# Presentation: 187369

## Practical Aspects of Managing a Standard, a Registry, ...  Global Digital Format Registry (GDFR) Governance WorkshopNovember 14-15, 2007

**Sally H. McCallum**
**Library of Congress**
**smcc@loc.gov**

## Contents

**Factors and Goals**
**PREMIS Maintenance Activity**
**Maintenance activities**
**Maintenance groups**
**Other similar standards**
**Commonalities**
**ISSN Maintenance Activity**
**ISSN International Center**
**ISSN National Centers **
**Other identifier standards**
**Yard stick for national centers**

## General Factors and Goals

**Factors**
**Users / audience**
**Complexity of the operation**
**Business case**
**History of the operation**
**Goals**
**Broad, responsible participation**
**Thorough consideration of changes**
**Open process**
**Stability**

## PREMIS maintenance activities

**Permanent web site for the standard and related items**
**Center for all standard-related information, announcements, resources**
**Provide communication among implementers through listservs, etc.**
**Coordinate future revisions**
**Promote**

## PREMIS maintenance groups 

**Managing Agency**
**Web, inquiries, discussion lists, help raise development funds – work with Editorial Committee**
**Editorial Committee**
**10 members, rotating; 5 members not from North America**
**Set directions and priorities**
**Coordinate and approve future revisions**
**Promote and explain through articles, answering questions, participating in workshops**
**PREMIS Implementers Group**
**Open, via listserv**
**Provide broader perspective**

## A few other standards

**EAD – Managing agency is SAA with LC as official home**
**METS – Editorial Board assumes managing role with LC as official home**
**SRU – LC assumes larger coordinating role along with official home**
**MODS – **
**Thus far managed by LC through listserv discussion**
**In process of forming Editorial Committee along PREMIS lines**

## Commonalities

**Providing and listening to a listserv (or similar open communication) is key to having broad and global participation**
**These are all “open source” in that LC and the community volunteer resources**
**A stable managing agency is needed to keep things going in these times**
**With international participation, teleconferencing essential**

## ISSN maintenance groups

**International Center**
**Manages and coordinates the “ISSN Network”**
**General Assembly**
**All National Centers (currently 83) **
**Meets biennially, elects Governing Board**
**Governing Board****	**
**10 members**
**Makes decisions for the Network**
**Meets annually**

## ISSN International Center

**Promotes application and awareness**
**Compiles union database of records for world’s serial publications**
**Authorizes and monitors national agencies**
**Serves as standards authority**
**Funding**
**Assessment from all National Centers**
**French government and UNESCO funds**
**Sell database services**

## ISSN National Centers

**Assigns numbers**
**Compiles national (or regional) list of assignments, with metadata and supplies to International Center**
**Promotes**
**Funding**
**Do not charge for assignments**
**Supported by hosting institution**

## Issues for ISSN operation

**Fees to International center can be high**
**GNP-based**
**Non-payment a constant problem**
**Non-performance by National Centers**
**Difficulty in asserting control and criticizing**
**Face-to-face meeting travel costs **
**Annually for Governing Board and for Directors of National Centers**
**Biennial meeting of General Assembly**
**Size of Network – currently 83 National Centers**
**Control and consistency of operations across National Centers**

## A few other identifiers

**Manifestation / stock identifiers**
**ISBN (books)**
**ISSN (serials)**
**ISMN (notated music)**
**ISRC (audio & video recordings)**
**Work / rights identifiers**
**ISWC (musical works)**
**ISAN (audiovisual works)**
**ISTC (text works)**
**Commonalities – charging, international centers, national centers**

## Yard stick for national centers?

**Legal entity, stable, IT equipment, technical staff, funding available**
**XX years commitment**
**International and national stature**
**Language requirement**
**Supply reports to international**
**Maintain database of assignments**
**Provide advice and assistance to users**

## Thank you!

**Questions?**