Electronic information services in Eastern Europe. Database production and use

Abstract

Results of a cooperativs project between the German research centre GMD and ICSTI in Moscow, providing a comprehensive survey of databases in Eastern European countries, and their accessibility are presented and analyzed. The survey, reflecting an earlier assessment of databases, presents almost 2000 databases produced in Eastern European countries, by subject area, language, country of origin, as well as their distribution in some countries by priority subject fields. The authors conclude that the technology facilitating database access is still very poor, and the majority of databases available are not updated, i.e, closed. Political and economic changes taking place in Eastern Europe have improved the supply of databases in this region.