Inter-library cooperation in higher education

Abstract

　The mutual cooperation of university libraries has been discussed in Council on National University Libraries, University Library Committee of Japan Library Association and in library reform Committees of some universiy libraries.
　According to these movement, I like to discuss the theme dividing in acquisition, reservoir, service and cataloging.
I. Cooperation on acquisition.
　The book selection in university library is difficult both selected by academic staff or librarian since the budget is limited against the increase of publications. The cooperation of this problem, we had better refer in case of U.S.A.: Farmington Plan or National Program for Aquisition and Cataloging.
ll. Cooperation on reservoir.
　To collect foreign materials comprehensively, national center is desirable in Japan like Center for Research Libraries in U. S. or lending libraries in England.
III. Cooperation on service.
　Inter-library loan is indispensable to perform above mentioned items. However in Japan has some difficulties in inter-library service since closed system of each university library and under-developed library network. The most available institution will be a deposit library of natural science or science and technology which materials are mainly consisted by periodicals and also has function of information center.
IV. Cooperation on cataloging.
　a) Union catalog: There is no national union catalog in Japan. We cannot consider inter-library service without national or regional union catalog. We have only national union catalog of periodicals edited by the Ministry of Education.
　b) Printed catalog card: For the publication of union catalog, the use of printed catalog card (L. C. printed card for Western books and N. D. L. printed card for Japanese books) should be promoted. And a new element for processing work is appearance of magnetic tape catalog; MARC.
　c) Processing center: New regional library system shown in Ohio College Library Center as a central computer utility or Massachusetts Central Book Processing Center are typical model in United States. The way to the central cataloging or processing center should be well estimated in Japanese research libraries.