Bhabha Atomic Research Centre—Library & Information Services*
BARC Science & Technical Library is one of the most comprehensive and the biggest of its kind in Asia with facilities for access to about a million documents in its collection including a hundred thousands books and about 1300 current scientific and technical periodicals. The report lists services/facilities like CD-ROM networking, online search facilities, SDI, reprographic, publishing and printing, videography, training, etc. — Editor
Library and Information Services Divisions has got the necessary infrastructure and facilities including electronic information stems to meet the information systems to meet the information requirements of all the scientists and engineers in BARC and other institutions under the Department of Atomic Energy. The infrastructure includes a science and technology library — one of the most comprehensive and the biggest of its kind in Asia with a total collection of about a million documents including about a hundred thousands books.
The collection in the library covers the latest publications on nuclear science and technology, engineering, computers, controls and communications electronics, robotics, materials science, physical, chemical, environmental and life sciences, medicine, agriculture, industry, etc. The library subscribes to about 1,300 journals mainly in the advanced areas of science and technology.
The electronic information facilities available in the library were augmented. A number of scientific and engineering databases including the archives in CD-ROMs were installed and made available to users. These databases include INIS, Medline, BIOSIS, ISMEC, Inspec, PC-PDF, Metadex, Current Contents, Human Cytogenetics, Chemical Abstracts and ASTM Standards.
A local area networks was established for the CD-ROM facilities for access. At presents a maximum of 50 users can access the databases at a time. About 40 nodes have already been provided to various users at their work places for access to CD-ROM facilities, besides providing nodes at strategic locations in the Central Library. Access to the CD-ROM network has been provided for Nuclear Power Corporation, Heavy Water Board, ISOMED, Radiation Medicine Center, AERB, etc. A number of nodes were also provided to users at Central Library for access to Internet.
Plans are underway to augment the network in order to increase the speed of access,and to install more databases in the CD-ROM facility. Work has been initiated to connect other DAE organisations like Center for Advanced Technology, Indore; Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research, Kalpakkam, etc. to CD-ROM facilities of IGCAR, TIFR and TMC with that of BARC Library as part of the resource sharing program of DAE facilities and to reduce expenditure being incurred in acquisition of journals and books.
Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) services were provided to a number of users from DAE Institutions and other organisations in India including those from universities on specific topics on demand. Online searches were also carried out on international database hosts like STN International to provide specific information to scientists and engineers. BARC Library also provides SDI services on regular basis on the latest R&D in any specific area chosen by the user.
Services related to reprography, printing, binding, photography, videography, publication of BARC reports, brochures, proceedings of symposia and seminars, etc. were continued to be provided. Publication of BARC Newsletter and Nuclear News Digest was also continued. Scientific and technical articles were regularly translated into English from different foreign languages and interpretation services were also provided on demand. Library & Information Services Division continued to actively co-operate with international and foreign agencies such as Nuclear Energy Agency, OECD, NucNet, ETDE, European Nuclear Society, Nuclear Energy Institute in USA, Uranium Institute in UK, etc.
During the year the national INIS center in Library & Information Services Division submitted nearly 2,000 records related to literature in nuclear science and technology and energy published in India for incorporation in the INIS database. The distribution of INIS products to users in India was taken up at present six institutions are subscribing to INIS databases on CD-ROM through BARC.
An information scientist from Uzbekistan was trained in the Division on various aspects of INIS record preparation and database creation techniques under an IAEA fellowship.