Since FY1994 the National Diet Library has been carrying out trials of the union catalog networks linking domestic public libraries, in cooperation with the Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan (IPA, a special authorized public corporation under the Ministry of International Trade and Industry).The project is scheduled to move forward into the practical stage, as our own independent project, in FY1998.

National Union Catalog and the NDL

To compile national union catalogs is one of our primary tasks which is expressly stipulated in the sub-section 4, section 21 of the NDL Law (February 9, 1948). At the moment, however, we have only such catalogs as National Union Catalog of Braille & Recorded Books in Japan and National Union List of Reduced, Microformed and Reprinted Newspapers in Japan, both are specialized in specific materials. On the other hand, nearly five decades have passed since the enactment of the NDL Law and the concept of a union catalog itself has changed into that of network-oriented database systems.

Under these circumstances the NDL, deeply aware of the necessity of a comprehensive system for a union catalog, set up the Research & Development Unit for Networks in the then Systems Development Office in FY1991 and tackled the feasibility study for a union catalog project, which led to the launch of FY1993’s National Union Catalog Network Pilot Project.

National Union Catalog Network Pilot Project (First Trial)

Four public (prefectural) libraries participated in this stage of the experiment to provide some three-year bibliographic records which was, by using our computers, identified mechanically and integrated into one file. At the same time fifteen libraries made trial use of the data on the NOREN (NDL’s information retrieval system) so as to examine its utility.

National Union Catalog Network Pilot Project (Second Trial)

The framework of this project changed in FY1994. Now as a part of the IPA's electronic library projects, IPA has initiatives, especially in the fields of system designs and system development, supported by the NDL which has advantages in such expertise as system concepts and unified format for bibliographic data. FY1994 passed during the preparatory work and the second trial began in October 1995.

Project outline as of July 1997

Participants

NDL and 26 main public libraries, of which 18 libraries provide their bibliographic information for this project.

Data format

Unified format based on JAPAN/MARC

Data supply

Each library converts its own bibliographic/holding data, which are mainly of Japanese books, into the unified format. Those data are delivered online through networks continuously, though at the beginning of this trial they were collected in MT form all at once.

Compilation and maintenance of the National Union Catalog Database

For the purpose of either registration or renewal, bibliographic data from various libraries are identified by coded data such as ISBN and JAPAN/MARC number as well as various bibliographic fields to be integrated automatically. The number of registered data (both bibliographic and holding) is 7,860 thousand, including 3,770 thousand data already identified and integrated.

Information retrieval

This database is accessible under the standard circumstances for the Internet, by the participant libraries only, through INSnet 64.

This National Union Catalog Database System is located in IPA's Center for Information Infrastructure in Shonan Fujisawa Campus, Keio Gijuku University, Kanagawa Prefecture.

Toward practical use

The following are the basic ideas on which the NDL has decided to pursue the further development of the National Union Catalog Network System.

-A national union catalog is to be one of the fundamental infrastructures for possible resource sharing among libraries in the future.

-As one of the primary tasks stipulated in the NDL Law and particularly mentioned in the Second Basic Plan for the establishment of Kansai-kan (tentative name of our new facility to be opened in 2002), NDL has the responsibility to carry on the union catalog project, especially in order to support library cooperation activities such as ILL.

-At the moment there is no nationwide union catalog system for public libraries operating in Japan, though for university libraries the National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS) has one.

-Public libraries' high expectation of our project

-The trials of the National Union Catalog Network Project provided valuable technical experience .

-Some remaining problems (financial, institutional or technical) are expected to have been solved by the beginning of FY 1998. According to this, the basic policy for the practical development of the Pilot Electronic Library National Union Catalog Network Project was issued in March, 1997.

Basic policy

Purpose

As a part of the NDL's library cooperation activities, the project supports nationwide ILL among public libraries, especially beyond prefecture borders.

Range of objects

Collections of prefectural libraries and main city libraries; for the present, Japanese books only.

Suppliers of data

Each prefectural or main city library interested in joining our project.

System

Centralized database system

Schedule

From FY1998

For the further development of the National Union Catalog Network : Now what we should do

At the moment we are grappling with such preparatory work, hoping that this project will establish a standard for public libraries all over Japan.

-Making the project understood by private MARC companies

-Increasing the number of participants

-Setting up user-friendly access environment

-Opening a reference desk on the project in the NDL

-Examining and evaluating the bibliographic data and the format

-Attempting to conclude ILL agreements among libraries

-Promoting public relations, staff training programs and so forth

Especially, the Team for Promotion of Union Catalog Operation formed in April 1997 in the Committee for Promotion of the Electronic Library is now studying such issues, other than the above-mentioned, as:

-Extending the range beyond Japanese books

-Developing public library networks to include city and town libraries

-Introducing decentralized networks as well as the present centralized

ones

-Making the bibliographic data available to the general public on the Internet

-Associating the union catalog network project with the NDL’s future electronic library service

Conclusion

We feel certain that union catalog networks for public libraries are indispensable for the future development of nationwide libraries. Our project will take a bold leap to the next stage in FY1998. The NDL will put forth every possible effort, reflecting the opinions of libraries around the country, to make the reality successful.