Proceedings of the International Conference on Scientific Information Two Volumes (1959) / Chapter Skim
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Summary of Discussion
Summary of Discussion
Pages 649-660
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From page 649... ...
Dr. King concluded that In a period of intensity of specialization the review article is one ofthe real methods of securing cross-fertilization, of permitting browsing in related fields, and of stimulating work in interesting directions on which creativity depends.
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From page 650... ...
Good review material is to be found in private or semi-private house journals of industrial organizations, while in general industrial chemists are less enthusiastic about the annual reviews." He observed that an overwhelming majority of chemists are in favor of confining reviews to review journals, and against having journals publish original work interspersed with .
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From page 651... ...
There was consideration as to whether a central documentation service with specialists and computing machines tied in with telecommunication equipment could alleviate the need for literature reviews. There was general agreement, however, that the development of machine documentation and central information services would not stem the increasing demand for review articles.
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From page 652... ...
Pietsch cited as an example the preparation of the Gmelin's Har'1buch der Anorganischen Chemie and the attempts of the Gmelin Institute to overcome the restrictions of a classical compendium. All work processes ofthe Institute are being continually reviewed for efficiency.
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From page 653... ...
He offered as a means of overcoming the delay factor that essential data tables should be compiled in an abbreviated form "in handbooks which you could actuaLy hold in your hands." Sir Alfred Egerton proposed that the way to tackle the vital question of compendia and particularly of critical tables is by bringing out series of critical data in special subjects and by keeping that going as far as the advance takes place. This could be done by publishing bodies under competition to provide the scientist the best working material.
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From page 654... ...
The last few decades have been marked by the growth and creation of centers of this kind all over the world, much more in relation to the applied sciences than to the fundamental sciences. Two general types of specialized information centers have appeared: One organized to provide service over narrow segments of particular disciplines, and the other devoted to a national point of view comprehensive in scope and centralized in administration.
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From page 655... ...
information centers revealed the many features of service in highly specialized projects in narrow subject fields. 1 The principal information search facility most commonly includes a catalog, abstract file, punched cards, extract file, and tape recordings.
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From page 656... ...
He pointed out there is in the United States no centralized source and no centralized documentation system dealing with the large field of technology. In this connection the very considerable efforts of the Institute of Radio Engineers to provide its own publication and documentation services were described.
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From page 657... ...
He compared the position of scientists seeking information to that of "a gold prospector faced with the Himalayan jungle and the rock formations of the modern libraries." He reported his conviction that the most effective way of assisting the scientists was in the creation of a large central institute which In its activities would embrace the entire output of national as weD as international scientific experience accumulated so far. He noted the individual scientific tr~nr1~ ant disciplines of today are organically interconnected and have their interests in the adjacent areas.
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From page 658... ...
Majewski stated that in Poland a practical solution to the problem has been found through a type of organization permitting the use of specialists attached to the several specialized information centers for particular topics. "It seems to US that this system collects the products of the research workers and puts this to the attention of those who can use it." Professor Bernal observed that the problem of world communication already had been posed to the Conference.
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From page 659... ...
This will not be easy as bureaucracy is inherent in large-scale operations. But it is possible without breaking down the traditional activities and responsibilities; and it is necessary, if we are to prevent expensive and unproductive duplication of services and publications in contrast to the creative duplication of scientific effort in the laboratory." BERNARD M
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