DOCUMENT SUPPLY IN A MULTICULTURAL SOCIETY: THE BRITISH PUBLIC LIBRARY EXPERIENCE

Problems posed by the provision of material for Indic‐speaking ethnic groups included the formulation of cataloguing and transliteration schemes and ways of announcing material to user communities. The London and South Eastern Library Region (LASER), recognizing the needs for simplified schemes, surveyed all its member libraries and set up a scheme, the Co‐operative of Indic Language LASER Authorities (CILLA), using mother‐tongue speakers to catalogue and select material in their own languages. CILLA developed cataloguing and transliteration standards based on consistency, ease of use and accuracy, and the production and publication of a printed quarterly booklist has extended the reach of the scheme. The need is seen to provide similar, easily digestible aids for non‐Indic language speakers, while self‐help and co‐operation, proved to work by CILLA, will enable UK libraries to utilize available stock.