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1998 ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOCUS: DESCRIPTION AND ACCESS

Come to the 1998 annual conference (March 5-11 at the Doubletree Hotel
in Philadelphia) for in-depth discussion of topics of current interest in
technical services.  Relevant programs include the following:

--  "Collection Level Records: Archivists and Librarians Share Solutions"
is an update to issues discussed at the 1996 conference session "A
Wilder Kingdom: Stalking Ephemeral Material in the Inaccessible Domain"
and will present current developments in devising collection level records
(and national standards) for library and visual materials based on
concepts well-established in the archives community.  Recent additions to
the MARC formats and evolution of data categories for the description of
works of art will be highlighted.

--  "Auction Catalogs: Collection Development, Organization, Reference,
and the Appraiser" will examine the full range of issues we encounter in
developing and managing this crucial segment of our collections, from
acquisitions and cataloging to reference and art market research.

--  "Cataloging and Indexing in an Ideal World" is an Ask ARLIS session
that will promote critical discussion of outsourced, fast-track, or
minimum-level cataloging and the consequences of this trend for the
users of our catalogs.  Online systems are becoming more powerful and
versatile, but can we expect them to provide content?  A panel of experts
from the library and indexing communities will ask and seek answers to
the difficult questions.

In addition to the sessions listed above, the ever-popular "Cataloging
Problems Discussion Group" will provide an opportunity for catalogers to
pose questions and share solutions; this year we've added a new
discussion group especially for visual resources cataloging issues.
These informal, lively sessions are a perfect opportunity for novice and
expert alike to exchange practical information.

For more information and registration materials, contact Sloane Ponder,
ARLIS/NA Conference Manager, at 800 892-7547 ext. 237 or visit the
1998 ARLIS/NA Conference Web site at:
http://astro.ocis.temple.edu/~andrea.

Watch ARLIS-L for more updates, conference news, and useful
information.  See you in Philadelphia!