-------- Original Message --------
Subject: CONSER patterns experiment: Invitations to participate
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 1999 11:43:03 -0400
From: "Jean L. Hirons" <jhir@LOC.GOV>

Dear colleagues,

Have you just implemented a new ILS or are you contemplating doing so in
the near future?  If so, you will know that the check-in records
carefully
constructed under one system often do not convey to the new system.  You
may also be experiencing predictive check-in for the first time and the
need to establish publication patterns for serials.  Wouldn't it be
great
if the CONSER record, which contains the bibliographic data, also
contained the needed publication pattern to establish the check-in
record?

The CONSER Task Force on Publication Patterns and Holdings is hoping to
make this a reality.  In order to get started, OCLC will seed' the
CONSER
database with existing caption and pattern data from several large
libraries.  They will also be defining a new local 891 field that will
contain the MARC 853 and 863 fields.  The task force is planning to run
an
experiment whereby CONSER members and newly-established CONSER Enhance
members will add or update the existing pattern data in CONSER records.

As the newly-appointed chair of the task force, I am inviting your
institution to participate in this important experiment.  What's
involved?

*       The capability of adding the MARC data to OCLC records, either
        through copy/paste from your local system or direct input.
        Following the instructions that will be posted on the CONSER web
*       site.
*       Authorization to add the data to CONSER records via the CONSER
*       Enhance membership level.
*       Receiving an OCLC credit for each record updated.
*       Providing feedback on the contribution and uses of this data to
        task force members.

One of our goals is participation by institutions representing as many
system vendors as possible in order to determine differences and
capabilities among systems.

Task force members realize that reaching the overall goal of
pattern/holdings data that can be shared among systems and migrate to a
new system will not be easy and will take time.  With that in mind,
separate groups within the task force will be investigating current
local
system usage of the MARC Holdings Format (MFHD), whether there are
deficiencies in the MFHD, and the needs of libraries.  The task force
charge and a FAQ about the CONSER initiative and experiment are
available
on the CONSER Web site at: http://lcweb.loc.gov/acq/conser/patthold.html

We anticipate the experiment to last two years with a review and
assessment after the first year.

Instructions for participants in the experiment are currently under
development by Frieda Rosenberg and others on the task force and will
also
be available on the CONSER Web site.

To apply, fill out the form below and return to JEAN HIRONS by Nov. 26.
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS LIST.

If you have further questions and would like to discuss the experiment
and
your potential involvement, please feel free to contact either me or
Jean.
We look forward to hearing from you.

Sally Sinn
Chair, CONSER Task Force on Publication Patterns and Holdings
Associate Director, Technical Services Division
National Agricultural Library
(301) 504-7294
ssinn@nal.usda.gov

Jean Hirons
CONSER Coordinator
Library of Congress
(202) 707-5947
jhir@loc.gov

*****************************************************************************
APPLICATION FOR CONSER ENHANCE MEMBERSHIP TO ADD/UPDATE 891 FIELDS IN
CONSER RECORDS ON OCLC

Name of institution: ___________________________________________

Type of institution (e.g., academic, law, medical, etc.)
_______________________________

Local system used/to be used: _______________________________________
(if
not currently in use, when do you anticipate implementation? __________)

Number of serials controlled: __________

Contact person: ____________________________
        Phone: _________
        Fax: __________
        Email: _________

Describe how you anticipate participating in the experiment (e.g., how
would 891 data be ascertained and added to records; how could data found
in a record be used?)

SEND TO:  JEAN HIRONS jhir@loc.gov

Jean Hirons
CONSER Coordinator
Library of Congress
jhir@loc.gov
202-707-5947
fax 202-707-6333