BCC2005/SDC/4

Subcommittee on Descriptive Cataloging
2005 Annual Report

Members: Kathryn P. Glennan (Chair), Joseph Bartl (LC Representative), Dennis Davies-Wilson (to March 2005), Robert Freeborn, Steve Henry (from March 2005), Morris Levy, Joan Colquhoun McGorman, Mark Scharff (from March 2005), Lois Schultz (from March 2005), Terry Simpkins, J. Bradford Young (to March 2005)

As the MLA representative, Kathy Glennan attended the Committee on Cataloging: Description & Access (CC:DA) meetings at ALA Midwinter in Boston and ALA Annual in Chicago. (For details, view the summary reports available at: http://www.musiclibraryassoc.org/BCC/BCC-Historical/BCC2005/2005_documents.html)

CC:DA meetings focused on the creation of a new cataloging code to replace AACR2. At Midwinter, discussion centered on the draft of AACR3, Part I. Based on the comments received back from the various constituencies, the Joint Steering Committee (JSC) changed direction in developing the rules. Thus, at ALA Annual, CC:DA looked at draft changes arising in the transition from AACR3 to RDA (Resource Description and Access). The JSC envisions RDA as a content standard, not a display standard, founded on the principles contained in the Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR). With these changes, the publication timetable has shifted as well; publication is now expected in 2008.

Outside of ALA meetings, the Subcommittee responded to documents arising from various JSC constituencies as the work on RDA continued. These included:

• The call to consider simplifying “special rules” currently in Chapter 21 (affecting scores and sound recordings)
• The possibility of eliminating the Musical Presentation Area
• Changes to Glossary definitions affecting music materials

At the Subcommittee's joint open meeting in Vancouver, with the Subcommittee on Subject Access, Kathy gave a presentation about AACR3, which is now largely obsolete. At the Subcommittee’s business meeting, we discussed the importance of transcription vs. identification and volunteered to help the JSC Examples Working Group review issues related to scores and sound recordings. That effort was put on hold with the move to RDA.

In the coming year, SDC expects to resume its work with the Examples Working Group and to actively review the drafts of parts of RDA as they become available, responding to music-related issues as needed.

Submitted by Kathryn P. Glennan

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Last updated October 9, 2005