Report on the meeting of the Joint Steering Committee, 3/14/09

The Joint Steering Committee had Sunday off, so naturally I have delayed making my report on Saturday's meeting until the last minute.

The JSC finished its discussion of Chapter 2, having dealt with all the priority issues, and began its discussion of Chapter 3.

Chapter 2: Identifying manifestations and items

• The JSC spent about an hour trying to resolve some issues relating to sources of information, before finally admitting that these could not be resolved before the initial release of RDA.  The problem is complicated, but involves the lack of a clear instruction to prefer a source that contains a collective title, as well as the exceptions in 2.2.2.4 that prefer a label that is permanently affixed to the resource over a label or container that is detachable.  We agree that the results of the current instructions are problematic, but were unable to find a solution that we were confident would not cause other problems.  This issue will probably be a high priority for revision after the initial release.  [line 133]
  

• The JSC revised the next-to-last paragraph of 2.2.2.2: "use as the preferred source of information another source within the resource that bears a title, giving preference to sources in which the information is formally presented.  [line 146]
  

• The two paragraphs following the first list in 2.2.4 will be moved to 2.2.2.1 where they will clarify sources for analytical descriptions, and the definition of container. [line 150]
  

• The sources of information for key title will be (in order of preference): the ISSN Register, the resource itself, any other source.  [line 210]
  

• The following will be added to the list of types of edition designations in 2.5.2.1: "g) particular voice range or format for notated music".  [line 238]
  

• The summary sources of information instructions for Numbering at 2.6.1.2 will be deleted; the instructions will be given for each sub-element; those instructions allow information to be taken from any source within the first issue or part. [line 252]
  

• In 2.6.3.3 and elsewhere, instructions to use square brackets will be replaced by a reference to 2.2.4, where use of square brackets is one of several options for indicating that information was taken from outside the source. [line 259]
  

• In 2.8.4.7, the text was revised to make it clear that the distributor's name is to be recorded as such, not as the publisher's name; furthermore, the instruction to record the distributor's instead of the publisher's name was deleted.  When there is no publisher identified, it will be necessary to record "name of publisher not identified"; the decision to record the name of the distributor will thus be independent of whether the publisher is named.  [line 308]
  

• The ALA proposal that ISSNs of series be taken from any source was withdrawn when I realized that this was the ISSN in the series statement (490$x), not the ISSN itself (022). [2.12.8.2; line 364]
  

• ALA had asked that instructions on changes in mode of issuance be added.  We decided that the only case in which a change in mode of issuance did not result in a new description would be a change from a single unit to a multipart monograph, serial, or integrating resource.  There are additional issues about whether such changes should require a new description; therefore, the issue was deferred until after the first release of RDA.  [2.13; line 378]
  

• The JSC agreed to add "trade name, brand name" before "agency, etc." in 2.15.1.4, thus allowing the recording of recording labels as qualifiers to publishers' numbers.  The "Nimbus" example in 2.15.2 will be deleted (that instruction is limited to notated music); the references in 2.15.2 and 2.15.3 back to 2.15.1.4 will be deleted, so that it will not be required to give the name of the agency assigning the number.  [line 392]
  

• It was agreed to move the ISRC example to Chapter 6, as this is an expression-level identifier.  [2.15.1.4; line 394]
  

• The instruction at the end of 2.20.2.4 to make a note on deletions will be broadened to include other types of title changes.  [line 406]
  

• In 2.20.12.5, "always" will be deleted; the date an online resource was viewed will not need to be given in every case.  [line 413]

Chapter 3: Describing carriers

• The JSC decided that the list of carrier types at 3.3.1.2 would not be converted into a table. The footnotes will be added to the Glossary definitions.  It is anticipated that the terms will be linked to the Glossary definitions in some way. [line 425]
  

• The JSC did not agree to add "audio file" and "streaming audio file" to the list of carrier types; these categories will have to be negotiated with the RDA/ONIX group.  [lines 427-428]
  

• The JSC did not agree to add "flash drive" to the list of computer carrier types; again, this category will have to be negotiated with the RDA/ONIX group.  An example will be added to the appropriate instruction under Extent.  [line 429]
  

• The scope note "Use for photographic carriers only" will be deleted from the Projected media carriers list.  [line 430]
  

• The JSC agreed to add "Object" to the list of unmediated carrier types.  [line 432]
  

• "Videodisc" was deleted from the list of video media carrier types, and will be reinstated.  [line 433]
  

• It was agreed that all terms in the Production method for manuscripts element will be given in the singular.  [3.9.2; line 492]
  

• The Font size element will be generalized to Text Characteristics, with two sub-types: Font Size and Other Text Characteristics; in the future, instructions for other sub-types may be added.  [3.13; line 497]