Roy Davies

Outlines of the emerging paradigm in cataloguing

Abstract The basic principles of cataloguing were originally formulated in the 19th century and still enjoy general acceptance in the form of the Paris Principles. Initially, automation was simply a matter of producing conventional catalogues in a new way. However, the introduction of online systems makes possible searching modes for which the catalogues were not originally designed. Thus, technological progress accompanied by rising user expectations and economic pressures could lead to a breakdown of the present paradigm. The use of concepts from artificial intelligence could help us to exploit knowledge of cataloguing to a greater extent than is done at present. The description of books and the like and the determination of access points could be specified in terms of frames and production rules, respectively. Such developments would not make cataloguing a largely automatic process, as at present we do not properly understand the cognitive processes involved in the interpretation of title pages, although some possible heuristics are listed in the Appendix. A knowledge engineering approach to cataloguing should assist in the development of an improved code. If successful, such an approach would constitute a change of paradigm.

Documents, information or knowledge? Choices for librarians

Most existing information retrieval systems simply speed up the process of acquiring information about information. Full-text and non-bibliographic databases do have advantages but the real need is for systems which present information in the form the end-user requires. In a few narrow areas, this has been achieved through advances in artificial intelligence leading to the creation of expert systems which provide answers to appropriate questions. Along with developments in mathe matical software and, possibly, machine trans lation, expert systems could eventually bring about changes in information use, both in research and education, which have long been the subject of speculation. To avoid the danger of making access to information dependent on the form in which it is stored, librarians should take an interest in these developments.

A comparative chronology of money

This is the first part of a detailed annotated chronology of significant events in the history of money in the context of social, economic, political and technological developments from the dawn of civilization until the closing years of the twentieth century. Starting with the origins of money and of banking the chronology moves on to the development of coinage in Asia Minor and its extension by the conquests of Alexander and later Rome before proceeding to the start of the long history of the pound sterling. The origins of paper money in China, the re‐emergence of banking in Europe, the financial effects of various wars and conflicts and the age of exploration, and subsequent developments up to the threshold of the industrial revolution are all covered.

A comparative chronology of money: Part 2: From the Industrial Revolution to the present day

This is the second part of a detailed annotated chronology of significant events in the history of money in the context of social, economic, political and technological developments from the dawn of civilization until the closing years of the twentieth century. Part 2 covers events from the start of the industrial revolution onwards. This period saw major changes in the relative importance of coinage, paper money and bank money, as well as the beginnings of electronic money. These changes, and the financial effects of the Napoleonic and World Wars, the rise and decline of the British Empire, the emergence of the United States and Japan, decolonisation and Third World debt, and moves towards a single currency in Europe, are all covered.

Danish Academic Libraries

Denmark is a country with an advanced research library system differing in many respects from the British one. The inter-relationships of the university and national libraries and their place in the educational system are described and recent developments in classification and cataloguing, library instruction, documentation and automation are surveyed. Possible lessons for British librarians are also considered. This article is based upon a report on a study tour submitted to the Welsh Library Association which awarded the author its Travelling Bursary for 1975. The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Mr. Palle Birkelund, the National Librarian of Denmark, who read the original manuscript and made many helpful suggestions.