Welcome to the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) Entity Management Cooperative (EMCO) Early Adopters Phase (EAP)! This space aims to help EAP participants get started. 

There will be two virtual kick-off meetings on February 18 and February 20, 2025. Those who registered interest will receive kick-off meeting details at the email address they provided. There will also be an EMCO Community of Practice Organizing Meetings during the week of March 24-28, dates and times to be determined.

The PCC Identity Management Advisory Committee (IMAC) oversees the EMCO EAP. Participants may contact IMAC at any time with questions by completing the EMCO Feedback form. Questions are generally answered within 24 hours.

What is EMCO?

To learn more about EMCO, the Program Description & Background page may be a good place to start. Several recent presentations have also discussed EMCO:

• IMAC/EMCO Update (PCC Policy Committee, Nov 2024)
• EMCO for Everyone: Broadening PCC Participation with a New Cooperative for Entity Management (PCC Participants' Meeting, Feb 2024)
• Implementing Identity Management Work in Multiple Registries (PCC Policy Committee, Nov 2023)

The PCC launched EMCO to:

• Move library data from authority control activities to entity management activities
• Link all of our link-able data
• Encourage international cooperation
• Lower barriers to PCC participation for entity description: numbers are not keeping up with demand

The EMCO Early Adopters Phase is designed to coordinate and organize registry communities of practice, in which practitioners will contribute to the policies and procedures for the new entity management program. Participants will contribute and manage linked data entities using practices developed by registry communities within the EMCO membership. Activities during this phase will be limited to entities for persons and corporate bodies. The Early Adopters Phase is anticipated to last for 18 months.

How to participate in EMCO Early Adopters Phase?

You may participate in EMCO in any way that is best for you, your institution, and your resources! There is no specific timeline for starting or finishing projects, and if you need help planning or getting started the community can help. The key element is building a community of practice where we can have discussions and share our knowledge and questions with each other.

Participants have indicated interest in working in Wikidata, WorldCat Entities (via OCLC Meridian), ISNI, ORCID, VIAF, LoC URIs, ArchivesSpace, national authority files, id.loc.gov, or you can can choose another community that you’re interested in and have access to. Feel free to participate in registries you already work in or explore a new one, but please note that the PCC will not pay or reimburse EMCO participants for subscription fees.

Structure of EMCO

EMCO consists of communities of practice centered around a given linked data registry. Current registries include:

• Wikidata
• ISNI
• WorldCat Entities (via OCLC Meridian)

Each community of practice will have its own Registry Coordinators. Participants will primarily communicate with their Registry Coordinators. Registry Coordinators will communicate with IMAC and one another.

Selection process for Registry Coordinators 

IMAC is leaving leadership decisions up to the individual communities of practice. The selection process will be discussed the during the coordination meetings to be held in March.

Communication

• All EAP participants are added to the EMCO-wide listserv to receive general communications regarding the EAP. These communications will be received by all, regardless of which registry community participants are engaging in.
• Registry Communities may also consider implementing other communication channels. Decisions about best practice will be discussed at Community of Practice Organizing Meetings next month.
• Communications specific to each Registry Community will come from the Registry Coordinator.
• Any communication back to IMAC regarding results or queries will be channeled through Registry Coordinators.

Documentation

All EMCO registry communities of practice will generate documentation. Internal working documentation will be stored in a PCC managed space. Some internal documents may later be shared with the broader community. Public-facing working documents may be shared to the PCC wiki to provide the broader community with progress updates and a shared understanding of ongoing work.

More information will be forthcoming.

Discussion Question Prompts for the Kickoff Meetings

During the Kickoff Meetings in February, EMCO Early Adopters Phase participants will be invited to share questions and information with one another. Sharing will be optional. Here are some questions you might think about in advance:

• What questions do you have about EMCO or the EMCO Early Adopters Phase?
• Why did you join EMCO?
• What are your hopes for participating in the Early Adopters Phase?
• What is your biggest challenge to participating in the Early Adopters Phase?
• Which collections will you be working with during the Early Adopters Phase? 
• What kinds of named entities will you be working with during the Early Adopters Phase?
• What would you like to do for identity management if there were no limitations?

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