They have [1]. However, libraries are incredibly decentralized, can have massive collections of "things" (not simply books) measured in the millions, and posses

They have [1]. However, libraries are incredibly decentralized, can have massive collections of "things" (not simply books) measured in the millions, and possess the kind of institutional inertia that comes with operating for literal centuries on a relatively shoestring budget. It's somewhat difficult getting everyone around the world to agree on single system that can potentially catalogue every human creation in existence, let alone to implement it as common infrastructure. [1] https://www.loc.gov/librarians/standards https://www.loc.gov/librarians/standards