Bibliographic records are available from a number of sources but until recently UKOLN research has focused only on the availability of British Library BNBMARC records. However, some commissioned work in this area for Book Data and for J. Whitaker & Sons during the period 1994-1996 led to the idea of using BNBMARC currency survey sample to investigate the availability of records from other sources. Initial contacts with a number of sources early in 1996 indicated a willingness to participate in such a study.
The period from May to August 1996 was used to set up access routes to databases, to collect background information for each source, to define record type categories for each source and for pilot searches to be undertaken. Sources, in addition to the British Library, which had agreed to take part at this point were; Book Data, J Whitaker & Sons, Bibliographic Data Services, BLCMP, CURL, LASER, OCLC and SLS (Information Systems) Ltd. while Unity joined the study early in 1997.
The BNBMARC sample at the ordering stage is used as the sample in the study. The sample is therefore restricted to titles published in the UK from 1974 onwards. The first set of results for the study were from the September 1996 sample. At a meeting of participant sources in May 1997, support was given for extending the survey to a second year. Suggestions were also made regarding other possible samples (e.g. unrestricted instead of only UK publications, foreign language materials, non-book materials) but no decision has yet been made as to whether to extend the survey in this way.
An article looking at the survey methodology and giving profiles of sources participating was published in Library Management in 1997.
A report on the results of the period September 1996 to August 1997 is now available
from UKOLN in Word7
and in hardcopy.
Chapman, Ann. Bibliographic record provision in the UK
Bath: UKOLN, 1998 ISBN: 0-9516856-5-1
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Last updated on 15-Mar-2000
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