text:
There are only two things we can be sure of on NHL draft day. First off, no matter the hype, very few picks fall into that "no brainer" category, and second, most draft day commentary does not involve the use of a brain. The latter is especially true of Pierre McGuire.
Read on for more in our Graphic Guide to the NHL Draft.
I certainly don't envy what NHL GMs and scouts have to go through on draft day.
Every decision will be analyzed and criticized. Dissected and autopsied. Parsed and panned. But it's not easy to find that perfect balance and of skill and work ethic in an 18-year old. The best that you can hope for is that you wind up with draft picks that will leave you somewhere between what Don Cherry and Mike Smith would have picked:
So, we've covered the commentators and the GMs/scouts. But the focus of draft day is really on the nervous hopefuls waiting anxiously with their parents up in the stands for potentially life-changing results:
Not every 18-year-old can get drafted into the NHL, but either way, your biggest worries are about being "late" or that things might turn out blue.


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This month, we dare you to make a card or project using a BIRTHDAY theme. July happens to be a big birthday month here at Verve...five of our Divas have July birthdays, including the boss lady, Julee. Let's celebrate with some fun birthday projects, shall we? We can't wait to see how you answer the dare! (Stay tuned to see how you could win some shiny new Verve!)
When I sat down to create a birthday card...well, let's just say that I was having too much fun to stop at one! So, I have three birthday cards to share with you!
I created this first card in the shape of something that I personally love....a cupcake! I used my Silhouette machine to create the card base (the top is some pink cardstock and the bottom is from the Happy Travels Collection from Glitz Design). I embossed the sentiment (from the Sunny Days set) on the bottom and added some stamped leafy sprigs (also from the Sunny Days set and cut out with the Leafy Sprigs die) under the pink bow.
For my second card, I cut out a birthday cake using my Silhouette and some papers from the Nostalgia paper pad by My Mind's Eye. To complete the card, I added a stamped focal image created from the Making a Statement stamp set along with the Rounded Scallop Frame and Loopy Blooms dies.
For my third card, I again used my Silhouette to create another birthday themed shape...a gift box complete with a bow! To decorate the outside, I added some polka dots as well as a stamped border along the bottom (using the star from the Birthday Bash set).
The inside (actually, the insert) is decorated using a sentiment and stamped stars also from the Birthday Bash set.
Would you like a chance to win some fabulous new VERVE GOODIES? There are two ways to win:
- Play along with our Birthday Diva Dare. Link up your creation (posted July 16 or later) to the linky widget below before 6:00 pm MT on Sunday, July 29. One lucky stamper will win a $30 gift certificate to the Verve Store. Verve Stamps are not required, but if you've got 'em we would love to see 'em!
- For another chance to win, be sure to give the Divas a little shout-out in the comments section as we share our birthday creations. One lucky commenter will win the Verve stamp set of his or her choosing.


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|Malden, MA
|High School:
a Co-Captain ... Will be looked upon for her leadership and her
ability to make her teammates better in every situation ... One of
the team's go-to players ... Strong and at times unstoppable on the
court ... Uses her size well to gain an advantage on both offense
and defense ... Has worked to improve her ability on the court.
2007-08One of three rookies to play in all 26 games ... Started 10 games and averaged a solid 8.0 points per game to place fourth on the squad and tops among first-year players ... Ranked third on the team with 37 steals ... Shot .655 (55-84) from the line and led the team in free throws made ... Put together a stretch of seven games with double-digits in points from January 19 to February 9 ... Closed out the season with a career-high 20 points in 27 minutes, including 8-9 from the free throw line, at Eastern Connecticut State in the Little East Conference tournament quarterfinals on February 26 ... Ripped two or more steals in 10 games, including 10 in a three-game span from January 17-22 ... Registered a career-high four steals at Bridgewater State College on January 17 and came up with at least one steal in 20 of 26 games.
Personal/High School: Earned four letters for basketball and eight for track at Malden High School ... Named a three-time Greater Boston League All-Star for the Lions' basketball team ... Helped MHS to a league championship as a sophomore ... Selected a GBL All-Star in track following her sophomore campaign ... Born May 14, 1989 ... Daughter of Norman and Patricia White ... Undecided on major ... Enjoys dancing, making people laugh and sitting on the computer.


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|2008-06-15, 08:58
|Link #41
Honyaku no Hime
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
Finally taken some time to sit and read the stuff here, I can only offer opinions for original fiction mainly. Fan fiction typically needs the reference and poetry it subject to interpreation, but i may comment a few if it strikes a chord with me.
Anyways, first off...
Spoiler for Sol Badguy:
Next being Usuratonkachi's "Last Kiss" story (I've only read your first post, dunno if you've re posted after that...)
Spoiler for last kiss:
Next one i glanced at was black monster's story.
Spoiler for black monster:
Titles rarely come to me while i write and i hadn't (still haven't) finished that story, so it'd probably just be called 'The Lil Mirror' for simplicity's sake since the tone is alike a child's story.
I think that came to me in terms of water (like a lake or pond) is the only other way we humans can see our reflection clearly, or a natural feature that "reflects" other things.
And glass is "solid" so go figure
Water solidifed = A Mirror
It is just a snippet, i'll try to getting to posting more in the 'dead poet's society' thread later on, but glad you liked
(read a few more so since DP is frowned upon, spoilered each comment for length's sake and have carried on)
Checking out Spectacular_Insanity's "The Mystic Emblem"
Spoiler for The Mystic Emblem:
The girl entering the bar story?
More. Now. Please
Spoiler for Usuratonkachi's prologue:
Last edited by Mystique; 2008-06-15 at 16:28.
|2008-06-15, 16:05
|Link #42
Ha ha ha ha ha...
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Right behind you.
Age: 30
@ Mystique: Thank you very much for taking the time to read my story, and I do feel that some passages were awkward. I'll work on it and see if I can't get it to read a bit smoother, then. Your input is greatly appreciated.
|2008-06-18, 13:10
|Link #43
An Idiot
Join Date: Jun 2006
@ Mystique:
Hey! Thanks for your feedback!
I finally have time for a little breather to reply. I noticed your post a few days ago, but I was neck high in exam stress. Still am, but oh well.
In regards to the Saigo no Kiss snippet. Yeah, I kind of took a bunch of everyday oberservations at school, put it into words and stuck it in. I went to an international school in Switzerland, so I don't know how it is in America, but as you said, stereotypes exist everywhere.
And yes, that snippet was taken from the beginning of the story. It's actually not very long, since Animax had a limit of about 40 pages, if I remember correctly. But it's the only story that I've written to completion, so I'm pretty happy with it.
Then wow, really, thanks for taking the time to read and leave a comment! You absolutely made my day! ^_^
The girl entering the bar story (I know, I must think up of a title soon). "LOL" was my first reaction to your "More. Now. Please" It made my day even better, if that were possible.
Oh, yes, yes, yes! Another person who enjoyed reading this genre! I only got into a few months back, when I half-heartedly picked up a random book at the airport. It ended up being "Shadow Dance" by Julie Garwood and kept me up all night just reading, reading, reading. ^_^
Heh, first thing on my to-do list now after finishing exams is to go buy a Sandra Brown book. If you say it's good, then it's a must read for me!! hehe
As for the story. I'd love to feed you what I have so far, but after the prologue, the plot becomes a little wonky, since I'm still not decided on what I want to write about. Obviously, Tomoe and (the wonderful) Xavier, but plot-wise...If that's okay with you, I'd be happy to have anyone and everyone read it. ^.^
And once again, thank you and thank you for your kind words!
|2008-06-19, 09:32
|Link #44
Dietrich fan #681675
|2008-06-19, 12:02
|Link #45
Every word must conjure
One Manga Poetry Contest (OMPC) #2
The forums on Manga scan site OneManga.com are organising a Poetry Contest for the next 2 weeks. The theme of this contest is "Song". Basically, you're supposed to listen to a song & then come up with a poem on it.
Full details can be found here. There's a procedure for submission, so my advice is read carefully
The contest closes on 2nd July, 2008.
The theme might be a bit simplistic, but I'm posting this information up here should any of you be interested in joining. Definitely since this thread started I've seen some good writing. And a contest (no matter how small it is) is always a good avenue for budding writers to see where they stand relative to fellow writers with similar interests/ skill levels.
Maybe soon we can organise one of these here on Animesuki
|2008-06-20, 17:43
|Link #46
Seen 379 Cat-Girl Ears
Join Date: Jun 2008
i have one that i wrote at 4:00 A.M. on a night where i couldn't get to sleep. i was thinking of a friend of mine who is going through a hard time in his life,
this poem sums up his entire life.
warning though, my poems never have verse or rhyme, and are usually very short.
Here it is.
Look up at the sky ant try to reach it.
-they must think it looks like a dome, don't they?
No matter how much you reach or how high you go you'll never touch it.
-but people keep reaching upwards, so much so that the sky disappears, don't they?
But the sky is just made of air.
-so they touched it even before they started to reach, didn't they?
not very good is it, it has a very blunt meaning right on the surface, but a deeper meaning is in there somewhere. i guess you truely have to know my friend to understand it.
Last edited by Kyuuketsuki42221; 2008-06-20 at 19:41.
|2008-07-11, 04:16
|Link #47
Every word must conjure
Just because it's abstract doesn't mean its "very blunt". I think it quietly speaks a lot about viewpoint & feeling. Like a sudden epiphany.
To prevent this thread from fading out & hopefully to encourage others to post, here's some stuff that I wrote recently. I'm trying to indulge the romantic in me
Spoiler for Run with Me:
Nothing much to say. The meaning & purpose is obvious enough.
|2008-07-15, 08:56
|Link #48
Honyaku no Hime
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
Hiya, I'm back, going through page 2 of the fiction written in here. Had to take some time off from sitting down to read (most of my reading is happening on actual books, I gotta confess) – so while things are slow on Asuki over the summer and I'm not tempted by any other threads, thought to jump back on the bandwagon to continue with the reviews
Spoiler for Qwazar's jasmine:
Next one I checked out was whitepearl's couple of chapters.
Spoiler for whitepearl:
Sign up, visit your local library, see if they have copies of her (they should do, she's hit the NY Times list as #1 multiple times over her 25+ year old career)
And rather, thank you for posting stuff, all the stories do is to feed a little bookworm like me, the least I can do is to read and comment for the effort of writing that you guys put in. I know the hardest thing is to re start a story you've left mid way, but get past the hurdle, all being well the scene and characters will re visit you and you can get back into the flow of things
Anyways, seems that's all we got for original fiction, it's been quiet here for a spell. Since most of you are on summer hols now and may have more time than usual, how about dusting off your virtual quill and ink bottle and penning a few more pages of fun? ^^
|2008-07-16, 10:52
|Link #50
Every word must conjure
@Pop-Punk Sucks:
Personally I think it's very well-written, eloquent & certainly with a tense mood appropriate for the title. But I can't get any concrete meaning on the term "Ictus Cell". As far as I know it's something vaguely scientific. This portion of the title & the other scientific terms make the entire poem too abstract, so it's actually a bit difficult to give comments on where improvements can be made, other than in terms of language & diction.
And, again, in terms of personal preference, I thought this 3rd stanza could've been tweaked ever so slightly, mainly the "reddened night" part. It is easy to visualize & a good image really, but somehow I felt the concept of defining colour doesn't fit into this poem, which descriptive tones are rather neutral.
Still, my favourite stanza:
Spoiler for Best stanza/ diction:
Appreciate the post
|2008-07-18, 11:29
|Link #51
Dietrich fan #681675
But at the start of brainstorming, I had intended Hayden to be the "jerk" character that most people find unsettling, with the exception of Heather (not Hannah) and Jocelyn.
It's not evident from the excerpt posted but he is meant to be a conflicted sort of character. Jocelyn and Heather, too. Their conflicts were meant to be explained later on.
Oh by the way, the simile for the description of her breasts in relation to grades?
Nice, real nice, got an approving smirk from me there.
PS: Even if the next scene between Joyce and Hayden is obvious (or is it?), why did you stop there?
The first chapter is insanely long and I didn't want to bore anyone with a verbose amount of text.
But I do appreciate your reading of what I had written and for your honest and frank feedback. Some of my other friends just tell me "it's good" without giving me much in terms of what I could improve. I guess they don't want to say anything negative since we are friends so it's good to get feedback from someone I don't know—the feedback and commentary will be more unbiased.
edit: there was some introductory stuff in the first paragraph that I threw in as a sidebar, but I can't recall if I ever included that in the excerpt I posted here. I can send you the full first chapter to you if you want.
Last edited by whitepearl; 2008-07-18 at 11:39.
|2008-07-18, 12:39
|Link #52
Honyaku no Hime
Join Date: May 2008
Location: In the eastern capital of the islands of the rising suns...
i'll go crawl in my hole after reading this, sorry about that ><;;;;;;
To be blunt tho, you cannot set up scene like that and drop it, that's like being a tease and not putting out, lol.
We bookworms are a vicious lot esp if the going has gotten good
But don't forget, I am but only one person with a view, so it's not the be all or end all
And you must have nice friends, mine are more than happy to tear my stories apart and say its crap and doesn't make sense (when it makes perfect sense in my head, but them knowing me, they have a point....), in which i'll throw a tantrum, have my drama queen moment then listen and improve it somewhat, lol.
|2008-07-18, 13:53
|Link #53
Graphic Designer
I really have no idea, I've been roleplaying a lot for the last three years so my writing style borrows from a lot of people, it can be quite chaotic at times. And only when I feel like it, which means I don't write often but I get comments saying my stories are sometimes. . .different. This is just a rewrite of one of my older ones.
|2008-07-18, 17:53
|Link #54
Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Between a rock and a hard place.
Age: 33
the only qualms I have about your story is the way it starts. I'm not looking for a hook/line/and sinker type of line or anything, but " I ran" just doesn't cut it for me. Good thing I kept reading though because the rest of it is pretty good. I do wish you could flesh out the chapter more, but that's just me being greedy.
Post some more whenever you've updated. I'm interested in reading
|2008-07-21, 22:11
|Link #55
An Idiot
Join Date: Jun 2006
@ Arceon:
On the contrary, I think that "I ran" is a rather good hooker. It's short, it contains a lot of possible emotions and it evokes questions.
Meh, we don't have local libraries that offer English novels around here...I live in remote Switzerland...¬.¬ So I usually just buy the books. ^^;
Hum, well, I don't have anything new that's readable as a stand-alone...so I thought I'd upload the next little tidbit of that girl entering the bar story. Timeline is wonky, it pretty goes back in the past when compared with the bar sequence...hope you'll be able to understand it.
By all means, this is definitely no final draft, so I'll probably keep changing words/numbers/details and whatnot. I'm just not too satisfied with this chapter...it seems to be too superficial in a sense. But I'll wait and see if any of you have opinions on it.
Spoiler for No Title Yet!:
|2008-07-21, 23:06
|Link #56
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 42N 71W or so
Hm, only my second post. I'm exceptionally secretive and insecure about my writing, so I'm surprised I'm even going to share. This was a part of a short story assignment for some class, and it seemed to totally polarize my classmates; some were offended, others loved it. I've edited it slightly for this post--replacing a couple of f-bombs with ****. I think I caught them all, so...I swear like no one's business...if anything needs redacting, let me know. I'd rather not rock the boat so soon after joining.
Between Pathetic and Charming
You look at me from across the table, your hesitant, smoky grin flashing along the rim of a glass filled with a wine whose name you mispronounced only minutes earlier. Your face flushes with the same burgundy wash that falls in drops onto the white linen tablecloth, and I can't help but smile.
You are at once wide-eyed and self-conscious, but stare at your surroundings with an assuredness that comes from apathy; you say you'll never meet any of these people again, so, you muse, what does it matter what they think? Yours isn't a blatant kind of rudeness, simply a naivete you could never let go of. I warn that that makes you vulnerable, but you shrug it off, saying vulnerability is nothing shameful.
Admittedly, I am bored. Any attempt to elicit an opinion or conviction from you is met with the same blase relativism, the kind no one can effectively argue against without becoming infuriated. At some point you melt away into the art nouveau ambiance, into the rest of the bistro, your voice simply a note in the greater movement of the scene.
But you tap my leg with your foot, and make silly, out of place faces, and it's then I realize that you're not wearing Abercrombie and Fitch; that your hair isn't cropped up into that ubiquitous faux-hawk, bleached at the tips, hair shining like the goddamned lighthouse of Alexandria. Your relativistic attitude makes sense to you, because what meaning or sense the world has belongs to you.
We're surrounded by so many people, but I feel a kind of isolation; all around us is black, the only light reflected in the dinnerware and glasses. In time with your foot against my leg, I realize how ridiculous it all is; that we've tried to follow a meaningless route to each other, that we play a game of no rules by some arbitrary, irrelevant standards. The bill is coldly plopped onto the table, and I notice we both roll our eyes.
We're thinking the same thing, apparently, because I can feel my lips move in the same devilish direction as yours. I offer a strategy, and you augment it with whatever strategems you've devised throughout your own travels. We agree silently, a yes replaced with a knowing wink, and a "ready-steady-go" with the adagio movements of our arms.
You say that the food wasn't so good, and I concur, adding that our bill shouldn't put too big of a dent in the waiter's pay. Satisfied, justified, we exit arm-in-arm, and like Lot, fight the urge to look backwards.
The street is bathed in the orange light of the city coated in fog, the brick sidewalks shining in the chance silence of 11pm. I ask you where we're walking. You ask why I need a plan. I don't reply, opting simply to follow you. You playfully try to match your footsteps with mine, knowing how that irks me; and for that you get a slap on the arm and a string of epithets ending in "bastard." You laugh inaudibly, your breath's evaporating wisps the only indication of your voice.
The air is calm. Nothing seems appropriate to say. Your coat seems heavy, and I want you to take it off. I don't say this, because I don't like to share my desires, but you reach out and place your cold hand on the back of my neck, and I forget what I had only seconds earlier wanted.
That moment arrives, where I'm stuck between not wanting to feel lonely for the night, but not wanting the attachment that people wake up with in my bed, next to me, the next morning. You say you'd kiss me goodnight, but you'd rather spend the night. I feel sick to my stomach at this, fearing that four letter word that's seemingly been at the crest of your lips all night.
Love. Ridiculous. Love is what people call the resolution between the primal instinct to reproduce, and the socially enforced notion of shame attached to that instinct. I invite him in nonetheless, because anything's better than loneliness.
He seats himself on the couch, trying to conceal his laughter at my attempts to be a good host. The cup of coffee I offered, shakes with my hand as I extend it to the table in front of him. Turning away, I don't notice his arm whip out with cobra-like precision and grasp my wrist. I pivot back to face him, a slight scowl already taking shape across my face.
He says simply that he wants to f***. I sigh in relief. He says he doesn't believe in love, and I smile in agreement. We f***.
When I wake up, I catch myself thinking, trying to make a choice. My neighbors upstairs are playing a sonata on their piano while the pre-dawn shades of violet and grey pour in through my window. He's asleep next to me.
I want him to leave and never come back. I want all of that for myself. The dinner, the pretentious bistro, the fog and light, the cold hand on my neck, the sound of the ceramic coffee mug against the glass table, the light through the window and the distant music--I want it all for myself.
He smiles gently as he gets dressed, and without a word, slips out the front door. I watch from my window as he fades into those ephemeral frames of morning. Closing the blinds, I can still smell him, and I smile.
|2008-07-23, 09:55
|Link #57
Every word must conjure
@ Claude_Desravines:
When you began the first 2 paragraphs with the "you" I thought you were writing in 2nd Person, but after reading it the 1st person became much, much stronger to distinguish.
Telling you plainly "it's good" might be a front for having nothing to say, so I'll just say what I noticed & liked. The grammar, tenses, spelling & diction are close to perfect. The pacing of the story is very well graded - at no point do I feel I'm been rushed through an experience or emotion. I liked your narrator's attitude: touchy yet observant, opinionated yet sensitive.
A particular paragraph caught my eye:
Spoiler for Paragraph:
I'm normally a bit apprehensive inserting definitions from out of nowhere into the narrative...But I felt that, I suppose, it does suit your character somewhat. But it's unclear. You might want the character himself to insert in his own commentary on love (E.g "Love is..." or "love, personally, is really just...").
Then, just after that particular paragraph, you seem to have switched to 3rd person, with the "him" bit. I think it's not so much a sudden switch as it is a separate section? Nonetheless, it did make the ending a bit uncertain.
Thanks for posting. Hope I didn't say too much
|2008-07-23, 10:18
|Link #58
Ha ha ha ha ha...
Graphic Designer
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Right behind you.
Age: 30
I am so tired of typing the word "character" now.
|2008-07-24, 14:30
|Link #60
Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 42N 71W or so
Yeah, plopped probably wasn't the best choice of words, but as you mention yellow fin tuna, I think that while semantically questionable, a plopped bill may connote a kind of innocent disregard. The fisherman who sells his tuna at market doesn't handle it as if it were some kind of treasure; it's a dead fish, and that dead fish equals money.
I'm not trying to be argumentative at all--I had not even considered how that particular line might not exactly work. At the same time though, it makes me think if there is some meaning behind it, even if a rigid plastic rectangle can't plop in a physical sense...crap, I just totally lost my train of thought. Long story short, I was trying to convey even when surrounded by others, we are all desperately alone because we can never know the mind of anyone but our own. So the bill was, at least as I intended it, an assertion of that loneliness where it has one out over the drive, however hopeless, to prove ourselves not to be the only conscience in existence.
Long winded. Sorry. I very much appreciate your thoughts, you can tell because I still haven't stopped typing. You've got a good eye and mind for words, I used to as well, but I went too far and became nothing but a pedant. Hehe. Do you write much yourself, Venus?
|literature, writing
|Thread Tools


text:
English Literature Single Major
Part of the Bachelor of Arts program
Commencing semesters, 2019
Semester 1
Semester 2
Program level
Program code
Humanities and Social Sciences
School of Communication and Arts
St Lucia
Delivery mode
Australian/domestic students
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
Email: hass.uq.edu.au/askhass
Phone: 07 3365 1333
International students
International Student Advisor
Email: email@example.com
Phone: Outside Australia: + 61 3 8676 7004
Within Australia (Free Call): 1800 671 980
Why study English Literature?
The English literature major introduces students to one of the world's key literary traditions as well as to contemporary global English-language literary culture. Undertaking the formal study of English literature from its beginnings to the present day is to be introduced to a vast intellectual and cultural history--one that records the almost infinitely different ways in which men and women, from a great variety of different times and places, have lived, thought, argued, felt and imagined. Many of the novels, poems, plays and non-fictional works students encounter in this program rank amongst the greatest products of the human mind. The major also introduces students to some influential ways of thinking about literature.
View the course list for courses that can be studied as part of the English Literature single major.
What it costs
Please view the Bachelor of Arts for indicative fees.
How to apply
Please view the Bachelor of Arts for information on key dates and how to apply.


text:
Answers in Atheism tonight at 7:00 pm
Answers in Atheism
Will air tonight, Thursday, September 20, 2007, at 7:00 pm. Eastern Time.
See www.answersinatheism.net for details.
Call in at 859.384.7000
Or email us at: email@example.com
We really do need you to call. Makes for a much better show.
If the line is busy, please call back. We only have one line for now.
Working on getting a toll free number.
Hope to see you on the radio.
The first show is archived at www.answersinatheism.net


text:
Miley Cyrus: Number One on Maxim's Hot 100 List!
Miley Cyrus has reportedly topped Maxim's Hot 100 List!
The 20-year-old actress/singer joined Instagram on Saturday (May 4) and used her first post to reveal her position on the list.
PHOTOS: Check out the latest pics of Miley Cyrus
"My 1st Instagram is dedicated to all my fans. thank you for crowning me #1 Maxim Hot 100," she tweeted, along with a photo of herself posing in a bikini.
Congrats to Miley on the honor!
WHAT DO YOU THINK of Miley ranking No. 1 on the list?
Bigger pic inside…


text:
squishy wrote:Dingus Milktoast wrote:Hey Squishy? How many summits have you reached in the last 6 months?
I think I've done 4 or 5 summits since January, but I can't remember exactly.
Why is that so easy to believe ?!
I actually think the same thing as you though squish. Been up three local peaks, but I just like the hiking in the mountains part too. As my profile states..."To live only for some future goal is shallow. It's the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top" - Robert M. Pirsig


text:
Making Commandments Beautiful: Part 2
June 28, 2013
Every week, Jody Hirsh, the JCC's Judaic Education Director, provides a Shabbat message that is featured at the top of the JCC's weekly email newsletter. Below is the Shabbat message for Friday, June 28, 2013.
Making Commandments Beautiful: Part 2
Another area of "Hiddur Mitzvah" – beautifying the commandments – is at Havdalah, truly a beautiful ceremony. Just as the Sabbath is ushered in with the light of candles and wine, the Sabbath is ushered out with candles, wine and spices. The main blessing praises God for separating between the Holy and the Secular, light and darkness, the Sabbath from the other days of the week. A braided candle is used – it MUST have multiple wicks, and the blessing praises God for creating the lights of the fire. And we smell spices – entering the new week at sunset on Saturday night smelling sweet spices ushering in the secular week with sweet smells.
Originally, the spices were simply myrtle leaves placed in a ceramic cup, but over the centuries the commandment was "beautified" by creating spectacular spice boxes, often in the shapes of castles or city architecture in the style of whatever cities in which the silversmiths were commissioned. Even the candles used at Havdalah were often fanciful. Since the blessing mentions "lights" (plural), Havdalah candles have multiple wicks and are often braided or woven and made from multiple colors.
Braided havdalah candles , Spice box in the traditional shape of a castle turret, & Spice box in the shape of a harp.
Shabbat Shalom
Are there particular Shabbat foods that are traditional in your family? Let us know! email@example.com


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Historic bridge burned, arson suspected
Historic bridge burned, arson suspected
KALONA, Iowa —
A historic bridge in southeast Iowa has burned, and fire officials believe it was arson.
KCRG reports that the Bunker Mill Bridge burned Sunday morning and only charred remains of its wood deck remain. The bridge crosses over the English River.
Kalona Fire Chief Steve Yotty says his department was called to the scene around 5:30 a.m. on a rural road just south of town. The flames had spread out of control by the time firefighters arrived.
The Washington County Historical Society says the Bunker Mill, or Old River Bridge, was built in 1887. For years, it was the only way to travel between Kalona and nearby Richmond.
Yotty is asking anyone with information about the bridge burning to call the department or the state fire marshal.


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Watch Straps Singapore: Keeping Time Within Easy Reach
- Watch Straps Singapore: From Pocket Watch to Wrist Watch
- The Glue That Holds Everything Together
- From Fashionable to Practical
- Strapped and Ready For Your Needs with Watch Straps Singapore
Watch Straps Singapore: From Pocket Watch to Wrist Watch
To understand the importance and need of watch straps, let us go back to the beginning of when wearable time devices first came in existence. Watches (as these wearable time devices are known as) begun to make their appearance around the early 16th century in the form of Nuremberg watches that were said to be somewhere between the size of a mantle clock and a pocket watch. It was not until 1675 that the first pocket watch was invented when several key factors came into play (namely the invention of screws in 1550) that made it possible to create a watch small enough to fit in your pocket.
It was quite a number of years later that the pocket watch slowly evolved into the fashionable wristwatches that we see today. The idea of the wrist watch back then was perhaps conceived during the World War I, when the idea of strapping little clocks to the soldiers' wrists made better sense than having them carry one in their pockets. It was much later that the wrist watch was designed for the use of women as well (though it functioned more as a decorative item and was not as precise or punctual as the watches we see today).
The Glue That Holds Everything Together
Well… Not really glue, but you get the point. Without a strap, how do you expect to use a watch (and no, wearing it on a chain around your neck or putting it in your pocket is not a good solution)? A strap is the most vital part of the watch as it is not functional, but also a fashion statement. From colours and materials to the tiny detailed designs, a watch strap gives character to the overall look of the watch.
From Fashionable to Practical
Straps are made from many different types of materials. Usually, the materials that are used would lend an either luxurious or more casual look. For example, a Patek Philippe or a Rolex (or any other luxury watches) would usually use metal bracelet or leather straps as they would make the watch look more luxurious as well as classy. Similar to how Casio would use resin straps for their G-Shock and Baby-G watch series for a more casual and trendy look.
Among the more common materials used would be:
- Rubber, resin, or plastic
- Leather (or any other kind of animal hides)
- Nylon (or any other cloth-type materials)
- Metal
Other than being just a fashion statement, certain watch straps are made from specific materials for a more practical function. An example would be watch straps made from ceramic carbide that are suitable for people with metal allergies and sensitive skin as this material is completely hypoallergenic. Another example would be the use of watch straps made from rubber, nylon, silicone and/or resin for sports and outdoor activity watches as these materials are more durable and are sweat proof.
Strapped and Ready For Your Needs with Watch Straps Singapore
From creating a fashion statement to being suited for a person's needs, it is clear as day that this little piece (or pieces) of material is important in order to keep time firmly tied to your wrist.
Rather than sticking around with just one watch strap, why not get another one (maybe in a different colour?) and switch out the strap so that you can create a customized watch that is unique to your style. How about a DKNY metal strap for a classy look? Or a Casio G-Shock resin strap for durability?
The possibilities are endless with the array of products offered here at iprice.


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As if Snowdown was not crazy enough, kids could be leaping into the air for a freestyle ski competition at Chapman Hill during the same week as the winter carnival in early February.
The in-town ski hill would be lit up for the nighttime event, said Mark Smith of the Durango Winter Sports Foundation, which raises money for amenity improvements the city normally could not afford.
Smith estimated the foundation easily is investing $50,000 to $60,000 of donated money, equipment and labor this week to improve Chapman Hill as a venue for events such as the freestyle competition of the U.S. Ski Association. But plans for that event still are tentative.
Volunteers from the foundation are filling in gullies and making structural improvements such as ski jumps and moguls, or bumps, for the freestyle course.
The foundation also is complementing the citys recent purchase of snowmaking equipment and a snow tractor, or winch cat, with other improvements, including an anchor system to prevent the winch cat from tumbling down the steep hill.
Volunteers and community advocates are difference-makers in Durango, said Kevin Hall, the citys director of Natural Lands, Trails and Sustainability. They create momentum for projects by solidifying community support and bringing resources to bear that may not otherwise have been available.
The city purchased its equipment for Chapman Hill from a dedicated sales tax for parks, recreation and open-space trails that was approved by voters in 2005.
By law, the fund can be used only for recreation purposes. City officials often emphasize this point because they get so many complaints from locals who wonder why the city cannot afford to fill in potholes.
Kirk Rawles, the freestyle coach of the Purgatory Ski and Snowboard team, has dreamed of the possibilities for Chapman Hill.
Ive always stood up here and thought, Wow, this is the perfect place for a freestyle course, he said.
He believes Chapman Hill has the potential to become a practice site for Olympic skiers. His brother, Scott Rawles, is the mogul coach for the U.S. freestyle ski team.
With a winch cat and snowmaking, you can make this a great in-town ski hill, but it also can satisfy the best skiers around, Rawles said.
Chapman Hill has a tradition for training its tow-rope lift originally was used by the troops at Camp Hale near Leadville to train for skiing and winter combat during World War II.
After the war, Dolph Kuss convinced the Lions Club of Durango to purchase the tow-rope system in 1954. The tow rope also is getting some maintenance work done this week.
Kuss, a former city parks and recreation director, said the history of Chapman Hill has seen some advancements and some setbacks, but for the most part, its always been through contributions (of the community).


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ISLAMABAD, April 29 (UPI Next) -- With a May 11 election set to mark the first transition from one elected government to another in Pakistan since independence in 1947, two bodies are responsible for preventing corrupt candidates from entering the National Assembly and the country's four provincial assemblies.
The National Accountability Bureau is responsible for examining candidates for criminal activity, tax evasion, loan defaults, corruption or criminal convictions. If the NAB discovers corruption it passes the information to the Election Commission, which oversees the election, for potential further action against the candidates.
The commission is "the only institution empowered to handle the whole election process," NAB Chairman Fasih Bokhari told UPI Next. He said the commission "referred the credentials of over 24,000 candidates to a special cell established in the bureau for scrutiny of aspiring candidates." Bokhari, a retired navy admiral, spoke before a court disqualified former military ruler Pervez Musharraf from running in the elections April 16 on the grounds that he violated the constitution by failing to protect judicial independence and imposing emergency law in 2007. Musharraf's lawyer, Ahmad Raza Kasuri, said Musharraf would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. Former Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf was also barred from running in the May election because of an investigation into corruption charges, but he was cleared of charges April 22.
The Election Commission has also barred 20 former legislators from the May election for having dual nationalities. Four former legislators have been sent to jail for having fake degrees while similar fake-degree cases of around two dozen former legislators are under investigation. The commission charges that the legislators not only violated their oaths by lying but also committed moral corruption under Articles 62 and 63 of the Pakistani Constitution.
Bokhari said the NAB could confiscate salaries and other benefits of disqualified former legislators but only if ordered to do so by the Election Commission.
However, Athar Minallah, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist, said the bureau has done little in the last five years to detect and recover looted money from politicians and government officials.
"Thousands of corruption cases of politicians and government officials are pending in the bureau for years," he told UPI Next, adding that if the chairman were more active, most of these cases would have been disposed of in just a few months.
Bokhari said financial crimes investigation is complex, as white-collar criminals are often sophisticated. Nevertheless, he said, his institution detected more than $2 billion worth of corruption last year, adding that $10.5 billion in government projects are still under scrutiny.
"It is time-consuming to find out prosecutable evidence against criminals to secure conviction from courts" under current law, he added.
Bokhari also said the bureau's work is hampered by shortage of manpower, saying, "We have only 200 prosecutors to deal with more than 1,700 cases."
He said his agency needs 8,000 investigators but current resources won't allow the recruitment of that many.
Bokhari was charged with contempt of court on Jan. 31 for writing to President Asif Ali Zardari alleging that the Supreme Court was unnecessarily pressuring bureau officials in investigations related to high-profile cases. However, he hasn't been formally indicted as he has appealed the charge.
"There is no pressure on me nor am I under influence of anyone. I'm freely performing my duties and trying my level best to minimize chances of corruption in the society," he said.
Bokhari said corruption in Pakistan could be significantly reduced in just a year if people elect the right people to national and provincial assemblies next month.
"It is up to people of Pakistan whether they want a corruption-free or corruption-plagued Pakistan in the years to come," he said.


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CSULB Engineering Students Build Electric Motocross Bike to Win 'Innovation Challenge'
2011-04-15 · By Editor
An electric motocross bike unique to the United States and developed by a team of students at Cal State Long Beach (CSULB) has won the campus' 2011 Innovation Challenge, which comes with it a package of business services and $10,000 of seed funding to further develop the product and create a business plan to help the students get their venture started.
The team of seniors David Pearce, Rogelio Rosas, and Dan Southard beat out about a dozen other teams with their Electric Motocross Bicycle (EMXB) and now has the chance to create its own company, and the opportunity comes just as all three will be graduating in May with their mechanical engineering degrees.
Sponsored by the university's College of Engineering and College of Business Administration, the Innovation Challenge gives CSULB students an opportunity to put their entrepreneurial spirit in action.
"We are ecstatic about winning the CSULB Innovation Challenge. It certainly makes all of the hard work worthwhile. We want to build a successful business around our product, and the Innovation Challenge is the perfect opportunity to make this vision a reality," said Pearce. "The application of classroom theory to the design and construction of a real product was a great way to showcase what we learned here at Cal State Long Beach. After finding out we were in the finals, the last few weeks were a little unnerving, but we remained confident in knowing our product has great potential."
Competing against innovative ideas from more than a dozen teams totaling 80 students, the threesome created the Electric Motocross Bicycle (EMXB), a high-performance electric mountain bike. The EMXB is a hybrid between a mountain bike and a dirt bike — lightweight, nimble and practical like a mountain bike, while having power to go up the hills and heavy-duty suspension to go fast over any terrain like a dirt bike. The unique design takes after a motocross style dirt bike with its relatively comfortable seat and seating position and aggressive, functional styling.
The EMXB can be ridden like a bicycle or a motorcycle, or anything combination in between, making it a very versatile, practical and fun vehicle for recreation or transportation. It is also silent, emissions free and efficient, costing a fraction of a penny in electricity per mile.
"With winning the CSULB Innovation Challenge, we have the opportunity to share the experience of an Electric Motocross Bicycle with the public," Pearce pointed out. "We hope that we can inspire others to take their projects beyond the classroom and to the next level."
Innovation Challenge participants submitted their business plans in February, and the four team finalists were chosen in March. The finalists then continued to develop their products and business plans in preparation for a presentation to a judging committee made up of real-world investors and entrepreneurs representing various industries.
Barbara Barcon, retired vice president and CEO of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, MBA graduate of the CSULB College of Business Administration, and member of the campus' College of Engineering Advisory Council, served as a key facilitator for the competition.
"Seeing the fresh ideas and enthusiasm from the students and recognizing the need for this competition in the university was a great experience and one I hope to see sustained for many years to come," said Barcon. "What a great way to support the practical education for all of them. The students all commented consistently on how much they learned and how much they appreciated the professional and academic advice and the chance to see how a business really gets started."
"It is so exciting to see these company ideas and then see them become real companies. To know that the possibility exists that a major new company could come from this competition is worth the effort," she added. "It is certainly the educational experience for the students with the added bonus of creating an innovative new company out of the university. It doesn't get much better than that."
What makes the challenge more interesting and practical is the partnership between the College of Engineering and College of Business Administration. In most cases engineering students focused on the creation and design of the product while teammates who are business students focused on the financing and marketing of the product. Michael Solt, dean of the College of Business Administration, and Forouzan Golshani, dean of the College of Engineering, have both initiated similar efforts in other universities.
"I have been on the CSULB Engineering Advisory Council for some time. We talk on a regular basis on how to strengthen the programs we have for the students. It was determined that offering innovative students a chance to do their own thing would be a worthwhile project," said Mike Baghramian, president of Bager Electronics, competition committee chair and a judge. "On a personal basis I have always believed that from a student body of the size that the College of Engineering has there would be some number of very good ideas that would merit moving them further into a business. The fact is that much of the new technology innovation that has taken place in the U.S. has come from the universities in this country."
Since the fall information sessions on various topics including legal issues regarding patents have been held to help prepare students interested in participating. As part of the learning process, those teams not selected have the opportunity to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of their plans and hear suggestions for possible next steps. In addition to the other benefits, organizers say that it is a great opportunity for students to develop business, leadership and analytical skills and make connections with others who have similar interests.
Among companies and company representatives involved in the Innovation Challenge are Bager Electronics, Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Boeing Defense Space and Security. Other sponsors include The Curran Family, the Dean's Advisory Council of the College of Engineering, the CSULB Provost's Office, Bager of Southern California, Lerder and Associates Investment Council and the Schulten Group.


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Dana Perino book scheduled for May 2015
NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News commentator and former White House press secretary Dana Perino has a book deal.
Twelve, an imprint of Hachette Book Group, announced Monday that Perino's "And the Good News Is ..." will be published in May 2015. Perino will combine a "candid self-portrait" with advice on how to succeed in one's personal and professional life. She turns 42 on Friday.
Perino was press secretary for President George W. Bush from 2007 to 2009 and now co-hosts the Fox talk show "The Five."
Financial terms for her book were not disclosed. Perino was represented by Washington attorney Robert Barnett. He also handled negotiations for Bush's "Decision Points."
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Alaska Native (Inupiat) Elders and children living in northern Alaska share their experiences and stories about the northern lights (aurora borealis). The website features a 23 minute video and a series of shorter videos and interactive animations... (View More) on related topics. (View Less)
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Each of us is made from star stuff. But how are stars formed? Take a closer look at the life cycles of stars and learn where stars come from, how they've changed, and what happens to stars when their lives come to an end. Find out about your... (View More) connection to the cosmos. NASA eClips™ are short, relevant educational video segments. These videos inspire and engage students, helping them see real world connections. (View Less)
Materials Cost: Free per student
This is the first in a series of three professional development videos that correspond to lessons taught by Andrew Cloud, an Earth and planetary sciences teacher, with a class of 9th and 10th grade students. In this lesson, he uses a NASA video to... (View More) introduce the origins of the Moon. He then brings the Common Core State Standards into his science classroom by asking students to read an informational text about the origin of the moon and to write down the main idea of each paragraph. Includes teaching tips and discussion questions. (View Less)
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This is a DVD on the topic of science career awareness. Videos and interviews on the DVD highlight the work of those who manufacture, assemble, inspect, test, and transport scientific instruments before they are launched into space. Other sections... (View More) include an overview of the Hinode satellite and the X-ray telescope, a video of the launch of Hinode, and videos of two scientists who describe a discovery they made while studying data from the X-ray telescope. (View Less)
This is a lesson about the Discovery Program's exploration of the solar system. Learners will identify and communicate to others the varied space science explorations carried out by the Discovery Program and dig into one mission in depth. They can... (View More) then respond to a NASA Discovery Program Announcement of Opportunity (AO) to submit a mock proposal. Includes the 29-minute Discovery Program overview video, "Unlocking Mysteries of Our Solar System." (View Less)
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This is a video to accompany the Stanford Solar Center's Build Your Own Spectroscope activity. It serves as an introduction to several aspects of the Sun, including information about solar activity, effects of solar activity on Earth and other... (View More) systems, and how astronomers look at the Sun using filters and spectrographs. (View Less)


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Producers of the pilot program for a new Reality TV Show called "THE GREAT ESCAPE" chose Singer Castle on Dark Island in New York's Chippewa Bay because of its maze of secret passageways and dungeons. Photo by Ian Coristine www.1000IslandsPhotoArt.com
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LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force - Format activities in European countries
The LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force has its origins in an initiative of the past President of LIBER, Professor Elmar Mittler from the Göttingen State and University Library. Professor Mittler asked Dr Elisabeth Niggemann from Die Deutsche Bibliothek to take part in the meeting of the MARC Harmonization Coordinating Committee in Ottawa in May 2001. Following that meeting the LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force was founded at the LIBER Annual Conference in July 2001 in London.
The LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force held its first meeting on 14 January 2002 at Die Deutsche Bibliothek Frankfurt am Main, with the aim of gaining an overview of format activities in Europe. The group's aim was to concentrate on European developments and to build up stronger cooperation in the library world in order to strengthen Europe's international influence.
The LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force held a second meeting at the IFLA 2002 Conference in Glasgow and discussed the first draft of its report and recommendations to LIBER. After final discussion within the group, this report has been further revised and was submitted to LIBER.
The aim of the report is to give an overview of format activities in European countries and to make recommendations to LIBER regarding the use and development of data formats in Europe. The annex includes reports on migration activities from different countries. The report is based on information on data formats collected and compiled on the basis of a questionnaire distributed to the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL).
Cataloguing issues were further discussed at the 1st IFLA Meeting of Experts on an International Cataloguing Code held in Frankfurt in July 2003. Further meetings will be held at the IFLA conferences in Buenos Aires (2004) and Seoul (2006).
Results of the CENL QuestionnaireIn October 2002 an online questionnaire on data format activities was compiled in order to collect information on data formats and cataloguing codes, and to ascertain the level of support for a MARC21 European Interest Group. (At the Groningen meeting of the LIBER Executive Board in January 2004, it was decided to change the name of the group into "LIBER - MARC21 Interest Group".) The questionnaire was sent out to all 41 CENL members. A total of 27 questionnaires were returned, giving a return rate of 66%.
1a. What bibliographic data formats do you use as your local format?(Multiple answers were possible)
The most common data formats in use are UNIMARC and MARC21, with local MARC adaptations (e.g. danMARC2, MARC21-Fin, NORMARC) achieving the highest score (10 responses). There are also some other local formats such as MAB2 (as a kind of "foreign language") and OCLC PICA (as a kind of "hybrid language"), but their level of use is, not surprisingly, much lower than that of MARC.
1b. What bibliographic data formats do you use for exchange purposes?(Multiple answers were possible)
The most frequently used formats are UNIMARC and MARC21 (in each case 10 responses; 31%), followed by "local" 9 (28%) and "other" 3 (9%).
2. What cataloguing codes do you use?(Multiple answers were possible)
The most frequently used cataloguing rules are national ones (14 responses), followed by local adaptations of AACR2 (8) and AACR2 (6). Only three institutions use modifications or short versions of national cataloguing codes.
3. Harmonization of cataloguing codesThis question was answered by all participants. All of them consider a harmonization of cataloguing codes as important: "very important" (15 responses), "important" (12 responses).
4. Convergence of data exchange formats85% regard a convergence of data exchange formats as very important (18) or important (5). Only 1 CENL member regards it as not important.
5. Interoperability of data exchange formats89% regard interoperability of data exchange formats as very important (18) or important (6).
6a. Do you plan to migrate from your format to a new format?The majority (21 institutions) do not plan a migration, and only six institutions have migration plans. The question about present and future formats was not answered by enough institutions and therefore could not be evaluated.
The reasons for a decision not to migrate are also interesting. Some institutions have already migrated, are content with the existing format, or use a format which is very close to MARC. Others are constrained by the information system and format of their national library landscape, or by the systems supported by library system providers. Another important consideration is a requirement to handle some more new formats including XML-based ones, Dublin Core and ONIX.
6b. Which is the most important precondition before migration to a new format can take place in your library?The answers to this question could not be evaluated because 19 institutions (70%) did not provide an answer. This may be due to the fact that 78% are not planning a migration.
7. A MARC21 European Interest Group74% regard the implementation of a MARC21 Interest Group as very important (11 responses) or important (9).
The advantages of establishing a MARC21 European Interest Group are seen as manifold. The most important aspects seem to be the possibility of forging stronger links between European library culture and the widespread MARC format and therefore bringing MARC and European library culture closer together. The representation of European viewpoints and interests concerning format applications and cataloguing questions could so be better guaranteed, and the chance to build European consortia on these topics will be more practicable. Further benefits may include the exchange of experience, a greater understanding of the value of standardization to the European library community, and the opportunity to participate in the development of MARC21 formats.
The Group could be a forum where the harmonization of MARC21 and other related systems can be reviewed and information coordinated so that cooperation with Anglo-American institutions is easier and more efficient. Being able to cooperate and to build a unified community would result in greater influence on MARBI (Machine Readable Bibliographic Information Committee), and would avoid duplication of effort. The group should be a group of experts with the aim of promoting the format and keeping it up to date, and with responsibility for information and knowledge transfer in relation to format questions. It could provide for a better harmonization and interoperability between formats developed for international purposes.
One of the major goals of the LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force is the discussion of the data format activities of libraries at the European level. Therefore it is desirable to cooperate with the Conference of European National Librarians (CENL) in order to get an overview of the format activities in all European countries. Dr Elisabeth Niggemann has kept the CENL and the CoBRA+ Forum informed about the activities of the LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force, and she will continue to provide further reports in the future.
The group recommends close cooperation with the international library world in the field of bibliographic data formats. In particular intensive cooperation with IFLA - the IFLA UNIMARC Programme (UP), the Permanent UNIMARC Committee (PUC), the ICABS Programme -, the MARC Harmonization Coordinating Committee (MHCC) and the Machine Readable Bibliographic Information Committee (MARBI), with the intention of exchanging information and bringing European ideas into the international discussion on data formats.
Because of the importance of data formats in cataloguing matters, cooperation with cataloguing standardization bodies is imperative, as is cooperation with the IFLA Cataloguing Section and Division of Bibliographic Control, and the Joint Steering Committee for Revision of Anglo-American Cataloging Rules (JSC).
It can be seen from the results of the CENL questionnaire presented above that there are two principal standards of data format used by European countries: UNIMARC as an IFLA standard and MARC21.
1. Establishment of a LIBER MARC21 Interest GroupBecause of the close association between cataloguing work and data formats, we recommend the establishment of a LIBER MARC21 Interest Group, which should also represent the interests of UNIMARC users.
2. LIBER website for format issuesThe discussions showed that more information should be made public. A LIBER website should be installed focussing on format issues but also addressing cataloguing issues where relevant. This website should include a calendar of events, documents about and links to format matters, as well as documents on and links to practical solutions on migration and transition.
Country reports, with overviews of format activities and format conversions (see annex of this paper), should be placed on the LIBER website, following a standard template, as practical examples, and the results of the CENL questionnaire should be made available on the website.
3. European discussion list for format issuesA European discussion list on format matters should be installed on the LIBER website to foster a lively exchange of ideas. The list should be an open discussion list, enabling libraries changing to MARC21 to benefit from the experiences of others in the same situation. For the major questions there should be an FAQ-list. The name of the list should be "European discussion list for MARC21 Format".
4. Workshops on format issuesIt is recommended to organize workshops on practical ways of migration to MARC21, with the aim of bringing experts together and learning how other libraries handle format issues. Workshops are also seen as a good tool for marketing and public relations.
At its Groningen meeting in January 2004, the LIBER Executive Board fully agreed the previous recommendations. The LIBER MARC21 Interest Group will be established and assigned to the Access Division of LIBER. The Access Division serves to foster and promote access to information resources for the benefit of the patrons of university and research libraries, and to stimulate the development of modern information services.
The following paragraphs provide a short overview of the format activities in the member countries of the LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force, as presented at the meeting at IFLA 2002. Although the situation is different in each country, the data format is highly important for all. All countries use (or intend to use) the international data formats UNIMARC and MARC21 as the national data format and exchange format. In the countries in which a transition to a new data format was made, a demand for training and documentation on this format was accentuated.
1. UNIMARC use in Croatia - Report from Dr Mirna WillerThe UNIMARC format has been the Croatian national format for machine-readable cataloguing and data exchange since 1980. In 1981 it was adopted as the Yugoslav format on the recommendation of the National and University Library, Zagreb, which had by that time already started automating its cataloguing and bibliography. UNIMARC format for authorities was adopted and implemented in the National and University Library integrated information system in 1990, when it was still in draft form.
The adoption of UNIMARC as the national and exchange format was due to the fact that Croatia has always had a very strong tradition in cataloguing theory and practice based on IFLA standards, as evidenced by the fact that Eva Verona wrote the Croatian national cataloguing rules.
The National Library does not have any problem with the use of UNIMARC formats, as it has been actively involved in their development since 1991. It has also been involved in different projects and has developed ISSN-UNIMARC-ISSN conversion, and took part in the CERL/RLG conversion project UNIMARC-MARC21-UNIMARC.
2. Bibliographic formats in Germany: a rudimentary survey - Report from Reinhold HeuvelmannThis paper tries to give a short overview of the bibliographic formats that are used in Germany, with emphasis on the format activities in Die Deutsche Bibliothek.
Die Deutsche Bibliothek, as well as some regional library systems, uses the format Pica, created by the Dutch organization of the same name, now part of OCLC Pica. The Pica format is derived from MARC and consists of two types. Pica3 is the cataloguing format (with tags of 3 or 4 digits and ISBD-interpunctuation); Pica+ is the internal and storage format (with tags of 3 digits, 2 indicators, and a subfield structure). The Pica format is also used as a reference format ("turntable") for format conversions.
Other institutions have systems with their own internal formats, covering a wide range from simple to very complicated data structures. Also formats originally designed as exchange formats are used as internal formats, in a more or less abridged and adapted form.
The German exchange format (which is also used in Austria) is MAB (Maschinelles Austauschformat für Bibliotheken - Machine-readable Exchange Format for Libraries). It can be used offline (for delivery on tape and disk or by ftp-transfer) and online (e.g. via Z39.50 gateways). The Expertengruppe MAB-Ausschuss (= Expert Group MAB Committee), under the auspices of Die Deutsche Bibliothek, is responsible for maintenance and development.
The MARC-based formats UNIMARC, USMARC, UKMARC and MARC21 are used for data import and export of German data as well as foreign data from other national libraries and data suppliers.
DC (Dublin Core) is used for the import of metadata of online theses of German university libraries and will be used in the future for the export of data, using the protocol for metadata harvesting of the Open Archives Initiative.
ONIX (Online Information eXchange), the standard format used by publishers and vendors to distribute electronic information about books, is used for data exchange between Neuerscheinungsdienst (Die Deutsche Bibliothek) and German Books in Print (MVB GmbH).
Recently the issue of a transition from German to international cataloguing rules and formats was put on the agenda again. In December 2001 the German Committee for Library Standards opted for migration. The expected benefits are improved international decentralized bibliographic data systems, a simplified international data exchange, the dissemination of German information and data and the selection and acquisition of new software for bibliographic data systems. The conditions, the consequences and the time schedule for the transition should be examined in an 18-month research project funded by the German Research Foundation before migration is introduced. The project, in which Die Deutsche Bibliothek is the project leader, was launched in autumn 2002.
3. UNIMARC use in Portugal - Report from Rosa Maria GalvãoPortugal is a country with a long tradition concerning the application of UNIMARC. The first steps were taken in 1986, when the National Library began preparatory work for the automation of its catalogue. PORBASE - the National Bibliographic Database - is both the National Library database and the online union catalogue of the Portuguese libraries, so the adoption of UNIMARC as national and exchange format and its development was crucial to coherence, consistency, uniformity and standardization of the National Database. In January 1991 the UNIMARC authorities were also implemented into the National Library integrated information system.
The National Library, being a National Bibliographic Agency, has developed a really important role with respect to the application, development and diffusion of the format in Portugal. It has constructed and disseminated working tools, which have helped Portuguese libraries understand and apply UNIMARC in Portuguese cataloguing procedures (such as in manuals and guidelines); it has translated the UNIMARC Manual (bibliographic and authority); it has organized workshops and UNIMARC training, which are still held on a regular basis, and it is still following up and collaborating on the development of the format.
The National Library has been involved in international projects including USEMARCON (user controlled generic MARC converter) and it has cooperated in international databases including CERL/RLG.
UNIMARC is really important in Portugal, and even libraries that are acquiring new systems request the UNIMARC format. Therefore UNIMARC is the national format.
4. MARC21 activity in Scotland - Report from Gordon DunsireOrganizations currently using MARC21 in Scotland include the National Library of Scotland (NLS), Strathclyde University, Edinburgh University, the University of the Highlands and Islands Millennium Institute, and the Centre for Digital Library Research (CDLR). Napier University, the Scottish Poetry Library and the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) have commenced migration from UKMARC to MARC21, and expect to complete the process by September 2002.
Several other Higher Education libraries are planning to migrate from UKMARC to MARC21 within the next 1-3 years. A number of public library services, such as Inverclyde Council, are also planning to move to MARC21 from non-MARC metadata formats. This follows advice from SLIC for improving interoperability in the People's Network project for widening access to digital information.
SLIC is also supporting the use of MARC21 for cataloguing digital reproductions through the use of OCLC's CORC service. Several libraries are participating in a pilot project to use CORC for collaborative cataloguing of online resources, including digital reproductions of local history materials created during the NOF-digitise programme. SLIC, CDLR, NLS and Strathclyde University are collaborating on a pilot project to create MARC21 authority records for Scottish names and place names via the NACO programme.
The Co-operative Information Retrieval Network for Scotland (CAIRNS) uses Z39.50 to create a cross-searching service for many of the university and research libraries in Scotland. UKMARC and MARC21 are supported by CAIRNS, which maps data from both to a common display format. The first public library, East Ayrshire, was added to the service in June 2002; this is a non-MARC site, but its Z39.50 server can output data in pseudo-UKMARC format.
There is a growing demand for training and documentation on MARC21 for non-MARC cataloguers, and on migration from UKMARC to MARC21. The Cataloguing and Indexing Group in Scotland (CIGS) has held a series of short seminars on these topics during the past two years, and is planning more. It is also negotiating with commercial suppliers to arrange training sessions in Scotland; potential customers and suppliers have been finding it difficult to synchronize sufficient numbers of trainees to make such sessions worthwhile, although one or two have taken place. CIGS has also made documentation such as standards, local migration notes, and seminar presentations available on the Web.
5. Format activities in Sweden - Report from Gunilla JonssonDuring 2001 the transition from the national format LIBRIS-MARC, which was a UKMARC-like format, to MARC21 was prepared. This preparation involved the conversion of the existing, national union online catalogue, comprising records built during a period of almost 30 years, and it involved an extensive education programme for all the libraries which use the LIBRIS system for cataloguing - more than 200 libraries are connected. All of them, however, do not carry out full-scale cataloguing. In January 2002 the database had been converted, and cataloguing in Voyager, which requires MARC21, was started. One additional field has been designed (249 for original title); otherwise MARC21 is used as it is.
Not surprisingly, a number of conversion errors have been identified, and they are being dealt with according to a priority list. Some, but not all, can be handled automatically. A concise format manual and a complete format manual for cataloguers are finished (August 2003). LC´s format comments should be more comprehensive. One example: it is, in principle, possible to use designators for non-sorting beginning and end, but LC´s comments are silent about it. On the whole, MARC21 is still heavily influenced by the catalogue card format, which consequently influences system solutions.
The much-debated issue of ISBD punctuation must also be mentioned. There are cataloguing systems that generate the proper punctuation based on subfield codes, but it is not feasible for all subfields in 245 or 250. In particular, $b is used for different things, which require different punctuation.
To sum up, the previous format took pretty good care of the need to structure the information for search purposes (not all search purposes, though!), and linking records was easy. As a consequence, identification of the physical objects sometimes suffered. The MARC21 format, however, takes better care of the identification of the physical objects, but the linking is "manual" and has to be achieved in a cumbersome manner. Some duplication of information is also needed to cover searching requirements, which should ideally be achieved in a more elegant manner.
IFLA UNIMARC FORMATS: DEVELOPMENT OF UNIMARC FORMATS - Report from Dr Mirna Willer
UNIMARC is an IFLA standard, which means that it supports all IFLA UBC standards, guidelines, lists etc., as well as relevant ISO standards. It was designed in the mid-1970s based on the experiences gained in designing MARC I, LCMARC, BNB MARC etc., INTERMARC, and the ISO 2709 standard for exchange of bibliographic data. This is important to mention because in designing UNIMARC the experts were free not to follow precedents imposed on the design by national practices, uses and considerations, but to design the format according to the concepts that had their foundations in the new information technology and information theory. Also, the format was designed following the agreed international principles and standard bibliographic description into which national cataloguing rules and practices should fit, while not imposing one over the other. National cultural "flavour" is thus preserved!
The central mission of the Permanent UNIMARC Committee (PUC) in developing and maintaining the UNIMARC suite of formats is to adopt and support the development of particular IFLA, ISO and Internet standards and also to lead research and development in related fields. The formats are: UNIMARC Manual: Bibliographic Format (2nd ed., update 4, 2004); UNIMARC Manual: Authorities Format (2nd ed. 2001); UNIMARC for Classification Format (Worldwide reviewed; to be posted on IFLANET by August 2002); and UNIMARC for Holdings Data: Draft (to be posted on IFLANET for worldwide review in autumn 2002).
The Permanent UNIMARC Committee has based its work on cooperation not only with IFLA's divisions and sections but also with other IFLA experts and non-IFLA organizations, such as ICA, ISSN, ISBN, publishing industry, etc., as well as with CERL, EROMM and INTERPARTY.
BL/UK transition to MARC21 - Report by Dennis Pilling and colleagues
Reason for transition
|overcoming obstacles to collaboration
|strong support and development of MARC21-based systems
|cost of maintaining separate national standards
|local and national level
|availability of derivable catalogue record
|shift to MARC21 by major UK libraries
Steps in the process
|1993 - opening talks with LC
|1995 - consultation in UK
|1997 - progressive convergence strategy
|1999 - UK consultative body - big bang
|2000 - consultation exercise
|2001 - decision to move to MARC21
1. IntroductionAs far back as 1993 the British Library recognized that harmonization of the MARC formats was a desirable goal with many practical advantages. Since then the changing environment, with technological developments and financial constraints, has emphasized the advantages. The current reasons for harmonization in the UK are, in the main:
|costs of maintaining separate national standards - at local and national level
|overcoming obstacles to collaboration - availability of derivable catalogue records
|strong support and development of MARC21-based systems
|shift to MARC21 by major UK libraries
Since the British Library is the body responsible for developing and maintaining the UKMARC format and for data services based on that format, it has been essential that the UK national consultative body, Book Industry Communication Bibliographic Standards Technical Working Group, and the UKMARC user community should be in agreement with any decisions taken by the library in relation to harmonization with, or transition to MARC21.
2. HistoryIn 1993 US libraries did not want the further major change that would have been necessary for full harmonization at that time, for although the US and CANMARC applications were very similar, UKMARC was closer to ISBD, the punctuation by software. Therefore harmonizing formats was put forward as an alternative approach to establish a common platform and consultation with the UK library and information community in 1995 showed that the majority view was in favour of harmonization. Unfortunately an impact assessment in the US revealed a reluctance by bibliographic utilities and systems vendors to undertake the large-scale database conversions required, which they did not feel were warranted by the benefits of a harmonized format.
A further alternative, progressive convergence, was worked out in 1997 and a joint MARC Harmonization Coordinating Committee was formed. Each of the national libraries, BL, LC, and NLC agreed to keep future developments in step, in order to prevent any further divergence. As a result, the British Library began progressively adopting USMARC fields, starting with unique fields that would have little impact on users and working towards the more complex changes that would require systems or database changes by users. The intention was to consult the community at each stage and stop when users felt the process had gone as far as they were prepared to go. In the meantime Canada and the US harmonized their formats to create MARC21.
In 1999, as part of the ongoing dialogue with UKMARC users, the British Library consulted the Book Industry Communication (BIC) Bibliographic Standards Technical Working Group, the UK consultative body, on the next phase of harmonization. The Working Group advised that users might prefer the big-bang approach, given the changed circumstances since the last major consultation, especially the increasing implementation of MARC21-based systems and collaboration with North American bibliographic utilities.
Whilst the result of the major consultation exercise in Autumn 2000 showed that there was still a large minority (30%) that wished to retain the unique features of UKMARC, there was a clear mandate (57%) for adopting MARC21, with only 7% who wanted to keep UKMARC largely unchanged. With this level of support for MARC21, the British Library decided to move to MARC21 and, significantly, without any preconditions.
3. TransitionThe decision to move to MARC21 coincided with the British Library's work on upgrading its corporate bibliographic system. This upgrade will be a MARC21-based integrated library system (ILS), with a planned implementation date of January 2004 and the transition to MARC21 will be made as part of this ILS implementation. Other UK libraries have been moving to MARC21 in increasing numbers over the past five years or more, as they have installed new integrated library systems, which are MARC21-based.
During the consultation exercise, a number of concerns were expressed about how the British Library would implement MARC21, and what practical consequences this might have for UK users of MARC. In order to answer some of the questions raised, and to describe the proposed transition process, the British Library has issued a "White Paper" entitled The MARC21 Format and the UK Library Community - Proposals by the British Library. The following sections give an indication of the issues covered by the proposals.
4. Maintenance of the MARC21 FormatThe maintenance and development of the MARC21 format is to be carried out under a formal agreement between the Library of Congress, the National Library of Canada and the British Library. The agreement, signed in July 2002, establishes the means for the parties to achieve the above purpose by defining:
|roles and responsibilities for format development and revision;
|roles and responsibilities for publication and related activities.
Each library will be responsible for consultation within its national structure and for drafting, reviewing and editing any proposals that result from this consultation. In addition, the Library of Congress consults worldwide for input from MARC21 users.
The British Library will consult with its formal national consultative committee to determine which changes to the format should be formally proposed. It is intended that the BIC (Book Industry Communication) Bibliographic Standards Technical Subgroup, which currently oversees UKMARC development, will adopt this role. The membership of the BIC group will be reviewed, in order to ensure adequate UK stakeholder representation. Any UK user or group of users will be able to propose changes to the format through BIC. New proposals will be passed from BIC to the Library of Congress and then disseminated throughout the MARC21 community worldwide via the MARC forum discussion list. These proposals will be discussed and recommendations made at the biannual open US MARC Advisory Committee meetings, held in the context of the MARBI meetings and at the Canadian Committee on MARC (CCM) meeting. The cycle for consideration of format revision proposals will be twice a year, in January/February and June/July.
5. MARC21 and the UK User CommunityThe annual Standards Forum of CILIP CIG (Cataloguing and Indexing Group) has been established as the platform through which UK users of the MARC21 format can express their views, and constitutes:
|an open forum for discussing and developing proposals and other input to MARBI through the medium of the BIC Bibliographic Standards Technical Subgroup,
|an open forum for reporting and discussing news and developments from the Library of Congress, and progress on the implementation of proposals.
6. Changes by MARC21: New FeaturesThe British Library, in consultation with the BIC Bibliographic Standards Technical Subgroup, submitted a limited set of proposals for consideration to MARBI in 2002. The adoption of MARC21 will inevitably affect cataloguing policy in certain areas. The library is currently in discussion with PCC (Program for Co-operative Cataloguing) over the implementation of LCRIs (Library of Congress Rule Interpretations), and will clarify its position once the discussion process has concluded.
Authority Control StandardsDevelopment of the full potential of the Anglo-American Authority File has been frustrated by the differences between UKMARC and MARC21. The British Library, therefore, intends to adopt USNAF as the standard for authority control of name, title and series headings in conjunction with the transition to MARC21. From the date of implementation of MARC21, BLNAL headings will be deprecated in favour of the equivalent USNAF heading. If there is no equivalent USNAF heading, the BLNAL heading will be contributed to NACO. The Library will seek to align the headings in its bibliographic files with USNAF.
Bibliographic Record StandardsThe British Library will adopt the Program for Co-operative Cataloguing Core Record Standard for Books as the standard for the British National Bibliography. The BNB currently follows the British Library Record Standard which is very similar to the PCC Core Standard.
Content StandardsThe data content of certain fields within BL MARC records will be changing as a result of MARC21 implementation (see the full version of the White Paper).
Bibliographic ProductsIt is the intention of the British Library to continue to make bibliographic data available in UKMARC format from date of implementation for up to three years, depending on demand. When the library implements MARC21, the records will be created according to MARC21 and 'converted out' into UKMARC. The UKMARC format will no longer be maintained or developed following the issue of the final UKMARC Manual Update (8) in February 2003. It is intended that tag 886 (Foreign MARC data) will be added to the UKMARC format to accommodate MARC21 data elements with no corresponding UKMARC equivalent once the British Library's implementation has taken place.
DocumentationThe library does not intend to replicate the core documentation already produced by the Library of Congress.
TrainingSince the British Library does not possess a significant reservoir of MARC21 expertise it will not be able to undertake direct training, but will disseminate free via the web any training materials prepared in connection with its own internal training, and the White Paper contains details of organizations that provide training courses.
Assistance to Systems SuppliersAlthough the British Library is able to convert its own records to MARC21 the library is not able to offer a data conversion service to other libraries. There are often significant differences in the way that individual libraries have used the format, and it would not be feasible to undertake conversions to account for each local variation. However, to assist the smooth transition from UKMARC to MARC, the British Library is making various tools available which are likely to be of particular use to library system suppliers:
|USEMARCON - This is a conversion application for UKMARC to MARC21, and vice-versa, which runs on a PC running Windows or Linux platform and can be downloaded from the USEMARCON web page free of charge.
|UKMARC to MARC21 Conversion Tables - UKMARC to MARC21 Conversion Tables - In order to support the consistent and accurate conversion of UKMARC data to MARC21, the British Library has prepared mapping tables from UKMARC to MARC21 which are available free of charge. Requests for the tables should be made by e-mail to firstname.lastname@example.com.
|Consultancy - In addition to the above tools, the British Library is also able to offer priced consultancy services to systems suppliers in the form of training in the use of USEMARCON and the creation of the required rules.
7. Update on progress - system (ILS) implementation and transition to MARC21 at the British LibrarySeveral strands of the ILS Programme are underway:
Procurement ProjectThis project has reached the stage of selecting the long list from the companies that have expressed an interest in tendering for the supply on an ILS to the Library. The project is currently on schedule to award the contract in December 2002 and to start implementation in January 2003.
Data Preparation ProjectConversion of the main catalogues and indexes to MARC21 is taking place alongside the procurement process and it on schedule to be completed by December 2002. British Library staff, with the support of an external software consultant, is doing this.
The project will be undertaken in three phases.
Phase 1 = Data cleaning and enhancement
Phase 2 = Conversion to MARC21
Phase 3 = Conversion to a common character set (probably Unicode, but dependant on ILS vendor chosen)
Change ProgrammeChange will have two elements: re-engineering of processes to fit an off-the-shelf system, and process change to take advantage of the functionality offered by the new system, not least the process integration and the MARC21 platform. A new post has been created to co-ordinate ILS related change across the Library and to interface this change with other non-ILS related change and demand on resources.
MARC harmonization - change proposalsProposal 2002-14 Changes for UKMARC Alignment was discussed by MARBI. The proposal contained 10 separate provisions of which 9 were accepted, some with amendment. The 10th proposal was tabled and will be returned to MARBI's meeting in January following discussion with BIC BSTS (Bibliographic Standards Technical Subgroup). Despite OCLC's concerns, field 038 Record Content Licensor, requested by British Library and CURL, was approved. Full details of the MARBI meeting are contained in the BL report to BIC BSTS. The BL perception is that there was a desire among MARBI members to accommodate UKMARC proposals. Further evidence of the internationalization of MARC21 was the approval of Proposal 2002-15 from the National Library of Russia.
Conversion tablesThe conversion tables have been completed and are available as a Word file and as a Zip file. Requests for the tables should be made by e-mail to email@example.com
DocumentationRobert Hill, BL Bibliographic Services has completed a guide outlining the differences between UKMARC & MARC21 called "Changing the Record", available at the BL website.
User familiarizationThe British Library, CILIP and BIC ran a series of workshops at a number of venues around the UK in the autumn, including London, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds and Manchester. These concentrated on timing, system replacement & differences in philosophy and structure between UKMARC and MARC21. They were not intended to be cataloguing training courses.
UKMARC to MARC21 migration at SLIC and Napier University - Report by Gordon Dunsire
1. BackgroundThe Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) maintains a catalogue of electronic resources relating to Scottish literature and culture. The same database is used for the catalogue records of the Scottish Poetry Library (SPL). All records are currently in UKMARC format; there are approximately 38. 000 in total. The catalogue of Napier University Learning Information Services (NULIS) is also in UKMARC format, and contains around 200 000 records.
Both catalogues use epixtech's Dynix library management system. SLIC and NULIS have collaborated on catalogue development for several years, and agreed to work together on migrating to MARC21. Because the SLIC database is smaller, and covers a narrower range of resources, it was decided, after discussion with epixtech, to migrate SLIC first, with NULIS following immediately. The migration is not yet completed for either organization, and the schedule has been extended for two months, until the end of July 2003.
2. Preparation for migrationSeveral activities have been carried out to prepare the catalogues for migration. These can be assigned to two categories: those carried out by the libraries to remove known problems; and standard system and data checks carried out by the supplier.
SLIC did not have much to do for its catalogue, because substantial checks on data integrity had been carried out in 2001 when the SPL records were added.
The NULIS catalogue, being much larger, more diverse, and with older records dating from 1987, contained many known problem areas. These included minor data corruption caused by previous migration projects, the presence of several thousand non-MARC records imported during a catalogue merger in 1996, and specific tags and subfields not used by NULIS but attached to MARC records downloaded from utilities and other libraries.
Counts of records affected by each type of problem were carried out using the system's reporting functions. These were used to make decisions on whether to correct the problems prior to migration, use the migration process itself to correct problems, or leave them unresolved. Where counts were low and machine and staff resources available for manual intervention, work programmes were implemented to resolve problems before migration. Some anomalies can be corrected during migration, such as deleting unwanted tag or subfield contents.
The supplier also carried out pre-migration checks. In particular, a list of all tags and subfields used in each catalogue was generated, giving numbers of instances and mappings to indexes and authority files. SLIC and NULIS compared the lists against the UKMARC and MARC21 structures to check for erroneous codings; any problems identified were included in the local preparation activities.
The lists were used by the supplier to ensure that every tag and subfield was represented in a set of test records. NULIS also created a false UKMARC record containing as many tags and subfields, with appropriate content, as possible, so that mappings from UKMARC to MARC21 could be more easily compared.
The British Library did not release the final version of its mapping tables until 1 July 2002, but a draft version became available shortly after the pre-migration activities had begun. The supplier has not conducted a UKMARC to MARC21 migration before, and has therefore had to make several attempts to develop a completely correct mapping of tags and subfields and add the punctuation required by MARC21. This activity is nearly complete for the SLIC catalogue, but will take a little longer for NULIS, which has four times as many tags to map. SLIC is now checking the mapping of authority records, which is not expected to take more than a couple of days.
3. MigrationWhen the full migration is due to proceed, library amendments to the UKMARC catalogue will be suspended. The catalogue will remain available for look-up only. SLIC has purchased a new server, and its database will be migrated onto it; NULIS will use spare capacity on its existing server.
The migration will be carried out and made available to the library for checking. If problems are found, the mappings will be corrected and the full migration repeated. When the library is satisfied, it will carry out appropriate amendments to the display mappings for staff and public catalogue views and test them. When the parallel MARC21 catalogue is ready for use, it will be switched into the live system, and the UKMARC catalogue removed. It is expected that this stage of the process will take at least a week, during which all cataloguing activity will remain suspended. For this reason, university libraries intending to migrate usually arrange schedules so that this disruption occurs during vacation periods. This may result in bottlenecks for the system suppliers.
4. Post-migrationNULIS and SLIC plan to train cataloguing staff in using MARC21 immediately after migration is completed.
Documentation, record templates, and MARC import and export profiles will require appropriate amendment.
External sources of bibliographic records will be reviewed to identify low-cost, quality providers; for example, Library of Congress MARC21 records do not carry any copyright charges.
AcknowledgementsMany thanks to the members of the LIBER MARC Harmonization Task Force and Berthold Weiß, who have done valuable work on this paper. Also many thanks to Caroline Brazier, who was so kind to proofread the text.
The MARC21 Format and the UK Library Community - Proposals by the British Library. http://www.bl.uk/services/bibliographic/marc21paper.html
CAIRNS - Co-operative Information Retrieval Network for Scotland. http://cairns.lib.strath.ac.uk/
CCM - Canadian Committee on MARC. http://webserv.nlc-bnc.ca/marc/s19-203-e.html
CENL - Conference of European National Librarians. http://www.kb.nl/gabriel/about_cenl/
CIGS - Cataloguing and Indexing Group in Scotland. http://www.slainte.org.uk/CIGS/cigshome.htm
CIGS Toolkit. http://www.slainte.org.uk/CIGS/Toolkit/marchome.htm
CILIP - Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals. http://www.cilip.org.uk/
CoBRA - Computerised Bibliographic Record Actions. http://www.bl.uk/gabriel/cobra
DCMI - Dublin Core Metadata Initiative.http://www.dublincore.org/
Die Deutsche Bibliothek. http://www.ddb.de/
ICABS Strategic Plan 2004 - 2005 http://www.ifla.org/VI/7/annual/icabs-sp03-04.pdf
IFLA-CDNL Alliance for Bibliographic Standards (ICABS) http://www.ifla.org/VI/7/icabs.htm
IFLA Permanent UNIMARC Committee (PUC). http://www.ifla.org/VI/3/puc.htm
IFLA UNIMARC Programme (UP) http://www.ifla.org/VI/8/up.htm
JSC - Joint Steering Committee for Revision of Anglo-American Cataloging Rules http://www.nlc-bnc.ca/jsc
LIBER Task Force on MARC Harmonization. http://www.kb.dk/guests/intl/liber/division/taskforce/marc/
MARBI - Machine-Readable Bibliographic Information. http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/marc/marbi.html
MARC Advisory Committee. http://www.lcweb.loc.gov/marc/marcadvz.html
MARC. Library of Congress, Network Development and MARC Standards Office: MARC Standards http://www.loc.gov/marc/
MARC Standards. http://www.loc.gov/marc/
NULIS - Napier University Learning Information Services. http://nulis.napier.ac.uk/
Open Archives Initiative. http://www.openarchives.org/
ONIX - Online Information eXchange. http://malgosia.mit.edu/guides/subjects/metadata/standards/onix.html
PORBASE. http://www.porbase.org/
Program for Co-operative Cataloguing. http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/bibco.html
Program for Co-operative Cataloguing Core Record Standard for Books. http://www.loc.gov/catdir/pcc/bibco/corebook.html
SLIC - Scottish Library and Information Council. http://www.slainte.org.uk/SLIC/
SPL - Scottish Poetry Library. http://www.spl.org.uk/
USEMARCON Plus. http://www.bl.uk/services/bibliographic/usemarcon.html
LIBER Quarterly, Volume 14 (2004), No. 1