Search results

Given the size of the Australian population the regional output of publications is impressive. The Australian National Bibliography, compiled and published by the National Library of Australia, includes in its annual volume a statistical survey of Australian book production. The latest figures available are those for 1976 and a comparative table for the preceding five year period shows a modest rate of growth. The titles of specific Australian interest published overseas are also shown. I have added figures for 1977 based on still unpublished information.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the relevance of local studies collections and contributions from local studies librarians to a Norwegian local history wiki.

The paper focuses on access to metadata in the form of bibliographies, databases and catalogues, in addition to general articles on local history. The methodological approach is qualitative and comparative based on semi‐structured interviews with librarians in charge of local studies collections and with the administrators of the wiki. The study includes an analysis of a selection of local studies collections and criteria for inclusion into the local history wiki. A short comparison with history wikis in other countries is added.

Local studies collections contain valuable and unique material for the wiki, especially metadata resources. The expertise of librarians could increase the value of the wiki. Generally, librarians are not active contributors. Strategies for involvement are needed.

The paper may encourage and inspire local studies librarians to contribute actively to the wiki and incorporate relevant parts of their collections.

This article follows on an investigation conducted by the Unit for Library and Information Research of the Human Sciences Research Council in 1981 for the Department of National Education. The article is limited to a consideration of the aim and functions of national library services. Matters such as the organisation and management of these services, the pros and cons of centralisation and decentralisation in particular circumstances, bringing services into line with modern demands, problem areas in existing services, the raison d'être of national library and information advisory councils alongside the management councils of national library services, legislation of these services, etc. have been excluded from the discussion.

The paper briefly reviewed the characteristics and functions of national libraries in general. It then gave an overview of the National Library of Nigeria (NLN) with special reference to the laws that established it and its functions. The survey was narrowly focused on the present state of the Bauchi State Branch of the National Library of Nigeria. It was found that this branch library is not fully equipped and funded to serve as a bibliographical centre and clearing house to the State. It has also not been effective in providing advisory service on library development and organisation to departments and agencies in the State. Finally, several recommendations were made to improve upon the present level of performance of the NLN Bauchi Branch.

The beginnings of the Yugoslav National and University Library (Nacionalna i sveučilišna biblioteka), Zagreb reach back as far as the first years of the 17th century when the Jesuit Collegium was founded in Zagreb (1606). There is evidence that it became a public library in 1818 and in 1837 the library was granted the right to receive deposit copies from the territories of Croatia and Slavenia. By 1945 the University Library was formally established as the central library of Croatia. According to the Library Law of 1960 passed by the Parliament of the Republic, the former name Sveučilišna knjižnica (University Library) was changed to Nacionalna i sveučilišna biblioteka — NSB (National and University Library) in conformity with its tasks and activities. According to the law, it has also formally become the central library for bibliographic information in the Republic, and has become responsible for publishing the national bibliography.

Discusses some of the problems associated with the requirements and the prospects for international standards for the exchange of bibliographic records in machine‐readable form: the various roles of national bibliographies and national libraries; a lack of international cataloging standards; a lack of an international subject control system; language difficulties; character sets and codes; and nonroman alphabets. Explains that these problems lie behind the development of various MARC formats out of UNIMARC. In this final part of a four‐part article, describes the formats for South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, Croatia and Germany and indicates the points of difference and local requirements.

MY reaction to being appointed Director of Library Services would be one of frank amazement, rather as if I had been a commercial traveller in a rather dubious line of trade, such as ladies' underwear, who had suddenly been offered a bishopric. The recovery from this amazement would take about ten seconds flat and I would doubtless find myself in the thick of finding an office, a desk, a rubber plant and a regulation‐size piece of carpet appropriate to my grade. My first real task would be to bring some order to the seven sections of the D.E.S. now dealing with library matters and to initiate among librarians generally some radical thinking on the problems that face us all.

Among the problems associated with the requirements and the prospects for international standards for the exchange of bibliographic records in machine‐readable form are the various roles of national bibliographies and national libraries; a lack of international cataloguing standards; a lack of an international subject control system; language difficulties; character sets and codes; and non‐roman alphabets. These problems lie behind the development of various MARC formats out of UNIMARC. In this final part of a four‐part article describes the formats for South Africa, Taiwan, Japan, Croatia and Germany and indicates the points of difference and local requirements.

WE must congratulate Mr. Filon on his promotion to the post of Director of the National Central Library. He will bring many years of practical experience to his job, and there is every reason to expect that the National Central Library will indeed flourish during the very important years ahead. It will not be long before the N.C.L. will be moving with Chaucer House to a new site. (Perhaps the Library Association Council will tell us where before long.) This new appointment has made me wonder what the N.C.L. is for. How long is it since anyone thought whether the N.C.L. is desirable? Every year we pay our subscriptions, which are modest enough, and every year we lend and borrow—and how long it takes—but that is hardly the N.C.L's fault.

IN the library of the United Nations at Lake Success we are often asked to find in print the texts of treaties and other international instruments. This kind of work is also important in many of the libraries of the foreign offices of national governments and in those of institutes for the study of international affairs. Occasional requests of this kind must also be received by many other libraries.