The CONSER Model and Its Application to a GPO-led Cooperative Program Jean Hirons CONSER Coordinator Library of Congress CONSER Model • As defined by Linda Bartley: – A plan – Standards – A database – Membership – Governance – Leadership – Collegiality A Plan • Need a clear statement of the mission and goals of the program, regardless of its size • Having a good plan allows you to: – assess accomplishments – recognize what needs to be done – change direction when needed • CONSER Plan is now part of the PCC strategic plan Strategic plan questions • What are you trying to achieve? • Who will do it? • When? • How? • Do you need one program or several? • Is it a project (limited) or a program (ongoing)? Standards • Agreed-upon standards are essential for record sharing • For CONSER, standards are detailed to enable sharing and distribution of records • Good documentation is a must – CONSER Editing Guide and CONSER Cataloging Manual • CONSER also sets standards GPO and Standards • Member of CONSER and BIBCO – Records must have authoritative names, series and subjects and conform to CONSER descriptive practices • GPO has opportunity to help set standards – Single record standard has been critical to the documents community Standards questions • How can GPO fullfill its need to have authoritative records if using records from others? – Would the standards be the same as national standards? – How much extra work would need to be done? – Should partners also join the national programs? Or NACO at least? • How many standards for metadata are we talking about? Database • CONSER's main product is the database of high quality serial records that resides on OCLC and is distributed to RLIN and others via CDS • CONSER records are distinguishable on OCLC and can be purchased as a distinct database Database questions • What is the product that you envision? – Records in OCLC or RLIN? – Records that can be purchased as a set? – Records available via other means (e.g., MARCIVE)? – Would/could such records also be part of CONSER/BIBCO? Governance • Need to involve people at different levels: – Policy level (heads of cataloging or tech. Services) who can make decisions, commit staff and resources, plan – Operations level (catalogers or supervisors) who do the work, apply the standards, require training, etc. • Let others lead • Coordinator and dedicated staff have been essential for CONSER Governance questions • What role would GPO perform? – How much staff time can GPO devote to this??? • Is there a role for the Depository Library Council? • What role do the participants play? – How would you involve people at different levels? Membership • CONSER has different levels to accommodate: – Large universities and national libraries – Smaller academic, special, and public libraries – Businesses and organizations • Membership involves requirements: – Quality and quantity – Training – Participation in various activities Membership (cont.) • It also has its benefits! – Ability to change records – Participation in national standards setting – Ability to contribute in many areas • Training is an important issue – CONSER provides training for new members – Quantity requirements reflect investment in training and review Memberhsip questions • Who would be the members of a GPO-led program? – Universities? Agencies? – Might there be different types of members or different levels of membership? • What would the benefits and responsibilities be? • What kind of training would be performed? – Is there a role for FEDLINK? Leadership • An essential component of CONSER • Recent examples of leadership: – Serials Cataloging Cooperative Training Program (SCCTP) – Publication Pattern initiative • An important component, regardless of the size of a program Leadership questions • What is GPO's leadership role here? • What further type of leadership might evolve from such a program? • Would it take on a life of its own? Or would it become part of PCC? • What would such a program contribute to the documents and greater library communities? Collegiality • The key to CONSER's success! • Involves trust and respect • LC and CONSER libraries are partners • GPO's annual conferences would enable members to meet and work together on shared goals Summary • What is the purpose? • Who would the members be? • How would it be run? • What are the products envisioned? • What standards will be followed? – What is the relationship with PCC? • How will it benefit the library community? • What character or personality will it have?