News and Press Releases
Planning for Future Distribution of Cataloging Data and Products (October 21, 2011)
In May 2011, Associate Librarian of Congress for Library Services Deanna Marcum announced an initiative at the Library to analyze the present and future environment for bibliographic data, identify the components of the bibliographic framework to support library users, and plan for the evolution from the present framework to the future.
Related to that planning effort, the Library is initiating a strategic study that will examine the impact and opportunities of changes in the bibliographic framework and the technological environment on the future distribution of its bibliographic data and cataloging products. The Library has engaged Outsell, Inc., a research and advisory firm focused on the publishing and information industries, to conduct this study. The study will involve in-depth interviews with key stakeholders in the library and information community and a comprehensive analysis of current and potential distribution scenarios.
Over its history, the Library has set the standard for other libraries through its cooperative efforts to develop and support advances in library services and technologies. Today, the Library still plays a significant role in developing new ways to describe and provide access to information, but the landscape is changing. With the rapid expansion of digital technologies, open-source software services, and web-based distribution, the information industry’s interaction with the library environment has become significantly more direct, is increasingly robust, and will provide the Library with opportunities and challenges to transform its cataloging distribution services.
The Library will use the strategic study to guide its response to this changing environment, supporting the Library in its goal to effectively define its future role, adapt a sustainable financial model, and better serve its mission in the years ahead.