[DCRM-L] Request for feedback on IFLA's 2025 draft of Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)

Fri Apr 18 12:35:37 MDT 2025

I meant in the parenthetical below (the message got away before I was finished editing it):

"(because they incorrectly guess what the cataloger had chosen as the preferred form)."

Bob

Robert L. Maxwell
Ancient Languages and Special Collections Cataloger
6728 Harold B. Lee Library
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
(801)422-5568

"We should set an example for all the world, rather than confine ourselves to the course which has been heretofore pursued"--Eliza R. Snow, 1842.
From: DCRM-L <dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu> On Behalf Of Robert Maxwell via DCRM-L
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2025 12:23 PM
To: DCRM Users' Group <dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>
Cc: Robert Maxwell <robert_maxwell at byu.edu>
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Request for feedback on IFLA's 2025 draft of Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)

I agree with you, Deborah.

I am a bit puzzled why the new version combines representation and accuracy. To me they are two different concepts. "Representation" means we represent entities as they represent themselves. "Accuracy" means catalogers are accurate as a matter of principle in recording information, and has to do with more than "representation".

A bigger change, in my view, however, is the omission of the principle of common usage from the new version:

Original ICP 2.2. Common usage. Vocabulary used in descriptions and access points should be in accordance with that of the majority of users.

This is a serious omission. This principle, in my opinion, is one of the bedrock principles of cataloging, and deserves its place as the second principle listed in the original ICP. It certainly should not be removed entirely from the list of principles. This principle is closely related to the first, convenience of the user. We try to find common usage when we choose preferred forms of names and titles because we are trying to predict what our users are most likely to use as search terms. We're not perfect, but when we do predict correctly by looking at the evidence for common usage, then the majority of users don't wind up putting in the "wrong" search terms (because they user guess what the cataloger had chosen as the preferred form). Basing preferred forms on common usage is one of the more important ways we serve the convenience of the user.

Bob

Robert L. Maxwell
Ancient Languages and Special Collections Cataloger
6728 Harold B. Lee Library
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602
(801)422-5568

"We should set an example for all the world, rather than confine ourselves to the course which has been heretofore pursued"--Eliza R. Snow, 1842.
From: DCRM-L <dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu>> On Behalf Of Deborah J. Leslie via DCRM-L
Sent: Friday, April 18, 2025 10:53 AM
To: dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>
Cc: Deborah J. Leslie <DJLeslie at FOLGER.edu<mailto:DJLeslie at FOLGER.edu>>
Subject: Re: [DCRM-L] Request for feedback on IFLA's 2025 draft of Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)

Dear colleagues,

Thanks to Jessica for sharing this document with DCRM-L. Aside from various stylistic inconsistencies, there is one substantive issue I'd like to bring to the notice of this community. It may merit a more formal response from the BSC, particularly since one of the three feedback questions<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF2UyhujDi_xKE99oxWpW9jhYgoRv50riXHj4yiJJctYKcMA/viewform> is "Please share any additional comments about the ICP, especially as it relates to rare materials cataloging and metadata" (emphasis mine).

Specifically, section 2 (Principles) item 3<https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Ei43mk7aqvvKiL2H2FRlz_l1aKUfyXUddOGaF2f0G4/edit?tab=t.0> <https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Ei43mk7aqvvKiL2H2FRlz_l1aKUfyXUddOGaF2f0G4/edit?tab=t.0>

Representation and accuracy. A description should be an accurate portrayal of the entity and represent a resource as it appears. Controlled forms of names should be based on the way an entity describes itself. Alternately, the form commonly used in reference sources should be used.

Note that in the earlier version<https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/cataloguing/icp/icp_2016-en.pdf>, Representation and Accuracy were separate principles, as was treatment of description and access points.

The first sentence refers to description and is fine. I suspect that the group didn't know what to do with representation and accuracy of controlled forms of names, and so stuck these two sentences on at the end. I also suspect that item 2.3 is the primary driver behind appealing to rare materials catalogers.

I have several thoughts, but would like to hear other initial reactions before articulating them. Thoughts?

Thanks,
Deborah

______________________

Deborah J Leslie [cid:image001.png at 01DBB05E.62B009C0] , M.A., M.L.S. | Senior Cataloger | Folger Shakespeare Library | djleslie at folger.edu<mailto:djleslie at folger.edu> | Opinions her own

________________________________
From: DCRM-L <dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l-bounces at lib.byu.edu>> on behalf of Jessica Grzegorski via DCRM-L <dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>>
Sent: Tuesday, April 15, 2025 15:33
To: dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu> <dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu<mailto:dcrm-l at lib.byu.edu>>
Cc: Jessica Grzegorski <jessica.grzegorski at northwestern.edu<mailto:jessica.grzegorski at northwestern.edu>>
Subject: [DCRM-L] Request for feedback on IFLA's 2025 draft of Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)

Dear Colleagues,

The IFLA Cataloguing Section released a new draft of its Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)<https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Ei43mk7aqvvKiL2H2FRlz_l1aKUfyXUddOGaF2f0G4/edit?tab=t.0> in March 2025 and seeks feedback from the global cataloging community. The Rare Books and Manuscripts Section (RBMS) Bibliographic Standards Committee (BSC)<https://rbms.info/committees/bibliographic_standards/> is soliciting and compiling feedback from the rare materials cataloging community to incorporate into the official response on the ICP by the Core Committee on Cataloging: Description and Access (CC:DA)<https://connect.ala.org/core/communities/community-home?CommunityKey=289a372f-3ec1-4cb0-8a75-902a1a18deb3>.

The 2025 draft update of the ICP can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Ei43mk7aqvvKiL2H2FRlz_l1aKUfyXUddOGaF2f0G4/edit?tab=t.0

For an explanation of the differences between the 2025 draft of the ICP and the current 2016 edition, see IFLA's statement of intent<https://docs.google.com/document/d/18Azfb-il2R6oVa9zevF61-iNGCsFZbUGJ2emiNj8jUE/edit?tab=t.0>.

For comparison, the current 2016 edition of the ICP can be found here: https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/cataloguing/icp/icp_2016-en.pdf

We are eager to hear from you! If you would like to share any feedback on the new draft of the ICP, especially as it relates to rare materials cataloging and metadata, please complete the Google form Feedback on IFLA Statement of International Cataloguing Principles (ICP)<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeF2UyhujDi_xKE99oxWpW9jhYgoRv50riXHj4yiJJctYKcMA/viewform>. All questions in the form are optional, and all feedback sent to CC:DA will be anonymous. You may optionally supply your name and email address in the form if you would like, but it is not required.

Please submit your feedback by May 2, 2025.

With gratitude for your participation,

Jessica Grzegorski

RBMS Liaison to CC:DA

Jessica Grzegorski (she/her/hers)

Rare Materials Metadata Librarian

Acquisitions and Metadata Services

Northwestern University Libraries

Northwestern University

www.library.northwestern.edu<http://www.library.northwestern.edu>

jessica.grzegorski at northwestern.edu<mailto:jessica.grzegorski at northwestern.edu>

847.467.6966

In the spirit of healing, we acknowledge and honor the Potawatomi, Odawa and Ojibwe Tribes, the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

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