Retrospective catalogue conversion at Lancaster University Library Available to Purchase

Lancaster University began a programme of retrospective catalogue conversion in 1990, initially using data from BNB on CD‐ROM, and more recently Library of Congress CDMARC Bibliographic. Records are downloaded in custom format (rather than MARC), and inhouse programs convert the data to the Lancaster catalogue format, and update the catalogue and related indexes. The proportion of library stock in full machine‐readable form has increased from 30 per cent in December 1990 to 72 per cent in July 1994. This article reports on technical details of the procedure, and implications in terms of staffing arrangements, work patterns, success rates, costs, and quality considerations.