Technical Services Discussion Lists

(Most discussion list descriptions are “borrowed” from the discussion list’s web page, respectively)

• ACQNET-L

ACQNET-L is a forum in which acquisitions librarians and others
interested in acquisitions work for all material types may exchange
information and ideas, and find solutions to common problems.
It started with a group of 25 librarians in December, 1990 and as
of March 2007 has over 2000 subscribers.

• AUTOCAT

AUTOCAT is an international discussion forum for issues related to
cataloging and authority control.

• DEWEYERROR

DEWEYERROR alerts members to suspected errors in Dewey numbers in LC records.

• MARC Forum

MARC Forum is a moderated electronic discussion forum open to anyone
interested in discussing the implementation, maintenance, changes, and
development of the MARC 21 formats. It is maintained by the Library of
Congress Network Development and MARC Standards Office. The MARC Forum
provides the opportunity for members of the information community to
participate in discussions related to the formats.

• NGC4Lib (Next Generation Catalogs for Libraries)

Next Generation Catalogs for Libraries is open to anyone and is intended to
discuss the future scope and purpose of the library catalog. This mailing list
will exist from now until December 2007, when an evaluation of it’s effectiveness
will be conducted. If it is deemed to be useful, the list will continue. Otherwise
it will be discontinued.

• OCLC Discussion Lists

OCLC discussion lists pertaining to OCLC and their products.

• OLAC-LIST

The OnLine Audiovisual Catalogers electronic discussion list (OLAC-List) began in
1998 and distributes information concerning audiovisual cataloging and the activities
of OLAC. The OLAC-List provides information and discussion on timely communications from
the AV cataloging community on nonprint material including computer files, graphic materials,
interactive multimedia, Internet resources, maps, microforms, motion pictures and
videorecordings, music scores, realia, sound recordings, games/toys, and kits.

• RADCAT

Radical Cataloging, or “RADCAT” for short, is a discussion list dedicated to
cataloging issues.

• RDA-L

RDA-L is an electronic forum for discussion of RDA. The purpose of this listserv
is to facilitate informal discussion on RDA : Resource Description and Access.
This listserv is an initiative of the Joint Steering Committee for Development of
RDA (JSC) and is hosted by Library and Archives Canada. Members of the JSC,
RDA Editorial Team, and RDA Outreach Group may occasionally respond to postings on the
list, especially when necessary to clarify mis-information, or to redirect an off-topic
discussion thread. However, the majority of postings will not receive a response from someone
officially affiliated with the RDA project.

• SERIALST

SERIALST (Serials in Libraries Discussion Forum) was established in October 1990, in order to
serve as an informal electronic forum for most aspects of serials processing in libraries.
Appropriate topics and activities include (but are not limited to): Serials in relation to libraries
(e.g., cataloging, acquisitions, collection management, public services, etc.); Problem-solving
for resolving questions that evolve with quirky titles, irregular publications or publication patterns, etc.;
Serials budgets and pricing concerns; Binding, preservation, microfilm, digital (or electronic)
and other non print serials media; Union list activities; Announcements, news, and job postings
that are of interest to the serials community.