The trials of going online: the image database of British Library bookbindings

Abstract

The image database of British Library bindings, created with the help of iBase, is a stand alone system installed in the Rare Books and Music Reading Room in April 2001. It was designed as a finding aid to bookbindings in the BL printed book collections. The requirement for increased access demanded by the Library’s funding body and raised expectations of users concerning the online availability of information necessitated the transformation of the database. The ensuing problems accommodating the database on the Internet were not solely technical; lack of staff time and financial resources, the need to appeal to a wider range of users, and the requirement to conform to a house style which did not yet exist all hindered the process.

Citation

Marks, P.J.M. and Grinyer, D. (2002), "The trials of going online: the image database of British Library bookbindings", New Library World, Vol. 103 No. 9, pp. 328-335. https://doi.org/10.1108/03074800210445462