Priority Objectives for FY2004 and their Evaluation
The NDL sets up specific objectives to be carried out within 1-3 years in order to improve our services in each of the priority objectives defined in the NDL Vision 2004. We assess the progress in each objective and publish the results of the evaluation in the following fiscal year.
FY2004 is the first year that the NDL introduced this new evaluation system. The result of the evaluation of FY2004 priority objectives is as follows:
Enhancement of legislative support function
To assist the legislative activities of the Diet of Japan, we will further improve our research services. Moreover, we will provide accurate information more effectively using both domestic and overseas information resources.
| Priority Objectives for FY2004 | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| To enhance "interdisciplinary research" which analyzes a specific subject from multiple perspectives. | "Interdisciplinary research" is research to deal with basic national political issues that require long-term and cross-subject studies. The NDL chooses a specific topic for interdisciplinary research each year and sets up a project team consisting of staff members across the divisions. The topic of FY2003-2004 interdisciplinary research was "Aging Society with Fewer Children." The result of the research was published as "Interdisciplinary Research Report" (Japanese only) in February 2005. This report reviews the influences of an aging society with fewer children on the nation's economy and society and the measures to be taken from multidirectional perspectives. It also analyzes other nations' conditions and measures that have been taken. The topic of the FY2004-2005 interdisciplinary research is "Revitalization of local society: from the perspective of decentralization and deregulation." The project team has been working on literature search, field study, etc. |
| To deal with significant national political issues, and especially reinforce the research system on the Constitution of Japan. | Before each session of the Diet, the NDL conducts anticipatory research into the issues that are predicted to be significant in the coming session. At the beginning of each ordinary session, the NDL provides "Summary Report of National Political Issues" for Diet members' reference. In FY2004 the NDL published "Summary Report of National Political Issues for the 162 Session" (Japanese only) in January 2005 (Issue Brief,461), in addition to "Policy Issues in Science and Technology,2004" (Japanese only) (Issue Brief,459) in November 2004 for the Diet deliberation on issues relating to science and technology.In response to the establishment of a Research Commission on the Constitution in both the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors in 2000,the NDL set up a Constitution Unit in the Research and Legislative Reference Bureau in January of the same year. In April 2001 the Office was restructured and reestablished as the Constitution Research Office of the Politics and Parliamentary Affairs Division of the Bureau. The Constitution Research Office has been the center of active research on constitutional issues which involve other divisions. In FY2004 eight monographs analyzing major issues of the Constitution were published under the series title "Series: Constitutional Issues" (Japanese only). The NDL provided answers to 887 requests for information about the Constitution including the issue of amendment to the Constitution. The NDL set up an ad-hoc working group on the Niigata Earthquakes in October 2004,and conducted a field study. The result of the research was published as "Niigata Earthquakes and Restoration from the Damage" (Japanese only) (Issue Brief,467), and was also made available as "Field Study Report" on the NDL website for the Diet, "Chosa no Mado." |
| To enhance providing digital information to the Diet. | The NDL launched the website for the Diet, "Chosa no Mado" (access to research services) in FY1998. In addition to providing access via National Diet WAN, in FY2004 the NDL started to provide access via Internet to "Chosa no Mado, " which makes it possible for the Diet members to use it from outside the Diet building. In FY2004 313 articles were newly added to the "Legislative Information Library, " which provides access on "Chosa no Mado" to reports of anticipatory research carried in "Series: National Political Issues, " "Reference, " and so on. The number of visitors to the top page of "Chosa no Mado" via National DietWAN and Internet was about 90,000 (a 20,000 increase over the previous year). For "Full-text Database System for the Minutes of the Diet" and "Index to Japanese Laws and Regulations Database, " see "Improvement of access to information resources." |
Creation of digital archives
We will construct digital archives to store and provide digital information as common information resources of the people of Japan.
| Priority Objectives for FY2004 | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| To complete the digitization of all books published in the Meiji era from the NDL holdings by the end of FY2005,and make them available on the "Digital Library from the Meiji Era." | "Digital Library from the Meiji Era" (Japanese only) is an image database of the books published since the Meiji era in Japan and held by the NDL. It is searchable by bibliographic data or data from table of contents. The NDL started copyright research for books published in the Meiji era from FY2000 and digitization of the copyright-cleared materials from FY2001. Since FY2002 the NDL has provided access on the NDL website to the digitized data of the books whose copyrights were expired or cleared. In FY2004 the NDL continued to clear copyright issues and digitize copyright-cleared materials, adding about 3,200 titles and 4,900 volumes to the database. The database now provides access to the image of the text of about 35,000 titles (55,000 volumes). The number of visitors to this database is about 7,000 per day, one of the most heavily-used of the contents on the NDL website. If we cannot find the copyright owner or his/her contact address despite considerable effort, we can digitize and provide a reproduction of the work under a compulsory copyright release from the Commissioner of Cultural Affairs. In February 2005 the NDL began applying for such releases and will continue to do the same in FY2005. |
| To construct a basic framework for digital archives by the end of FY2004. | The NDL set forth "The National Diet Library Digital Library Medium Term Plan for 2004," which shows in detail the direction in which digitallibrary services will be oriented at the NDL over the next five years and presents the framework required for realizing such services. In FY2004 the NDL started working to put the plan into concrete shape. One of the objectives defined in the Medium Term Plan is "Construction of web archive." In order to achieve this objective, and in response to the submission in December 2004 of the report from the Legal Deposit System Council, "Concept of the Acquisition System for the Networked Electronic Publications, " the NDL began to prepare for the legislation for acquisition of Internet information resources. The NDL made an action plan for FY2004-2005 based on the Medium Term Plan, and started to design operations according to the action plan. The NDL also developed a prototype system for a digital archive portal site to give concrete shape to the required functions of the portal site. |
Improvement of access to information resources
To guarantee free and equal access to information resources, we will expand opportunities to use the NDL collections and improve the level of our services.
| Priority Objectives for FY2004 | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| To extend opening days and hours and provide extensive services at the Tokyo Main Library of the NDL from October 2004. | To improve the Tokyo Main Library's services, the opening days and hours have been extended since October 2004. Now the library opens from Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays and the third Tuesday of each month. The opening hours have also been extended by two hours on weekdays, resulting in 40 days and a 43% increase in total service hours in a year. The NDL introduced a new infrastructure system to make the users' procedures more efficient. Now most of the procedures from entry, searching the catalog, requesting, receiving, and returning materials, to requesting photocopies, can be done by the new system. In addition the upper limit on the number of materials available per one request was increased, and the restriction on the number of requests for same-day copying service per day was removed. All these efforts have made it possible for users to save time and thus use the library more easily. The result was that the number of users increased by 12%; number of requested books and magazines increased by 18%: and number of photocopies supplied increased by 22% (year-on-year comparison of the period October 2004 to March 2005). |
| To expand services in providing electronic journals available in the Library. | Foreign electronic journals (Japanese only) in all areas have been provided in the Electronic Resources Room in the Tokyo Main Library and the General Collections Room in the Kansai-kan. Main services available are: ProQuest 5000 International in all-round areas; OCLC Electronic Collections Online (OCLC ECO) in natural, human, and social science fields; ScienceDirect in natural science and medicine, etc. In FY2004 SourceOECD Periodicals and SourceOECD Statistics which provides periodicals and statistics were newly added. Some 15,000 titles of electronic journals have become available. In FY2004 the use of electronic journals at the Tokyo Main Library and the Kansai-kan was about 55,000 articles, fromwhich 196,000 sheets of printout were requested. |
| To publicize the User Registration System which increases the convenience of the registrants with extra services (e.g. request for copying via the Internet). | In FY2002 the NDL introduced the User Registration System to improve convenience for users. This User Registration System simplified the procedure for issuing user cards at the Tokyo Main Library and the Kansai-kan, and enabled the inter-site loan service between Tokyo and Kansai. It also enabled remote users to request photocopies via Internet. In FY2004 the User Registration System came into full use and was publicized widely. As a result, the number of registrants was about 64,000 as of the end of FY2004,twice as many as at the end of the previous year. Especially during the three months after the completion of renovation of the Tokyo Main Library in October, about 12,000 users became new registrants. As of the end of FY2004 the registrants account for more than 40% of the day's visiting users. Out of about 270,000 requests for photocopies from remote users,73% came through Internet in FY2004. |
| To develop collections of science and technology information appropriate for the digital environment, thus improving the services in order to contribute to the promotion of science and technology of Japan. | The NDL developed science and technology collections according to the "Plan for the Organization of Science and Technology Information" (Japanese only) (February 2004). In FY2004 the NDL increased its acquisition of foreign science and technology periodicals to about 3,500 titles in total by adding 400 titles. Foreign electronic journals available in the library also increased to about 15,000 titles as of the end of FY2004,many of which are science and technology related. "Guide for Search by Theme" (Japanese only), available on the NDL website, added 29 new entries on subjects relating to science and technology. The number of visitors to the science-and-technology related subjects of "Guide for Search by Theme" in FY2004 was about 150,000. The 45th meeting of the Council on Organization of Materials on Science and Technology, held in December 2004,agreed upon the "Proposals for the organization of science and technology information in the NDL" (Japanese only). The proposals were: 1) the NDL should restructure the infrastructure of distribution and accumulation of digital information on science and technology in Japan; 2) the NDL should enhance the provision of science and technology information for the Diet and promote information transmission to the public; 3) the NDL should form partnerships with other related institutions to create a portal site for science and technology information. |
| To provide increased number of bibliographic data covering extended collection areas. | In FY2004 the NDL-OPAC (National Diet Library Online Public Catalog) added a significant volume of bibliographic data, with the total increased from 10,300,000 to 13,940,000 entries. In May 2004,added to the OPAC were 2,520,000 bibliographic data of foreign language books, international organizations publications, U.S. government publications, Kakenhi hokokusho (scientific research reports under grants from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology), technical reports, etc. Newly added collections include: Ashihara collection (about 68,000 entries); Materials on the Allied Occupation of Japan* (about 260,000 entries); and the Prange Collection* (about 32,000 entries). (*data available only in the library). The NDL also continued the retrospective conversion of bibliographic data which started in FY2003 and added/updated 127,000 data of maps, Chinese old books, study-aid books, Chinese materials, etc. "Japanese Periodicals Index" (Japanese only), which has indexed articles carried by about 10,000 titles of Japanese periodicals, also carried out retrospective conversion of about 200,000 data from "Japanese Periodicals Index: Science and Technology." (will be available on the NDL-OPAC within FY2005) In addition to the expansion of the database content, the NDL launched the revision of "National Diet Library List of Subject Headings (NDLSH)" (Japanese only). In October 2004,the working edition of NDLSH was released on the NDL website. This 2004 edition of NDLSH has clarified the reference relationships between subject headings in more detail (e.g., broader and narrower terms). |
| To provide "Index of Japanese Laws & Regulations " on the Internet by the end of FY2004,in addition to the "Full-text Database system for the Minutes of the Diet session proceedings." | The NDL provides a wide range of legislative information for the nation's public on the NDL website. "Full-text Database System for the Minutes of the Diet" (Japanese only) provides the full-text of the proceedings from the 1st session up to the current session with a searchable form. In FY2004 about 50,000 data was newly added and now the total of accumulated data amounts to about 2,790,000. The number of visitors to this database was about 440,000. The database is one of the most heavily used of the contents on the NDL website. In June 2004,the "Index to the Japanese laws and regulations database" (Japanese only) was made available on the NDL website. This database includes indexes to the laws and regulations after the enactment of Kobunshiki (February,1886) as well as indexes to the bills tabled since the 1st session of the Diet (1947). There are four kinds of index information: 1) Index to Japanese laws and regulations with amendments currently in force (9,500 data); 2) Index to abolished laws and regulations with amendments (15,000 data); 3) List of enacted laws and regulations since the promulgations of Kobunshiki (85,000 data); 4) Index to bills (14,000 data). The number of visitors to the Index from June 2004 to the end of March 2005 was about 70,000 (200 per day). |
Promotion of cooperation
We will strengthen ties with domestic and overseas libraries and related institutions to promote sharing and distribution of information resources. In addition, we will cooperate in fostering library professionals and contribute to developing library and information services.
| Priority Objectives for FY2004 | Evaluation |
|---|---|
| To develop international interlibrary cooperation mainly by collaborating with the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and by interacting with libraries in Asia. | The NDL has been a member of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Conference of Directors of National Libraries (CDNL), and other organizations to promote international cooperation with libraries all over the world. In August 2004,the NDL sent delegates to the IFLA and CDNL Conference held in Argentina. The NDL actively sent staff to other international conferences and meetings, and a total of 34 staff members participated in these international events. To enhance cooperation with Asian libraries, the NDL continues to hold mutual visit programs with the National Library of China, National Library of Korea, and National Assembly Library of Korea, with a lively exchange of views. The NDL has been designated as the IFLA/PAC (Preservation and Conservation)Regional Centre for Asia and has been actively involved in the activities for preservation: to collect and provide information on preservation, education and training, public relations, etc. In FY2004 as a part of cooperation with Asian national libraries, the NDL accepted a trainee from the Nepal National Library. The NDL also has been the editing office for the CDNLAO Newsletter, the newsletter of the Conference of Directors of National Libraries in Asia and Oceania (CDNLAO). In FY2004 three issues of CDNLAO Newsletter, no. 50-52,were published on the NDL website. |
| To make the Union Catalog database of the NDL and prefectural and major municipal libraries' holdings available on the NDL website by the end of FY2004. | National Union Catalog (Japanese only) is a database system which makes it possible to search bibliographic data of Japanese monographs owned by prefectural and major municipal libraries and also makes interlibrary loan services among these libraries easy. With the consent of all the libraries that contribute data to the union catalog, the NDL has made the catalog open to the public since December 2004. As of the end of FY2004,51 libraries contributed data to the union catalog which has come to a grand total of 28.8 million bibliographic data including 7.9 million "basic bibliographic data" (authoritative data or unique data). The number of libraries participating in the National Union Catalog Network increased to 900. The number of visitors to the union catalog from the point that was opened to the public to the end of FY2004 was about 6 million (52,000 visitors per day). |
| To develop an online training system available from a remote site intended for library staff mainly in Japan, and start the training from FY2005. | The NDL started to develop an online training project using Web technology from FY2003 for librarians at remote sites across the nation. In FY2004 the theme of the training program was set up as "preservation of library materials, " and training materials and an online training system was developed. The training program will be started in FY2005. |