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Since 1964 Newcastle University Computing Laboratory has had its own file handling systems for bibliographic records: two systems were developed in parallel for use on an ICL KDF9 computer. In 1967 a third and more sophisticated system compatible with the two KDF9 systems was designed and implemented for use on the newly arrived IBM 360/67. This paper describes the record structure upon which the new system is based. Some of the utilities which make up the file handling system are briefly described, as are some of the projects, both ‘library’ and ‘non‐library’, which have made use of the new system.

IT is well known that librarianship or library science and information work or information science as the common educational, professional and scientific discipline is everywhere undergoing great change and development. During its continual and relatively fast development, this discipline has at the same time to solve the increasing tasks connected with the problems of the so‐called information explosion.

ALTHOUGH the first Public Libraries (Scotland) Act was placed on the Statute Book in 1853, it was not until 1899 that the Corporation of the City of Glasgow was empowered to establish and maintain public libraries throughout the city. Between 1876 and 1897 four attempts were made to secure public approval for the adoption of the Public Libraries (Scotland) Acts, but when all these efforts proved unsuccessful, the Corporation decided in June, 1888 to include in a Local Bill for submission to Parliament, certain clauses conferring upon themselves the power to become a library authority. Promoted in 1899, the Bill became known as the Glasgow Corporation (Tramways, Libraries, etc.) Act 1899, and the library clauses passed through Parliament without opposition and received Royal Assent on 1st August, 1899. The powers conferred by this Local Act empowered the Corporation:

The conversion of large files of catalogue information requires, in addition to the manpower for keypunching, a considerable amount of preediting by professional staff. An experiment in machine editing and tagging of unedited but structured catalogue information demonstrated the possibility of eliminating professional effort from a large majority of the records.

In view of present discussion of the Draft British Standard Specification for the Communication of Bibliographic Information in Digital Form, this group of three papers is published by way of comment and criticism. It is important that fullest consideration be given to these proposals which, by ‘fixing’ an agreed MARC communications format, are likely to have immense impact upon future development and acceptance of automated library services locally, nationally, and internationally. These are essentially working papers, and have been prepared for publication in some haste. Comments on the proposals are welcomed and should be addressed either to myself, or to the authors.—Ed.

This paper outlines the proposals for alteration to the present proposed Standard and presents an alternative ‘Standard’ together with an example of the application of this Standard to the present British MARC record structure. The main aims of these alterations are:

This paper describes the installation and the first year's operation of a commercial computer‐based cataloguing system and the extent to which this system has been adapted to the specific needs of a new university (the Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen). The catalogue is regarded principally as a finding tool. Cataloguing is done locally according to minimal rules which are, however, MARC‐compatible; input effort is minimised by the use of automatic field recognition and automatic error detection. The data is batch processed by a computer bureau in England. The catalogue is output on COM microfiche in three sequences: 1. author; 2. title; 3. ‘KWUC’ (Keyword and UDC)‐a KWOC‐type format within broad UDC classes and originated from manually tagged title‐derived keywords. The system has been well received by users. Plans for further automation of the UIA Library are outlined.

The use of an ICT 1905 computer for the mechanization of library procedures at The City University was considered as part of the library reorganization prior to the acquisition of University status. In view of the smallness of the library staff and the pressure of work it seemed essential to select an area which would quickly lead to relieving staff of tedious routine work, and at the same time provide useful training in computer applications. There seemed no point in attempting to duplicate exercises which were being currently tackled by larger libraries e.g. cataloguing, and the volume of loans hardly justified mechanization of circulation records at the present time.

1. INTRODUCTION This third (and last) paper describes a possible logical notation (access language) within the framework of which the logical properties of the alternative proposed Standard of our second paper can conveniently be described.