The National library online

Presentation of the online bibliographical management system set up at the National library in Paris, according to the instructions plan of 1981. GEAC system has been chosen and adapted to the specific needs of the National library; its cataloguing and inquiry modules have first gone into service. At the beginning, in 1985, the base will hold 350 000 entries (French monographes since 1975, foreign monographes since 1984 and French serials since 1975), with an increase of 60 000 entries each year. On the other hand, the Nouveau catalogue général 1970-1979 will be integrated by 1987. 200 terminals will be gradually placed at the users' disposal within two years. With many access keys, file retrieval will be facilitated. This system rests on the management of a single and centralized database which is shared by all services. Such a system induces a new working planification inside a new structure : creation of three processing chains, each of them holding accession and cataloguing of one type of document; creation of a coordination center in order to ensure a technical and bibliographical cohesion. Much later, the extension of the system to other documents and the promotion of other management actions are foreseen.
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