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International Conference on the Principles and Future Development of AACR
In recent years, there have been repeated calls for fundamental revisions to the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules. The Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR (JSC) addressed these issues, taking into account present and future trends in information resources and information management. The Conference reviewed the underlying principles of AACR, with a view to determining whether fundamental rule revision is appropriate and feasible and, if so, advising on the direction and nature of those revisions.
A number of actions and recommendations resulted from the Conference and the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of AACR is now charged with the establishment of an action plan to be implemented in conjunction with the Committee of Principals for AACR. Immediately following the Conference, therefore, at its annual meeting, the Joint Steering Committee discussed the results of the Conference. The Conference Proceedings have been published jointly by the American Library Association, the Canadian Library Association and the Library Association under the editorship of Jean Weihs.
The following action items have been developed by JSC from the priorities identified during the International Conference.
Items for Immediate Action by JSC:
The Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules - Part I is now available for review and comment.
The Logical Structure of the Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules - Part II is now available. (New!)
* Create a list of the principles of AACR2.
* Formalize the recommendations on seriality endorsed during the Conference and introduce them into the rule revision process.
* Solicit a proposal to revise rule 0.24 to advance the discussion on the primacy of intellectual content over physical format.
* Maintain an AACR Web site.
* Publicize and reaffirm, on the AACR Web site, JSC policies, procedures and activities as well as the current processes for submitting rule revision proposals emanating from within or outside AACR author countries.
* Develop a mission statement for JSC. (New!)
* Determine if there are any existing surveys on the extent of use of AACR2 outside the Anglo-American community and if no such survey exists, conduct such a survey.
JSC established an open electronic discussion list to facilitate an exchange of ideas on the topics and issues raised in the conference papers. This preconference discussion list ceased, effective October 31, 1997. The archives, however, are available:
Ann Huthwaite
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Chair, JSC