data processing System will be installed on an on-line basis. The following
points have also been taken into considération :
-	firstly, the independence of the various departments concerned will not be
reduced in connection with the introduction, administration and use of the
library ;
-	secondly, participation by the Bundestag Library in the planned ministry
network scheme must be in keeping with the principle of a constitutional
division of powers and jurisdiction. Both the Executive and the Législature
shall have equal rights as partners in the library network System. This
makes full allowance for the fact that resolutions in the steering committee,
which I shall be describing in a short while, may only be adopted unani-
mously ;
-	thirdly, ail participating libraries and thus ail members and staff of the
suprême Fédéral authorities and the Bundestag shall have direct access to
the stored data once	that the	System has been completed ;
-	as from an agreed	date, ail	the publications acquired by	the	suprême
Fédéral authority libraries in Bonn will be continuously incorporated in a
computerised central	catalogue	based on a proper division of	labour	with
each item classified	under its	title and its subject matter -,
-	the rules for alphabetic cataloguing will be declared binding for all par-
ticipating libraries ;
-	the Bundestag library’s catalogue System will be adopted for the
classifying of subject matter.
In terms of everyday practice, the implémentation of the inter-loan
system will take place along the following lines. All the public-authority
libraries are connected by terminals with a central computer which keeps a
record of the titles of all books, journals, evaluated articles and other items
acquired by the participating libraries. Each title is catalogued once only in
respect of its title and subject-matter by the library which first acquired the
book etc. When a library wishes to obtain a given book or ascertain if an
article is entered in the catalogue, it enquires of the data bank whether there
is already an entry for this title. If the answer is in the affirmative, a
decision is made as to whether it will suffice to borrow the publication for a
short time from the other library. Where the purchase of a second copy is
deemed advisable, the available recording can be used as a guide when
placing the order. At a later stage only one’s own classification number
need be added to the existing title recording. If the book or item is not in
stock, the title of the ordered work is registered ; where external data are
used, this title can also be taken over. When the publications has been
received, the title used for ordering it is supplemented if necessary and the
work is classified in regard to subject matter pursuant to the Bundestag
Library classification system. In certain circumstances, it is sufficiënt to
Bibliotheekgids -sM- jg. 54 — Nr. I -3 1978	/	39