THE BRITISH LIBRARY LENDING DIVISION IN 1979/80

Abstract

Requests to the Lending Division, which totalled 2,919,000, increased by 2% over 1978/79 — an increase due entirely to a further large growth in demand from foreign libraries, which made 544,000 requests. Performance (84% of valid requests satisfied from stock, 9.5% sent to back‐up libraries or supplied with locations) was much the same as in the previous year. A test of minimal bibliographic checking of requests yielded promising results. A rail‐van transport scheme was started in the West Midlands, and plans were made for further schemes. A Keyword Index to Serial Titles held by the Division, produced originally for internal use, was published. The number of currently received serials rose by 5% to 54,000, and 119,000 monographs (including 44,000 donations) were added to stock; attempts were made to improve further coverage of report literature. The extension to the Urquhart building, containing 42 miles of shelving, was almost completed. New price rates for article translations put this service on a sounder financial footing but were accompanied by a fall in demand. Courses in the use of the literature had to be abandoned for reasons of staffing.

Citation

(1980), "THE BRITISH LIBRARY LENDING DIVISION IN 1979/80", Interlending Review, Vol. 8 No. 3, pp. 79-88. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb017662