IFLA defines National bibliographies (NBs) as ‘enduring records of a nation’s intellectual and cultural output, reflected in its published works.’ They maintain the National Bibliographic Register. Often, early printed books are not within the remit of these NBs. The RNB Working Group therefore worked to supplement the IFLA Register with a list of Retrospective National Bibliographies (RNBs), with a focus on RNBs that are available online.

This list was created by Olga Tkachuk (Ossoliński National Institute, Wrocław) and Chana Algarvio (University of Toronto, Canada) and covers bibliographies (national, regional, language-specific) in Europe. We do not claim to be comprehensive and welcome additions and refinements.

Pan-European

Eight electronic RB databases for books printed to 1850:

    1. Electronic database: HPB – Heritage of the Printed Book database
      • Period covered: 1450-1830
      • Identify number: stable record id
      • Responsible institution: CERL
      • Selection criteria: early printed books produced in Europe and/or printed in a European language
    2. Electronic database: USTC – Universal Short Title Catalogue
      • Period covered: 1450–1650
      • Identity number: USTC + database number
      • Responsible institution: University of St Andrews

      • Selection criteria: all books published in the first age of print in any part of the world where printing with moveable type is known.

    3. Electronic database: ISTC – Incunabula Short Title Catalogue
      • Period covered: 15th century
      • Identity number: ISTC + database number
      • Responsible institution: the British Library — the Department of Printed Heritage Collections

      • Selection criteria: all works printed from movable type in Europe before 1501.

    4. Electronic database: Inkunabelkatalog INKA
      • Period covered: 15th century
      • Identity number: INKA + database number
      • Responsible institution: Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen — the Department of Manuscripts/Historical Prints (Handschriftenabteilung)

      • Selection criteria: all works printed from movable type in Europe before 1501 held in German and Austrian collections.

    5. Electronic database: GW – Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke
      • Period covered: 15th century
      • Identity number: GW + database number
      • Responsible institution: Berlin State Library (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin) — the subdivision Union Catalogue of Incunabula/Incunabula Collection (Referats Gesamtkatalog der Wiegendrucke/Inkunabelsammlung)

      • Selection criteria: all works printed from movable type in Europe before 1501.

    6. Electronic database: EEB – Early European Books
      • Period covered: before 1701
      • Identity number: database number
      • Responsible institution: ProQuest

      • Selection criteria: all works printed in Europe before 1701.

    7. Electronic database: EEB GEO
      • Period covered: 1450–1700
      • Identity number: database number
      • Responsible institution: ProQuest

      • Selection criteria: all works printed in British Isles and Europe from 1450–1700, combining the databases of Early English Books Online and Early European Books.

    8. Electronic database: Europeana
      • Period covered: all periods
      • Identity number: database number
      • Responsible institution: Europeana Foundation
      • Selection criteria: digital cultural heritage of Europe.

Further information.