Cooperative Cataloging Guidelines for I-Share Databases

Prepared by the IUAG Consortial Cataloging and Authority Control Committee February 2004

Approved by the ILCSO Users’ Advisory Group (IUAG) March 12, 2004

Approved by the ILCSO Board of Directors April 12, 2004

Updated October 2006 by the I-Share Cataloging and Authority Control Team to incorporate consortial and system name changes.

The I-Share catalog includes a shared Universal Catalog of I-Share participating libraries. Bibliographic records added, edited, and deleted in local databases are automatically exported to the Universal Catalog. As such, it is important that the staff from I-Share participating libraries who create and maintain the records in the local databases agree to the following standards.

The I-Share catalog must not be used in a way that interferes with vendor contracts or circumvents legitimate payments for use of bibliographic records. When records are copied from the Universal Catalog or another library’s catalog, users must take appropriate steps to assure that these conditions are met.
Catalogers are encouraged to choose bibliographic records containing OCLC control numbers over those that do not. The presence of an OCLC control number provides the best method for performing duplicate detection in the Universal Catalog, and thus facilitates resource sharing both in I-Share and the larger library community.
With the exception of personal reserve materials and certain types of special materials or ephemera, libraries are expected to contribute original catalog records based on current national standards. These include the latest edition of the Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, Library of Congress Rule Interpretations, and Library of Congress or other applicable authority files. Further details of standards may be found in the I-Share document “Standards for Bibliographic Records in I-Share” (see http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/cat/bib_standards.pdf). Catalogers are expected to adhere to current MARC formats and to consult other standards as appropriate.
Full original cataloging must be done through OCLC, not in Voyager.
Database maintenance is an expected function of each local library. Database maintenance includes performing authority control on names, titles, and subject headings, keeping local holdings current and accurate, and correcting errors in bibliographic description and MARC tagging as needed.
Catalogers must not make changes to a full bibliographic record that will cause the record to represent a work different from that originally described by the record.
Catalogers are expected to familiarize themselves with the duplicate detection and quality hierarchy for the Universal Catalog and to understand the implications for the Universal Catalog of their actions in the local catalog.

Duplicate Detection and Quality Hierarchy for the I-Share Universal Catalog:
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/secure/cat/UC_dupdetect.html

Safe Bibliographic Replacement Routines:
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/cat/safebibrep.pdf

Practicing Safe Cataloging for the Universal Catalog:
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/cat/pracsafecat.pdf

Universal Catalog Discarded Records Scenarios:
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/secure/cat/UC_discards.pdf
Catalogers must make no changes to bibliographic records that will remove access points or diminish the description of the item, including sharable, functional URLs. Libraries are encouraged to enhance access and description when appropriate.

Safe Bibliographic Replacement Routines:
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/cat/safebibrep.pdf

Practicing Safe Cataloging for the Universal Catalog:
http://www.carli.illinois.edu/mem-prod/I-Share/cat/pracsafecat.pdf
Suggested projects or policy issues not addressed in these standards should be referred to the IUAG Consortial Cataloging and Authority Control Committee or its successor body (currently the I-Share Cataloging and Authority Control Team) for consideration, prioritizing, and strategizing.