Search results

The 1995 UKOLN International Conference was held at the University of Bath from 19–21 April 1995 on the theme: Managing the intellectual record. In the opening welcome to the conference, the former BLRDD (British Library Research and Development Department) Director, Brian Perry, mentioned the special nature of the conference, marking the retirement of Philip Bryant as Director of UKOLN, the Office for Library and Information Networking. The conference proceedings, which have been published, are dedicated to Philip Bryant.

As part of an investigation as to whether a national retrospective catalog conversion program is justified, presents a summary of the results of a survey of retrospective conversion programs in UK higher education libraries. The survey was conducted by the author in association with Philip Bryant of the University of Bath. Questionnaires were sent to 266 higher education libraries in the UK.

As part of an investigation as to whether a national retrospective catalogue conversion programme is justified, presents a summary of the results of a survey of retrospective conversion programmes in UK higher education libraries. The survey was conducted by the author in association with Philip Bryant of the University of Bath. Questionnaires were sent to 266 higher education libraries in the UK.

The First International Conference on Bibliographic Access in Europe attracted delegates from twenty‐seven countries to the University of Bath in September 1989. The conference is the successor to the earlier conferences ‘Online Public Access to Library Files’ which were held at the same location in 1983, 1985 and 1987. The changed focus of the conference reflected Philip Bryant's, (Director of the Centre for Bibliographic Management at Bath) view that a lot had been written about OPACs and that they ought to be viewed in the wider context of bibliographic access, which in turn was now an international issue. The decision to focus on Europe was timely, given moves towards greater integration within the European Community. The international nature of the gathering was emphasised by the provision of simultaneous translation between English, French and German, and papers presented by speakers from more than ten countries. The major themes of the conference were the role of networks and CD‐ROMs in providing bibliographic access, and standards associated with both the contents of records and their transfer.

Bath University Comparative Catalogue Study. Final report; J. H. Lamble, project head; Philip Bryant, project leader; Angela Needham, research officer. Bath University Library, 1975. 9 vols. BL‐R & D Report Nos. 5240/9

The nature and purpose of the catalogue has been the focus of considerable and vigorous debate during the past decade. This article attempts to identify those topics which have been the most significant causes of the debate and discusses: the need for catalogues; users and non‐users; the nature of the bibliographic record and catalogue entry; the development of UK and LC MARC; standards, including exchange formats, the development of the ISBD, and the concept of UBC (Universal Bibliographic Control); the Anglo‐American Cataloguing Rules and the controversy over the implementation of AACR2; COM catalogues; subsets of the MARC record; co‐operatives, networks and resource sharing; and the development of subject access methods better suited to COM and online catalogues. The relevance of catalogue research activities at Bath University and elsewhere is highlighted.

To provide an overview of one person's involvement with computer systems in libraries over the last 40 years.

Personal memories corroborated with published articles.

There have been very many developments in libraries in a comparatively short period of time as a result of using computer systems, and this may only be the start of a revolution.

Of relevance to anyone interested in historical aspects of library automation.

Indicates the benefits to be gained from a comprehensive programme of retrospective conversion of manual catalogue records into machine readable form. Enumerates the scale of the task involved and the likely costs of the programme derived. Raises a range of issues arising from or relating to retrospective conversion and discusses the management implications. Lists a number of initiatives already undertaken and outlines the development of a possible national strategy.

1989 was designated Museums Year to commemorate the centenary of the Museums Association, and unlike many of these PR exercises this one resulted in museums (especially national museums based in London) receiving an unusual amount of coverage in the qualities. Whether stories of protests and problems would have the desired positive effect on actual attendances has not yet been calculated. The unusually sunny weather cannot have helped much either. But the Museums Association itself produced a series of 11 regional guides which if read on the beach or in the pool would have enabled the readers almost to think that they had actually visited the collections described in considerable detail. Too many to note here but a list of all the titles is available from the MA or the Museums and Galleries Commission. Simon Olding's Exploring Museums: London (ISBN 0 11 2904653) and Arnold Wilson's Exploring Museums: The South West (ISBN 0 11 2904696) tackle their areas entertainingly, but their step‐by‐step guides to some of their subjects may soon be outdated as many existing museums are currently undergoing major rearrangements or refurbishments.