Computerised Cataloguing and Management of Audio-Visual Software

The need to establish a data bank of available audiovisual software in our 38 regional pedagogic centers (v. EMI 1981/3, p 25 ff) arose because of difficulties experienced when we needed current and up-to-date information on such material, for curriculum planning, periodical stocktaking, or the publishing of regional and national level catalogues. The Ministry put at our disposal its central mainframe computer and its staff. They helped us to clarify the aims and general framework of the project, and prepared the computer programme, the necessary input forms, the coding system, the tentative framework for subjectmatter classification, and its notation. One of the most important aspects of this project is the standardisation of nomenclature, classification and cataloguing rules both for the national and the regional centres, which will facilitate communication between managers and users of the service.