1. RLUK Hidden Collections Report
The perspective from
the London Library

2. Retro challenges
2007 New Head of Retrocon project appointed at the London Library
2009 funds had dried up and was faced with various challenges including:
Perceptions
Reluctance and disinterest
Missed opportunities
How much work had been done and why had it stopped?

3. The past. 1 Early 1990s, unknown mass 1994-1995 FIGIT study
BLRIC study
1997 Making the most of our libraries
548 libraries responded
50 million records awaiting retroconversion
calls for a national programme
5 year target
Nominates the LIC

4. The past. 2 1998 BL convenes a Pathfinding Group and funds a study
1999 Full Disclosure
Supports national programme
10 years to complete 80% of the work
Nominates the new MLA
RSLP
£30 million for projects including retro
48 HEIs, 68% of these used the funds for retro work
? MLA
Britain in Print
Pre 1700s British printed books

5. The past. 3 2004 CURL survey following end of RSLP
Participants used RSLP funds
14 million items
“prepare the ground for future funding bids”
Copac Challenge Fund
Free or low cost access to CURL database
2007 RIN study
95 libraries responded (23% from HE)
200 researchers responded
50% of research collections still ‘hidden’
Repeats call for a national strategy

6. The present. 1 Dunia’s New Year’s resolution
Merged discussion list
Proposed a new survey
Joining forces with RLUK
Survey launch July with help from MIMAS

7. The present. 2 75 libraries responded (39% from HE)
15% not visible online at all
13 million vols. un-catalogued (18.5% of their holdings)
4 million items requiring record enhancement
Most items from 16th to 20th century
Much of the backlog can be termed special collections
Non-book formats less likely to be catalogued at all, foreign language materials also neglected

8. The present. 3 Over 60% have ongoing projects
16% plan to start in the next 2 years
12% have no immediate plans
10% have completed projects
7% have halted because of lack of funds
46% of these have no immediate plans to resume work
Cost comes from the libraries’ own budgets

9. The future. 1 Now what? MLA abolished in 2012
Desired outcomes of respondents
Funding, awareness, visibility, collaborative working, national strategy
Other comments
Funding, security, practical help, digitisation, value of historical colls., visibility, etc.

10. The future. 2 Online National Register
89% survey respondents in favour
Full Disclosure prioritisation matrix
RIN good practice guide
Publication of the Hidden collections Report (2012) available as pdf file:

11. Claudia Ricci Russian Acquisitions and Cataloguing The London Library