CDNLAO Newsletter
No. 57, November 2006
- Definition of Rare Books
- About your library's rare books collection
- Managing Department of Rare Books Collection
- Terms of use of rare books collection
- Photocopy service of rare books collection
- Loan service of rare books
- Management of rare books collection
- Cataloging of rare books collection
- Training of rare books librarians
- Management of the reading room for your rare books collection
- Microfilming and digitization of rare books collection
1. Definition of Rare Books
1.1 How does your library define "rare books"? If there are different definitions according to the types of materials, please specify, e.g. Western materials, Islamic materials, Far Eastern materials, etc.
Invaluable rare books.
1.2 How does your library authorize the designation of rare books based on the above definition? For example, does your library have a committee to designate rare books?
No special designation.
2. About your library's rare books collection
2.1 How many titles/volumes of rare books does your library hold? How many of them are Western, Islamic or Far Eastern, etc?
Over 500 books are being held in Rare and Valuable Books Museum at our library.
2.2 Give some examples that are considered the most precious of your library's rare books collection.
- Sanduin jud, made of pure gold and silver. 111 separate pages.
- Kanjur, written with nine precious stone. 142 volumes.
- Dorjjodva. 32 pages.
- Genealogy, started from Burte Chono, early ancestor of Genghis Khan.
- Golden Annual.
- Novel of Green Tara.
- Script folios, represented on the birch bark.
- Mongolian Tanjur.
- Copper printing blocks for the Eight thousand verses sutra.
- Jambaltsanjid.
3. Managing Department of Rare Books Collection
3.1 Is there any section or reading room which is dedicated only to rare book collections?
No special reading room.
3.2 What other collections are managed together with your rare books collection?
Most of rare and valuable books are kept at the rare and valuable books museum. However, some volumes are kept at other stacks such as Tibetan Books Stack and Mongolian Studies Books Stack.
3.3 Please give the name of the section and reading room which serve your rare books collection.
Reading Room for Scientific Researchers.
4. Terms of use of rare books collection
4.1 Do you prescreen applications to use the rare books collection?
Only by permission.
4.2 Are there any specific qualifications that you set up for users of your rare books collection, such as a doctoral degree?
Readers who have above Master's degree may use rare and valuable books.
5. Photocopy service of rare books collection
5.1 How do you accept requests for photocopy of your rare books collection?
If there is a special need, may photocopy by permission and paying the fees in accordance with established price tariff.
6. Loan service of rare books
6.1 Do you loan out rare books?
No.
6.2 Do you loan out rare books for exhibitions?
Yes.
If yes, do you loan out rare books to overseas institutions for exhibitions?
Yes.
7. Management of rare books collection
7.1 Are there stacks or storage spaces which only store rare books?
Yes. The rare and valuable books museum.
If yes, what are the differences of the rare books stacks from other stacks?
For exhibiting.
How large are the rare books stacks, and how many rare books can be stored in them?
175 square meter. Contains around 500 books.
8. Cataloging of rare books collection
8.1 Which section/unit of your library does the cataloging work for rare books?
Cataloguing Section.
8.2 Do you set any differences in cataloging rare books and other general books?
No special difference.
8.3 What formats of catalogs have been made for your rare books collections?
Book Catalog.
9. Training of rare books librarians
9.1 Do you have any training courses specifically targeted for rare books librarians?
No.
10. Management of the reading room for your rare books collection
10.1 Are there any tools or equipment that are provided for readers of rare books in the reading room?
No.
10.2 Are there any specific items that you prohibit users from bringing in or using in the reading room where the rare books collection is served? For example, ball point pens.
No.
11. Microfilming and digitization of rare books collection
11.1 Have you done microfilming of your rare books collection? If yes, what percentage of your rare books collection has been microfilmed?
Have not done microfilming. Of course, we have plans to make microfilming. But it is still not clear when we would start microfilming due to the notorious financial shortage.
11.2 Have you done digitization of your rare books collection? If yes, what percentage of your rare books collection has been digitized?
No. But the first project on digitization will start soon in this October.
11.3 Have you created digital library collections? If yes, what percentage of your digital library collections is made of rare books?
No.
11.4 If you have created a digital library specialized in your rare books collection, please give the name and URL.
No.
Copyright (C)2006 National Library of Mongolia
