What is PORBASE

PORBASE - National Bibliographic Database, is the portuguese libraries´ union catalogue with over 1.500.000 bibliographic records.

Created in 1986, PORBASE is coordinated by the National Library of Portugal and has been available to the public since May 1988. Its primary objectives are the permanent update and promotion of The National Library’s general catalogue, current national bibliography and the Portuguese libraries collective catalogue.

Currently, PORBASE is the largest bibliographic database in Portugal and reflects the collections of the National Library and over 170 portuguese libraries of different types and dimensions, both private and public.

Any Portuguese library interested in participating may do so as cooperation is PORBASE´s philosophy. It has its own regulations, which are coordinated by the National Library, and seeks to optimize the available resources and the normalization of professional procedures in the Portuguese community of libraries and documentation services.

PORBASE contains records which refer to diverse bibliographic materials, both Portuguese and foreign, without chronological or thematic restrictions. At present, the database has approximately 1 500 000 bibliographic records and over 1 200 000 authority records. The database’s annual average growth is estimated at 100 000 bibliographic records and is updated daily.