This is a fascinating (and overdue) conversation, and I hope it continues. In every change there are opportunities, and I think that this might turn into being a great experiment.
I'd like to make a couple of points:
-- the technology question will be/can be solved. For me, that's not the major issue. It's a question of approach and creativity and some seed money.
-- the real issue is one of credibility. LC was authoritative and libraries generally accepted the 'primacy' of an LC decision on a heading. How long will it take for the library world to accept/embrace/use a source of authority records that (a) has an informal review process and (b) has to track record? Can it happen? Sure! Will it? Time will tell.
-- another issue is human behavior, particularly on the part of the consumers of authority data (catalogers, for example). Yes, there are some people on this list who are activists, who will eagerly and enthusiastically contribute their work. But my guess is that the vast majority of authority record users are *not* activists and they will never contribute. They'll *expect* a certain service because that's what they have received for the last 40 years. Somehow expectations have to be brought into focus -- and that's going to be extremely difficult.
-- and then there's the issue of this fledgling project and how its participants interact. LC had a process for making heading decisions and a different process for appealing/changing/modifying headings. In a wiki-ish construct, there is no process; headings can change in the blink of an eye. (Look at the wikipedia wars for an example.) What is the expected behavior of a user when he/she disagrees? What's the process? How is it enforced?
-- finally, there's the issue of sustainability. If this idea takes off, there will be a need for LOTS of hardware and TONS of bandwidth. Hardware needs to be administered. Data lines cost money. All of a sudden there is a need non-profit funding scheme. That means legal stuff and a governing board. That means a bureaucracy. Inexorably that means employees and expenses....and before you know it ... You've recreated RLG or OCLC or something else.
Again, this is an interesting and thought provoking discussion. But in all the blue-skying, keep in mind the very real issues that I have tried to raise.
Ted Koppel
(my opinion, not necessarily my employers)
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Received on Thu May 24 2007 - 12:04:36 EDT