Report on the meeting of the Joint Steering Committee, 3/13/09

Today the JSC worked through comments on the General Introduction and Chapters 1 and 2.  The following are some of the more important decisions:

Chapter 0: General Introduction

• The list of core elements will be prefaced by a rationale for the core list.  This will state that the core elements are those most significant for performing certain user tasks and will list the user tasks which the JSC has identified as the most important (from 5JSC/Chair/15).  The ALA suggestion to define the core elements as a certification that certain elements should always be considered when applicable (instead of being required when applicable) did not resonate with the group.  The core elements will be stated as required when applicable and readily ascertainable.  [line 36]
  

• Language of expression will be added to the list of core elements at 0.6.3.  [line 55]
  

• Medium of performance (for music), Numeric designation (for music) and Key (for music) will be always be core elements for works with non-distinctive titles, not just when needed for differentiation or when included in an access point.  These elements will be core elements for works with distinctive titles, when needed for differentiation.  [0.6.3, line 58]
  

• Elements relating to dates will be core elements for persons, families, and corporate bodies, not just when needed for differentiation -- i.e., the elements will be moved from the second list to the first list in 0.6.4. [line 61]
  

• Expression manifested will be a core element only when more than one expression exists. [0.6.5; line 65]
  

• Contributor will not be a core element (this resolves a conflict between 0.6.6 and 20.2) [line 67]

Chapter 1: General guidelines

• The concept of "re-basing" will be limited to updating loose-leafs (i.e., it will not apply to online integrating resources):  "Create a new description for an integrating resource if a new set of base volumes is issued." [1.6.3.3; line 105]
  

• Punctuation of numbering statements: An exception will be added to 2.6.1.4 and 2.12.9.3 to specify use of the slash for numbering of double issues and spanned dates. [line 117]
  

• After discussion various ways to give unspecified dates when decade or century is certain or probable, the JSC decided to use 1.9.2.4 and 1.9.2.11 to specify the date or range of dates.  This eliminates the ambiguity of 1900s (century or first decade).  [line 121]

Chapter 2: Identifying manifestations and items

• The definition of alternative title (2.3.2.1) will be revised based on the definition in the ISBD. [line 158]
  

• "Parallel title" and "Paralel title of series" will be changed to "Parallel title proper" and "Parallel title proper of series".  [2.3.3, 2.12.3; line 164]
  

• The definitions of parallel elements was changed so that it no longer refers to the language of the title proper, but to the language of the information recorded in the element.  For example, parallel other title information is other title information in a language other than that of the statement recorded as other title information.  I don't have the exact language, and I think the result will make my sense than my attempt to explain it. At least I hope so!  [line 181, etc.]
  

• It was agreed that earlier and later titles should not be treated as variant titles; the names will be changed to Earlier title proper and Later title proper. [2.3.6-2.3.8; line 187]
  

• The JSC once again refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of the concept of continuing resources, even in the definition of the Key Title element.  [line 209, etc.]
  

• It was agreed to add "supplied title" as a cross-reference to "devised title" in the Glossary [line 212]
  

• The exception that calls for omitting statements of responsibility relating to editors of serials will be reinstated, as Statement of Responsibility is now a core element. [2.4.1.4; line 224]
  

• "Statement of responsibility relating to the title" will be changed to "Statement of responsibility relating to the title proper."  The same change will be made for "Parallel statement of responsibility relating to the title proper." [2.4.2; line 229]
  

• The list of sub-elements under Numbering of serials will be expanded to eight, to cover first/last designation in a sequence; first/last chronology in a sequence; first/last alternative designation in a sequence; first/last alternative chronology in a sequence.  [line 250]
  

• The instruction on year used as a numeric designation will be moved from 2.6.3 to 2.6.2; a reference will be included in 2.6.3.  [line 258]
  

• A new section will be added to 2.20 to cover notes on details of copyright dates.  [line 355]
  

• The definition of Frequency will be reworded based on the ISBD definition: "intervals at which the issues or parts of a serial or the updates to an integrating resource are issued" [line 384]

Discussion of priority comments on Chapter 2 will continue tomorrow and we will begin discussion of priority comment on Chapter 3.