information service

the supplying of specialists with necessary scientific and technical information by information agencies and services. Information service can take various forms, including information publications (reference journals, bulletins), compilation of lists of literature or selection of abstracts on a specific theme, translation of scientific documents from one language to another, and preparation of reviews, factual data, and recommendations.

Information service also involves supplying clients with originals or copies of scientific and technical documents and literature. The most promising direction for expansion of information service is in the development and implementation of a system for selective distribution of information that would take into account the individual needs of specialists as information clients and their specific inquiries.

The organization of information service is based on an efficient cooperation of information agencies and the use of technological means and systems of information storing, information retrieval and reproduction, and transmission of information.

An information agency may be an independent institution (institute or center) or a structural subdivision of a department, institution, firm, or enterprise (for example, a branch or bureau providing scientific-technical information) carrying out scientific information work and information service for specialists or assisting in scientific-technical popular education. In addition, large information agencies have responsibility for conducting scientific research in information theory and practice. Scientific and technical (special) libraries also are considered to be information agencies.

The totality of information agencies within the framework of a branch of knowledge constitutes a branch information system (service); on a nationwide scale, all information agencies form the state information system (service). The State Committee for Science and Technology of the USSR Council of Ministers is responsible for the overall supervision of the information service of the USSR.