----------------------------Original message----------------------------
 Sat, 20 Jul 91 15:50:12 EDT
Date:         Sat, 20 Jul 91 14:34:36 EDT
From:         Ed Weissman <EW2@CORNELLC>
Subject:      LITA MARC HOLDINGS GROUP PROGRAM
To:           AUTOCAT@UVMVM,
              SERIALS@UVMVM,
              usmarc-l@maine

Greetings:

I am the in-coming chair of the LITA MARC Holdings Interest Group.  I am
writing to solicit suggestions for discussion topics at the ALA 1992 Midwinter
Meeting but, more importantly, for programs and/or poster sessions at the
1992 LITA National Conference in Denver September 9-13, 1992. Proposals for the
LITA National Conference are due by August 31, 1991.

One topic that I am interested in concerns the role of holdings information at
the national network or bibliographic utility level (OCLC, RLIN, WLN).  Now
that we have the USMARC Format for Holdings, a vehicle for communicating
holdings information, what information do we want available to us nationally to
support processing, resource sharing, and other programmatic goals.  Recently,
there has been discussion about the feasibility of a National Pattern Data
Base that would make pattern information (USMARC 85x fields) available
from a central source to support more accurate ordering, check-in, claiming,
binding, and preservation activities.  But what other holdings information is
now available at the national level that needs to be continued and/or
enhanced (e.g., serial union listings), and what other information needs to be
made available in a coherent way for the first time.

I would be interested in hearing your comments/suggestions/refinements
on this.  If you like the idea and would be interested in presenting a paper or
could suggest someone else as a presenter, please let me know.  If you have
other ideas for programs, poster sessions, etc., I would appreciate hearing
from you as well.

I am posting this message to AUTOCAT, SERIALST and USMARC-L so please
excuse the possible receipt of multiple copies of this message.

Edward Weissman
Head, Catalog Department          Telephone: 607 255-5754
Central Technical Services        BITNET:  ew2@cornellc
Cornell University
110-C Olin Library
Ithaca NY 14853-5301