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Perhaps the first whisper of the British Library(hereinafter BL) may be found in the report of the Parry Committee which recommended the formation of a national policy in regard to libraries and the provision of information. This was swiftly followed by the Dainton Committee report, a White Paper, and finally the British Library Act, which came into force on 1 July 1973 when the Board of the new BL formally took over responsibility for the library departments (excepting Prints and Drawings) and the Science Reference Library from the Trustees of the British Museum, plus the National Lending Library for Science and Technology and the former National Central Library. To this weighty nucleus were added the major responsibilities of the former Office of Scientific and Technical Information, in April 1974, forming the basis of a new Research and Development Department, and the British National Bibliography, in August 1974, as the foundation of the new Bibliographic Services Division. The way for this very considerable re‐shaping of the country's library resources had been thoroughly prepared by a body familiarly known as BLOC (British Library Organizing Committee) between January and July 1973. There are a number of accounts of the creation of the new library which do not differ in substance. Later developments can be studied from the series of annual reports which provide the most authoritative data available, although it should be noted that statistics provided are not always compatible from year to year.

The British Library Lending Division came into being in 1973 when the National Central Library was integrated with the stock and services of the National Lending Library for Science and Technology at Boston Spa. The original buildings have been added to by specially designed accommodation. The loan/photocopy service, based on the use of a pre‐paid three‐part request form, has been supplemented by computer requesting, links through database operators such as DIALOG, and the telephone for urgent requests. Road/rail transport links with many parts of the country have been introduced and now account for over half of all items dispatched. A rapid growth in demand in the first seven years was followed by a decline and then a levelling off in 1982/83. The proportion of demand accounted for by International Services increased from 9% in 1973/74 to 21% in 1982/83. The Division has developed close connections with IFLA and the European Communities. As a result of a British Library Ad hoc Working Party on Union Catalogues, which reported in 1982, the Division's stock records and union catalogues are being automated. The British Union Catalogue of Periodicals ceased to be issued and its bibliographic function was replaced by Serials in the British Library, issued by the Bibliographic Services Division from 1981. Certain libraries with large or important stocks were designated to serve as backup collections; from 1979 more requests went to backups than were provided with locations. The British Library Reference Division has not only supplied photocopies as a backup but begun to lend items held in the Department of Oriental Manuscripts and Printed Books and the Science Reference Library. Close relations have been maintained with users and with relevant organizations. The acquisitions policy established in 1973 has changed little, though music scores were added in 1974, and rationalization of resources with Reference Division has resulted in a small drop in the number of serials acquired. The British National Book Centre activities of the NCL were merged with the donations activities of the NLLST to form the Gift and Exchange Section. Until 1982 the service was free but economies on staff and resources led to a restricted and priced service. Courses in the use of the scientific literature were extended to other subjects but had to be terminated as an economy measure in 1980. For similar reasons the ad hoc translating service was discontinued at the end of 1981. The cover‐to‐cover translations of (mainly Russian) scientific and technical journals sponsored by the NLLST have continued as part of the Division's extensive publication programme, which now recovers all its costs. Cost recovery increased from a quarter to a half of all expenditure over the period. The Division has kept up with relevant developments in automation and electronic publishing.

This paper discusses the pressing need for British Council libraries and information services in Italy to respond positively to British and international forces for change. Social, economic, cultural, and technological developments over the past 20 years mean that lending libraries are no longer an appropriate or effective model for the British Council when serving the information needs of priority groups in Western European countries. It is argued that the restructuring of the Council’s information services in Italy has become a necessity. It is suggested that marketing concepts and technique are relevant both to non‐profit making services in general and to British Council information services in particular. The marketing implications of a range of possible alternative services for non‐user priority groups are considered and, recommendations made for the British Council to adopt a marketing orientation when planning and implementing the future of its information services in Italy.

In this paper the author concludes the review of the British Library on the completion of its first decade which began with the Spring issue of LR. He writes not as executive director of the Centre for the Book in the Library of Congress but as an individual contributor setting down his own perceptions.

After outlining the unique functions of the Lending Division, the paper explains the interaction between it and the British Library as a whole. Policy‐making in such an organisation is complex and this is achieved by a series of meetings ranging from the British Library Board, which deals with major decisions for the whole Library, through senior management at the Lending Division holding regular meetings to discuss all aspects of its work to meetings between junior management with their staff, where minor and major problems can be ironed out. The staff structure of the Lending Division emphasises the low ratio of senior to junior staff. Because of its size and uniqueness the Lending Division pays particular attention to communications both within and without; internally this is achieved by meetings between various grades of staff and a Newsletter, externally by a number of publications, participation in conferences, extensive advisory machinery and the publication of its own journal.

Upon its establishment in 1973, the British Library was seen by many university librarians with nervous concern and suspicion. The functions, development and influence the British Library has had on the national library scene since then are described. It is argued that, in a time of financial constraints, there is a need for policies to be developed in closest collaboration between the British Library and university libraries in the best interests of the national research community.

Resource sharing is an important element in the national planning of library and information services to meet the needs of information, education and culture of the whole community at all levels. An overview of resource sharing practices is presented, with particular reference to the British scene. It is also argued that, with the approach of the Single Market in 1992, resource sharing should now be considered on a European scale. In conclusion, some problems associated with the practice of resource sharing are considered.

1. Documentation, library and book organizations (0) American Documentation Institute

The only comprehensive list of British medical libraries hitherto available has been that in The Aslib directory 1928, and there is an extended account of those in London in Reginald Rye, The students' guide to the libraries of London (3rd ed., 1927), pp. 362–77. The new list, here put forward, is intended to bring the information from those two books of reference up to date, after nearly twenty years. British libraries are briefly listed among ‘Medical libraries outside North America’ in the Medical Library Association's A handbook of medical library practice, ed. Janet Doe, Chicago, American library association 1943, chapter 1, appendix 2, pages 41–64. The meagre information in that list, if contrasted with the detailed documentation of American and Canadian libraries in successive issues of the American medical directory, accentuates the need for us to know ourselves better. Several, perhaps many, medical librarians have had to compile lists of kindred libraries for their own convenience. A list which I had thus prepared seemed to Aslib to offer adequate basis for a Directory of British medical libraries, and in order to complete it Aslib issued a questionnaire in the autumn of 1944 to libraries known to possess medical collections and to hospitals, medical societies, and medical institutions throughout the British Isles. The information obtained from the generous response to this questionnaire is epitomized in the list which follows. I am responsible for all omissions and errors and I hope that those who detect any will supply corrections and additions so that this preliminary list may be revised and become a definitive Directory.

Discusses newspaper provision in the British Isles and the services provided by the British Library Newspaper Library. Assesses previous unsuccessful attempts to set up a loan service for newspapers, and the NEWSPLAN co‐operative programme for preservation microfilming of local newspapers. Suggests a co‐operative approach to interlibrary lending of some microfilmed newspapers, with input from advisory bodies such as LINC, SCONUL and the British Library.