Changes

==Introduction==

==Introduction==

The cataloguing records created within the Description Division of Library and Archives Canada (LAC) serve a variety of purposes, including:

The cataloguing records created within the Description Division of Library and Archives Canada (LAC) serve a variety of purposes, including:  

*to identify and provide access to published items in the LAC collection;

*to identify and provide access to published items in the LAC collection;  

*to record the existence of Canadian publications within the national bibliography;

*to record the existence of Canadian publications within the national bibliography;  

*to provide MARC-based metadata that follow internationally recognized standards and that can be re-used by Canadian and international libraries in their local systems and in their contributions to the National Union Catalogue (Voilà), to WorldCat, and to other shared databases;

*to provide MARC-based metadata that follow internationally recognized standards and that can be re-used by Canadian and international libraries in their local systems and in their contributions to the National Union Catalogue (Voilà), to WorldCat, and to other shared databases;  

*to provide cataloguing metadata to support Canada's inter-library loan infrastructure;

*to provide cataloguing metadata to support Canada's inter-library loan infrastructure;  

*to provide a valuable source of reference and research for Canadian studies; and

*to provide a valuable source of reference and research for Canadian studies; and  

*to ensure that related works are brought together (by subject, creators' names, titles, geographic area, etc.) when searching Aurora and other large bibliographic databases.

*to ensure that related works are brought together (by subject, creators' names, titles, geographic area, etc.) when searching Aurora and other large bibliographic databases.  

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The policy on levels of cataloguing treatment was first introduced by the former National Library of Canada in 1996 and was revised in 2003 and again in 2009. The present version (2021) was created to reflect the environmental shift brought by LAC’s transition to OCLC WorldShare Management Services (WMS) in 2018 as well as the decreased ratio of cataloguing resources to publications received through various channels of acquisition.  

The policy on levels of cataloguing treatment was first introduced by the former National Library of Canada in 1996 and was revised in 2003 and again in 2009. The present version (2021) was created to reflect the environmental shift brought by LAC’s transition to OCLC WorldShare Management Services (WMS) in 2018 as well as the decreased ratio of cataloguing resources to publications received through various channels of acquisition.<br>

===Context===

===Context===

In 2018, Library and Archives Canada decommissioned its in-house integrated library system AMICUS and replaced it with WMS. As a result, LAC’s bibliographic data were migrated into WorldCat, a shared bibliographic environment where member libraries can use, enhance, and enrich other member libraries’ records.<br>

In 2018, Library and Archives Canada decommissioned its in-house integrated library system AMICUS and replaced it with WMS. As a result, LAC’s bibliographic data were migrated into WorldCat, a shared bibliographic environment where member libraries can use, enhance, enrich and modify other member libraries’ records.<br>

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Furthermore, authority work is now done in two separate files:  

Furthermore, authority work is now done in two separate files:  

*Canadiana Name Authorities in French for French-language authority records.  This file is shared with Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) and member libraries of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI) as part of the [[PFAN - Francophone Name Authority Program]].  

*Canadiana Name Authorities in French for French-language authority records.  This file is shared with Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) and member libraries of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI) as part of the [[PFAN - Francophone Name Authority Program]].  

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This shared cataloguing environment allows LAC to leverage the contributions from other libraries to improve the efficiency of its own processes. However, as a consequence, LAC has relinquished some control over the cataloguing metadata it creates.

This shared cataloguing environment allows LAC to leverage the contributions from other libraries to improve the efficiency of its own processes. However, as a consequence, LAC has relinquished some control over the cataloguing metadata it creates.<br>

 

===Principles===

===Principles===

The present version of the policy on levels of cataloguing treatment is a response to LAC’s current bibliographic context. It recognizes the need to address the growing accumulation of publications received through various channels of acquisition and the limited resources available to catalogue them fully, while maintaining the programmes and services that are considered priorities for LAC and its stakeholders.<br>  

The present version of the policy on levels of cataloguing treatment is a response to LAC’s current bibliographic context. It recognizes the need to address the growing accumulation of publications received through various channels of acquisition and the limited resources available to catalogue them fully, while maintaining the programmes and services that are considered priorities for LAC and its stakeholders.<br>  

::Each year, LAC acquires more publications than Description Division staff can fully catalogue. Consequently, the present policy provides for a significant reduction of overall cataloguing work to decelerate the growth of the cataloguing backlog.  

::Each year, LAC acquires more publications than Description Division staff can fully catalogue. Consequently, the present policy provides for a significant reduction of overall cataloguing work to decelerate the growth of the cataloguing backlog.  

*LAC’s priority programmes and services

*LAC’s priority programmes and services

 

===Cataloguing priorities===

===Cataloguing priorities===

Cataloguing priorities are based on the current service standards as well as the assumption that older publications are more likely to have already been described by another institution.<br>  

Cataloguing priorities are based on the current service standards as well as the assumption that older publications are more likely to have already been described by another institution.<br>

Current publications are generally processed before older imprints.<br>  

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Services to publishers are prioritized over other description work:

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*International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) pre-publication assignments<br>  

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==Bibliographic work==

==Bibliographic work==