Following a discussion of the concept of bibliographic control, the term ‘national bibliographic control’ is defined. As an aid to understanding and dealing with the problems that developing countries experience in attempting to exercise national bibliographic control, eight basic requirements for such control are formulated: (1) an organized book industry, (2) a designated national bibliographjc agency. (3) means of obtaining copies of materials that are published, (4) bibliographic standards, (5), creation of bibliographic records, (6) creation of a coherent listing or databases, (7) means of dissemination, and (8) clients. Possible remedial actions are discussed for each requirement.
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References
1.
South African deliberations have been summarized in: BehrensShirley J.‘Deliberations on national bibliographic control issues in South Africa: 1986–1996.’Mousaion, 15(1), 1997, pp. 50–63.
2.
Concerns of national bibliographic agencies in the countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) were discussed at the Seminar on Accessing Information Resources in Southern Africa: National and Subregional Bibliographic Control, held in Johannesburg in September 1996. The Proceedings of this seminar are to be published shortly. A summary appeared as: Seminar on Accessing Information Resources in Southern Africa: National and Subregional Bibliographic Control, Johannesburg, 11–13 September 1996. Report on the Seminar and Gauteng Declaration; compiled by KellermannB. C. and LorP. J.. Pretoria: State Library, 1997.
3.
BehrensShirley J.Bibliographic control and information sources. 2nd ed.Pretoria: University of South Africa, 1994.
4.
AvramHenriette D.. ‘Organizations contributing to development of library standards.’Library Trends, 31(2). Winter 1982. pp. 197–223.
5.
LineMaurice B.‘How can bibliographic services be managed at a national level?’ In: Expert Seminar on Bibliographic Control in South Africa, Pretoria, 19–20 May 1994. Proceedings. Pretoria: State Library, 1994. (various paginations).
