This post was contributed by Cynthia Whitacre, Senior Metadata Operations Manager.
Please join me in welcoming both Kate James and Morris Levy to the OCLC Membership and Research Division. They both joined the Metadata Policy team within the past year and are welcome additions to our staff.
Kate previously worked as a Senior Cataloging Policy Specialist at the Library of Congress in addition to designing and serving as the instructor for the RDA Lab Series webinars for the American Library Association. Kate’s deep knowledge of RDA is a major asset for OCLC. She fields questions about the application of RDA by our cataloging members with ease. Kate also brings years of experience as a rare books and manuscripts cataloger to OCLC; that has proved useful in answering questions and presenting at our Virtual AskQC Office Hours. Kate’s position title is Metadata Engagement Program Coordinator. She is the OCLC liaison to the PCC Standing Committee on Training and is OCLC’s CC:DA representative. She is assuring that all OCLC staff engagement in cataloging community groups and activities is visible and coordinated within OCLC.
Kate has a Bachelor’s Degree in Classics from Georgetown University in addition to her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University.
Morris Levy came to OCLC from The Ohio State University where he served as head of the cataloging department for 5 years. He previously worked at both Northwestern University and at Harvard University as a music cataloger. The current knowledge of academic/research library cataloging environments that Morris brings is already being called on by his OCLC colleagues. Morris’s position at OCLC is Consulting Database Specialist. He is the OCLC liaison to the PCC Standing Committee on Standards as well as OCLC’s liaison to MOUG and the MLA Cataloging and Metadata Committee.
Morris has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music History and Theory from Oberlin College, a Master of Arts Degree in Folklore from Indiana University, and a Master of Science Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois.
Both Morris and Kate have joined our OCLC cross-divisional metadata quality team to answer cataloging policy questions directed to askqc@oclc.org and to aid in producing and presenting our Virtual AskQC Office Hours and Cataloging Community meetings. Both contribute to the continuous updating of Bibliographic Formats and Standards and contribute to improving and enhancing the quality of WorldCat (bibliographic and authority records).
Merrilee Proffitt is Senior Manager for the OCLC RLP. She provides community development skills and expert support to institutions within the OCLC Research Library Partnership.