Acquiring the database “Internet resources in culture and arts” at the Russian State Art Library

Abstract

The author discusses acquiring and developing the database “Internet resources in culture and arts” at the Russian State Art Library. The networked online resources are highly demanded by the users in science, academic and professional sphere, as well as by expert librarians. The stages of database design are specified; defining the subject scope, selection principles and search strategies are defined. The role of recommendations included into European MINERVA project “European MINERVA project «Cultural web-User Interaction” (2008). The criteria for selecting Internet-resources for cataloguing are analyzed; the description formats are evaluated, i. e. the Dublin Core and Russian communication format of machine-readable bibliographic records RUSMARC, with the preference given to the later. The difficulties in describing resources and filling in RUSMARC fields are identified. The general and specific problems of cataloging Internet resources were solved; the principles of constructing bibliographic record of online digital resource “Internet resources in culture and arts” were developed. The significance of regular audit of the information resource, its relevancy and accessibility is emphasized. The examples of queries to the database are provided. The content of the resources included into the database “Internet resources in culture and arts” expands the study field through adding the wider range of document sources.