Historically, any institution that participated as an independent contributor to one of the other PCC component programs was automatically considered to be a SACO member. In 2010, SACO became an institution-based program requiring application for membership.
Any institution is eligible to become a SACO member.
What are the program requirements?
- Submit a completed SACO membership application with an institutional agreement/commitment to an annual production expectation of 12 proposals. This expectation can be met through a combination of new or changed heading proposals for any Library of Congress vocabulary.
- Participation in a SACO funnel is an option for institutions that may not be able to meet the annual production expectation.
- Catalogers at SACO institutions are expected to have access to the web-based subscription service ClassWeb Plus, knowledge of the guidelines contained in the Subject Headings Manual (SHM), and familiarity with LCSH and the following tools: Free-Floating Subdivisions, MARC 21 Format for Authority Data, and standard reference sources.
There are no membership fees to join the SACO Program. The only program costs are the time and resources expended to assure that the heading proposed is not a duplicate, that the necessary research has been performed and recorded, and that all elements in the proposal form have been filled in correctly. Visit the SACO Resources page to access manuals, guidelines, and checklists.