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In FY 1980, the Office developed an Institution-wide statement on collections policies; it will maintain in the future a complete file of individual bureau collections management policies along with summaries of procedures on specific topics such as acquisitions, deaccessioning and loans, so that all relevant information on these activities may be readily accessible.

An important activity of the Office of the Registrar has been to work with a variety of organizations for the development of standards for national and international museum data exchange. This work will continue and will be accelerated in future years. The Office also plans to establish a specialized transportation function that will assist and advise museums and other bureaus with the movement of collection objects among museums and the Museum Support Center.

[[underline]] Smithsonian Institution Libraries. [[/underline]] During the forthcoming planning period, the chief goal is to improve direct reader services through the application of resources for research materials in print and in other formats (electronic and microformats). Plans call for a complete, online bibliographic data base manaement system (acquisitions, cataloguing (sic), catalogue (sic)  access, interlibrary loans, serial check-in, and circulation) for the entire network of Smithsonian libraries and FY 1983 is the target date for implementation.

In FY 1980 experiments were conducted with telefacsimile (sic) transmission among selected libraries of the Institution, and since 1978 the use of online, commercially available data bases has been expanding. In addition, resource sharing with federal and research libraries, especially with the Library of Congress, has helped to control the need to acquire new materials and space. In 1981, card catalogues (sic) will be closed in favor of a computer-output microfiche catalogue (COM). Conversion of older catalogue records into machine-readable form will start in FY 1982.

The Institution will continue to strengthen its rare book and special collections program by identifying and conserving valuable books dispersed throughout the system. Increased funds for book purchases will be sought through the regular appropriations process. When unique opportunities arise, trust funds will be used for the acquisition of rare books related to research needs of the Smithsonian staff.

In 1981, conservation needs of the libraries will be investigated to determine priorities in preservation of unique and important materials. This study will guide the conservation program over the next five years. The book conservation laboratory, staffed by a professional team, continues to treat the most fragile and critical books and papers with advanced techniques and equipment. Plans also include the accommodation of library requirements for new and expanded Smithsonian activities to occur during the coming five-year period. These include establishing library functions at Mt. Hopkins Observatory, the Zoo's Conservation and Research Center at Front Royal, the Museum Support Center, and the Museum of African Art. Expanded programs will occur at the Cooper-Hewitt Museum, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, and the Chesapeake Bay Center for Environment Studies.