About the bibliographies of articles
By KOLTAY, Klára
In order to understand the status of bibliographies of articles and why such services have to progress towards standardization, the author outlines the purposes of the use of such bibliographies, the ways they are used and the expectations the users may have towards them. In the typical academic library setting, users do not distinguish between service types such as bibliographies of articles, special bibliographies and tables of content. Typical article searches are done by author or by subject. The perfect database must be reliable and accurate, it must have a well defined collection interest and it must contain journal title lists. The processing must be continuous, updates must happen frequently and regularly, and time lags must be indicated clearly. It often occurs that in case the bibliography is not complete, users who are searching for a specific article have to consult an additional database, sometimes with a very different structure. It is the librarians’ task to teach users how to use the available journal collections and to ensure that journal records of online catalogues of their library do include information on related tables of contents and the availability of the full text. In order to create searching facilities by author and by subject that exceed the scope of local databases, extensive inter-library cooperation is needed. The cooperation can have various forms:
Journal records of local catalogues additionally incorporate related electronic information, tables of content, abstracts, and the availability of full text. Or the shared catalogue contains all this information, indicating the location of journals.
A common searching interface is created, making it possible to search across all local databases
A national database of articles is created, based on local catalogues of articles. This system would be similar to the Hungarian Shared Catalogue (Magyar Országos Közös Katalógus – MOKKA) and the National Document Delivery System (Országos Dokumentum-ellátási Rendszer – ODR) that focus on monographies.
The National Database of Periodical Articles (Időszaki Kiadványok Repertóriuma – IKER), stopped at the end of 2002, is restarted, but with an extended collection interest and cataloguing capacity.
In all models, records in MARC format or in a data exchange format compatible with MARC are necessary.
Newspaper and periodical articles in the local collections of county libraries. Outcomes of a survey
TAKÁTS, Béla
The author conducted a survey based on a questionnaire at the 19 county libraries in Hungary. The aim of the survey was to clarify, with which methods and tools, in which quantity and depth these libraries are cataloguing periodical articles as part of their everyday functioning, and based on the records, what services they are offering to their users. The outcome of the survey was that the local history librarians’ work at county libraries is satisfactory, but parallel, sometimes overlapping local cataloguing efforts are going on at smaller libraries in the county. Cataloguing is automated, but the individual integrated systems need to be developed and linked together, which is not possible out of own resources. The common thesaurus should be used for cataloguing, but the exchange of records needs to be resolved. The questionnaire itself is attached to the article.
Cataloguing of articles at Hungarian academic and special libraries. Analysing the results of a survey
BERKE, Barnabásné
The Bibliographer Section of the Association of Hungarian Librarians as well as the County Library Section of the Alliance of Libraries and Information Institutes both have discussed the situation resulting from the ending of the bibliography of articles hosted at the National Széchényi Library. The participants agreed that libraries should not give up the plans for a comprehensive national bibliography of articles, and a solution must be found for searching across all existing local records, as well as for accessing the full text of articles. The National Széchényi Library, as the center of national bibliographies, should continue to play a leading role in this project. Using a slightly edited version of the questionnaire produced by Béla Takáts (please see previous abstract), the author has carried out a quick and rough survey at academic and special libraries about cataloguing journal and periodical articles. The survey showed the overlap between parallel cataloguing efforts and also detected the areas not covered by any cataloguing work. Cooperation is hindered by the variety of softwares in use and the failure of using standard methods of description. The quick survey confirmed the urgent need for an exhaustive expert study – to be financed out of external funds – and for a feasibility study based on its results.
People at disadvantage: historical overview and the changing of social acceptance
BOBOK-BELÁNYI, Beáta
The author presents the notion of social disadvantage in the context of social history, dealing with the questions of ways of life, philosophical systems and human attitudes across several historical periods (Ancient times, Middle Age etc). It gives an overview of attempts for establishing social equality over more recent times and analyses today’s situation. Social disadvantage is always relative, and instead of trying to compensate the disadvantages, the problems can be counterbalanced by greater solidarity and ensuring equal opportunities for everyone.
Information needs, information drawbacks, equal opportunities
PÉTERFI, Rita – VIDRA Szabó, Ferenc
The Computer and Automation Research Institute (Számítástechnikai és Automatizálási Kutatóintézet – SZTAKI) of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, the Hungarian Library Institute and the Volf György Library of Törökbálint created a consortium and successfully applied for funds for a joint project under the call for proposals “Community content services for rural libraries”. SZTAKI provided libraries with a web design software, while staff from the Library Institute conducted a background study that served as the basis for the software development work carried out by SZTAKI. While the number of Internet users in Hungary increased from 300 000 to 715 000 between 1998 and 2000, and in 2002, one third of the computers in households had Internet connection, the fact is that this number only represents 9% of all households. 50 % of the Internet users live in Budapest and 30% in bigger towns and county centres. However, about 10% of the Hungarian population live in villages with less than 1000 inhabitants and 30% in towns with 1000 –10 000 inhabitants. The lack of information technology tools adds to the disadvantages that citizens of rural areas are experiencing. In 2001, libraries of 169 villages submitted successful applications for external funding for purchasing computers with Internet access. The calls for proposals required using part of the funds for user training. Libraries also have to provide appropriate content that satisfies the special needs of local citizens.
The aim of the background research was: 1. to identify the real information needs of local users; 2. to design a service based on the special situation of people living in nearly 2200 small settlements.
During the planning period, villages to be included in the background research were selected by random sampling, then interviews were made. The sample was divided in four groups: students, active (working) citizens, cultural workers and inactive (non-working) citizens. The study summarised the topics and areas that were cited most often and that were told essential for everyday life by the groups, then thematic collections of links to useful Internet sources were prepared. The findings confirmed that people living in rural areas do have specific information needs. Answers of citizens living and working in rural areas (cultural workers included) showed diverse levels of digital literacy. One cultural professional said he usually spends half of his working day browsing on the Internet, while some teachers or librarians hardly knew how to switch on the computer. In the latter case, on-site training might be the solution. As far as information services for the non-workers are concerned, their attitude towards computers needs to be changed: they need to be convinced of the usefulness of computers and the Internet. This can only happen in a motivating and cooperative environment (supportive family, other helpers). The role of librarians is also important: they are providing assistance to local people in finding information, thus they are combating disadvantage.
Computers and use of the Internet in Hungary at the millennium
PÉTERFI, Rita
Review on the use of the Internet and various user groups in Hungary, based on data collected from Internet literature and public opinion poll data, with a short summary of the international state of affairs. In international comparison, there is a computer with Internet connection in every second household, whereas in Hungary this happens in every sixth household only. Hungarians are using the Internet mostly at workplaces and educational institutions, and the use is geographically concentrated in bigger cities.
Access to two hundred thousand documents through the portal of Neumann House
BOROSS, Andrea
The John von Neumann Digital Library and Multimedia Centre has been building a web-based catalogue of Hungarian articles published on the Internet since 1998. Documents by Hungarian authors, available on Hungarian servers and in Hungarian language are processed in the database. Besides the bibliographical cataloguing, the full text of the documents is also made available. The database called WebKat.hu contained 20 000 records at the time of its launch, today this number is ten times higher. The collection interest has also expanded, covering publications by foreign authors translated into Hungarian and selected documents hosted in neighbouring countries. The article also gives a few search tips for basic search.
Multiculturalism and public libraries in the international discourse
COGNINI, Cecilia. (Abstracted by Mohor, Jenő)
The article is dealing with the introduction of interculturalism within the mission of public libraries, and points out how this is reflected in UNESCO and IFLA documents (e.g. The public library service: IFLA/UNESCO guidelines for development, as well as the IFLA multicultural communities: guidelines to library services). The IFLA Section on Library Services to Multicultural Populations is also presented, together with strategic aspects and an overview of international experiences.
EU programmes shaping national information policies: examples from Lithuania, Slovenia and the United Kingdom
PETUCHOVAITE, Ramune, VILAR Polona, BAWDEN, David. (Translated by Murányi, Lajos)
The country reports were presented in one of the working groups at the 11th BOBCATSSS 2003 symposium in Torun. The reports show how European Union programmes influenced the development of national information policies. Experiences from three countries were compared: Lithuania, Slovenia and the already full EU member United Kingdom. The first part of the presentation explains what national information policies really mean for these countries, then followed an account of the EU programmes in which they participated. Finally the authors assess the impact of these programmes on the development of the national information policy, in order to reveal the differences in impact between the three countries and predict likely future developments.
Discussion papers about the obstacles of knowledge management (review)
KOLTAY, Tibor
The review deals with two provocative articles (by Tom Wilson and F. J. Miller respectively) about the challenges of knowledge management. Knowledge management can be regarded on the one hand as a mania or a fashion, a notion that many people mix up and use synonymously with information management; on the other hand, it gives the impression that information processes can be managed effectively. Sceptical voices do not doubt that knowledge management experts can contribute efficiently to the management of enterprises, but they think the question should not be oversimplified. It would be more important to create the right conditions and mechanisms to support the acquirement and effective use of knowledge.