Why is BIBLINK needed?

All the players in the book industry need bibliographic information. For example:

• national libraries need to secure authoritative advance information about new electronic publications and to exercise bibliographic control over those publications
• libraries and library utilities need information about new electronic publications in order to be able to satisfy their users and to incorporate such data into their catalogues
• publishers need to register new electronic publications (whether on-line through the Internet or off-line on a medium such as a CD ROM) and to ensure timely, accurate and full exposure of their products and services
• electronic publications can carry enriched bibliographic data as an integral part of the publication to benefit users

• there is at present no direct bibliographic link between publishers and national bibliographic agencies
• bibliographic control over electronic publications (especially those published via networks) is not adequate despite the continuous growth in the amount of material being published chiefly or solely in electronic form
• there is no agreed standard of bibliographic description for electronic publications

[BIBLINK]