Dear Colleagues,
The Cataloging in Publication (CIP) Program is seeking your input via the survey link at the end of this message as we consider changes to the content and layout of the CIP data block, which the Library produces for publishers to print on the copyright page of print and electronic publications based on the pre-publication data that they provide. The CIP data block is perhaps one of the most visible reminders to the American people of the work done by the Library of Congress. The legend Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data which begins every CIP data block is found in books in libraries, bookstores, and personal collections as well as in the online environment. The CIP data block continues to reinforce the Librarys brand. Comments made at the 2013 Summer American Library Association CIP Advisory Group (CAG) meeting encouraged us to rethink the CIP data block. The implementation of Resource Description & Access (RDA) and the inclusion of e-books into the CIP Program further persuaded us to review the content and layout of the CIP data block. In September 2013, Karl Debus-López, Chair of CAG and Chief of the U.S. Programs, Law, and Literature Division at the Library of Congress, to which the CIP Program reports, convened the CIP Data Block Committee to review the data elements and layout of the CIP data block. The Committee includes four Library of Congress staff and four librarians representing various CIP constituencies. The Committee has determined that the CIP data block still has value because of the branding mentioned above and because catalogers or other staff in school, public, and special libraries continue to rely heavily on it to create their catalog records. End users may refer to the CIP data block when deciding whether to purchase a book from a bookstore or choose a book at a library; they may even use the provided subject headings for research purposes. The Committee discussed removal, retention, or addition of various elements and has determined that the following data elements should be retained: LCCN; ISBN; LC call number; Dewey Decimal Classification number; primary access point; title statement; edition statement; summary (for childrens literature titles); and LC subject headings. Other elements may be useful to retain or add to the CIP data block, but we would like your opinion before deciding on these changes. Regarding the layout, there are several options for how the CIP data block could look, and we are exploring whether some of those may be better understood than the current catalog card style. We encourage you to take our survey so that you can provide your input on how you use the CIP data block and your thoughts about potential improvements to it. The survey is available here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/cipData It should take you about 45 minutes to complete. Information on the surveys structure and how to navigate it appear on the first screen of the survey. Please complete the survey by June 1st, 2014. Thank you again for your assistance. If you have any questions about this project or the survey itself, please contact Karl Debus-López at [email protected]. Sincerely, CIP Data Block Committee Karl Debus-López, Chief, U.S. Programs, Law, and Literature Division, Library of Congress, Chair of the CIP Advisory Group Lynn Fields, Director of Technical Services at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, ALCTS Representative to the CIP Advisory Group Marilyn McCroskey, Professor of Library Science and Head of Cataloging, Missouri State University, AASL Representative to the CIP Advisory Group Rebecca Mugridge, Associate Director for Technical Services and Library Systems at University at Albany, SUNY Regina Reynolds, Director, U.S. ISSN Center, Library of Congress Caroline Saccucci, Dewey Program Manager, Library of Congress Camilla Williams, CIP Program Specialist, Library of Congress David Williamson, Cataloging Automation Specialist, Library of Congress Michele Zwierski, Manager, Database Management/Resource Sharing, Nassau Library System
