NEWSA N D SOTES PLANS FOR INFORMATION HANDLING IN THE NSRDS
INFORMATION-GATHERINGTECHNIQUES
NBS Technical Note 290. Information Handling in the National Standard Reference Data System, by Franz L. Alt. presents a preliminary plan for the selection, acquisition. intellectual organization, and storage of XSRDS information, and for locating. retrieving. and displaying or communicating specific items of information when needed. This publication discusses the use of computers for these purposes, including selection of equipment. arrangement of digital storage input format, remote access. and the economies of choosing certain functions of the system for mechanization. Also, a n interim system, based on conventional and manually operated files, is described. S B S Tech. Note 290 may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents. U. S. Government Printing Ofice, Washington, D . C. 20402. or from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information. C . S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, Va. 22151. for 25 cents. Technical Note 290 discusses other important problems in systems planning which are being studied in the Ofice of Standard Reference Data. These include: the storage of pictorial information on a computer and the possibility of transmitting such information over long distances: problems of indexing and classifying data on physical properties: communication between data centers and the Office of Standard Reference Data. and between centers and users (especially for work sharing of literature scanning by associated centers). the development of software programs for computer-controlled typesetting: and a project for a bibliographic survey of existing data compilations.
Information-gathering techniques used by technical personnel in the Defense industrv are described in a new Department of Defense report which evolved from a contract study performed by the Autonetics Division. North American Aviation. Inc.. Anaheim, California. T h e survey was the second of a two-phase study to determine how scientists and engineers in government and industrial research and development and production activities acquire and use technical information for performing work assignments on Defense programs. The first phase of the Department of Defense User Needs Study. performed by the Auerbach Corporation. Philadelphia. Pa.. concerned the information requirements of defense personnel engaged in research. development. test. and evaluation efforts. T h e North American phase of the study examines the flow of technical information inherent in satisfying defense industry information needs. Some 1500 individuals from 83 organizations within the defense industry took part in the survey. The National Security Industrial Association and the Director of Technical Information in the Ofice of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering obtained the voluntary participation of the organizations which contributed to the study. Major conclusions resulting from the survey are presented in the form of guidelines for management decisions bearing on the direction and scope of defense-related information programs. Stress is placed on the need for priority effort to satisfy information needs in the development phase of the research. development. and production cycle. The importance of the local work environment as a source of information and the need to better publicize the availability and offerings of the Defense Information Centers, including the proper procedures for their most efficient use. are emphasized. A comparison is presented of the results of the two phases of the over-all defense study. Volume I of the study ( A D 647 111) is a non-technical summary of the Phase I1 study. Volume I1 (AD 647 112) describes the technical approach used, the findings. and the recommendations of the study. Volume 111. not currently available, will present computer-produced frequency distributions plus models for use in extending the study of the information flow process. Copies of L’olumes I and I1 are available to Federal organizations and to registered contractors from the Defense Documentation Center. These volumes are available to the general public through the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information. 5285 Port Royal Road. Springfield. Va. 22151. at 33.00 per volume for full-size and 65 cents per volume for microfiche copies. Volume I11 will be announced when it is available.
NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL LIBRARY The third major national library. the National Agricultural Library. has taken its first step toward automation. NAL has issued to over 100 bidders a request for proposals for systems analysis and design of a library system which will utilize manual, semi-mechanized, or computer procedures in an integrated operation. T h e Library of Congress is engaged in several automation projects. both covering its own collections and, through the MARC project. serving libraries throughout the country. The National Library of Medicine has established an important information retrieval network, MEDLARS. extending to a number of centers in this country and to one each in England and Sweden. S A L has 14 branch libraries located across the nation. which would be integrated into an agricultural information network. T o facilitate cooperation among the three national libraries, the projected NAL system is expected to be compatible with other information systems in operation or being developed a t the National Library of Medicine and the Library of Congress. Phase I of NAL’s new automation program. systems analysis, will involve a survey of present NAL operations, an analysis of input data and information services. and the development of detailed alternative approaches, including a t least one design which would utilize the current mechanized programs of S A L to the greatest extent possible. Compatibility of systems throughout the Department of Agriculture is planned. USDA is implementing a Current Research Information System (CRIS), an automated information system for agricultural research t o include both textual and statistical information. C R I S and the new NAL system will use the same subject vocabulary and computer programming languages and may use the same equipment. A preliminary subject vocabulary, for use throughout LSDA. is now on magnetic tape and is being refined by LSDA scientists. NAL currently uses data-processing equipment in compiling the name index to the Bibliography of Agriculture. There are longrange plans to produce this publication in a manner comparable with that used at the Sational Library of Medicine for its Index Medicus.
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NEW COPY CARD DUPLICATOR Kleer-Vu Industries. New k’ork City. has introduced the Repeater, a new copy card reproducer. marketed through its Microfilm Division. The Repeater reproduces copies of microfilmed cards at a speed of 750 cards an hour. Copy or aperture cards are IBM-type punched cards which contain microfilmed data. Separate controls regulate master and copies. providing a smooth. jam-free operation. The Repeater is engineered to eliminate skipped or duplicated cards. One can dial up to 99 copies. or reproduce an unlimited number of cards. Available for Diazo thermal film or Kalvar instant 80R, this new copier will handle all types and makes of cards. The Repeater. priced under $6.000, was designed for limited volume users. for small runs when a larger machine is overcapacitated, and for large volume users with inconsistent needs. Major runs can be interrupted at any time to meet the immediate demands of a short run. JOCRNAL OF CHEMICAL DOCCMESTATIOU
