The lesson taught by the example of the system of scientific and technical information in the Soviet Union

Abstract

This detailed analysis of the Soviet scientific and technical information system summarizes its characteristic features from the viewpoint of the lessons which can be drawn:
1. The significance of a national information system is recognized by establishing an integrated central governmental control.
2. A governmental decree in itself does not provide a sufficient basis for the organization of a well functioning national information system; only the system has to be improved and developed continuously, in accordance with the changing needs.
3. Within the centrally controlled national system certain tasks (mainly abstracting) are carried out centrally, while others on branch level, according to the nature of the various duties.
4. In addition to the national and branch information centres the information bureaux and the technical libraries of enterprices and institutes are also included in the national system of scientific and technical information by allotting them definite tasks.
5. The overdimensioning and self-centredness of information activities is systematically prevented by continuous revision, discontinuation of unnecessary parallel services, co-ordination of publishing etc.
6. The functions of the information centres are specified by uniform regulations and working methods.
7. Large scale research into the theory and practice of information by which information can be raised to the level of a science.
8. Practical approach to the improvement of information activities, by solutions involving not only the information network itself: e.g. scientific and technical publications must be provided with authors' or editors' abstracts classified according to the UDC thus saving abstracting and classifying efforts for the whole information network.
9. The performance of various information tasks can be carried out more succesfully through the co-operation of the member countries of the Council of Mutual Economic Assietance (CMEA),
10. Large scale research and experiments are conducted in the field of mechanization and automation of various information activities.
As a consequence the results in organizing and operating scientific information activities are a significant part of the successes achieved by the Soviet Union in science, culture and economies during the five decades since the Great October Socialist Revolution.