For example, Italy will use a translation of these rules to replace its own code. These rules have accommodated expansions to cover new formats, such as digital resources. Libraries have long experience in creating metadata to help people locate, identify, select and evaluate library resources. The question arises whether this experience is useful to improve the precision and efficiency of locating, identifying, selecting and evaluating resources on the Internet. In order to answer this question, it is useful to consider how libraries have controlled and provided access to print and other physical resources.
Libraries select materials for collection based on the services they provide to their clientele.
Collection development policies outline the collecting intentions and strengths of libraries. When someone starts to search the World Wide Web, she is not searching a collection in this sense. The differences between library collections and Web space need to be appreciated. Library collections are carefully assembled and managed, while the World Wide Web is constantly changing, with documents appearing in different versions or simply disappearing forever. The National Library of Australia is concerned at the likely disappearance of online publishing and last year produced a position paper on the provision of long term access to Australian electronic publications.