This message has been cross-posted to Museum-L and CIDOC-L. I have sent similar messages to some archaeology and library lists. ========================================================================== ***** British Archaeological Bibliography and the future ***** How will archaeologists keep up to date in five or ten years' time? How will they find what was published in 1950 about a site they need to reconsider? What is the right balance between print and electronic forms for distributing and storing bibliographic information? How should archaeological information services be provided and paid for? The Council for British Archaeology has received a research grant from the British Library to look into questions such as these. Although the British Archaeological Bibliography is the prime focus of the study, the results will be of value for many small indexing and abstracting services facing the opportunities which computerisation offers. The British Archaeological Bibliography currently appears twice- yearly, and contains almost 2000 abstracts each year of recent books, articles, reports and other publications, aiming for comprehensive coverage of the archaeology of the United Kingdom and Ireland. It has a detailed annual subject index and many useful appendices. Most of its data is now in machine-readable form, so that in future it could not only continue in its present format, but it could also be made available electronically, on magnetic discs, on CD-ROM, or as a database accessible online by a dial-up connection or over Internet. The electronic form could be distributed to subscribers, or a central search service could be provided. Records could be provided in a form which could be integrated with local data. These possibilities will be looked into, but the final outcome will be largely influenced by what the users want. What would be most useful to you and your colleagues? If you have views on what you need now is the time to have them taken into account. I am undertaking this research project for the CBA between now and December, and I welcome any ideas, suggestions or opinions. Replies can be sent to this list if you think they will be of general interest and suitable for discussion, or privately to me at the address below, by email, fax or on paper. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. Leonard Will -- Dr Leonard D Will Tel: +44 81 366 7386 Information Management Consultant Fax: +44 81 366 0916 27 Calshot Way, ENFIELD, Middlesex Email: [log in to unmask] EN2 7BQ, United Kingdom