BUILDING A NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE IN A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY
 
 

Augurio Collantes

Hostos Community College
City University of New York
Bronx, New York 10451, USA

E-mail: awzho@cunyvm.cuny.edu


  Keywords: Databases, National Library, PhilMARC, LC MARC, Philippines, CD-ISIS, Philippine National Bibliography, National Union Catalog, UNICAT, COMPAIS, University of the Philippines Library, Third World.

Abstract: The paper describes the design for a national bibliographic database for the Philippines with initial input of records from two libraries. The possible ways of build-ing a national database are discussed and the resulting benefits are examined. Some problems that may be met at implementation are also identified.

1. INTRODUCTION

This paper proposes a design for building a national bibliographic database for the Philippines utilizing the available technology in the initial input of records from the National Library and the University of the Philippines (UP) Library. This is not intended to be a blueprint, neither must it be interpreted as something exclusive. It is just a design based on certain bibliographic services/ activities the two institutions have done and are still doing. Experiences of another developing coun-try in database building have contributed to the idea, although there is no guarantee that what is applicable in one place will be applicable in another.

The organizational setup of the two institutions focusing on the services/activities that relate directly or indirectly to creating databases is described briefly. Some possible ways of building a national database are discussed and the resulting benefits with having a national database are exa-mined. The problems that may come up in building a national database are likewise brought out.

A brief description of the two institutions will give us a general idea of their respective roles in database building.

The National Library. The National Library as the principal public library in the country consists of a main library (regional located in Manila); 41 provincial; 32 city; and 346 municipal libraries (National Library, 1991). It is mandated to acquire, preserve "the printed and recorded cultural heritage of the nation as well as the accumulated knowledge and wisdom of mankind." It also promotes access and availability of such materials.

Since the 1979's, the National Library has engaged in bibliographic services/activities, among which are: the development of the PhilMARC communications format for books and serials; the assignment of numeric codes to books and periodicals as linkages to the bibliographic record. It begun publishing in 1974, the PHILIPPINE NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY (PNB), a quarterly listing of new acquisitions. A computerized version of PNB came out in 1977 and the later issues based on LC MARC was implemented in 1983 (Quiazon, 1986).

A catalog of converted Filipiniana holdings, the NATIONAL UNION CATALOG (UNICAT) was started in 1980 by the National Library and 58 participating libraries from the metro Manila area and the provinces (Quiazon, 1986). 'Filipiniana' refers to any material related to the Philippines in one way or another published locally (in the Philippines) or abroad. Approximately 45,000 records were in that database at the start. The National Library now has a PHILIPPINE NATIONAL UNION CATALOG (PN UNICAT), as result of a 1989 survey of research materials all over the country (National Library of the Philippines, 1991).

The University of the Philippines Library. The UP Library, a major academic instit-ution that supports the educational, instructional and research needs of the state university and its community, is a network of 51 libraries located in the four autonomous campuses of the institution. At the Diliman campus, the university library is made up of one main library and 26 college or unit libraries. As of 1990, the UP/Diliman libraries' resources total more than 800,000 print and non-print materials (University of the Philippines/Diliman Library, 1990).

The bibliographic services/activities at the UP/Diliman Library have been enhanced In 1985 with the use of microcomputers and the software, Computerized Documentation System/Integrated Set of Information Systems (CDS/ISIS). The Library has been able to create databases, duplicate files and sub-files. There are 40 computerized bibliographic files stored in 7 major databases in the UP/Diliman Library (University of the Philippines/Diliman Library, 1990).

Three of the databases which have some bearing on this topic are: Book Database (Filipi-niana); Theses Database (theses and dissertations accepted at the UP College of Arts & Letters, Social Sciences, Philosophy and which are available in the UP Main Library); and Index Databases (periodicals) with three sub-files (University of the Philippines/Diliman Library, 1991).

It may be noted that the two libraries have been creating databases which can serve as the nucleus for a national database. While the efforts are focused on Filipiniana materials, current acqui-sitions are also added. One of the topics covered in the Philippine Library Association (PLAI) national convention in 1992 was to produce a computer network of Filipiniana collections (Univer-sity of the Philippines, 1992, p. 3).

2. A NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE

National or international bibliographic database may be defined as "a bibliographic database attempting to cover the majority of the current bibliographical output of a nation or group of nations and accessible in some form to a substantial number of libraries essentially unrelated except for their common participation in the services of the organization creating the database." (Carpenter, 1988)

The objectives of this design are: to produce a national database that will initially include bibliographic records from databases of the two libraries; to facilitate input of cataloging records, that is, librarians will be able to input their original cataloging data; and to enhance library coopera-tion and resource sharing.

Many Philippine libraries have depended on Library of Congress (LC) cataloging and have used LC cards until 1980. There are many trained and experienced librarians who could do the tasks. Actual work can be done in phases over a number of years. The first phase will be initial input from the two libraries and the other succeeding phases will involve the other libraries through-out the country.

3. POSSIBLE WAYS OF CREATING A NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE

Taking into account what have been discussed in the previous pages, the possible ways the national bibliographic database can be created are by: a

• Using the existing facilities at the UP Library;

• Utilizing a bibliographic utility; or,

• Applying the CD-ROM technology.

In any cooperative undertaking of this sort, communication and understanding between the parties is the primary ingredient.

• Using Facilities at the UP Library

The existing microcomputers at the UP Library are used for entering data, duplicating files and suf-files, etc. Within the UP/Diliman area the participating institutions could hand over floppy disks with copies of their new records to the institution with the larger PC which could then merge the records of the other library into a central database.

Now that CDS/ISIS version 3.0 which has among its features, a local area network (LAN) support... (University of the Philippines, 1992, p. 1), then the several microcomputers can be put into a local area network as planned at the UP/Diliman Library.

Current acquisitions will be handled initially and then converted holdings can be taken cared of later on. What will result from this is a shared cataloging facility and a national union catalog. (Appendix A)

• Utilizing a Bibliographic Utility or National Database or Local System

This may be the most convenient and practical way of building a database. The library's hold-ings may be run against the utility's database and then a local database can be created. The UP Library started using LASER CAT of WLN. They used the database for a year. Had the UP Library continued with it, the National Library could benefit as well. Costs can be shared by the two institutions. But that was not the case, the UP Library gave up its subscription to WLN.

The Institute of Library Science, University of the Philippines released in 1982 a third version of the Computer-assisted Information System (COMPAIS). COMPAIS is a locally designed sys-tem that supports circulation, acquisitions, serials control, and various print output functions. Other ASEAN countries have availed of the software (Carpenter, 1988, p. 256; Pascua-Cruz, 1984).

• Applying CD-ROM Technology

Due to high cost of telecommunications and the fact that they are not sufficiently developed to support networking, CD-ROM can be a good alternative. National databases and major bibliogra-phic utilities have made use of CD-ROMS as storage facilities for their records and are made availa-ble to users. Records found can be displayed on the screen so that they can be modified to match the material on hand. The edited records are then saved into diskettes and they become part of the bibliographic database. The diskettes can be interchanged and used by other libraries as basis for their records.

Which of the above-noted ways will be most practical, cost- effective, and appropriate for their purposes depends on several factors which are not within the scope of this paper. There maybe no one best way to do it, but some kind of compromise has to be reached in order to take advantage of the developments in technology.

4. BENEFITS OF HAVING A NATIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATABASE

We noted in the foregoing, that the same type of activities are done by the two institutions. If one can be assigned to do the Filipiniana materials, for instance, then the same record for a particular material can be used by other libraries. Standardization may result and uniformity of format can be realized. Thus,

• This can serve as an impetus for shared cataloging and for the development of a national union catalog.

• While the initial cost may be high, the ongoing cost will be lower if more libraries partici-pate.

• Duplication of efforts can be minimized if not totally avoided.

• Access to materials will be improved and use of resources can be facilitated.

5. PROBLEMS

It may be easy for me to write about these developments and think of such a design, but imple-mentation is another thing. Decisions at the various levels have to be made. Cooperation is a basic element needed in this type of undertaking.

The other problems are:

• Infrastructure for data communications is not well developed to support networking activities as is the case in other developed countries.

• Inadequate backing and commitment from the government along this kind of activity.

• Lack of cooperation among the various types of libraries. Some institutions refuse to join cooperative undertakings due to the benefits that will ensue in favor of smaller libraries (which is not true in all cases).

As one observer noted, "some constraints are financial and technical, others are behavioral and institutional" (Broadbent, 1990).

6. CONCLUSION

I have tried to show how a national bibliographic database in the Philippines can be created by utilizing the available technology in the initial input of bibliographic records from the National Library and the University of the Philippines (UP) Library. Records from the two libraries can be merged to serve as the nucleus for a national bibliographic database. The bibliographic services/ activities of the two institutions can be put to very good use.

The potential is there. It is just a matter for the two libraries to take the initiative and work out things together so that a national bibliographic database could be realized.
 
 

REFERENCES

Broadbent, K. P., "Challenge for Development in the Asia Pacific Region: the Information Sector, Korea and the Philippines," Paper presented at the Fifty-third ASIS Annual Meeting, 4-8 November 1990, Toronto. p.16.

Carpenter, Michael, "Organization and Use of Large-scale Bibliographic Databases," Cataloging and Classification Quarterly, 8: 3 (1988).

National Library: CY 1991 Report of Activities. Manila: National Library, 1991.

National Library of the Philippines. Annual Report, 1990. Manila, National Library, 1991. p.16.

Pascua-Cruz, Ma. D., "Databases in Libraries and Information Centers in the Philippines," Journal of Philippine Librarianship, (March & September 1984) p.33-37.

Quiazon, Serafin D. "The National Library of the Philippines," in Encyclopedia of Library and In-formation Science. edited by Allen Kent. New York: M. Dekker, 1986. v.40, pp.354-365.

University of the Philippines/Diliman Library. 1990 Annual Library. Quezon City: University of the Philippines, Diliman, 1990.

University of the Philippines/Diliman Library, Computer Services Division, "The Library Data-bases", 1991.

University of the Philippines, Institute of Library Science. Newsletter. September-December 1992, [p.3].