[Web4lib] list of all libraries in world

[Breeding, Marshall]

Each of the different resources of libraries mentioned has different strengths and purposes.  Country-by-country, you will find that each has some with more comprehensive coverage than others.  I am working toward adding libraries to lib-web-cats in more countries and geographic regions.

Let me take this opportunity to say something about the purpose of lib-web-cats.  I intend for it to be a multi-purpose tool, with a strong emphasis on accumulating data on library automation.   lib-web-cats is a component of Library Technology Guides, which provides a broader set of resources in this area.  Each entry in lib-web-cats serves the public as a directory listing, but it also contains information on current and previous automation products.  This information is helpful to libraries as they set technology strategies and make procurement decisions.  The advanced search page provides the ability to identify libraries by many factors to reveal implementation and migration trends and to identify reference sites.  I find the automation data held in lib-web-cats to be invaluable to my personal research on library automation and hope that others find it useful as well.

In developing the content of lib-web-cats, I work through other listings of listings of libraries, such as those created by national libraries, but it's also great when others are able to submit data on their libraries as well. There are many countries that I have not yet had the chance to address systematically, but I plan to fill in these gaps over time.

I hope that readers of this list will take a moment to review the entries for their libraries in lib-web-cats and let me know of any corrections or omissions.  You can also register on the site to submit new entries or make corrections.

-Marshall Breeding

Marshall Breeding
Director for Innovative Technology and Research
Vanderbilt University Library
Editor, Library Technology Guides
http://www.librarytechnology.org
615-343-6094



-----Original Message-----
From: web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org [mailto:web4lib-bounces at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of David Friggens
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 4:52 PM
To: web4lib at webjunction.org
Subject: Re: [Web4lib] list of all libraries in world

> Using Norwegian libraries as an example
> I would have to say that WorldCat is the only remotely useful

New Zealand libraries seem to back this up. The National Library of New
Zealand's comprehensive directory - http://directory.natlib.govt.nz/ -
lists 404 libraries.
Libweb: 34
Lib-web-cats: 145
WorldCat: 492

There are differences in whether public library systems have a single
entry, or whether each branch library (up to 20) is listed. Also I
noticed some duplication and at least one bookshop in WorldCat.

Cheers
David

--
Systems Librarian
University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
+64 7 838 4466 ext. 7948





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