The Road to CONSER—Taken by the Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh

Abstract

The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) at the University of Pittsburgh decided to become a member of Cooperative Online Serials (CONSER) in 2003. This came at a time when the library was acquiring an increasing number of electronic journal titles, and recent changes in serials cataloging practices resulted in a need for more bibliographic records conforming to current standards. This article explains the factors involved in the library's decision to join CONSER and then describes the process undertaken by HSLS to become an independent CONSER member, including initial decision-making, record review, and finally reflections on the overall experience.

KEYWORDS:

• serials cataloging
• CONSER
• cooperative cataloging

Notes

1. CONSER, “CONSER Program Membership Information.” http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/aboutmem.html

2. Ibid.

3. CONSER, “CONSER Curriculum.” http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/curriculum.html

4. CONSER, CONSER Editing Guide, 1994 ed., Update 19, 2009 (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, Serial Record Division, 2009). http://www.loc.gov/cds/PDFdownloads/ceg/CEG_Update_19.pdf

5. Les Hawkins, ed., CONSER Cataloging Manual, 2002 ed., Update 3, 2006 (Washington, D.C.: Library of Congress, Cataloging Distribution Service, 2006).

6. See CONSER, CONSER Editing Guide, “Section C2: Participant Authentication.”

7. CONSER, “Current CONSER Members.” http://www.loc.gov/acq/conser/conmembs.html