[DCRM-L] Question about NACO.

[Robert Maxwell]

Oksana,

Yes, a minimum was adopted a few years ago (http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/naco/nacoprogfaq.html#14) and you are correct, small libraries are required to contribute at least 100 new or modified name and/or series records. I do not know how rigidly the minimum is enforced, but I think it's probably a good thing to have a minimum. Libraries that don't contribute very much tend to forget what is needed in authority record creation simply because they don't get much practice. 

There are a couple of options. If you really think you couldn't make the minimum, you could join a NACO funnel. The funnels do not have quotas. I notice there is a funnel listed at http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/naco/funnels.html for a Detroit Area Network (DALNET) Funnel. Perhaps you could join that or another funnel.

Alternately, the University of Michigan is an independent NACO library (http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/naco/liaisonsumuw.html), so another option might be to contribute through their operation. I realize the Clements Library isn't the same thing as the University of Michigan main library but you're there on the same campus, so perhaps that could be arranged.

But I encourage you to reconsider the idea that you at the Clements Library wouldn't be able to contribute 100 records per year. In the first place, the minimum isn't just for new contributions-the total of 100 includes revisions of existing authority records you might do. Secondly, you might be surprised at how many names you actually would contribute. I routinely contribute 25 to 30 per month just in the normal course of my own cataloging. I suspect you might find that there are more unauthorized names than you think that come up in the course of your cataloging, that you could contribute. And once you are trained, most authority contributions don't take a great deal of time, given the authority record creation macro available in OCLC.

I agree that the Clements Library has a lot to contribute to NACO and I hope you'll be able to do it. You'll find most everything you need or want to know about applying for NACO at http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/naco/. 

Bob Maxwell

Robert L. Maxwell
Head, Special Collections and Metadata Catalog Dept.
6728 Harold B. Lee Library
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
(801)422-5568


-----Original Message-----
From: dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu [mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu] On Behalf Of Oksana K. Linda
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 9:52 AM
To: DCRM Revision Group List
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Question about NACO.

Hello:

I have a question about possible joining NACO. I understand that small 
libraries are required to contribute at least 100 new or modified records 
annually. Is it still so? Currently I'm the only cataloger at the library 
and to produce 100 authority records per year is not practical. However, I 
feel that it's important for specialized collections such as Clements 
Library to be able to invest in authority work. Any chance of my joining 
NACO without quota?
I'd appreciate any advice on this matter.
/Oksana.
---------------------------
Oksana Katerine Linda
University of Michigan
William L. Clements Library
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