NATIONAL LIBRARY AND TERTIARY INSTITUTION LIBRARIES (Inter-library arrangements)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon asked the Minister for Community Development whether there is any inter-library arrangement between the National Library and tertiary institutions.

The Minister of State for Community Development (Dr Seet Ai Mee) (for the Minister for Community Development): Mr Speaker, Sir, I am replying on behalf of my Minister.

Apart from cooperation among librarians, there are several inter-library arrangements between the National Library and tertiary institution libraries.

First, the National Library maintains a bibliographic database which contains titles of books available at the main National Library and its branches, libraries of tertiary institutions and other government/statutory board libraries. There are 30 libraries participating in this network.

Secondly, the National Library and four other tertiary and research institutions cooperate in the cataloguing of Southeast Asian materials.

Thirdly, the National Library and the libraries of tertiary institutions have an inter-library loan arrangement which enables the respective libraries to provide library materials to their users even when they do not have these materials in their own collections.

Finally, in the acquisition of expensive library materials, there is regular consultation among the National Library and the three institutions' libraries.