Career motivation of Hungarian library school students: a quick survey conducted among the full-time students of four LIS departments.
TÓTH Máté
Making the image of librarianship more attractive constitutes one of the key objectives of the Hungarian library strategy for the period 2003–2007. The Hungarian Library Institute contributed to this goal with carrying out a survey among 160 first year and last year students of four LIS departments (Debrecen University, Eötvös Loránd University and College, Budapest, Berzsenyi Dániel College, Szombathely). The questionnaire contained the following four main questions: 1) What motivates students to do LIS training; 2) Which subjects and jobs students get most interested in during their studies, 3) After graduating in LIS, would they like to work as librarians; 4) How does the training influence the students’ original career plans?
The present study is a summary of the results and conclusions of the survey. Two important conclusions can be drawn: firstly, the first year and last year students demonstrate a different attitude towards librarianship as a career; secondly, it is shown how the training modified the ideas of students about the profession. First year students are oriented towards two typical roles of modern librarianship (information professional, social worker), while in the responses by last year students, emotional factors also appear (they like books and they like libraries). First year students are interested in information technology, whereas last year students prefer the sociology of reading, readers’ service and reference work. Students do not have well-defined ideas about the career when they start their studies. Students in their first year of studies do not seem to know librarianship at all, the number of those that do not wish to become librarians is slightly higher. Among last year students, the majority seemed determined to start their career as a librarian. In summary, the training positively influenced the students’ commitment to the librarian profession. The differences of responses by students of two different years of studies would need further analysis, so the aim of this study is more to raise awareness and serve as a basis for subsequent research.
Digital archives at the Corvinus University of Budapest
TAKÁCS Istvánné
The theoretical and practical works of the early economic science literature have been subject to increasing demand by students and researchers. The most often requested publications included issues of such periodicals as the Review of National Economy, or the Review of Economy and Administration from their beginning, and works by Gergely Berzeviczy, Ágoston Karvassy, Domokos Bethlen. Making available the original copies to such a number of users became difficult, so the Library started to digitize these works. A total of 110 000 pages (668 journal articles and 13 books in full text) were scanned over the past few years out of additional state funding. In addition to this project, another digital database is being built in order to preserve the publications by university teaching staff. The digital library is accessible at: http://www.lib.uni-corvinus.hu/elektronikus.html
Cataloguing electronic documents in the online catalogue of the Central Library of the Corvinus University of Budapest
SZŐNYI Éva
The online catalogue of the Central Library of the Corvinus University of Budapest has been built since 1989. The retrospective cataloguing of the part of the collection acquired before 1989 also started. From the end of the 1990s, documents in electronic format (on CD-ROM, floppy disc, and finally online) were also incorporated in the collection and thus in the online catalogue. The cataloguing of e-documents is carried out in compliance with the relevant national regulation (KSZ/2 2000, Bibliographical description, Electronic documents). The metadata standard issued in 2004 (MSZ ISO 15836, Information and documentation, The Dublin Core metadata element set) makes it possible to use optional data elements that can be viewed in both html and xml formats. The library receives the PhD dissertations on floppy and after the dissertation is defended, the electronic format is attached to the bibliographical records of the work received in paper format. Other publications of the teaching staff as well as conference papers are usually received as e-documents. The processing of e-documents not stored on the local server is only a long-term plan, as the library has not elaborated yet its policy regarding the acquisition and cataloguing of these documents. The Library has joined the new project of the Hungarian National Shared Catalogue dealing with documents published before 1850 (MOKKA-R). 13 historical core economic books were scanned in the Digital Archive of the Library with additional state funding.
Progress report on the Humanities Bibliographical Database project
RÁCZ Ágnes
Cataloguing newspaper and journal articles is a core issue in document cataloguing. The idea of creating an online database of articles published in Hungarian periodicals appeared on the agenda in the 1990s, but it did not materialize (see VAJDA, Erik: Creating an online database of selected periodical articles with collaborative partners). In 2003, a feasibility study was carried out for the harmonization of the online cataloguing of periodical articles in various databases (Hungarian Periodical Article Bibliography, the Hungarica database and the MANCI Bibliographical Database of Articles from Hungarian and international LIS journals) but the project remained a plan. The termination of the Hungarian Periodical Article Bibliography in October 2002 was followed by lively professional debates, so the National Széchényi Library set up a plan for a new Humanities Bibliographical Database (HBD) to be based on the collaboration of various libraries. An expert committee was set up for preparing the feasibility study of the HBD, dealing with the collection interest, the range of publications to be catalogued, the structure of the database, the levels of cataloguing, hardware and software needs etc. According to the plan, the first level of the cataloguing will be a list of required periodicals with tables of content, while the bibliographical cataloguing of the publications belonging to the collection area will happen at the second level. Linking to the full text of articles would be possible in both cases. Subject cataloguing would be in compliance with the thesaurus used at the National Library and public libraries, as well as on the basis of subject lists. Similarly to the old documents project of Hungarian National Shared Catalogue (MOKKA-R), the database contains a multifunctional software. The further steps include the design and testing of the database, establishing contact with the potential collaborative partners, concluding the consortial agreement, making an inventory of the resources from retrospective conversion, and securing funding for the initial phase of the development project.
A new Hungarian regulation and outlook on the international regulating procedures
BERKE Barnabásné
The author as the head of the Hungarian library standardization committee, introduces two studies targeted for the participants of this forum, in order to explain the regulation KSZ/5 “Geographical names as access points to retrieving records” issued in July 2005. Then she reports on the new model of the IFLA UBCIM Working Group on Functional Requirements and Numbering of Authority Records (FRANAR), the draft paper called “Functional Requirements for Authority Records.“ This draft paper analyses the the entities of authority records, their qualities and relations. Furthermore it lists the qualities related to access points too. Another important chapter deals with the relations between authority data. The FRAR (earlier FRANAR) draft paper is still being fine-tuned, but apparently, it does not deal with subject authority data, e.g. geographical names, in connection with which Hungary was the first country to introduce a regulation. In order to enhance searching, the producers of the Hungarian regulation have also integrated the achievements of the use of national and international thesaurus standards.
Geographical names as access points for retrieving database records. Theory and practices of a library regulation
UNGVÁRY Rudolf – PÁSZTI László
Geographical names as access points for retrieving records play an important role in retrieving information. Although using these names seem a simple procedure, the system of their relations is very complicated. Firstly, there are a number of homonym geographical proper names (e.g. out of the seven most important cities called London, three are located in the U.S. and there is an island called London too.) Secondly, there is a great variety of types of geographical names (names of states, names of administrative units, city names, names of institutions, and geographical terms with a general meaning, such as mount, river, lake).
Thirdly, the same geographical place can have names in different languages, and this phenomenon is especially true on the European continent including Eastern Europe (see the variety of names for Vienna, or the names of Istanbul over different historical periods). Furthermore, administrative units can be merged or separated, or certain names can start to refer to a completely different unit. In comparison with authority data, the regulation of geographical names as access points for retrieving information started relatively late in the field of cataloguing. Even internationally, the rules are still not fully conciliated with the structures of thesauri that have been traditionally used for subject retrieval for decades. The regulation of Hungarian geographical names has been completed recently. Its authors tried to utilize the experiences resulting from the use of thesauri. This study presents the principles of the regulation, the methods used and also a few concrete solutions. The basic principles are summarized at the end of the second chapter.
The use of geographical names in the Hungarian language
FARAGÓ Imre
Könyvtári Figyelő (Library Review), vol. 15. (51.) 2005. no. 4. pp. 791 – 816.
The most important requirement for the use of Hungarian geographical names is that in texts written in Hungarian language, the Hungarian names of geographical objects should be used. Of course, if an object does not have a Hungarian name and no Hungarian name can be derived from the original name, then the foreign equivalent should be used. Unfortunately, the Hungarian geographical and cartographic literature and the organs using geographical names (media, official communications, transportation) do not always take into consideration this requirement, consequently the use of Hungarian geographical names is inconsistent. This negligence unnecessarily limits the use of Hungarian names, or in the worst case, the Hungarian equivalents might fade into oblivion.
The use of Hungarian geographical names needs to be based on the Hungarian name area. Name areas always stretch over the appropriate ethnic area. In the case of Hungarian names, the name area and the ethnic area extend significantly beyond the national borders. For this reason, the use of Hungarian geographical names can be justified even in areas that are very far from the borders of the current state, and even if the existence of the Hungarian names might only be known to researchers and cartographers. This article deals with the conceptual and practical aspects of the use of Hungarian geographical names, and also presents the various parts of the Hungarian name area. The extent of the use of Hungarian geographical names can be connected to political periods. During several periods, the use was subject to the principle of state centralism. The second part of the study traces the correspondences between Hungarian cartographic names and the appropriate political trends from 1867 to date.
Topic map applications on the Internet
PAJOR Enikő
With many references to valuable international sources, the author presents the applications based on XML and SGML developments. Topic maps can create a kind of index that make it possible to map the exact content of individual documents. The maps contain topics, associations and occurrences. The article deals with the difference between topic maps and conceptual maps, and presents two graphic search tools, such as Grokker and Kartoo.
About the Norwegian library system
AUDUNSON, Ragnar: The use of libraries in Norway: assisting users in getting information in a changing world (Translated by Edina Szilárdi)
After an overview of various models of LIS training in European countries, the author summarizes the Norwegian dilemma: should the training be practice-oriented or should it focus more on theory? Finally, a few recommendations are made regarding the reform of the training.
About the Norwegian library system
KOLDERUP FLATEN, Trine: Do libraries have an impact on the life of citizens?
Translated by Dóra Kőszegi
An overview of the Norwegian library field and the most important country-wide library developments.
About the Norwegian library system
BARÁTNÉ HAJDU Ágnes: Focus on the information
The author is member of the IFLA Knowledge Management Section Standing Committee. In this article, she presents the main activities of the Knowledge Management Section, as well as emphasizes the importance of topic maps in connection with visualization and the use of Internet. A few personal experiences and ideas are also given related to Norwegian libraries.
BERNIER, Catherine: Lucien Herr. An irregular portray of the French contemporary of Ervin Szabó
(Translated by Katalin Haraszti)
Lucien Herr (1864-1926) was the chief librarian of the library of the Ecole Normale Superieure. He was a committed professional with a great knowledge. At the turn of the 19 th and 20 th centuries, his attention was drawn to the same issues concerning the development of libraries as Ervin Szabo, the founder of the Hungarian public library network. The study presents Herr as a socialist intellectual, through his activities as a committed intellectual leader.
A short summary of the history of the European Book History Collection
Setting up a new collection of the National Széchényi Library
NÉMETH Gabriella
The National Széchényi Library established formal contact with the Italian Ministry of Culture in 1999 and collaborative projects of a wide spectrum have been developing since that date. The delegation of the Italian ministry visited the library in summer 2004 and on this occasion, they donated the library a special edition of Carafa’s “De institutione vivendi” based on the digital version of the work. This was followed by an agreement of the two partners on the foundation of the European Book History Collection. Out of the national libraries of the region, the Hungarian one has the richest collection of book history literature. As the first step of the cooperation, the Italian partner donates various books to the collection. The value of the donation has been up to 5000 euros in 2005. The collection will comprise
documents and journals related to book history, primarily from the collection of the National Széchényi Library, but also as donations by international partners. The collection will be catalogued in a virtual shared catalogue. The official opening ceremony of the new collection is scheduled to October 2006.
A short summary of the history of the European Book History Collection
The homepage of the European Book History Collection
BÍRÓ Gyöngyi
The website of the European Book History Collection, as part of the Library and Information Science Special Library of the Hungarian Library Institute is in progress. The collection will include documents related to the following subjects: writing, writing materials, manuscripts, book printing, book art, publishing, periodicals, censorship, book history, library history and history of reading.
Two foreign reviews of book history:
FUNKE, Fritz: Buchkunde.Ein Überblick über die Geschichte des Buches; and BARBIER, : Histoire du livre.
(Reviewed by Bényei, Miklós)
POGÁNY György: The Hungarian book collector’s guide
(Reviewed by Galli, Katalin)
KATSÁNYI Sándor: The history of the Ervin Szabó Metropolitan Library till 1945
(Reviewed by Murányi, Lajos)
The channels of communication.
Edited by Ivaskó, Lívia (Reviewed by Péterfi, Rita)