Effective communication protocols

E-mail

General guidelines

When emailing the full Catalogers group, if the intended audience is fewer than 15 libraries, include the affected libraries' NSLS codes in the subject line.

If the intended audience is 5 or fewer libraries, consider emailing only those libraries rather than the full group.

Follow standard listserv etiquette, such as the OLAC-L Netiquette. For example, when forwarding or replying to a message, trim down the original post or quote appropriate passages.

Whom to contact when

Catalogers (for general announcements, discussion, record merges/splits, etc.)

cats@lists.ccslib.org

SCRAP committee (for policy questions, suggestions, etc.)

scrap@lists.ccslib.org

Specific library technical services departments (for issues affecting 5 or fewer libraries)

xxxtech@ccslib.org, using the old NSLS codes (e.g., alktech@ccslib.org)

A specific person

Use that person's individual email address. (List not maintained on this wiki.)

Forward vs reply vs reply all

• Forward requires you to specify your recipient.
• Reply replies to the original sender or the entire list.
• Reply all replies to the sender and all of the recipients, including CC: and BCC: recipients.

Checking items

When an existing record must be split up, especially when ISBNs need to be removed from an existing bibliographic record, or when there is some question as to whether the libraries all own the same thing, send an e-mail to the Catalogers describing the situation and begin the subject with VERIFY:, so that those libraries can check their holdings and decide to which record their copies should be attached.

As with other correspondence, when fewer than 15 libraries are attached to the affected record(s), also include the libraries' codes in the subject line. When 5 or fewer libraries are affected, consider emailing only those libraries.