Final Report on Pinyin Conversion by the CEAL Pinyin Liaison Group

Journal of East Asian Libraries Volume 2000 Number 121 Article 8 6-1-2000 Final Report on Pinyin Conversion by the CEAL Pinyin Liaison Group Susie Cheng Yu-lan Chou Guo-qing Li James Lin Amy Tsiang See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Cheng, Susie; Chou, Yu-lan; Li, Guo-qing; Lin, James; Tsiang, Amy; and Zhou, Peter (2000) "Final Report on Pinyin Conversion by the CEAL Pinyin Liaison Group," Journal of East Asian Libraries: Vol. 2000 : No. 121, Article 8. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal/vol2000/iss121/8 This Report is brought to you for free and open access by the All Journals at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of East Asian Libraries by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact scholarsarchive@byu.edu, ellen_amatangelo@byu.edu.

Final Report on Pinyin Conversion by the CEAL Pinyin Liaison Group Authors Susie Cheng, Yu-lan Chou, Guo-qing Li, James Lin, Amy Tsiang, and Peter Zhou This report is available in Journal of East Asian Libraries: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/jeal/vol2000/iss121/8

FINAL REPORT PINYIN conversion PINYIN LIAISON GROUP COUNCIL EAST ASIAN LIBRARIES CEAL march 2000 yulan ian susie cheng university hawaii lan chou university california berkeley guo qing li ohio state university guoqing james lin harvard university amy tsiang UCLA peter zhou chair university pittsburgh preamble nearly half century libraries north america using wade giles romanization materials 1997 library congress LQ LC announced switch pinyin pincin romanization chinese cataloging authority records pinyin pincin cataloging chinese language decision romanization scheme widely used governments educational institutions commercial publishers news media western world transliterating chinese scripts pinyin pincin conversion now scheduled occur 2000 bring systematic changes millions records both those chinese those languages headings notes title added entries wade giles single largest conversion romanization systems history american libraries date report discusses issues related change pinyin pincin north american libraries recommends necessary steps libraries should take adopt use pinyin pincin convert cataloging records following LCs lead document public domain free copyright restrictions therefore encourage CEAL members adapt report change own planning 21 document local deliberations pinyin pincin conversion 23

table contents 1I history current status pinyin pincin conversion 1 use romanization chinese scripts anglo american cataloging 2 planning pinyin pincin conversion 3 recommended timeline CEAL libraries 11 II options CEAL libraries analyses local conversion needs 1 conversion options using national utilities 2 name authority records 3 pinyin pincin marker 4 prerequisites day 1 5 split files 6 conversion non chinese records non standard chinese romanization forms 7 implementation pinyin pincin conversion 8 implications public services CEAL libraries appendix major pinyin pincin conversion tools documentation 1I history current status pinyin pincin conversion 1 romanization chinese scripts anglo american cataloging before 1957 set rules cataloging chinese language materials anglo american cataloging different libraries varied widely respect pattern choice language bibliographic description subject analysis use wade giles standard romanization scheme american cataloging practice initiated february 1958 library congress began catalog chinese materials wade giles following publication 1957 preliminary rules manual cataloging chinese japanese korean materials 1 while wade giles became standard romanization chinese scripts north american cataloging 1958 china promulgated pinyin pincin romanization scheme own standard womanizing romanizing chinese same year soon new scheme publicized british library started use pinyin pincin bibliographic control chinese language materials 2 ever since introduction pinyin pincin gradually adopted international community standard chinese romanization system library congress LC first proposed conversion wade giles system pinyin pincin 1979 conversion take place 1980 coincide LCs introduction computerized cataloging chinese materiais3 materials3 3 plan failed gamer garner sufficient support east asian library community given again 199091 91 LC publicly explored issue sought feedback library community though considerable support strong concerns varying standards word division pinyin pincin lack computer programs conversion online records again defeated LCs proposal4 proposals 4 1996 national library 24

australia developed conversion program automatically converted 500000 chinese records wade giles pinyin pincin influenced library congress east asian library community again explore possibility converting chinese standard november 1997 LC announced year 2000 begin using pinyin pincin new standard romanization scheme cataloging chinese materials same time convert existing wade giles machine readable cataloging pinyin pincin related authority records east asian library community endorsed LCs decision may 1997 council east asian libraries CEAL already formed taskforce investigate feasibility adopting pinyin pincin standard chinese romanization system use north american libraries final report CEAL taskforce Taskforce supported library congress plan convert pinyin program pincin romanization recommending carried careful look impact change present national local databases future additions information individual libraries user access information 5 may 1998 CEAL appointed pinyin pincin liaison group succeed taskforce Taskforce represent CEAL deliberations LC RLG OCLC matters related implementation pinyin pincin conversion north american libraries 2 planning pinyin pincin conversion since november 1997 announcement LC issued pinyin pincin romanization guidelines new classification schedules developed conversion ti meline cooperation RLG OCLC june 29 1999 RLG held forum discuss pinyin pincin conversion representatives LC OCLC CEAL senior library administrators eight research libraries large chinese collections panelists discussed RLGs OCLCs plans conversion LC romanization guidelines sequence conversion implications local systems october 7 1999 harvard university organized meeting library congress representatives LC OCLC RLG CEAL selected libraries large chinese collections during meeting representatives these institutions reached agreement conversion timeline LC RLG OCLC individual libraries follow discussed various conversion options name authority records NARs issues related local systems january 16 2000 RLG held another forum pinyin pincin conversion forum participants discussed RLG OCLC conversion services conversion non chinese records miscellaneous issues related implementation pinyin pincin conversion latter included especially how mark bibliographic authority records processed through pinyin pincin conversion 25

following key assumptions emerged these planning discussions libraries north america start use pinyin pincin day 1 october 1 2000 creating cataloging acquisitions records chinese materials use pinyin pincin cataloging implemented phases creation new bibliographic authority records pinyin pincin begin day 1 followed copy cataloging pinyin pincin sometime within following six months cataloging copy shows pinyin pincin each library decide own starting date copy cataloging pinyin pincin day 2 should later april 1 2001 provides interim period wherein library continue do copy cataloging wade giles records RLIN RUN OCLC while those databases being converted conversion wade giles chinese records RLG OCLC union catalogs expected completed april 1 2001 conversion wade giles chinese records individual libraries OPACs expected completed october 1 2001 year initial switch pinyin pincin standard conversion across board including chinese records bibliographic utilities local files conversion change current wade giles headings pinyin pincin records non chinese libraries rely national utilities do conversion national utilities decide pricing structure conversion services conversion NARs OCLC precede couple months conversion bibliographic records RLG NARs need changed converted before october 1 2000 during conversion period oct 1 2000 oct 1 2001 pinyin pincin marker 987 field bibliographic records 00807 field NARs used bibliographic records name authority records created pinyin pincin converted pinyin pincin marked further review different libraries convert records different times LC being first convert records RLG next convert libraries large chinese larae laroe tl collections while OCLC convert newest records first work backwards during beginning phase conversion RLG focus conversion LC bibliographic records while OCLC focus NARs OCLC initiate conversion bibliographic records worldcat WorldCat october 2000 well 26

0 use pinyin pincin related conversion projects follow LCs new chinese romanization guidelines well LCs new cataloging policies classification schedules according coordinated timeline pinyin pincin conversion project httphlcwebloc httplcweblocgovcatdirpinvintimelinehtml zovcatdirpinyintimelinehtml LCs converted pinyin pincin records begin appear bibliographic utilities prior day I 1 october 1 2000 pincin records created library congress libraries while accepting pinyin encouraged adopt pinyin pincin system either original copy cataloging chinese materials prior october 1 2000 recommended libraries use converted pinyin pincin NARs bibliographic records prior october 1 exception chinese conventional place names already established pinyin pincin library congress special project 1999 0 conversion specifications developed library congress consultation RLG OCLC made available libraries prior october 12000 0 OCLC RLG use same specifications developed LC resulting conversion authority bibliographic records same due differing database record structures however conversion programs policies may differ respects libraries should consult national utilities regarding concerns related conversion specifications implementation meline Ti 3 recommended timeline timaline CEAL libraries january 12000 LC national utilities decide pinyin pincin marker OCLC RLG define conversion options services april 12000 CEAL libraries deliberate budget conversion options CEAL libraries begin internal preparation day 1 october 1 2000 day 1 occurs official starting date pinyin pincin LC uses pinyin pincin romanization cataloging CEAL libraries use pinyin pincin romanization original cataloging new acquisitions process records converted LC bibliographic records distributed NARs converted OCLC distributed LC 27

april 12001 conversion OCLC RLG files completed day 2 reached libraries cataloging done pinyin pincin started doing copy cataloging pinyin pincin libraries Pin yin libraries implement day 2 earlier later april 1 2001 depending own situations OCLC RLG ready release snapshots individual libraries may happen sooner individual libraries convert local machine catalogs pinyin pincin libraries start conversion earlier date post conversion cleanup work begins national utilities individual libraries whose OPACs converted though libraries may begin much earlier october 1 2001 day 3 occurs libraries cease using pinyin pincin markers conversion individual libraries OPACs completed 11 II options CEAL libraries analyses local conversion needs 1 conversion options utilizing national bibliographic utilities CEAL libraries following options conversion national utilities OCLC services option 1 conversion based librarys Librarys local database under option individual library sends file MARC records local system OCLC conversion conversion may limited specific fields bibliographic records final decision made OCLC writing library then replaces existing records converted local records returned OCLC option 2 conversion based library archive records under option OCLC creates file librarys archive records converts them pinyin pincin note librarys local system reflected library then replaces editing done current records converted archive records supplied OCLC option 3 delivery new copies converted master records under option OCLC delivers copies converted master records librarys holdings symbol attached editing done during previous uses record librarys local system included library then replaces current records OCLCs pinyin pincin converted master records 28

authority records time conversion OCLC optionally provide copy converted national authority file records associated headings these bibliographic records convert authority records extracted librarys own database batch loaded records batch loading software modified incoming records converted RLG services conversion records RLGs union catalog RLIN libraries chinese language records RLG union catalog converted october 2000 april 2001 timeframe RLG first convert clusters contain LC records followed conversion clusters containing records individual libraries beginning largest chinese collections library order snapshot converted records soon conversion records completed RLG add current pinyin pincin conversion status page RLG web site indicating libraries records completely converted ones process conversion batch loaded records RLG convert chinese language records wade giles batch loaded october 1 2000 providing source library identifies file contains chinese language records requiring conversion library request copy these converted records loaded libraries handle post conversion catalog maintenance cleanup themselves although bibliographic utilities provide help catalog maintenance responsibility post conversion maintenance wholly responsibility each individual library retrospective conversion projects already underway may continue wade giles both OCLC RLG convert these records pinyin pincin day 2 part batch loading programs therefore libraries need concerned being able complete retrospective conversion before day 1 OCLC modify batch load software convert incoming bibliographic records modify services authority control suite bibliographic record notification reflect needs pinyin pincin conversion RLG provide files changed headings sorted frequency appearance bibliographic records guide updates authority records 2 name authority records NARs OCLC complete conversion NARs before day 1 part pinyin pincin conversion programs LC compile data dictionary headings should convert sufficient interest LCs cataloging distribution service distribute file converted NARs converted NARs included daily NACO distribution CEAL libraries should feel free use chinese conventional place names already established pinyin pincin national authority file even wade 29

giles records these forms specifically accounted conversion programs among chinese conventional place names established library congress pinyin pincin two name headings identified being susceptible double conversion these teng xian man shandong shardong Shan sheng china pi xian man jiangsu Jiangsu shengf saengf china chinese HA lael H tra bra TFAsr these headings should double checked lall bibliographic records NARs converted ECs bibliographic records NARs due conversion timeline LCs converted before day 1 double conversion NARs best avoided taking great care how changes wade giles records LCs converted headings begin appear name authority file advisable CEAL libraries use LC converted personal corporate name headings wade giles records until records converted pinyin pincin way risk double conversion reduced perfectly safe use LCs converted headings bibliographic records include pinyin pincin marker field 987 coded indicate record either created converted pinyin pincin currently LC formulating plans moratorium creating changing authority records wade giles romanization LC issue guidelines NACOBIBCO libraries help them minimize risk double conversion 3 pinyin pincin marker CEAL libraries begin catalog pinyin pincin implement pinyin pincin marker 987 field bibliographic records 00807 field name authority records records converted bibliographic utilities include pinyin pincin marker fields indicate conversion status see instructions pinyin pincin marker item 6 appendix 4 prerequisites day I1 5 split files LC complete changes subject headings classification schedules LC utilities conduct thorough tests conversion specifications accuracy notify libraries final specifications while CEAL libraries create new records pinyin pincin day 1 period estimated six months during bibliographic utilities contain mixture wade giles pinyin pincin records during period ease work copy cataloging libraries may choose accept mix records pinyin prior total conversion day 1 libraries should immediately begin prepare day 2 date do cataloging pinyin pincin period split files before conversion librarys records complete libraries should make sure pinyin pincin record created adopted pinyin pincin marker properly inserted pincin wade giles addition libraries keep wade giles records 30

noteworthy currently already records pinyin pincin headings national local databases without pinyin pincin marker attached occurrences should minimized OCLC RLG should complete conversion entire databases chinese records april 1 2001 6 conversion non chinese records nonstandard chinese romanization forms OCLC scan entire database wade giles headings non chinese records wade giles name headings non chinese language records converted pinyin pincin OCLC chinese bibliographic records converted changed records distributed member libraries chosen conversion option 3 described above nonstandard chinese romanization forms ignored during database scan nonstandard romanization forms converted manually necessary RLG may schedule conversion wade giles strings japanese korean language records records chinese listed 041 field completing conversion chinese language records RLG union catalog part 20002001 2001 project currently underway CEAL member libraries conversion name headings wade giles pinyin pincin non chinese records mostly local task libraries using OCLC services should make certain changed non chinese records distributed OCLC properly replace equivalent local records own databases libraries using RLG services encouraged contact RLG regarding how convert non chinese records part ofrlgs RLGs announced 20002001 2001 conversion project 7 implementation pinyin pincin conversion CEAL libraries libraries should start plan implementation pinyin pincin conversion immediately should include deliberations budget implications conversion options systems implications use pinyin pincin markers name authority records cataloging workflow procedures use new cataloging schedules necessary each CEAL library request parent library set taskforce representatives chinese collection cataloging units librarys central cataloging department information systems relevant personnel imperative CEAL libraries begin communicate national utilities regarding conversion services staff training user education critical success pinyin pincin conversion cataloging acquisitions staff involved processing chinese language materials need trained new pinyin pincin romanization scheme LCs new subject headings classification schedules 31

8 implications public services library users need informed conversion provided proper search guides special attention should given word division pinyin pincin standard being implemented differs somewhat what may familiar users user education especially critical during period two romanization forms coexist catalogs networks efforts should made direct users how search materials split files between october 1 2000 october 1 2001 libraries need prepare proper users guides relevant handouts assist users search converted local OPAC pinyin relabeling pincin conversion necessitate labeling current chinese periodicals back files materials shelved alphabetically title serials relabeling projects should coordinated conversion associated records pinyin pincin 32

appendix major pinyin pincin conversion tools documentation pincin conversion timeline httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyintimelinehtml httphlcwebloc govcatdirpinyintimelinehtmi 1 LCs pinyin 2 LCs new chinese romanization guidelines httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinromcoverhtml httphlcweblocgovcatdiuinyinromcoverhtml 3 classification schedules chinese literary authors httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinauthorsl949html httpicweblocgovcatdirpinyinauthorsl949htmi httpicweblocgovcatdirpinyinauthors2oo httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinauthors2001 html heml 4 classification schedule changes chinese conventional place names httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinclass6html hlcweb loc goic sa s6 html heml 5 conventional chinese place names loc govcatdirpinyinplacefaqhtml httpicweb httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinplacefaqhtml 6 pinyin pincin markers httplcweblocgovmarcpinyinhtml httphlcwebloceovmarepinyinhtmi httphlcweblocovcatdirpinylnauthoritieshtmi httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinauthoritieshtml 7 LCs announcement pinyin pincin conversion project httpicweb loc govcatdirpinyinannounce html heml httplcweblocgovcatdirpinyinannouncehtml works consulted 1 cataloging service bulletin 42 tinyin Tinyin possible approaches cataloging automation prepared collections services library conaress contress committee east asian libraries bulletin 90 june 1990 p 5662 62 2 gln gin pinyin tinkin Pin Con congress oress 3 LC information bulletin vol 38 26 june 29 1979 4 library congress position use pinyin pincin romanization committee east asian libraries bulletin 92 february 1991 p 32 5 summary report CEAL task force review possible change wade giles pinyin pincin romanization system journal east asian libraries 115 june 1998 p40 44 33