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AMICUS: A Treasure to Tap Into!Recent Additions to the Union Catalogue Nicki Quintero and André Paul, Acquisitions and Bibliographic Services The Canadian Union Catalogue on AMICUS is a treasure trove of information. Some developments occurring within the Union Catalogue during 2000 and 2001 have served to further enrich this resource. One result of National Librarian Roch Carrier’s visits to various parts of Canada has been a renewed interest in reporting to the Union Catalogue. The most recent libraries to begin reporting to the National Library, as well as those requiring modification to their existing conversion processes, are Bibliothèque nationale du Québec (symbol: QMBN) Among the most recent set of records sent to the National Library of Canada for inclusion in the Union Catalogue is that of the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec (BNQ). This invaluable collection, rich in Quebec heritage, comprises more than 450 000 catalogue records and has been available for users of the Union Catalogue in the AMICUS database since May 2001. This file encompasses the records for monographs, serials, and maps (previously sent in 1999) held in the BNQ collections. In 1988, the BNQ provided bibliographic records for Quebec newspapers for inclusion in the Union List of Canadian Newspapers. The Bibliothèque nationale du Québec is now providing monthly updates to the Union Catalogue, thereby ensuring the availability of its most recent holdings. We are very pleased that yet another collaborative effort with the Bibliothèque nationale du Québec has become a reality and that its collection is now part of the AMICUS database, which is available to both Canadian and international users. Vancouver Public Library (symbol: BVA) Another significant collection recently reported to the Union Catalogue is that of Vancouver Public Library. From 1952 to 1991, this library produced catalogue cards which were sent to the National Library for inclusion in the Union Catalogue. The automation of its catalogue and the cessation of catalogue card production resulted in an interruption in the reporting of their holdings. In the fall of 2000, Vancouver Public Library decided to once again begin reporting, this time via a machine-readable format (MARA). Its entire database of 651 000 records, including large-print material and talking books, has now been loaded into AMICUS. The Vancouver Public Library is a significant library in Western Canada. Its location on the Pacific coast makes it an important addition to the Union Catalogue as it provides additional support for interlibrary loans in that part of the country. The Library’s collection, reflecting Vancouver’s demographic composition and specific local interests, provides unique value to the Union Catalogue. The Vancouver Public Library is providing updates to the Union Catalogue on a quarterly basis. University of Toronto Libraries In the Toronto region, five university institutions affiliated with the University of Toronto have decided to report their holdings to the Union Catalogue. Erindale College (OME), Regis College (OTREC), Victoria University (OTV), Massey College (OTMC) and the University of Toronto in Scarborough (OTSCC) have joined Trinity College (OTTC), the Faculty of Education (OTUED), the Bora Laskin Law Library (OTUL), the Faculty of Information Science (OTULS), the St. Michael’s College (OTSTM) and the Royal Ontario Museum (OTRM) in reporting their catalogue records from the University of Toronto’s database. The addition of these holdings, invaluable to the study of major university disciplines, enrich and update the Union Catalogue, augmenting the areas of library science, law, education and theology. These libraries will be reporting updates on a semi-annual basis. These recent efforts followed another important initiative - the addition of information holdings acquired from A-G Canada Ltd. in 1998. (See March/April 1998 edition of the National Library News.) The records for other library collections will also be added to the Union Catalogue over the upcoming months, including those of the Lester B. Pearson Canadian International Peacekeeping Centre and the Canadian Coast Guard College. These specialized library collections ensure the availability of unique material in the Union Catalogue. Any collection, large or small, brings a specific and unique element to the Union Catalogue. Resource Sharing All institutions that contribute to, or decide to join, the Union Catalogue participate in the sharing of resources and in an improved accessibility to publications and works from across the country. This enables libraries to borrow a given work from another library, whether it is located nearby or on the other side of the country. The Union Catalogue covers a wide variety of published material: in addition to monographs and serial publications, there are records for maps, works for persons with print disabilities, CD-ROMs and video recordings. The information can also be used for reference, bibliographic research, or cataloguing purposes. AMICUS is freely available to all Canadians. To tap into this treasure, please contact the Client Information Centre (e-mail: cic@nlc-bnc.ca) or consult the information available online at www.nlc-bnc.ca/amicus. For more information concerning the Union Catalogue or about reporting your holdings to the Catalogue, contact the Union Catalogue Division [telephone: (819) 997-7990, fax: (819) 953-0291, e-mail: union.catalogue@nlc-bnc.ca]. Future Orientations of the Union Catalogue Since its creation in 1950, the Union Catalogue has ensured that large libraries and major research collections of the country are represented in its database. Most major university, metropolitan and government institutions are already accounted for, with collection holdings from approximately 500 libraries currently represented in the Union Catalogue. The reporting of machine-readable records (MARA) allows, with minimal effort, almost unlimited development of the contents of the Union Catalogue. Over the next several years, the Union Catalogue would like to focus on obtaining the files of public libraries. Not only do the collections of these libraries contain works of current and local interest to Canadians, but the inclusion of records from public libraries will permit wider access to material for the print disabled. The fundamental value of the Union Catalogue is its inclusive coverage and the currency of the reported information. The continuous addition of specialized collections will ensure a better representation of the resources available in Canada and will enrich the database for all users. Frequent reports of additions to collections by reporting institutions, e.g., on a monthly or quarterly basis, provide Canadians with up-to-date information and a more effective service. |
