, C6)
A2. Orientation
A2.1. Personal contacts
| Category | Contact person | Relevant documentation |
Quarterly statistics. An annuncement on CONSRLST is made quarterly and a URL provided. See General Guidelines on CONSER and BIBCO statistics reporting.
|
Les Hawkins lhaw@loc.gov) |
CEG A4.6.2 / C13 |
CONSRLST, CONSER documentation, etc.
|
Les Hawkins (lhaw@loc.gov) |
|
Issues related to assignment of ISSN to U.S. publications or records coded 040 = NSD and 042=nsdp
|
ISSN Publisher Liaison Section (issn@loc.gov) |
CEG C6.4 |
LCCN problems & dup records
|
John Levy (jlev@loc.gov) | CEG C7 |
Issues relating to Canadian records
|
Ivan Basar (ivan.basar@lac-bac.gc.ca) |
CEG C12 |
Annual report (full members only)
|
Les Hawkins (lhaw@loc.gov) |
CEG A4 |
Locked bib records
|
Robert Bremer (bremerr@oclc.org) |
|
Other problems (monograph records, etc.)
|
LC contact or Les Hawkins (lhaw@loc.gov) |
|
| Authority questions | NACO/SACO liaison (naco@loc.gov, saco@loc.gov) or LC Policy and Standards Division (policy@loc.gov) | CEG C4 |
A2.2. Application for CONSER authorization log-on (cf. CEG A4.5.1)
A2.3. NACO and CONSER (who will review headings during review period)
A2.4. Overview of CONSER record flow from OCLC to CDS to subscribers, including fields not distributed (cf. CEG A3.5, A7, App. B)
A3. Other aspects of CONSER membership
A3.1. Expectations: Importance of active participation in CONSER: contributing ideas and comments, working on task groups, as appropriate, etc. (cf. CEG A4.1, A4.2.3)
A3.2. Contributing to the CONSER annual report
B. Review of Sample Records
B1. Review in detail the records submitted with the applications and discuss the problems and comments.
B2. Point out as necessary any parts of general serials cataloging practice that new member appeared not to be aware of.
B3. Discuss relevant CONSER practices such as use of full/core/minimal level records, the single-record option, etc.
C. Record Authentication and Modification
C1. Record authentication
C2. CONSER philosophy of record modification: when to leave as is, when to change (cf. CEG B1.7-B1.9, B2.1, B4)
C2.1. 010 and 042 (CEG C2, 010, 042)
C2.2. 012, 850, etc. for historical perspective
C2.3. 936 and its uses
C2.4. When not to authenticate a record
C2.5. Guide to authentication developed for Enhance members moving to Associate level
C3. Record modification
C3.1. NSDP pre-pubs (cf. CEG C6.1)
C3.2. Brief discussion of record levels and editing
C3.3. Correlation between CONSER serial record and corresponding SAR for series
C3.4. Call numbers
C3.5. NACO
C3.5.1. NARs–when needed, when to update, what to watch for
C3.5.2. SARs–when needed; how to proceed if not trained in series
C3.5.3. Handling problems
C4. Reporting duplicates (CEG C7)
C5. Record consolidation
C5.1. When to consolidate or not consolidate
C5.2. Procedures (CEG C8)
D. Tools and Databases
D1. Searching LC's catalog (for call numbers, etc.)
D2. ISSN database (online)
D3. Canadiana CD-ROM
E. The Review Period and Independence
E1. Submitting records for review; using Connexion "review record" feature to review records (trainer)
E2. What it takes to become independent; phased withdrawal?
E3. Working with LC SRD liaisons following independence
See Document: CONSER New Member Review Period
