Committee on Cataloging: Asian and African Materials

Charge

To consider all aspects of problems in the bibliographic organization of materials issued in or dealing with Africa and Asia, with the exception of Asiatic Russia. To review the use of the various ISBD's for describing materials written in non-alphabetic scripts or non-roman alphabets used in these areas and make recommendations concerning them to the committee on cataloging: description and access. To review tables for Romanization of languages used in these areas that are written in a non-roman script, for use in library catalogs. To transmit the approved tables through the official ALA liaison to the appropriate agency. To consider problems in the bibliographic description of materials issued in these areas, especially those deriving from non-western publishing traditions, and to make recommendations concerning them to the committee on cataloging: description and access. To consider problems in establishing the form of heading for names of persons and of corporate bodies in these areas and make recommendations concerning them to the committee on cataloging: description and access. To consider problems in established classification systems as they relate to these areas and make recommendations for change to the appropriate body for each classification system through the subject analysis committee. To consider problems in subject headings for materials dealing with these areas and to make recommendations for change to the bodies responsible for specific lists of subject headings through the subject analysis committee. To communicate findings to the library profession through committee reports, articles in professional journals, and any other channels that seem feasible or desirable.

Roster

No roster found.

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Composition

A chair and a minimum of eight members not including interns. Must include one specialist in Africa, Middle East, East Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia and 3 generalists. Additional members are liaison to CC:DA, liaison from LC, and liaison from OCLC.

Subcommitees and Task Forces

A chair and a minimum of eight members not including interns. Must include one specialist in Africa, Middle East, East Asia, South-East Asia, South Asia and 3 generalists. Additional members are liaison to CC:DA, liaison from LC, and liaison from OCLC.

Roles of Committee Members

Specialist

Specialists represent an area studies' cataloging community by:

  1. keeping the members of the area studies community informed of activities relating to descriptive and subject cataloging;
  2. consulting members of the area studies community on relevant issues that come before CC:AAM;
  3. contributing the specialist's knowledge and opinions, as well as that of the represented community, to CC:AAM discussions;
  4. reporting cataloging activities of the area studies community to CC:AAM; and
  5. participating in CC:AAM Task Forces.

Generalist

Generalists provide a perspective from the non-specialist cataloging community by:

  1. commenting, when appropriate, upon the implications for the general cataloging community of cataloging issues related to Asian and African materials;
  2. contributing the generalist's knowledge and opinions to CC:AAM discussions; and,
  3. participating in CC:AAM Task Forces.

Origin

Information to come

Get Involved

ALA values committed and active committee members. Qualified members are welcome to volunteer to serve on the Committee on Cataloging: Asian and African Materials. Committee members must have an interest in the work of the committee; be able to attend Annual Conferences and Midwinter Meetings to participate in the meetings and activities of the committee; and be able to work between conferences via e-mail and ALA Connect. Express your interest in serving on this or other committees by filling out an application form. Appointments take place once a year, during the spring. Committee service usually begins following Annual Conference, about July 1.