IntroductionComprehensivearrangements for the documentation of educational non-book (media) materials are currently being set up in the UK. Bibliographic information collected by some of the national media cataloguing agencies is being put into a computer in standard format, and the computer will be used to provide a range of outputs and retrieval services. Already three national, specialised catalogues are being produced in this way, and the database is expected to expand rapidly. It is not intended, at least for the time being, to publish a total catalogue of all media materials.