National bibliographies are cherished within information science. They provide rich data resources for historical research, and can potentially provide comprehensive quantitative insights to the overall temporal and spatial dynamics of the evolving publishing landscape. Bibliographic information has been, nevertheless, an undervalued research resource. In our study based on the Swedish National Bibliography and the Finnish National Bibliography and focusing on publication patterns in Sweden and Finland, we have encountered specific and largely overlooked challenges in using bibliographic catalogues for historical research. 
Use of national bibliographies as a research resource, rather than a mere information retrieval tool, has proven to be challenging as obtaining valid conclusions critically depends on the overall understanding of the historical context but also on technical issues of data quality and completeness. Biases, inaccuracies and gaps in data collection or quality may severely hinder productive use of the bibliographies as a research resource but scalable solutions to these challenges, and subsequent research cases, have been missing.
Here, we demonstrate how such challenges can be overcome by specifically tailored and openly collaborative data analytical ecosystems that provide scalable tools for data processing and analysis, from efficient and reliable harmonization and augmentation of the raw entries to integration and statistical analysis of national bibliographies. We show how external sources of metadata, for instance, on authors, publishers, or geographical places, can be used to enrich and verify bibliographic information. Such systematic approach has potential for wider implementation in related studies and other bibliographies. 
We present an analysis of the overall publishing landscape in the period 1500-1800.  Comprehensive harmonization and joint analysis of four large bibliographies has allowed us to assess publishing activity beyond what is accessible by the use of national catalogs alone. Whereas national bibliographies are essentially about mapping the national canon of publishing, integrating data across borders should be managed in a way that takes into account specific local circumstances while also helping to overcome the national view in analyzing the past. Such integration can help scholarship to reach a more precise view of print culture beyond the confines of national bibliographies. ESTC, HPBD, SNB, FNB !
Voidaanko tässä vaiheessa tehdä väitteitä jo CERListä vai pitäisikö olla esim. formaatti-analyysi laajennettuna? Se olisi myös todella hyvä demonstraatio kun yhdistyy lukutaidon leviämiseen.
References:
Somewhat similar ideas to ours but with economic perspective in particular: