1. Committee Membership
There is an active expression of interest for ACORD membership. ACORD is seeking representation from public libraries. Applicants should be willing to commit to a three-year term and be able to attend regular meetings and actively contribute to the work of ACORD. The EOI will close 1 November 2026.
The updated Terms of Reference is with ALIA to be confirmed.
Sara Davidsson has announced she will be on leave in 2027, which brings her to the end of her term in 2028. ACORD wishes her all the best for the future and thanks her for her commitment, especially this year stepping up as Acting Secretary. Lisa Maclean is due to return to this role in November.
2. Future Plans
Members reflected on the changing dynamic in the cataloguing space since ACORD’s inception, the future of the group, and its ongoing role in the community. There was a recognition that whilst there are several groups across the country with the knowledge and experience to discuss changes and challenges, Australia is lacking a centralised group or forum of decison-makers. This is an ongoing conversation, and one that requires framing and discussion beyond ACORD.
Round-up of Community of Practice and Project updates:
- Australian Subject Access Project (ASAP) – The interim report on the survey results is in process. Once complete, it will go to the steering committee for review, before it is shared with the community.
- Reparative Description CoP – This month, Cath Ferguson presented on the schools context. The last meeting for the year in December will be a show and tell of cool news from the community. In February 2027, Rose Barrowcliffe from Macquarie University will be the guest speaker, topic to be confirmed.
- NSLA RDA Project – The project is on track to finish on schedule. Plain language guidance documents will be available to members.
- Schools Cataloguing CoP – The August catch-up on genrefication had a very good turnout, with the three-member panel showing different perspectives received positively. This week, the focus will switch to school archives.
- ORDAC – There are five proposals with the RDA Steering Committee, all of which ORDAC supports. There were three webinars this month on Official RDA Metadata Application Profiles. The webinar recordings will be made available on the RDA Toolkit YouTube channel.