The present state and long term prospects of the co-operation of the member-countries of CMEA in the field of scientific and technical information

Abstract

The member-countries of the Council of Mutual Economic Assistance (CMEA) have formed in the fifties national information centres. The growing demand in scientific and technical information naturally resulted in the efforts of these national information centres to establish contacts and to support each other in supplying information. In the beginning the co-operation was based on bilateral agreements, or on practical working contacts. In 1956 and 1961 respectively, the directors of the national information centres hold meetings. At the second meeting it was suggested to include into the objectives of the CMEA the multilateral co-operation in scientific and technical information. A Permanent Working Group for Scientific and Technical Information was set up within the frame of the Permanent Committee for the Co-ordination of Scientific and Technical Research of the CMEA. The Working Group determined the main fields of co-operation: the improvement of locating, acquiring, exchanging, disseminating information, development of proper methods for information services, joint research activities in scientific and technical information, technical development of equipment and apparatus for information work, training of information personnel, raising the efficiency of information work. The first stage of the multilateral co-operation is of a preparative character, while in the second period information methods should be unified and more joint activities organized. The results of the first period may be summed up as follows: improvement in the exchange of information, starting of joint research activities, organization of scientific symposia, co-operation in the training of information specialists etc. In order to pass over to the second stage the technical basis of the common activities has to be established.