Making the most of MARC; its use for Selection, Acquisitions and Cataloguing

Procedures are discussed by which all types of libraries irrespective of size can use Marc tapes effectively. Based on the planning for the second stage of the AWRE AMCOS system, the paper proposes that each library establish a Potential Requirements File by a selective intake of new Marc records to provide all the functions of an efficient acquisitions system. These methods for selection and acquisition can be used as the foundations for a cataloguing system. A proposal is made for alerting cataloguers automatically when local cataloguing practice conflicts with that of BNB.