National Library of Australia

Teleconference 7 April 2008

Present:  Ebe Kartus (ALIA; Chair), Ann Huthwaite (ALIA), Philip Hider (ALIA),  Julie Whiting (NLA), Rob Walls (NLA), Deirdre Kiorgaard (NLA), Catherine Argus (NLA Observer)

Apologies: Anne Robertson (EPC)

Minutes: Jenny Stephens (NLA)

Teleconference commenced at 2pm

ACOC Seminar 2008

ACOC discussed the schedule for planning the Seminar and the Seminar program. It was agreed that all topics will be handled by ACOC members, except for “Implementation, Training and Documentation”, which will be Catherine Argus, and hopefully someone from New Zealand.  Chris Todd was suggested, and it was decided to offer her free registration.

It was agreed that ACOC members’ papers could be in the form of powerpoint presentations with notes.  Podcasts of the papers will also be available and have been budgeted for.

The budget for the Seminar was agreed to, with minor changes

ACOC also briefly discussed the proposed meeting with Libraries Australia Trainers, on the day before the Libraries Australia Forum. It was decided that not all ACOC members needed to attend but that at least Catherine Argus, Rob Walls and Philip Hider should be there.   It was agreed the budget for this should be discussed with ALIA as a separate issue to the Seminar.

ACTIONS:

  • Ebe to invite Chris Todd to speak about New Zealand training.  
  • Ebe to present Seminar budget to ALIA, with a separate item about the meeting with the trainers.

5JSC/RDA/Sections 2-4, 9/ALA Response

ACOC briefly discussed the ALA response to Sections 2-4, 9.

a)Proposed change to structure

This structure looks okay on the surface.  It is theoretical and not work-flow based and will be good if cataloguers have a theoretical understanding of the concepts behind RDA.  Deirdre advised that the Editor will provide JSC with a mapping of RDA to this proposed new structure for discussion.  ACOC noted that many cataloguers will not have a good understanding of FRBR concepts and there was some discussion as to whether or not RDA was going to require this.  ACOC felt that although the conceptual knowledge of the FRBR principles underpinning RDA would be very important for cataloguers to understand the "why", it would also be possible for cataloguers to use RDA on a purely mechanistic, process level.

b)Implementation

ALA proposes a single longer implementation rather than a first stage implementation, followed up with later changes.  ACOC felt that the current implementation strategy is preferable to this.

However, ACOC did feel that usability testing should be undertaken before the end of this year, rather than after the final draft is presented.

ACTIONS:

  • Deirdre to press JSC for more systematic and organised testing before the final draft.

Other business

Minutes of Face-to-Face meeting

Julie Whiting reported on actions taken in regard to the website.  The RDA page on the website has been updated to provide more background information and links to some recent presentations and papers on RDA.  The papers page for the 2007 ACOC seminar has been updated to include the reading list of relevant articles that was circulated prior to the seminar.

ACOC agreed to plan a second Face-to-Face meeting in September.

RDA Trainers

ACOC briefly discussed calling for expressions of interest for training providers to be involved in RDA training.

ACTIONS:

  • Philip to draft an EOI for RDA trainers and submit to ACOC for comment.

Meeting closed at 3.30pm.