AZ ORSZÁGOS SZÉCHÉNYI KÖNYVTÁR ÉVKÖNYVE 1958. Budapest (1959)

II. A könyvtári munka módszertani kérdéseiről - Gombocz István: Központi csereszolgálatok

Convention, but established exchange centres themselves, not much differing in character from those defined by the Convention. After the Second World-War, Unesco started promoting not only the exchange of publications among nations, but also the setting-up of centres. However, Unesco had broader ideas about the functions of a national service: besides transmitting packages of items collected, it should initiate new exchange relations in fields where lacks were felt, it should furnish information about exchange possibilities for home use and to inquirers from abroad, etc. These principles are in part reflected in the new conventions recently adopted. II. Functions of a national centre. The 35 centres at present functioning all over the world work very differently from each other. Co-ordination is required among existing centres, or at least the newly established ones should organize their work on the basis of modern principles. According to these principles, the following functions are considered as coming under the competency of an exchange centre. 1. Initiating, co-ordinating, informatory and registration services. On the basis of accurate registrations, the centre should be in the position to furnish information to domestic and foreign applicants about exchange possibilities, it should bring together exchange partners, it should prevent overlapping, respectively it should advise as to how gaps in certain fields should be filled. 2. The transmitting of the exchange material may remain one of the principal functions; accurate registration is required. Of course, institutions should be left free to choose the way of forwarding their material through the centres or to send off their publications directly to the partners concerned. 3. The exchange of duplicates is not as well developed in many countries, as this activity would deserve. If more exchange centres regarded this type of exchange as coming under their competency, better results could be achieved. 4. The exchange of official publications is one of the traditional services of the centres. The new Unesco Conventions might improve the present situation, in which too many or too few publications are exchanged between the individual countries. 5. The volume of the Centre's own exchange is likely to increase if the centre works within a larger institution. The exchanges of a National Library might be operated by the centre functioning within its organization, but an amalgamation of these operations might result in administrative troubles. 6. The organization of an exchange service depends upon the functions undertaken. The best solution seems to be a service operating within the National Library, but with a budget of its own, good equipment and with a team of 8 to 15 collaborators. HI. The Hungarian Service of International Exchange. Hungary became a signatory to the Brussels Convention in 1924 as a result of which the Hungarian Libraries Board was established by decree. Within the frame of the Board an Exchange Bureau was operated, transmitting the exchange material of the Hungarian institutions; good services were also rendered in stimulating and increasing exchange relations with foreign countries. The functions of the Board were taken over by the National Széchényi Library in 1952. The new Service could develop its different functions only gradually which

—at presentare the following: 1. Informatory and co-ordinating services are in their initial stage. Two nation-wide surveys were performed: the first was in connection with the 2nd 15 Évkönyv 225