[Yulcat-l] LC Rule Interpretations (LCRIs)

[Steven Arakawa]

This just in.

Date:         Fri, 8 Jul 2005 13:33:23 -0500
Reply-To: AUTOCAT <AUTOCAT at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU>,
         Barbara B Tillett <btil at loc.gov>
Sender: AUTOCAT <AUTOCAT at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU>
From: Barbara B Tillett <btil at loc.gov>
Subject: LC Rule Interpretations (LCRIs)
To: AUTOCAT at LISTSERV.BUFFALO.EDU
Precedence: list

Status:  O

I am following up on a reply from CPSO to a query about the LCRIs.
During the June 26, 2005 ALA Program on RDA (Resource Description and
Access), Jennifer Bowen said that the Library of Congress intends to stop
the LCRIs.  I just want to clarify, that statement is correct.  The LCRIs
will end when we move to the new cataloging code, as LCRIs are rule
interpretations to AACR2.

We will still have a need, hopefully much diminished, to provide a
"national" interpretation for some of the options that will be offered in
the next code (RDA - Resource Description and Access) in order to provide
consistency where that is important, for example, to avoid duplicate
records and to clearly and uniquely identify manifestations.  We will be
much more liberal about allowing cataloger's judgment when consistency is
not essential.  Our initial thinking was to provide a combined
documentation series that would include our Descriptive Cataloging Manual,
internal memos, local MARC decisions, and rule interpretations with more
examples in what we might call "Cataloging Decisions."

We recently sent out a survey on documentation at: www.loc.gov/cds/survey
to get feedback on the current documentation and suggestions on what you'd
like to see us provide in the future.  I hope you will take time to
respond.  The deadline is July 31, 2005.

Dr. Barbara B. Tillett, Ph.D.
Chief, Cataloging Policy and Support Office
Library of Congress
101 Independence Ave., S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20540-4305
tel.: +1 (202) 707-4714
fax: +1 (202) 707-6629
email: btil at loc.gov

----------------------------------------------------------
Steven Arakawa
Catalog Librarian for Training & Documentation
Catalog Dept. Sterling Memorial Library. Yale University.
P.O. Box 208240 New Haven, CT 06520-8240
(203)432-8286 steven.arakawa at yale.edu