The changes brought about by the World Wide Web and the explosion of electronic media have called into question many of the assumptions on which national bibliographies have been founded. The need was growing of a route map to navigate through unchartes territories. After a preparation period of several years, IFLA ́s Bibliography Section endorsed this large set of guidelines. They seek to help national bibliographic agencies improve their bibliographic services. Many examples and references are included.

In a networked and globalized world of information the form of national bibliographies may have changed, however their major function remains unchanged: to inform about a country’s publication landscape, its cultural and intellectual heritage. Subject access offers a major route into this landscape providing information about the dispersion of publications in specific fields of knowledge and topics contained in a particular national publishing output. The Guidelines for Subject Access in National Bibliographies give graded recommendations concerning subject indexing policies for national bibliographic agencies and illustrating various policies by providing best practice examples.