This paper discusses main trends in theoretical thinking about Serbian retrospective bibliography and its problems. It shows that the interpretation of the term national bibliography has been changing through history in accordance with changes in Serbian society, cultural politics and national consciousness: it ranged from the concept in which Serbian book is in complementary relation with the Croatian book to the concept in which it is reduced to the products of publishing on the theritory of Yougoslav Republic of Serbia. The nature of Serbian national identity, which is ethnical, urges us to find more suitable solutions. Revival of positivism in contemporary scientific thought directs the humanistic disciplines toward reexamining of their traditions and intersecting research perspectives. It could also be a way to improve knowledge in retrospective bibliography. Development of theoretical self-awareness recommends itself as the best possibility for inovative perception of inherited problems of bibliographic practice, a chance for their better understandig and, in the end, resolving. Since finding answers for bibliographic problems frequently means that a researcher is obliged to dive into themes which are of historical or cultural-historical value, it is highlighted that defining borders between retrospective bibliography and neighboring disciplines is necessary. It could also help to define specific perspective of bibliography researcher and particular knowledge he could produce.
Vesna Trijić (Thu,) studied this question.