CHAIR'S REPORT (Click here for the PowerPoint version)

Abraham Yu, Chair of the Users Group summarized the major developments and activities during the past year:

1. The OCLC CJK Users Group's Web site was fully established with all information regarding the Group's activity, membership applications, and links to the OCLC CJK Web page.

2. The OCLC CJK Users Group worked closely with OCLC with regard to the new pricing structure and software distribution of the CJK software. The OCLC Access Suite incorporated CJK software without additional charge on usage. This major adjustment would attract more libraries to use the OCLC CJK software for cataloging Chinese, Japanese, and Korean materials.

3. The membership of the OCLC CJK Users Group was growing steadily. The OCLC CJK Users Group's forum is open to OCLC CJK users and all who were interested in participating.

4. The OCLC CJK Users Group would pursue more opportunities for dialogue with RLG CJK users. However, the RLG East Asian Librarians Forum is currently open only to RLG CJK users. Hideyuki Morimoto was liaison to the RLG East Asian Librarians Forum.

5. The Program Committee prioritized the Chinese, Japanese, and Korean studies electronic datafiles with annotations for potential loading onto OCLC as part of OCLC's Electronic Collections Online Service.

6. The proposed Bylaws amendment for ARTICLE III--MEMBERSHIP was approved by over two-thirds of the Users Group members in December 1997. The purpose of the amendment is to clarify the relationship and roles between OCLC and the Users Group. This article now reads: Membership in the Group shall be open to all individuals and institutions that support the objectives of the Group. OCLC staff shall be Associate Members without voting privileges, and shall be ineligible to stand for election as the Group officers.

7. OCLC conducted an invitational meeting to a group of potential OCLC CJK users on December 5, 1997 at OCLC Pacific Headquarters in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Ms. Hisako Kotaka introduced OCLC CJK programs and Abraham Yu introduced the Users Group objective, membership, and activities.

Abraham Yu, Chair of the Users Group presented a plaque to Mr. Eugene Wu, retired Librarian of Harvard-Yenching Library and founding Chair of the Users Group to commemorate his retirement and lifelong achievement (see APPENDIX). Mr. Gary Houk, Vice President, OCLC Services also presented a special plaque to Mr. Eugene Wu to honor his dedication and contributions to OCLC CJK Users Group activities. Mr. Wu accepted the plaques and thanked the Users Group and OCLC for honoring his retirement. Mr. Wu explained the history of setting up the Users Group and congratulated the current Chair Mr. Yu's leadership. Mr. Wu wished the Users Group to work more closely in the future with OCLC for the benefit of the field as a whole.

Hideyuki Morimoto, Chair of the Program Committee, reported what was discussed at the RLG East Asian Librarians Forum. Issues included the methodology and implementation of the Pinyin conversion on LC and other CJK libraries' Chinese records, archival cataloging for East Asian materials, and survey of retrospective conversion. Also reported were LC's grey literature project and usability of TRC records loaded in RLIN.

PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETING

Program Committee meeting opened by Mr. Morimoto's general report on what initiatives had been taken in the previous year. The new initiative list was complied, including but not limited to cataloging issues and more attempts at international collaboration.

Wen-ling Liu of Indiana University, Amy Tsiang of UCLA and Meng-fen Su of Harvard-Yenching Library reported on the cooperative analytics project. A list of set titles was distributed to the general audience for reference. UCLA completed its retrospective conversion and Harvard Yenching was making smooth progress on its retrospective conversion project. Both projects contributed significant numbers of records to the WorldCat database. The resulting increase in shared resources was greatly appreciated.

Chung-ming Lung of University of Virginia presented "East Asian Text Digitization Project" which digitized all three hundred T'ang poems; and a searchable database is in place open to the public. The project could be found at the following URL: http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/chinese/index.html and more (Hong Lou Meng and Shi Jing) to be finished in the near future.

Marty Withrow, Director, Technical Services Department of OCLC reported on OCLC's plan for switching to Unicode and its impact on CJK users. The core of coding in WorldCat would remain in EACC, but the MARC record display on Windows NT, the OCLC CJK 3.0 default operating system, would be Unicode based.

Yu-Lan Chou of U.C. Berkeley reported on the new initiatives project and conducted discussion with the group at large. The new initiatives project includes:

1. CJK analytics record purchase arrangement request;
2. OCLC CJK software for Macintosh;
3. Enhancement of LC's encoding level 7 records and LC's full-level Roman-only records for     CJK titles;
4. CJK character display within OCLC ILL module;
5. Inclusion in OCLC CJK 3.0 of Semi-automated authority record generation program;     automated transliteration;
6. CJK record contribution to FirstSearch Union List of Serials; and
7. Loading foreign national/non-national CJK MARC records into OCLC WorldCat.

OCLC REPORTS

Mr. Houk briefed the Group on OCLC and international activities. Twelve libraries became new CJK users in 1997 and a total of sixty-one libraries were using OCLC's Online CJK Services. Among the highlights of OCLC's market share in Asia Pacific, as of 1997, a total of 787 libraries were using OCLC products and services. One hundred thirty-eight libraries were added in 1997. The database made remarkable growth owing to several recon projects and University of Queensland, Australia's load. OCLC had 1,555,347 total records in the CJK database as of January, 1998. WorldCat enrichment projects such as the WINE MARC and Kino MARC were in planning to begin soon. OCLC had changed the CJK software pricing structure to incorporate it into the Access Suite at no additional charge to the CJK software. This notable change would bring in more new CJK users to help libraries on CJK cataloging. The OCLC CJK 3.0 development was underway. A demonstration version was available at the Exhibit for review. A field test would be conducted later in 1998 and the product version would be released after the completion of the field test and necessary software modifications.

Marty Withrow, Director, Technical Services Development of OCLC gave the development update on OCLC CJK 3.0. The primary features included: local batch processing, Unicode display, Pinyin to Wade Giles Conversion and the phrase book design. The CJK 3.0 would bundle with the CJK Z39.50 client for searching local systems via Z39.50 to display/print CJK records. The CJK Z39.50 would provide both MARC and non-MARC bibliographic records display. OCLC would accept field test applications and the new software would be released in late Fall, 1998.

Shirley Hyatt of OCLC reported on the "OCLC Access Services Directions." CJK libraries needed to make the necessary preparations in hardware/software upgrades as well as telecommunications in moving towards CJK 3.0. CJK libraries were encouraged to work with the local library system office to make the migration plan as early as possible to ensure accessibility. OCLC was offering a workstation replacement program with $750.00 credit per unit incentive.

Hisako Kotaka of OCLC announced the OCLC CJK 2.11 was made available in January, 1998. CJK 2.11 had been packaged as part of the OCLC Access Suite CD. For Windows NT users, users could download two files (SetNT.exe and cjk.rdme.txt) to use CJK 2.11. The CJK 3.0 implementation plan would be available in the 4th quarter of year 1998. Six to eight libraries would be selected for the field test in late summer 1998. OCLC would work with OCLC Regional Network offices for CJK software marketing and promotion. CJK promotional meetings were also planned. Ms. Kotaka explained to the audience that after the CJK software distribution method had been adjusted to be part of the OCLC Access Suite, it was no longer possible to track which library was using the software.

Cynthia Whitacre, Manager of the Technical Processing Department, OCLC, reported that AsiaLink moved its operation from San Jose to Dublin, Ohio since the division became part of the Technical Processing Department in October, 1997. The new supervisor was Ms. Bing Yu and the division hired new staff members who specialized in each language. Ms. Whitacre introduced AsiaLink's services of collection development and customized cataloging. A list of AsiaLink current projects partner libraries was provided. Ms. Whitacre talked about the CJK RetroCon services and current projects undertaken for Harvard-Yenching Library, University of Washington, Connecticut College and U.C. Berkeley. Regarding the DLC Record enhancement, Ms. Bing Yu was the current contact. Staff in TechPro and AsiaLink would do the upgrading.

Respectfully submitted,

28 March 1998

Dear Mr. Eugene Wu:

Following your retirement this past December from Harvard-Yenching Library, the OCLC CJK Users Group hereby expresses a deep debt of gratitude for all your contributions to the establishment and nourishment of this Group. While your professional dedication evidently extended over all aspects of East Asian studies library services, the Group believes that the distinguished leadership role that you have played for the Group should merit its clear recognition for all your contributions. Back in 1991 when no formal mechanism other than each OCLC CJK user institution's direct communication with OCLC CJK Offices existed, you initiated the establishment of our Users Group for the benefit of OCLC CJK users community and OCLC as well.

Through your exemplary devotion throughout your term as Founding Chair of the Executive Board and through your timely as well as strong support extended to the succeeding Board members of the Group afterwards, the Group has been functioning effectively in fulfilling the mission identified in the Users Group objectives section of the Bylaws.

We will truly miss your indispensable leadership and readily-accessible advice. The Users Group will do our best to follow suit and further expand the path that you have generously laid out for us. The Executive Board members, on behalf of the Users Group, hereby co-sign this letter in recognition of your innumerable and epoch-making contributions to the Group's establishment and growth. Group members as a whole wish to present this small token of our deep appreciation for what you have given to us.

Availing ourselves of this opportunity to renew to you an expression of our highest consideration, we remain,

Very truly yours,

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Abraham J. Yu                   Scott Eddy Harrison                    Yu-lan Chou
 

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Hideyuki Morimoto           Joy Kim                                       Hsi-chu Bolick

OCLC CJK Users Group Executive Board