The future of a small technical data base*

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Dugal, H.S.^{; **} | Brown, C.L.

Affiliations: The Institute of Paper Chemistry, Appleton, WI 54912, USA

Note: [*] Based on a paper presented at the Fall Meeting of the Association of Information and Dissemination Centers (ASIDIC) in Georgetown on 17 September 1984.

Note: [**] H.S. Dugal is director, Information Services Division, The Institute of Paper Chemistry, and C.L. Brown is editor, Abstract Bulletin (Paperchem).

Abstract: This paper first presents a brief description of the Institute of Paper Chemistry, and a more detailed account of three of its Information Services Division groups: Library, Editorial & Publications, Abstracting-Indexing. There follows a discussion of IPC's reasons for automating its abstracting–indexing operations. The remainder of the paper outlines the factors which have a bearing on the success—and even on the survival—of a small data base. One of these is size itself, since the larger producer can more easily adapt to changing circumstances. Quality, appropriate coverage and convenience are important properties of a file, certainly so far as users are concerned today. The authors list certain ‘negative influences’ against which a small data base must contend, and conclude with a presentation of the priorities enunciated by the recently formed Paperchem users' group.

DOI: 10.3233/ISU-1985-5304

Journal: Information Services & Use, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 157-165, 1985