Describes the work in progress toward an international machine-readable cataloging system and discusses the problems remaining. (Author)

In order to facilitate the international exchange of machine-readable bibliographic descriptions, the International Federation of Library Associations Working Group on Content Designators was organized in 1973 to arrive at a standard means of identifying data elements or providing additional information about a data element. In three meetings the…

Before attempting to standardize content designators for the international exchange of bibliographic data in machine-readable form, it is necessary to agree on certain basic points. Described are obstacles to international interchange of bibliographic data, scope of concern, and definition of terms in the concept of content designators. (9…