Some conclusions drawn from an investigation into the supply of physical periodicals in Hungary
Abstract
Decree No.131/1968 M.M. of the Minister of Education has reformulated and regulated the collection fields of Hungarian special and research libraries, as well as their cooperation in the acquisition of professional literature. Acoording to the ministerial decres the nation-wide acquisition of professional literature, covering the individual branches of science, is to be carried on by means of inter-library cooperation.
Set up in 1966, the Committee on Cooperation in Collecting Physical Literature ia responsible for the cooperation of some 30 libraries, concerned in collecting literature on physics. Studying and improving the supply of physical periodicals in Hungary have been, from the outset, regarded by the Committee as one of its most essential responsibilitles. To carry out this task they have completed the following operations: they have surveyed the current periodical titles in the physical field received by the cooperating libraries, the Central Library of the Technical University Budapest has set up a central catalogue of physlcal periodicals and published a location list dispatched to all the cooperating libraries. Data contained in the location list underwent a statistical analysis, thus the respective roles of libraries were examined in supplying literature on a national level, comparing the proportion of physical periodicals published in various countries of the world to that of titles received by the cooperating libraries, and analysing the trends in the number of copies received, as well as the conclusions that might be drawn from this survey. The question whether the periodicals acquired were covered by the British Physics Abstracts, one of the most important international abstracting journals, has also been studied. Location lists, along with the statistical tables were then submitted for further study to members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, to scientists and highly qualified university staff members, in other words to those who make extensive use of professional literature. It was meant to inform them of the analysis and ask for their advice as to the supply of periodicals and the further tasks to be performed this field.
In their opinion, despite some existing shortcomings, the present supply of periodicals in Hungary can furnish an essentially reliable basis for research work. The most important task to be carried out is to follow up newly published periodicals in the subject field, and make sure that the most important titles are received by the libraries involved in the cooperation. They have also pointed ont that a considerable part of the papers, which might be of intereat for physicists, are often published in non-physical journal, and the libraries should are that these periodicals are also accessible to scientists. In this respect, then, an effective cooperation between libraries of the physical field and those of certain other disciplines might be very helpful.
Set up in 1966, the Committee on Cooperation in Collecting Physical Literature ia responsible for the cooperation of some 30 libraries, concerned in collecting literature on physics. Studying and improving the supply of physical periodicals in Hungary have been, from the outset, regarded by the Committee as one of its most essential responsibilitles. To carry out this task they have completed the following operations: they have surveyed the current periodical titles in the physical field received by the cooperating libraries, the Central Library of the Technical University Budapest has set up a central catalogue of physlcal periodicals and published a location list dispatched to all the cooperating libraries. Data contained in the location list underwent a statistical analysis, thus the respective roles of libraries were examined in supplying literature on a national level, comparing the proportion of physical periodicals published in various countries of the world to that of titles received by the cooperating libraries, and analysing the trends in the number of copies received, as well as the conclusions that might be drawn from this survey. The question whether the periodicals acquired were covered by the British Physics Abstracts, one of the most important international abstracting journals, has also been studied. Location lists, along with the statistical tables were then submitted for further study to members of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, to scientists and highly qualified university staff members, in other words to those who make extensive use of professional literature. It was meant to inform them of the analysis and ask for their advice as to the supply of periodicals and the further tasks to be performed this field.
In their opinion, despite some existing shortcomings, the present supply of periodicals in Hungary can furnish an essentially reliable basis for research work. The most important task to be carried out is to follow up newly published periodicals in the subject field, and make sure that the most important titles are received by the libraries involved in the cooperation. They have also pointed ont that a considerable part of the papers, which might be of intereat for physicists, are often published in non-physical journal, and the libraries should are that these periodicals are also accessible to scientists. In this respect, then, an effective cooperation between libraries of the physical field and those of certain other disciplines might be very helpful.
Downloads
Published
2019-02-07
How to Cite
Balázs, J. Some conclusions drawn from an investigation into the supply of physical periodicals in Hungary, Scientific and Technical Information, 16(5), p. 327–347, 2019.
Issue
Section
Articles
