Abstract
The Biblioteca de Catalunya has been undergoing a major process of change in recent years, particularly following a 1993 Law on the Library System of Catalunya. The library, which enjoys a degree of autonomy, has a Governing Body on which staff are well represented. Its organization is structured first by type of material, then by activities that affect all areas. Restructuring involved a certain amount of upheaval for staff. A large building programme has taken place, consisting of remodelling within the Gothic building and the addition of an underground book-store. Security measures have been introduced, a conservation and preservation plan is being prepared, and a quality improvement programme is under way, and gaps in the collections are being filled. Conversion of the pre-1991 catalogue to machine-readable form, which is well advanced, will have numerous advantages for the library itself and the Catalan library system in general. The library is also responsible for the coordination of university and special libraries in Catalunya, for developing the Union Catalogue of the Bibliographic Heritage of Catalunya, and for various other kinds of support. It is also involved heavily in international cooperative activities. There is much still to be done, but the future looks positive.
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