The New Delhi office of the Library of Congress at twenty: Changing acquisition parameters

Abstract

Initially established as the American Libraries Book Procurement Center (ALBPC) under PL-480 to acquire and process Indian materials, the Library of Congress New Delhi Field Office now handles cooperative programs in Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka as well as Library of Congress single copy programs in Burma and Thailand. It also has an active microfiche program serving the Jakarta field office, recently adding more South Asian materials. The office initially relied on a number of blanket order dealers but has come to rely more on staff travel to identify and supplement important materials. The surplus rupees which have paid for the program to this point are expected to be exhausted in the next 5 years and this will require that participants assume the costs of operations.