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Unit 9: National Libraries

2. Disseminating Functions: The information on books, periodicals and other materials Notes
collected may have to be disseminated through:

catalogues in printed, microforms and machine readable forms.
compilation of retrospective or current bibliographies on various subjects in
anticipation of or on request. Retrospective bibliographies include past publications
over a period of time, while current ones confine only to current publications.
Current bibliographies are usually compiled on request from scholars and
institutions on current topics, most of which may be short and selective.

Example: The compilation and publication of Bibliography on Ideology of the National
Library of India is a continuing project, in which four volumes have been published, viz., Indian
anthropology, Indian botany (2 volumes), and Bengali language and literature.
Index to currently published journals literature appearing in research and/or
scholarly periodicals; if no other institution or agency compiles and publishes
indexes to current scholarly or research journals, National libraries, may undertake
this responsibility.

Preparation and production of abstracts of current literature on subjects of national
interest. The Indian Science Abstracts, a record of current literature in Indian science,
prepared from the journals and other documents received by the National Science
Library, is being brought out by the Indian National Scientific Documentation Centre.
3. National Bibliographies: Preparation and production of national bibliographies of books
and periodicals and other non-print materials, in printed and/or microforms and machine
readable forms is other formation of the National library. By products of these may be
directories of publishers, authors of repute with their addresses and current statistics
relating to production of books and other documents.
Examples of national libraries, performing this function are:
The Indian National Bibliography published by the Central Reference Library (National
Library Campus, Calcutta), and the British National Bibliography, brought out by the
British Library.
4. Readers’ Services: Following services are given to the readers:
Providing facilities for reading, consulting, etc., on the premises, including research
alcoves/rooms for serious readers such as researchers; scholars and writers;
Offering reference, bibliographic and information services;
Providing inter-library lending and serving as a national and international,
inter-library loan centres;
Providing photocopying services, including the preparation of slides, overhead
transparencies and other facilities to scholars, researchers and others;

Offering specialised services to government; business and industry such as answering
technical enquiries from business and industry, preparation of special lists/
bibliographies on specific topics on request from Government Departments; and

Serve as a referral centre, which assists users to locate any source of information
through specialised directories and guides.

Task State the broad-groups under which the objects and functions of a national library
can be considered. List also the activities of any one of them.

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