The National Medical Library and Centre for Documentation (OOKDK) and its information work

Abstract

Set up in 1960, the National Medical Library and Centre for Documentation has a personnel of 31. Its close quarters do not meet modern requirements, thus its information activities are partly performed by its network libraries – mostly by means of traditional library methods. The network consisting of some 400 libraries is controlled by the Centre's methodological section. As regards information work, one essential responsibility of the Centre is to encourage the network libraries to acquire an appropriate amount and variety of documents. The network takes in some 1550 periodical titles, covering about 50 per cent of the world's significant medical journals.

The documentation section publishes four current bibliographic publications and one abstracting journal. Its current SDI-services supply the subscribers weekly with bibliographic cards and with abstracts every month, covering 57 and 24 thematic fields, respectively.

A yearly average of 600 to 700 literature searches are performed upon request. The Centre also maintains a modest translation service and offers some other services, too. Having outlined the activities of the library and reprographic sections, the paper gives the main features of expected development for 1975-1980.

The Centre's new headquarters are expected to have been finished by 1980, and besides assuming some nation-wide responsibilities, the new Centre will place special emphasis on meeting the information needs of the capital and of the Institute of Medical Extension Training. Information needs in the country will be met above all by regional information centres. According to plans, some 6 to 7 such centres will be needed, apart from the Budapest Headquarters. These regional centres will be developed primarily from the central libraries of the medical universities.