Challenges of creating, re-creating and maintaining a national bibliography in digital age: the experience from national libraries in developing countries

Abstract

A paper given at the "Universal Bibliographic Control at the crossroads: the challenges of unifying IFLA bibliographic standards" Satellite Meeting, organised by the IFLA Bibliography, Subject Analysis and Access, and Cataloguing Sections. The paper focuses on challenges of creating, re-creating and maintaining a national bibliography in digital age: the experience from national libraries in Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria. The status and peculiarity of bibliographic control in the selected developing countries in Africa was well articulated. Strategies adopted for creation of national bibliography in the selected national libraries were examined with highlights on the need to re-create and maintain the bibliographic data in the new digital environment. Factors limiting effective creation and maintenance of national bibliography in the digital age such as technological, institutional, scientific and political factors were identified. The nature, type 2 and functionality of digital infrastructure available in the national library of selected countries were explored. Recommendations were made in line with discovery made. The paper conclude by highlighting on the imperativeness of library and information professionals embracing innovations and creativity by deploying disruptive technologies in creating, re-creating and maintaining national bibliography in developing countries.