Czech libraries

The progress in automation made by Czech libraries, and especially their introduction of integrated library systems make the conversion of catalogues into an electronic format more and more a necessity. One of the most extensive implementations of the integrated library system has been the implementation of TinLib in a number of Czech university libraries. Because of the poor quality of their card catalogues and the limited scope of the holdings, university libraries decided to go ahead with re-cataloguing. Large university and special libraries began to consider the possibility of retrospective conversion of their catalogues. In view of the large quantity of cards and limited financial resources, at the beginning they opted for one of the retrospective conversion types below, or their combinations:

• retrospective conversion (or re-cataloguing) of "live" holdings during the loan period (usually very short records)
• retrospective conversion of more recent time layers of catalogues
• retrospective conversion of the entire catalogue in the alphabetical order - usually very short records or very slow progress
• catalogue cards scanning.