The Production and Marketing of National Bibliographic Services in Europe

Abstract

Main objectives of National Bibliographic Services (NBSs) have been to enable cost-effective cataloguing in libraries, to assist libraries in their selection and acquisition activities, and to aid information searching and document location and supply. Requirements for achieving these aims are authoritativeness, comprehensiveness, timeliness and standardization. National Bibliographic Agencies are the organizational units that usually provide NBSs within a country's library system. An examination of practice in Europe (in particular in Italy and the UK) shows that organizational structures and procedures may differ and follow national rules, so that working methods are not easily comparable. Various organizational units may be involved in the production process, the activities that are carried out and the means used to enhance performance. The ‘marketing mix’ – product, price, promotion and distribution – is integrated into the modern concept of NBSs. The application of information and communication technologies enables much more flexibility in frequency of issue, format of publication, and content (including tailor-made products), thus making it possible to provide more services for more types of user, including the book trade. Networked NBSs should make it possible to create a permanent link with the world of publishers for the benefit of the whole book world. In the turmoil of the immediate future, NBSs face both threats and opportunities; the latter include the provision of text as well as references, and access to external databases.