NACO-AV Funnel Project

The NACO-AV funnel is a group of libraries that have joined together to contribute authority records for audiovisual materials to the national authority file.

E-Mail Discussion List

Hosted by the University of Akron, NACO-AV is an un-moderated list intended primarily as a forum for announcements and discussion among contributors to the NACO-AV Funnel. All OLAC members are welcome to subscribe to this list. Non-members of OLAC are not allowed to subscribe to the list. David Procházka is the primary list moderator and Peter Lisius is the backup moderator. If you'd like to subscribe, send an automated email message. You should then receive an "Are you sure?" message. From there, just follow the directions.

1. What is a funnel project?

A funnel project is a group of libraries that have joined together to contribute authority records to the national authority file. Often these libraries are working in the same subject area, such as the NACO Music Project, but they may also be regionally based, like the North Dakota Funnel, or format-based, such as NACO-AV. In a funnel project, one institution serves as coordinator (in this case it's Kent State University); LC deals solely with this coordinator who is then responsible for disseminating information to all the funnel participants. It is a mini-NACO project in that it recruits, trains, and reviews just as the Cooperative Cataloging Division at the Library of Congress does for single institution participants.

2. Who may join NACO-AV?

Anyone who catalogs audio-visual materials and has some experience with constructing authority records may be eligible for membership. It is essential to have your institution's support and commitment to the project.

3. Must I use one particular utility?

Yes, you must use OCLC Connexion for review of records.

4. My institution is already a NACO participant. Does that exclude me from joining the NACO-AV funnel project?

Absolutely no! You will be assigned a separate NUC symbol for your NACO-AV contributions. For instance, Kent State University's NUC symbol for its regular NACO work is OKeU. For NACO-AV contributions, the Library of Congress has assigned an additional NUC symbol, OhKeUAV.

5. How do I receive training?

If you already work at a NACO institution and have been contributing headings, training on the specifics of the NACO-AV project could be done off-site. Questions regarding training opportunities can be directed to the OLAC Coordinator, Peter Lisius (plisius@kent.edu).

6. Must I contribute a certain number of records?

No. During your training period, it is helpful to regularly contribute as many records as possible, but quality is much more important than quantity.

7. Will it cost me anything to participate!

No, there are no dues or annual fees. You may need to purchase certain cataloging tools, but most libraries already own these.

8. Must I be an OLAC member to participate?

Yes. If you are not, contact Heather Pretty (hjpretty@mun.ca), OLAC's Membership Coordinator, for information.

9. Do I need to fill out an application or pass a test in order to be considered?

There is not a test, but there is a form you will need to fill out. This provides information on the nature of your collection, what reference tools support this collection, how many people would be contributing headings, and an estimate of how many headings you might be able to contribute.

10. Who do I contact?

If you're interested in becoming a NACO-AV participant or if you need additional information, contact OLAC at olacassociation@gmail.com.

NACO-AV Coordinator:

Vacant

OLAC NACO Funnel Project Participants
Catalogers, NUC Symbols, Institutions