Communications et résolutions des Sections et Commissions

Abstract

The Section offered three important lectures about modern developments and problems of the large comprehensive libraries (published in Libri) : (1) The report of Prof. Köster “The use of computers in compiling National Bibliographies, illustrated by the example of the Deutsche Bibliographie”. His lecture showed in an impressive way that it is really possible to speed up enormously the publication of national bibliographies by using an electronic data-processing system. This means no saving of personnel but a fundamental improvement of bibliographic service. In spite of all technical advances, the intellectual work of the librarians remains important and decisive. It is hoped that the experiences made by the automation of the Deutsche Bibliographie may be useful to other nations for similar projects. (2) Mr. Humphreys reported generally about the subject specialist in national and university libraries. He reviewed all aspects of the role of subject specialists, e.g. the impact of these on the organization of the libraries, the different ways in which they can be used, as in acquisition, classification, reference service, their relationship to university teachers, recruitment and training and others. (3) Professor Danton, in his paper on the subject specialist, with special reference to book selection, gave a survey about the tasks of subject specialists in book selection. Selecting books is an activity of fundamental importance for each library which it should not renounce.