Responsibilities of Fully Independent Members of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging

Approved by: PCC Executive Council, May 13, 1996

As membership in the Program for Cooperative Cataloging has grown, the Cooperative Cataloging Team and the Cataloging Policy and Support Office have received more and more queries from Program members seeking re-assurance that they are interpreting the rules correctly. Trained and independent PCC participants have proven their ability to function at the national level and contribute high quality bibliographic data to the national databases. Program libraries are encouraged to rely on their demonstrated expertise in identifying and resolving cataloging problems. The Cooperative Cataloging Team's primary function is to fulfill most of the responsibilities of the PCC Secretariat. Due to the tremendous growth of the Program, liaisons on the Team are no longer able to answer all queries and questions sent to them from over 200 PCC institutions.

As members of the PCC, libraries subscribe to the philosophy and values stated in the mission of the Program. They can be confident in their abilities and should seek their own solutions in cataloging without looking to the Library of Congress for the final word. The cataloging decisions made by PCC libraries are based on experience and training and are valid within the context of this international program.

The Library of Congress's Cataloging Policy and Support Office will continue to welcome queries pertaining to new ideas and developing trends in cataloging. LC policy specialists are willing to entertain questions on topics that broaden and expand the body of cataloging knowledge. The Coop Team will continue to serve as a resource for PCC libraries, especially those in the training phase, but independent PCC catalogers should expect to function without the final approval of a Coop liaison. As always, the Coop Team will accept notifications of duplicate records which require action in the master file at LC. Pending the installation of an Integrated Library System at LC, the Coop Team will also continue to accept notification of bibliographic file maintenance necessitated by the creation of or changes to name authority records. CPSO and the Coop Team will continue to welcome notification of errors in cataloging records from all libraries and they are prepared to help PCC catalogers resolve problems in cases where they find themselves in need of consultation with LC staff.

This self-reliance is also part of the Program's policy in the distribution of supplemental documentation, such as the LC Classification schedules. Due to the availability of online cataloging tools and budgetary considerations, LC will no longer distribute paper copies of supplemental documents. For the time being, the standard NACO, SACO and BIBCO documentation will continue to be provided free of charge to PCC libraries.