AZ ORSZÁGOS SZÉCHÉNYI KÖNYVTÁR ÉVKÖNYVE 1984-1985. Budapest (1992)

I. Az OSZK 1984-1985-ben - Somkuti Gabriella: Az Országos Széchényi Könyvtár működése 1984-1985-ben - The Activity of the National Széchényi Library in the Years 1984-1985

The problems of conservation came into prominence also on a national level, partly owing to the activity of the experts of the Széchenyi Library. This is reflected by the establishment of a Conservation Committee in the frame of the National Library Council. The Committee started its activity with the preparation of a national survey of the conservation library holdings. It is the experts of the Széchényi Library who are entrusted with the direction of this Committee. The Library takes an active part in the training of book binders and restorers. Advices of conservation arc being given regularly to other libraries, too. The principles of conservation planning of the Széchényi Library on a long run were elaborated in 1985. These principles stress for the first lime the importance of prevention besides rcstauralion. About 1,5 million pages of newspapers were microfilmed in 1984-85 in the program of protective microfilming of Hungarian newspapers that has been going on for 15 years. 980 microfilm slides were made from journals of special importance. 73 thousand microfilm squares were made from the documents of the special collections. Our microfilm supplying service concentrated on filling the gaps in Hungarian libraries. About 1,3 million positive reading film squares were made. Besides, requests of interlibrary loan and international exchange were fulfilled. A considerable improvement of the rcprographical services was brought about by buying three RANK xerox 1025 and one Minolta EP 650 copying machines and one Canon NP 580 rcadcrprintcr. All this could be purchased through the Soros-foundation. Claims of the readers lor copying have rapidly increased. Beside xerox copies, photo-reproductions and photo-enlargements were also ordered (nearly 40 thousand in two years). In 1984 a laboratory for colour copying was set up. The Rcprographical Workshop has acquired a Romayor 314 printing press. The machine park of the workshop is in need of general improvement for its capacity became insufficient for the production of the Library's publications. Its enlarging to a printing office is planned. Central Library Services Our Legal Deposit Copy Service receives about 1,2 million units of printed material yearly. The Services is in charge of distributing the copies left after meeting (he claims of the National Library (2 copies). Five complete sets arc sent to the central regional libraries while special libraries receive their share of deposit copies according to their profiles. In 1984, 9,152 and in 1985, 10,609 publications underlying ISBN numeration were issued, so approximately this amount of ISBN numbers was assigned to recent publications. This number includes the publications of both professional and non-professional publishers and of publishers with so-called collective number, i.e. occasional issuers of publications. There is a trend increase of the activity of non-professional publishers. In 1985, 91% of the professional publishers' publications appeared with an ISBN number, *.i 1984-85, 833 new ISSN numbers were assigned to new periodical publications. In 1985 a departmental order was issued on the obligatory reporting of the Hungarian libraries'holdings to the Union Catalogues of the Széchényi Library. It refers to all foreign publications and to Hungarian ones printed before 1952, both to books and periodicals, including copies. Though most Hungarian libraries have regularly reported their foreign accessions, it is hoped that the departmental order will add to the regularity. The Union Catalogue of Foreign Books received 395 thousand records in 1984-85. 19,200 and 16,600 inquiries were answered, respectively. The semiannual publication Külföldi társadalomtudományi kézikönyvek (Foreign Reference Books on Social Sciences) registers the accessions in Hungarian libraries. The Union Catalogue of Foreign Periodicals registered nearly 96 thousand new entries in 1984-85. Information was given on 30 thousand instances. Volume 4 of the inventory Kurrens külföldi időszaki kiadványok a magyar könyvtárakban (Current Foreign Periodicals in Hungarian Libraries) was published. It contains supplements lor the years 1980-82. The edition of Külföldi időszaki kiadványok a magyar könyvtárakban a XVII. századtól 1970-ig, - Union catalogue of foreign serials in Hungarian libraries from the 17th century to 1970 was in progress. Beside the traditional catalogue card processing and the editorial work, preparations of the automated National Periodicals Data Base went on (sec under Research and Development). There is an increasing demand on interlibrary lending owing to the fact that the growing prices of foreign books and periodicals reduce the book import. In 1984, 26,900 and in 1985, 27,500 loan requests were received. Only 4,5% of these came from abroad, the rest was requested by Hungarian libraries. Our requests sent abroad were fulfilled (in this order) by the Federative German Republic, Great Britain,The Netherlands, The Soviet Union, Japon, Switzerland, France, Sweden. Unfortunately the prices of the great Western supply centres (e.g., British Library Document Supply Centre) keep rising. The international exchange of publications lends to decrease everywhere because of the general financial difficulties. This refers to our Library as well. In 1984, we have sent abroad 33,700 volumes of books, in 1985, 25,000 volumes. We have received 20,800 volumes in exchange in these two years. The 98