The end of the visible index (VI): all non-Asian National Library serial records are now online.

• Author: White, Nikki

A major milestone was achieved in February 2007 with the completion of a project to create online catalogue records for all non-Asian serials held by the National Library.

This was a huge task spanning more than 20 years, and involving the conversion of information from the manual visible index (VI) which was used for the entry of serial issues received, and also from various card catalogues and shelf lists that had been created over the years. Making this information available online now means that anyone anywhere in the world can use the National Library's OPAC, or Libraries Australia, to view details of the National Library's serial holdings.

The ambitious goal of creating online records for all our serials really became a possibility with the advent of ABN in 1981. Staff began cataloguing new non-Asian serials onto this system, and by June 1982 there were about 4000 National Library holdings added to it.

The first dedicated serial conversion project was undertaken between December 1985 and March 1986. The project was...