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The Function of Bibliographic Control in the Global Information Infrastructure
Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 June, 1998
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Last Update: September 29, 1998
The Function of Bibliographic Control in the Global Information Infrastructure
An international seminar on bibliographic control organized and hosted
by the National Library of Lithuania in cooperation with the IFLA UBCIM
Core Programme and the IFLA Permanent UNIMARC Committee.
Vilnius, Lithuania, 17-19 June, 1998
The papers from the Seminar in Vilnius are now available on the
National Library of Lithuania web site
http://www.lnb.lrs.lt/angl/events/ifla/ifla.html
Summary
Given the superabundance of information on the Internet, how can the
lessons of traditional bibliographic control be applied to digital
documents and files? In what ways can cataloging and indexing assist in
making electronic information more accessible? Is there room in the
Internet for the organizational strategies of librarianship, nourished for
over a century with print and other materials? These questions formed the
background for an International Seminar at the National Library of
Lithuania in Vilnius, June 17-19, 1998. Entitled "The Function of
Bibliographic Control in the Global Information Infrastructure," the
seminar drew nearly 70 participants to Vilnius from Belarus, Croatia,
Estonia, Finland, Great Britain, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands,
Norway, and the United States. Sponsored by the IFLA Core Programme on
Universal Bibliographic Control and International MARC (UBCIM), IFLA
Permanent UNIMARC Committee, National Library of Lithuania, Lithuanian
Ministry of Culture, Open Society Fund in Lithuania, the Information and
Documentation Centre of the Council of Europe, the Open Society Institute,
British Council, and the American Embassy in Lithuania, participants heard
thirteen papers address the fundamental issues related to bibliographic
control of electronic information and took part in four different
workshops. Marie-France Plassard of IFLA UBCIM and Edward
Valauskas of the IFLA Professional Board and Division of Special Libraries
acted as moderators for the Seminar and its deliberations. The generous
hospitality of the host library, the National Library of Lithuania - and
especially its Director, Dr. Vladas Bulavas, Deputy Director Regina
Varniene, and their staff - was very much appreciated by all participants.
The tone for the Seminar was set by the keynote paper by Stuart Ede of the
British Library, "Digital Indigestion: Is There a Cure?" The future for
libraries will include an abundance of information in a rich variety for
forms, including paper, digital, video, and audio. How will libraries make
all of this diverse information accessible, asked Mr. Ede, given the
current state of bibliographic standards? Review papers by Olivia Madison
of the Library of Iowa State University on functional requirements for
bibliographic records and Liv Holm of Olso College on authority control
provided the bibliographic boundary conditions for issues surrounding
electronic information. Gordon Dunsire of the Library of Napier University
and Edward Valauskas of Internet Mechanics examined the special problems of
Internet-based files and documents.
Technical sessions examined in detail metadata, UNIMARC, and experiments to
bring some degree of control to the chaos of digital information. Alan
Hopkinson of the Library at Middlesex University and Juha Hakala of the
Library of Helsinki University discussed MARC and metadata. Brian Phillip
Holt of the British Library provided a lively analysis of UNIMARC on the
World Wide Web and Project UseMARCON while Mirna Willer of the Croatian
National and University Library analyzed current work on the revision of
UNIMARC's Authorities. Trudi Noordermeer of the National Library of the
Netherlands examined Project BIBLINK, an effort to link publishers of
electronic information and bibliographic agencies. Liv Holm looked at the
results of the ONE Project, a means to link bibliographic services in
Europe via Z39.50. Regina
Varniene of the National Library of Lithuania gave an overview of
bibliographic control in the Baltic states in the context of various
integrated library systems. On the final day of the Seminar, workshops
treated SGML, metadata, UNIMARC/Authorities, and the Internet.
Plan of Action
- Holdings Information in UNIMARC
There is a need for strengthening UNIMARC with holding information for all
of the various kinds of documents and materials now found in many
libraries. This diversity of formats brings special problems that will need
to be addressed in holdings records.
- revision of UNIMARC/Authorities
A revision of UNIMARC/Authorities should be undertaken in light of various
projects described at this Seminar. There should also be an improvement of
authority control within national bibliographic agencies and the
development of consistent and persistent vehicles for the international
exhange of authority data and a reconsideration of a numbering system such
as the ISADN.
- Metadata Standards
IFLA should become involved in general discussions on metadata
standards and work to coordinate national initiatives for metadata
creation. IFLA can also assist in the sharing of experiences in metadata
management, by assisting national agencies on practical priorities for
metadata creation.
- Preservation and Conservation of Electronic Information
IFLA needs to encourage the preservation of electronic information and to
participate in the activities of standard-setting organizations like the
World Wide Web Consortium.