Standardisation in librarianship
Legal basis:
- Technical Regulations and Standards Act
Passed 22 February 1999 (RT1 I 1999, 29, 398), entered into force 1 April 1999
Consolidated text, April 2004
- National Library of Estonia Act
Passed 19.03.1998, entered into force 25.04.1998
Under the National Library of Estonia Act the National Library of Estonia (NLE) has a task to support the application of international standards in the field of information science and publishing in the Estonian library network. To fulfil this task NLE participates actively in the development Estonian Standards (EVS) and leads the drafting of NLE Standards (RRS) for use in the Estonian library network.
In September 2001 NLE established a Standardisation Working Group (NLE/WG), since 2005 – Standardisation Expert Council. The Council includes senior specialists of NLE and also representatives from other Estonian libraries, Consortium of Estonian Libraries Network, Ministry of Culture etc. All the NLE standards are recommended for use not only at NLE, but also in all Estonian libraries. Up to now, there are only 4 published NLE Standards, because priority is given to implementation of International Standards as Estonian Standards.
The Council activities support a co-operation agreement on standardisation with the Estonian Centre for Standardisation (EVS).
NLE is a member of the Estonian standardisation technical committee EVS/TK 22 “Information and documentation” and is holding its secretariat.
The scope of standardisation activities of NLE are determined as mirror to ISO/TC 46 Information and documentation (SC 4, SC 8, SC 9), ISO/TC 171 Document managing applications (SC 2) and CEN/TC 346 “Conservation of cultural property”.
At present time NLE is more actively following the work of ISO/TC 46/SC 8 (statistics and performance indicators) and SC 9 (identification and description).
NLE specialists participate at the ISO/TC 46 and its Subcommittees meetings. It gives NLE possibility to get information about new standards and revisions at very early stage. It also gives possibility to comment drafts and to be prepared for implementation.
Great importance is given to the distribution of standards information to support the implementation of standards. Appropriate information is available on NLE Website.
The importance and situation of standardisation in librarianship has been introduced in many times in specialized publications (journal “Raamatukogu”, in ELA Yearbook etc.), on special seminars.
Contact data:
Endla Sandberg
Secretary of the NLE Standardisation Expert Council and Secretary of Standardisation Technical Committee EVS/TK 22 “Information and documentation”
Research and Development Centre of NLE
e-mail: Endla.Sandberg
nlib.ee
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