ALA President-Elect and the Future of LC Cataloging
Yesterday, the American Library Association (ALA) issued this press release. Some excerpts:
On Wednesday, October 24, American Library Association (ALA) President-elect Jim Rettig will testify before the U.S. House of Representatives' House Administration Committee at an oversight hearing on the Library of Congress.
Traditionally, the Library of Congress has served as a de facto national library, upon which thousands of libraries across the country rely for bibliographic records and services to the blind and physically handicapped, among other things. Countless users rely on the Library's records every day to find the books and materials they need.
“The diminution of the quality and quantity of Library of Congress cataloging has had an enormous financial impact on the nation's libraries,” Rettig states. “Cataloging that the Library previously provided must now be performed by multiple libraries, often doing duplicative work, thereby wasting tax dollars.”
“ALA strongly recommends that the Library of Congress return to its former practice of broad and meaningful consultation prior to making significant changes to cataloging policy.”
UPDATE: Here's a link to Rettig's complete testimony [PDF].
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