The NBK and the UK Distributed Print Book Collection / Rozz Evans (Head of Collection Strategy, University College London) and Bethan Ruddock (Senior Product Owner, Digital Resources, Jisc). In May 2022 the Research Libraries UK (RLUK) Board of Directors endorsed a vision for a UK Distributed Print Book Collection (UK DPBC) as part of the RLUK Library Transforming Strategy of which ‘Collective Collections’ is one of the five key strands. It is envisaged that this shared print collection will extend beyond RLUK libraries, with SCONUL, national libraries, special libraries and Jisc all playing a role. This model will help to ensure preservation of and access to shared print holdings in the UK for current and future users. A key part of the infrastructure for this work is the National Bibliographic Knowledgebase (NBK). Initial scoping work has been done using the holdings information on the NBK to provide an overview of how many print monograph titles in total are held in NBK libraries and numbers of holding libraries (where there are 10 or fewer records in the NBK). The RLUK Collections Strategy Network (CSN) is developing guidelines for libraries who wish to participate in the UK Distributed Print Book Collection (UK DPBC) and is using the NBK data analysis to help identify the minimum number of copies which should be held nationally. The intention is that participating libraries will add retention statements to the catalogue records of any books they can commit to keep in their collections, and that these retention commitments will be surfaced in the NBK. This presentation will cover the background and aims of the UK Distributed Print Book Collection strategy; how the NBK data has been analysed so far; the role of high-quality metadata in enabling this analysis; and the future stages of the project. Paper presented at the CILIP Metadata and Discovery Group (MDG) Conference & UKCoR RDA Day (6th - 8th Sept 2023 at IET Austin Court, Birmingham).

1. LIBRARY, CULTURE, COLLECTIONS & OPEN SCIENCE
The NBK and the UK
Distributed Print Book
Collection (UK DPBC)
Rozz Evans, Head of Collection
Strategy, UCL Library
RLUK Collections Strategy Network
rosalind.evans@ucl.ac.uk
@rozzevans
CILIP Metadata & Discovery Group Conference 2023
#CILIPMDG2023

2. LIBRARY, CULTURE, COLLECTIONS & OPEN SCIENCE
RLUK and Collections Strategy Network
RLUK
• 39 research libraries in the UK and Ireland
• Works closely with other groups
across the sector
• Strategic themes including Collective
Collections
• RLUK Strategy 2022 - 2025
• RLUK networks and working groups include
Collections Strategy Network (CSN)
Collections Strategy Network (CSN)
• Set up 2019
• Collections strategy leads from RLUK libraries
• E-textbooks, print storage, metadata,
transformative agreements, document supply
• CSN Print Storage Group: Sandra Bracegirdle
(Manchester), Stuart Dempster
(Southampton), Rozz Evans (UCL), Joe
Marshall (National Library Scotland), Hannah
Mateer (Edinburgh), Jane Saunders (Leeds),
Sarah Thompson (York), Michael Williams
(Cambridge),

3. LIBRARY, CULTURE, COLLECTIONS & OPEN SCIENCE
What is the UK Distributed Print Book Collection
(UK DPBC) and why do we need it?
• Distributed collection based on min. no. of retained copies.
• Builds on significant amounts of work done over last 10+ years Inc.
UKRR.
• National in scope
• Endorsed by RLUK Board May 2022
• Space
• Preservation of, and perpetual access to, shared print material
• Securing at risk content
• Sustainability
• Shared administrative burden
But the name….?! 

4. LIBRARY, CULTURE, COLLECTIONS & OPEN SCIENCE
UK DPBC – sounds simple…what’s taking so
long…?
• Accuracy of Data
• Number of copies
• Role of LDLs, ILL Traffic and Accessibility of Print Books
• Frequency of Data Updates and Capacity Issues
• Retention Statements (format guidelines agreed 2020 following national consultation)
• Physical Condition
• Scope (for example by publication year, language, place of publication)
• Sustainability as a Benefit
• Governance

5. LIBRARY, CULTURE, COLLECTIONS & OPEN SCIENCE
What will participating in the UK DPBC involve?*
1. To agree to retain a copy of a print book if there are less than X copies held within the NBK.
2. To add retention statements to the metadata for items you have committed to keep for the foreseeable future
or until a set date https://libraryservices.jiscinvolve.org/wp/files/2020/06/LHCAB-Retention-Statement-
Final-0620.pdf
3. ​To upload metadata on a regular basis including retention statements to the NBK.
4. To facilitate access to items with a retention statement, ideally by ILL where this is feasible.
5. Identifying last copies and retaining where possible (work under way to clarify what to do if a library is physically
unable to commit to retain
*These are draft guidelines at the moment

6. LIBRARY, CULTURE, COLLECTIONS & OPEN SCIENCE
Role of NBK and metadata
• Key role for Jisc and the role of the National Bibliographic
Knowledgebase (NBK)
• Good quality, reliable holdings data across collections
• Need for consistent use of retention statements
• Share commitment
• Minimise administrative burden for individual libraries
• Continued development to support
)

7. NBK and the UK DPBC
Bethan Ruddock, Library Hub, Jisc
CILIP Metadata & Discovery Group Conference 2023
#CILIPMDG2023

8. What the NBK is What the NBK isn’t
An aggregation of 51,809,307
records created from 150,417,203
records contributed by 202
institutions
Comprehensive
Including all RLUK libraries,
many SCONUL libraries
Plus specialist libraries
Regularly updated Completely up-to-date
Created from records supplied by the
contributing libraries
Infallible

9. Current Library Hub support for collection management
•Library Hub Compare
•Collection management tools,
including graphs and exports
•NBK-R guidance and flag in
records
•Spreadsheet for UKDPBC

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13. Data challenges
Data currency
Data accuracy and
completeness
Identifying print vs e
Date searches
What’s indexed in the database

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Identifying print vs e
These are all from the same record:
006/0 m 007/0 c
Valid isbns for 1hbk and 2 ebooks
3xxs for eresource
BUT
852: has a physical location (building, floor
shelfmark & loan period)

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Now
Working with RLUK
CSN to refine
requirements,
define actions, and
investigate
solutions
Next
Adding new
indexes to the NBK
to enable more
accurate reporting
Later
Adding reports to
Compare to allow
for self-service
DPBC work
User research for
all Library Hub
services

17. Engage
Add retention
statements
Keep data on
the NBK as
current and
comprehensive
as possible
Upload
them to
the NBK
Encourage
other
libraries to
contribute to
the NBK
Give
feedback to
RLUK CSN
and NBK
Suggest a
new
name!