Short series: Building smarter library networks in South Africa
Shared Cataloguing in South Africa | Building Connected Library Networks
Shared cataloguing: the foundation of a connected library ecosystem.
No single library can do everything alone. Across South Africa, libraries are working within constrained budgets, growing collections, and increasing expectations from users who need fast, seamless access to information. In this environment, collaboration is no longer optional — it is essential.
A connected, effective library ecosystem depends on three core capabilities: shared cataloguing, interlibrary loan, and modern cloud-based library management systems. Together, these enable libraries to move beyond the limitations of individual collections, creating a network where resources, data and services are shared efficiently.
At the centre of this ecosystem is shared cataloguing. It is the foundation that makes meaningful collaboration possible.
What is shared cataloguing — and why does it matter?
At its simplest, shared cataloguing means that libraries contribute to and draw from a common pool of bibliographic records, rather than cataloguing the same materials independently.
Without shared cataloguing, libraries duplicate effort, often repeatedly describing the same titles, applying classification systems, and assigning subject headings in isolation. This is time-consuming, costly, and can lead to inconsistencies that affect how easily users can discover materials.
Shared cataloguing addresses this by improving efficiency, consistency and discoverability:
- Efficiency: cataloguing work is done once and reused many times
- Consistency: standardised records improve accuracy and reliability
- Discoverability: high-quality metadata makes it easier for users to find what they need
For libraries managing increasing volumes of material with limited staff capacity, these efficiencies are significant. Time saved on repetitive tasks can be redirected to higher-value work, including quality control, specialised collections, and user support.
From visibility to access: Why shared cataloguing underpins interlibrary loan
The real value of shared cataloguing lies in what it enables beyond efficiency. By contributing to a shared database of records, libraries become part of a broader knowledge network where collections are visible not only locally, but across institutions.
This shared visibility is critical. It allows libraries to know what exists beyond their own shelves and to make informed decisions about access, acquisition, and collaboration. As one South African study notes, “a well-generated library catalogue serves as an index… enabling users to discover what information is available and where it is located.”
In a South African context, this is particularly important. Libraries often manage diverse collections that include locally published materials, multilingual content, and specialised subject areas. Shared cataloguing helps bring these materials into a wider discovery environment, supporting research, teaching and learning across institutions.
In South Africa, shared cataloguing is already widely used across academic and special libraries through the SabiCat national platform. By contributing to and reusing shared bibliographic records, libraries reduce duplication of effort while improving the consistency and discoverability of their collections
This kind of work illustrates the broader value of shared cataloguing: it transforms collections from isolated holdings into accessible, connected knowledge resources.
Interlibrary loan is often seen as the most visible form of collaboration: a user requests a resource, and a library sources it from another institution. However, this process depends entirely on shared cataloguing.
Before a library can request an item, it must first know that the item exists and where it is held. Shared cataloguing creates this visibility by making collections searchable across participating libraries.
In effect, shared cataloguing provides the data and visibility, while interlibrary loan enables access. Without a shared catalogue, interlibrary loan cannot function effectively. These two are inherently linked, with shared cataloguing forming the essential first step in enabling resource sharing at scale.
Enabling collaboration at scale for a connected ecosystem
Shared cataloguing is most effective when supported by robust systems, adherence to international standards, and ongoing training. Through SabiCat, Sabinet enables South African libraries to participate in shared cataloguing networks while improving efficiency, consistency and discoverability across their collections. SabiCat is built on WorldCat, a global catalogue created through the collaboration of thousands of libraries. In South Africa, SabiCat supports shared cataloguing across [250+] libraries, enabling widespread reuse of high-quality bibliographic records and reducing duplication of effort.
For many libraries, this means reducing duplicated cataloguing effort while improving both the quality and visibility of their collections. Libraries benefit from access to internationally recognised cataloguing platforms, alignment with current standards and best practice, and structured, searchable and indexed records — all supported by responsive local training and expertise.
This combination ensures that shared cataloguing is not only efficient but also relevant to local needs and contexts.
As libraries continue to evolve, the ability to collaborate effectively will become increasingly important. Shared cataloguing provides the foundation for this collaboration, enabling libraries to move from isolated collections to connected knowledge networks.
It is also the starting point for broader capabilities. Interlibrary loan builds directly on this shared visibility to expand access. While modern cloud-based systems enable these processes to operate efficiently at scale.
In the next article in this series, we explore how interlibrary loan (ReQuest) builds on shared cataloguing. How it expands access and delivers more responsive services to users.