Message from the Chair of the PCC

Foreward to the 2001 edition of the PCC Brochure
Spring 2001

For most of the last century librarians have enhanced and expanded services to their users through cooperation. The Program for Cooperative Cataloging, founded in 1995 as an umbrella for existing and new cooperative cataloging programs, is based on the fundamental belief that we can accomplish much more working together than we can accomplish individually. In today's high technology environment, quality cataloging is essential. By bringing principles of organization and access to the Web, we can help our users find relevant information quickly and easily and without the information noise that so permeates the Web.

The basic aim of the PCC -- to improve and increase access by providing quality cataloging faster and for more materials--is more important than ever. For those of you who are not members of any of the programs, this is your invitation to join the PCC and actively participate in the NACO and SACO program. For current program participants, this is your invitation to become a full BIBCO member and to consider joining the longest running PCC program, CONSER.

The PCC is a self-governed enterprise of libraries around the world committed to making more information about our collections available more quickly to our users. The continuing support of OCLC, Inc. and the Research Libraries Group has been critical, and I want to thank those organizations for their commitment. I also want to thank the extraordinary staff at the Library of Congress whose leadership, hard work, and commitment to interlibrary cooperation and library users has made the PCC such a success.

We welcome your interest and encourage your participation in any and all of the PCC programs. If you have questions or would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact me, one of the other members of the PCC Policy Committee, or the Cooperative Cataloging Team in the Regional and Cooperative Cataloging Division of the Library of Congress. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely yours,

Larry P. Alford, Chair
Program for Cooperative Cataloging
Policy Committee 2001-2002