CDNLAO Newsletter
No. 71, July 2011
The Collaborative Reference Database (CRD) is a database of reference information constructed by the National Diet Library (NDL) together with member libraries throughout Japan. CRD was launched in 2002 with the goal of making it a useful reference tool for libraries and the general public. It got into full swing in 2005, after an experimental period of nearly three years1.
There are four kinds of data in the CRD: "Reference examples," "Search guides," "Special collections" and "Profiles of member libraries."
In "Reference examples," users can see how librarians answered various questions sent to member libraries such as "What is the world's oldest advertisement?" and "What will happen to ants' nests when it rains? Do they get flooded?"
Reference example page (data by Paper Museum Library)
"Search guides" introduce the basic information sources for research (e.g. books, magazines, databases, Internet information, etc.) which people need to be aware of when researching something, are introduced for various themes such as "How to research laws and regulations" or "How to research science fiction."
"Special collections" contain information of special collections such as rare books and private collections held in each member library. "Profiles of member libraries" contain details of each member library which are helpful for the referral service. All told, 65,235 data were registered in these four databases as of the end of March 2011.
Regarding these data, member library defines "access level" for each data. There are three kinds of access level: "Nonpublic" data are accessible for only the library which originally registered the data, "Open access for member libraries" data are open for only member libraries and "Open access to the public" data are open to the public without restriction. The data categorized in "Open access to the public" are easily accessible because they can be found with search engines such as "Google" and "Yahoo!" About 60 percent of the data are "open access to the public," while "nonpublic" and "open access for member libraries" account for about 20 percent each.
The following are two main features of the CRD.
The first is that CRD is a cross-category project collaborated by public libraries, university libraries, and special libraries across the country. In addition, it is a cooperative project which includes as members special research agencies such as history museums and archives.
* Total of 540 libraries (as of the end of March 2011)
* "National Diet Library" includes its branch libraries
Distribution of CDR member libraries
Participation of various organizations makes CDR a database which contains a huge variety of reference examples and related information.
The second feature is that the CRD is a database focusing on "accumulation and sharing of the records." It accumulates and shares research know-how such as tools and keywords used for search. Since the amount of data has increased in the seven years since the start of the project, we gradually hear the reputation that CRD helps to answer a reference. We analyze and evaluate the reference service by using the registered data and reflect it on collection building.
Though CRD is basically a tool, we think it will also help people to learn the pleasure of research and using libraries, with the help of a lot of information that is enjoyable to read, like the examples above.
While CRD is a database concentrating on "accumulation and sharing of the record," the community function is also growing, such as the reference example of an open question solved thanks to another member library's comment. We can see further possibilities in this cooperation aspect of the virtual community spreading across the different kinds of library.
Despite these features, the major challenge for CRD is the expansion of member libraries and data. We will continue to broaden the network of cooperation until the day when CRD becomes a fully dependable tool for daily research and reference.
1 CRD was introduced on this newsletter when it was in the experimental phase. For details of the beginning stage, please refer to "The Collaborative Reference Database Project of the National Diet Library of Japan," CDNLAO Newsletter, No.49, March 2004.
Copyright (C) 2011 National Diet Library
