The Cataloging in Publication Division (CIP) recently implemented a new policy that limits publisher submission of titles to either the CIP program or the Preassigned Card Number (PCN) program, but not both.
Some publishers participate in both the Cataloging in Publication program and the Preassigned Card Number program. In the first instance the Library of Congress provides CIP data that the publisher prints on the copyright page. In the second, only a Library of Congress Card Number (LCCN) is provided. Because the LCCN is included as part of CIP data, this practice of requesting both CIP data and an LCCN is redundant. It utilizes additional CIP Division resources and often leads to conflicts in card number assignments.
In a recent survey CIP asked publishers whether implementing a new policy that would limit publisher submission of titles to either the CIP program or the Preassigned Card Number program, but not both, would have a negative impact on their organization. Of the 1,290 publishers who responded to the question, 95 percent indicated that this would not be a problem.
Given this response and the necessity to utilize CIP resources as efficiently as possible, the CIP Division will no longer provide both CIP data and a PCN for the same title. The CIP Division will provide CIP data or an LCCN for titles within the scope for these programs. Titles that obtain a preassigned card number will not also be provided CIP data.