INDUSTRY-COMMITTEE GUIDANCE O F A CENTRALIZED ABSTRACTING SERVICE* by KATE C. ORNSEN, Sun Oil Company, Marcus Hook, P a . and RITA L. PADDOCK, Atlantic Refining Co., Philadelphia, P a .
In t h e beginning; of all c o m b u s t i o n t h e r e i s t h e s p a r k . In t h e catse of the A P I t e c h n i c a l a b s t r a c t i n g p r o g r a m , t h i s s p a r k w a s f u r n i s h e d by s e v e r a l d e d i c a t e d i n d i v i d u a l s . The f u e l w a s obvious: i n a n u m b e r of s e p a r a t e p e t r o l e u m l i b r a r i e s , a b s t r a c t s of the s a m e d o c u m e n t s w e r e p r e p a r e d a t a v e r y high c o s t by t r a i n e d s p e c i a l i s t s . T h e s e tailor-:made s e r v i c e s p r o v i d e d a c u r r e n t a w a r e n e s s a s p e c t which i n t e r n a t i o n a l s e r v i c e s such a s Chemisches Zentralblatt and C h e m i c a l A b s t r a c t s did not f u l f i l l , s i n c e t h i s w a s not t h e i r p u r p o s e . It s e e m e d l o g i c a l t h a t t h i s w o r k could be done m o r e e c o n o m i c a l l y and on a n e v e n l a r g e r s c a l e by a c e n t r a l office. E v e n though i t e m s of p a r t i c u l a r i n t e r e s t to s p e c i f i c coxppanies still would have t o be c o v e r e d individually, e a c h c o m pany would g a i n in t.he c o o p e r a t i v e e f f o r t . T h u s , i n t e r e s t was aroused among petroleum r e s e a r c h m a n a g e m e n t s a n d a p r o j e c t t o begin c e n t r a l i z e d a b s t r a c t i n g w a s put b e f o r e t h e A m e r i c a n P e t r o l e u m Institute, The Institute is, divided into d i f f e r e n t Divisions according to i n t e r e s t , such a s Production, M a r k e t i n g , T r a n s p o r t a t i o n a n d Refining. The A b s t r a c t i n g S e r v i c e is p a r t of t h e Division of R e f i n i n g , which i n t u r n c o n s i s t s of a n u m b e r of working committee!; reporting to a General C o m m i t t e e . T h e l a t t e r h a s the power t o f i n a n c e p r o j e c t s , and i t was! t h i s C o m m i t t e e which a p p r o v e d t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of a c e n t r a l i z e d a b s t r a c t i n g s e r v i c e i n the A P I . This was an important development; an i n d u s t r y s p o n s o r e d and o p e r a t e d s e r v i c e m e a n t d i r e c t a n d effective i n d u s t r y c o n t r o l of the s e r v i c e . It s h o r t l y b e c a m e evident t h a t t h i s c o n t r o l should be e x e r c i s e d t h r o u g h two i n d u s t r y c o m m i t t e e s . M a n a g e m e n t p a r t i c i p a t i o n w a s needed t o s u p p o r t t h e p r o j e c t and t o v a l i d a t e b u d g e t s . A study c o m m i t t e e of i n f o r m a t i o n s p e c i a i i s t s w a s n e e d e d to w o r k out the ope.rating d e t a i l s . When t h e m a n a g e m e n t s of p e t r o l e u m c o m p a n i e s voted a l a r g e s u m t o suppo:rt t h e a b s t r a c t i n g p r o j e c t i n i t s i n f a n c y , they alEio p e r m i t t e d t h e i r t e c h n i c a l i n f o r m a t i o n s p e c i a l i s t s t o donate :company t i m e and w o r k f o r handling the d e t a i l s . T h u s , the s e r v i c e could be continually s h a p e d a n d a d a p t e d t o the n e e d s of the i n d u s t r y . H e r e is how i t worked: An A P I Adminis t r a t i v e C o m m i t t e e o n A b s t r a c t i n g w a s s e t up, whose m e m b e r s w e r e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t e c h n i c a l m a n a g e m e n t . T h i s c o m m i t t e e , in t u r n , appointed a n Abstracting Advisory Subcommittee whose m e m b e r s w e r e pet]-oleum l i b r a r i a n s a n d
i n f o r m a t i o n s p e c i a l i s t s who knew t h e l i t e r a t u r e and w e r e f a m i l i a r with the p r o b l e m s of abstracting. The A b s t r a c t i n g A d v i s o r y S u b c o m m i t t e e began by c l a r i f y i n g p r o j e c t e d a i m s and n e e d s , and c a m e up with a n u m b e r of r e q u i r e m e n t s : ( 1 ) definition of s u b j e c t a r e a s to be c o v e r e d ; ( 2 ) a list of j o u r n a l s t o be c o v e r e d ; ( 3 ) a staff c o n s i s t i n g of a n e d i t o r , a b s t r a c t o r s with f o r e i g n language background a n d c l e r i c a l help; (4)s o m e type of i n d e x o r c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s y s t e m ; ( 5 ) a n d , of c o u r s e , s u b s c r i b e r s . H. W . F i e l d r e p o r t e d 1 e a r l i e r on these details.
CURRENT COMMITTEE OPERATIONS E v e n a f t e r the s e r v i c e w a s s t a r t e d i n 1 9 5 4 , t h e A d v i s o r y S u b c o m m i t t e e continued t o m e e t r e g u l a r l y e a c h m o n t h , o r m o r e often, t o h e l p and t o a d v i s e t h e e d i t o r . In a way, the S u b c o m m i t t e e w a s a buffer between t h e public o n t h e one h a n d , and t h e e d i t o r i a l staff on t h e o t h e r . It w a s a l s o a l i s t e n i n g post or "watch dog" f o r new wants and n e e d s . In s u b s e q u e n t y e a r s t h e S u b c o m m i t t e e h a s t r i e d t o s u p p o r t the s e r v i c e on a high l e v e l . Abs t r a c t quality is s t u d i e d continuously. The c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s y s t e m is r e v i s e d and i m p r o v e d p e r i o d i c a l l y , Individual c l a s s i f i c a t i o n n u m b e r s a r e a s s i g n e d to S u b c o m m i t t e e m e m b e r s f o r s t u d y w h e n e v e r the quantity of c a r d s s e e m s t o i n d i c a t e a need f o r f u r t h e r breakdown. New c l a s s e s , s u c h as f u e l c e l l s , m a g n e t o h y d r o d y n a m i c s , m o l e c u l a r s i e v e s , e t c . , a r e a d d e d as the i n d u s t r y ' s i n t e r e s t s e x p x d . - J o u r n a l c o v e r a g e i s r e v i e w e d by checking t h e n u m b e r of a b s t r a c t s g l e a n e d f r o m s e c o n d a r y s o u r c e s , s u c h a s J o u r n a l of Applied C h e m i s t r y , J o u r n a l of t h e Institute of P e t r o l e u m , e t c . If the n u m b e r of p e r t i n e n t a r t i c l e s d e c r e a s e s e x c e s s i v e l y , a j o u r n a l m a y be d r o p p e d . New j o u r n a l s a r e r e v i e w e d f o r i n c l u s i o n and i n f a c t the o r i g i n a l n u m b e r of one h u n d r e d h a s i n c r e a s e d t o 1 4 0 j o u r n a l s . S i m i l a r l y old s u b j e c t h e a d i n g s m a y be d r o p p e d o r new o n e s added to t h e Bulletin as required. R e a d a b i l i t y , f o r m a t and p r i n t i n g a r e p a r t of t h e S u b c o m m i t t e e ' s a s s i g n m e n t s . In May of 1960 t h e t y p e w r ? t e r s w e r e changed f r o m s t a n d a r d t o IBM E x e c u t i v e m a c h i n e s , using photoreduction f o r t h e f i n a l p r i n t i n g . "Sticky-back" m a t s a r e used to add classification numbers to the original a b s t r a c t s f o r producing c a r d s . T h i s p e r m i t s two d i f f e r e n t kinds of p r i n t i n g f r o m the s a m e m a t s .
'Presented before t h e Diviston of C h e m i c a l Literature, American C h e m i c a l Society, New York, N. Y., September, 1960. lH. W. Field, "A C e n n a l i z e d Abstracting Service for t h e Petroleum Industry," Chapter XV-C, p. 269, in Jesse H. Shera's "Documentation in Action," Reinhold Publ. Corp., N. Y., 1956.
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Kate C. O r n s e n and Rita L. P a d d o c k
T h e r e a r e s e v e r a l o t h e r a p p r o a c h e s which the S u b c o m m i t t e e u s e s f o r m o r e e x t e n s i v e s t u d i e s . T h e s e include: ( 1 ) sending out q u e s t i o n n a i r e s to s u b s c r i b e r s ; ( 2 ) using e x p e r t s in the f i e l d s c o n c e r n e d f o r s p e c i a l s t u d i e s ; ( 3 ) s p o n s o r i n g open m e e t i n g s f o r s u b s c r i b e r s , s e p a r a t e l y or i n conjunction with the m e e t i n g s of l a r g e s o c i e t i e s . Since the S e r v i c e h a s the backing of a n i n d u s t r y a s s o c i a t i o n , the resporise t o all t h e s e a p p r o a c h e s probably h a s been far g r e a t e r than any c o m m e r c i a l o r g a n i z a t i o n could command. In the p a s t f o u r y e a r s t h e s e m a j o r s t u d i e s w e r e u n d e r t a k e n by t h e S u b c o m m i t t e e : a b s t r a c t i n g of p a t e n t s , of the Soviet p e t r o l e u m l i t e r a t u r e , and of e x p l o r a t i o n and production l i t e r a t u r e . Machine s y s t e m s as applied to the p e t r o l e u m l i t e r a t u r e a l s o a r e being s t u d i e d . Work o n t h e s e p r o j e c t s h a s involved t h e u s e of one or all of the a b o v e - m e n t i o n e d a p p r o a c h e s . Q u e s t i o n n a i r e s have been u s e d i n s e v e r a l i n s t a n c e s . T h e s e usually a r e s e n t t o m a n a g e m e n t p e r s o n n e l , a p r a c t i c e which w o r k s v e r y w e l l w h e r e policy d e c i s i o n s a r e involved. Howe v e r , e x p e r i e n c e h a s shown t h a t a l s o sending a copy t o the t e c h n i c a l - i n f o r m a t i o n g r o u p of a company i m p r o v e s t h e r e l i a b i l i t y of a r e s p o n s e . T o t a k e the patent a b s t r a c t i n g study a s a n example, answers to a questionnaire indicated the i n t e r e s t s of the c o m p a n i e s with r e g a r d to s u b j e c t , g e o g r a p h i c a l c o v e r a g e , and type of a b s t r a c t (technical and legal information). Some c o m p a n i e s i n d i c a s t h e U . S. P a t e n t Office c l a s s i f i c a t i o n s in which they w e r e i n t e r e s t e d , but the c o m p o s i t e l i s t w a s s t i l l v e r y i n c o m p l e t e . T h i s l i s t w a s e n l a r g e d , t h e r e f o r e , by studying the U. S. P a t e n t Office C l a s s i f i c a t i o n Manual, a f t e r which one study t e a m m e m b e r went t o Washington t o find out the n u m b e r of p e r t i n e n t p a t e n t s in e a c h c l a s s . F r o m the i n f o r m a t i o n he brought b a c k , we w e r e able to d e c i d e what c l a s s e s should be c o v e r e d by standing o r d e r s , and which patent c l a s s e s could be c o v e r e d f r o m the Official G a z e t t e . By studying p r e s e n t f o r e i g n - p a t e n t c o v e r a g e of one l a r g e p e t r o l e u m c o m p a n y , t h e n u m b e r of pertinent patents f o r each country was then app r o x i m a t e d . T h r e e a l t e r n a t e m e t h o d s a r e under consideration f o r actually covering these countries. The Study T e a m ' s r e p o r t yielded p r e l i m i n a r y economics f o r a centralized petroleum-patenta b s t r a c t i n g s e r v i c e , including t h e p e r s o n n e l ] s a l a r i e s , and benefits and c o s t s of patent a c q u i s i t i o n s , r e n t , p r i n t i n g , p o s t a g e , and e x p r e s s . A r e c o m m e n d a t i o n h a s been s e n t t h r o u g h c o m m i t t e e c h a n n e l s i n s i d e the A P I , and i t i s e x p e c t e d t h a t t h i s s e r v i c e , c o v e r i n g p e r h a p s 15,000 p a t e n t s p e r y e a r , will be s t a r t e d on J a n u a r y 1 , 1961. E x p e r t s a r e added t o the A b s t r a c t i n g Advis o r y S u b c o m m i t t e e w h e n e v e r a new s u b j e c t f i e l d s e e m s to w a r r a n t i t ; they a r e d r a w n f r o m the p e t r o l e u m i n d u s t r y , and the S u b c o m m i t t e e depends
g r e a t l y upon t h e i r r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s in making d e c i s i o n s . T h e s e " e x p e r t s " usually w o r k on s p e c i a l study t e a m s whose c h a i r m e n a r e m e m b e r s of the S u b c o m m i t t e e i t s e l f . A good e x a m p l e of t h i s type of o p e r a t i o n w a s the development of the A P I Soviet A b s t r a c t s . S o m e c o n s i d e r a t i o n had been given to m o r e e x t e n s i v e c o v e r a g e of t h e Soviet l i t e r a t u r e b e f o r e t h e R u s s i a n S a t e l l i t e w a s l a u n c h e d , but t h e press u r e on the S e r v i c e b e c a m e v e r y g r e a t a t t h a t t i m e . P r e l i m i n a r y s t u d i e s by the S u b c o m m i t t e e had r e v e a l e d a need f o r e x p e r t knowledge of Soviet j o u r n a l s , e x i s t i n g s e r v i c e s , and a v a i l a b l e c o v e r - t o cove r t r a n s l a t i o n s , T h r e e p e t r o l e u m - c o m p a n y s p e c i a l i s t s with a s t r o n g knowledge of both p e t r o l e u m a b s t r a c t i n g and t h e R u s s i a n l i t e r a t u r e w e r e appointed t o the S u b c o m m i t t e e , Under t h e i r guidance a q u e s tionnaire was sent to subscribers listing various p e r t i n e n t Soviet j o u r n a l s . S u b s c r i b e r s w e r e a s k e d t o i n d i c a t e t h e i r i n t e r e s t in t h e s e j o u r n a l s , and t h e i r p r e f e r e n c e f o r c o v e r - t o - c o v e r t r a n s l a t i o n s or a b s t r a c t s . Also included w a s a l i s t of p o s s i b l e s u b j e c t s t o be checked and a n e s t i m a t e of the c o s t of a b s t r a c t i n g the j o u r n a l s l i s t e d and of t h o s e c o v e r - t o - c o v e r t r a n s l a t i o n s a l r e a d y a v a i l a b l e . Most of the c o m p a n i e s e x p r e s s i n g i n t e r e s t i n the Soviet l i t e r a t u r e p r e f e r r e d a b s t r a c t s o v e r t r a n s l a t i o n s ; but t h e r e w a s definite i n t e r e s t in t r a n s l a t i o n s of individual articles. F r o m the r e s u l t s of t h e q u e s t i o n n a i r e , t h e e x p e r t s on the S u b c o m m i t t e e w o r k e d out the a p p r o x i m a t e n u m b e r of i s s u e s , p a g e s , and a r t i c l e s which would be a b s t r a c t e d f r o m 26 j o u r n a l s i n which g e n e r a l i n t e r e s t had been e x p r e s s e d . E s t i m a t e s and s a m p l e a b s t r a c t s f r o m c o m m e r c i a l and g o v e r n m e n t a g e n c i e s w e r e e v a l u a t e d . The c o s t of a n A P I - o p e r a t e d s e r v i c e a l s o w a s investigated. The r e s u l t s of t h e s e s t u d i e s indicated t h a t the A P I could o p e r a t e t h e s e r v i c e m o s t e f f e c tively f r o m a n i n d u s t r y viewpoint. H e r e , t h e A d m i n i s t r a t i v e C o m m i t t e e on A b s t r a c t i n g took o v e r f r o m the S u b c o m m i t t e e , S e v e r a l o t h e r A P I committees w e r e consulted] and, after final API a p p r o v a l i n N o v e m b e r , 1958, the Soviet a b s t r a c t s s e r v i c e went into o p e r a t i o n in J a n u a r y , 1959. The t h i r d a p p r o a c h , t h a t of open m e e t i n g s , h a s been v e r y s u c c e s s f u l i n bringing out opinions f r o m r e a d e r s of the S e r v i c e ' s t e c h n i c a l - a b s t r a c t b u l l e t i n s . T h e s e m e e t i n g s have c l e a r e d up m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g s on both s i d e s of the f e n c e , and have i n c r e a s e d the u s e f u l n e s s of t h e a b s t r a c t s . A n u m b e r of i m p r o v e m e n t s have c o m e about i n t h e S e r v i c e b e c a u s e of i d e a s which have b e e n brought up a t t h e s e open m e e t i n g s and s e v e r a l new p r o j e c t s have r e s u l t e d f r o m s u c h i d e a s . F o r instance, the c u r r e n t effort to s t a r t explorat i o n and production a b s t r a c t s w a s a d i r e c t r e s u l t of r e q u e s t s f r o m open m e e t i n g s of l i b r a r y , c h e m i c a l , and p e t r o l e u m s o c i e t i e s .
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INDUSTRY
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COMMITTEE GUIDANCE O F A CENTRALIZED ABSTRACTING SERVICE
Since t h e A P I C e n t r a l A b s t r a c t i n g S e r v i c e r e p o r t s t o t h e . D i v i s i o n of Refining, e x p l o r a t i o n and p r o d u c t i o n w a s o u t s i d e i t s j u r i s d i c t i o n ] and t h e r e q u e s t f o r e x p l o r a t i o n and p r o d u c t i o n a b s t r a c t s had to c o m e t h r o u g h the Division of P r o d u c t i o n . The fac:t though r e m a i n s t h a t i n d u s t r y m a d e i t s w i s h e s known a n d t h e Institute r e s p o n d e d . Now t h a t o r g a n i z a t i o n a l b a r r i e r s have been o v e r c o m e , the study of e x p l o r a t i o n and p r o d u c t i o n a b s t r a c t s is u n d e r w a y . T h i s is t h e way it worked: F i r s t , a n E x p l o r a t i o n and P r o d u c t i o n Study T e a m w a s f o r m e d t o a d v i s e a p r e d o m i n a n t l y r e f i n i n g Subc o m m i t t e e . M e m b e r s w e r e appointed by t h e i r respective company representatives on the p e r tinent A P I A d v i s o r y C o m m i t t e e t o find out w h e t h e r t h e C e n t r a l A b s t r a c t i n g S e r v i c e would be a b l e t o do e x p l o r a t i o n a n d p r o d u c t i o n a b s t r a c t i n g f o r the i n d u s t r y . The S u b c o m m i t t e e i t s e l f w o r k t d out t h e e c o n o m i c s of s u c h c o v e r a g e a n d findings w e r e rleported back t o t h e Study T e a m . Adding t o t h i s i n f o r m a t i o n t h e opinions e x p r e s s e d a t a n SLA f o r u m , t h e study t e a m r e c o m m e n d e d t h a t the C e n t r a l A b s t r a c t i n g S e r v i c e be a u t h o r i z e d t o offer s u c h a s e r v i c e . T h e Advis o r y Subcommittee presented i t s r e p o r t through A P I c h a n n e l s a n d i t i s e x p e c t e d t h a t t h i s new s e r v i c e will be o f f e r e d beginning J a n u a r y 1 ,
1961. The m a c h i n e - p r o c e s s i n g study g r o u p h a s o p e r a t e d d i f f e r e n t l y . It h a s c o m p l e t e d a s t u d y of m a c h i n e s y s t e m s , a l r e a d y i n u s e in t h e p e t r o l e u m industry, and has submitted a preliminary r e p o r t on t h e s e . I t s m e e t i n g s have c o n s i s t e d m a i n l y of v i s i t s to p e t r o l e u m c o m p a n i e s with e x i s t i n g s y s t e m s , and d i s c u s s i o n s of o t h e r s y s t e m s . On t h e b a s i s of t h e i r own c o m p a n i e s ' d e s i r e s , and f r o m their discussions, m e m b e r s h a v e been a b l e t o dlescribe e s s e n t i a l l y what would be n e e d e d to s a t i s f y the m a j o r i t y of p e t r o l e u m
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c o m p a n i e s . They now have begun the s e c o n d p h a s e of t h e i r study v i s i t s and d i s c u s s i o n s of s y s t e m s in o p e r a t i o n outside the p e t r o l e u m i n d u s t r y , and r e v i e w of unique m a c h i n e s . Of c o u r s e , t h e s e s u p p l e m e n t a r y m e t h o d s u s e d by the S u b c o m m i t t e e a r e not one-way c o m m u n i c a t i o n s , S u b s c r i b e r s benefit by having a s t r o n g v o i c e in t h e p o l i c i e s of the S e r v i c e , and by knowing about plans f o r new s e r v i c e s . In s u m m a r y , t h e n , ( a )c e n t r a l i z e d i n f o r m a t i o n s e r v i c e s h a v e unique m e r i t s : ( 1 ) they p e r m i t c u r r e n t a w a r e n e s s s e r v i c e s too c o s t l y f o r single c o m p a n i e s , but which a r e e c o n o m i c on a c o s t s h a r i n g b a s i s ; ( 2 ) they have i m p a r t i a l i t y (due t o t h e w h o l e - i n d u s t r y a p p r o a c h ) , which l e n d s c r e d e n c e t o dependability; ( 3 ) t h e y have flexibility and empathy to industry's needs. ( b ) These adv a n t a g e s c a n be r e a l i z e d only t h r o u g h c l o s e i n d u s t r y c o o p e r a t i o n which is based on two p r i n c i p l e s , both v a l i d i n the c o m p e t i t i v e age: ( 1 ) What is good f o r i n d u s t r y is good f o r the c o m p a n i e s i n i t and u s u a l l y v i c e v e r s a . Specific c o m p a n y benefits a r e a l e g i t i m a t e incentive t o a c t i o n on t h e p a r t of c o m m i t t e e m e m b e r s , s i n c e final action depends on legitimacy on an industrywide b a s i s . ( 2 ) I n f o r m a t i o n p r o c e s s i n g is not a n e n d in itself f o r p r i v a t e c o m p a n i e s . L e g i t i m a t e c o m p e t i t i o n l i e s in i n f o r m a t i o n u s e . T h u s , a c t i v e a s s i s t a n c e i n developing b e t t e r and m o r e e c o nomic central information processing groups i s l e g i t i m a t e f o r both l a r g e c o m p a n i e s ( m o r e of whose funds c a n t h e n be d i v e r t e d t o u s e ) and s m a l l c o m p a n i e s (who c a n t h u s g a i n a c c e s s t o the s t o r e h o u s e of i n f o r m a t i o n which is too v a s t f o r them to tap properly f o r themselves). The a c t i v i t i e s of the A P I T e c h n i c a l A b s t r a c t S e r v i c e t h u s p r o v i d e s know-how guides to i n d u s t r i e s a n d o t h e r g r o u p s f a c e d with the p r o b l e m of information control.
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