RA 00015.pdf - OAR@ICRISAT

on Agricultural Librarianship and Documentation,
Ludhiana, 2-5 Feb 1977.
Role of Information Science in Agricultural
Research; Sorghums and Millets Information
Center. Paper presented in International Sorghum
Workshop, Hyderabad, 6-12 Mar 1977.
Sorghums and Millets
I n f o r m a t i o n Center
The Sorghums and Millets Information Center
(SMIC) originated from an idea presented at the
Workshop for the Development of an International
Sorghum and Millet Information Network
held 12-13 May 1975 in the United States.
With funding assistance from the International
Development Research Centre (IDRC), SMIC
was established in December 1976.
The concept of an information/documentation
center recognizes that research workers do
not have ample time to scan the ever-increasing
numbers of periodicals, even those in their
particular areas of interests. Unlike the traditional
library, an information/documentation
center reviews the contents of periodic literature,
culls out relevant literature, publishes that information
in the form of bibliographies, and collects
master files from which copies can be prepared
for ready dissemination.
Specific Objectives
SMIC's specific objectives are:
(a) to collect documents on sorghums and
millets dating from 1969 onwards;
(b) to set up an appropriate document storage
and retrieval system;
(c) to bring up to date the existing bibliographies
on sorghums and millets;
(d) to provide bibliographic search services
for scientists in developing countries;
(e) to provide upon request, particularly for
developing countries, copies of material in
the document collection;
(F) to establish a question-and-answer service,
using the advice of the scientists in
ICRISAT's research network; and
(g) to issue a newsletter to reinforce the research
network and to improve communications
with outside institutions.
Work Accomplished
Master copies of references cited in the existing
standard bibliographies of millets are being
procured. So far, about one-fourth of the appropriate
documents have been secured. They
have been obtained from the collection in
ICRISAT Library and through the collection
search of local specialized libraries. Cooperation
extended by local libraries has been most helpful.
Efforts are being made to collect master files of
all the references pertinent to sorghum and
millet, so that any scientist may get a copy of the
material at any time. The master copies so far
collected have been filed according to the entry
numbers of the main bibliography.
Work in Progress
Lists of reference publications, abstracting, reviewing,
and other periodicals in English,
French, and Spanish are being prepared for
purchase on priority basis.
Future Plans
The Sorghums and Millets Information Center
would be responsible for the collection, documentation,
and retrieval of all information on
sorghums and millets. The work will be undertaken
primarily in English and French languages;
other languages may be included as per
requirement and importance. The ICRISAT
Library has already a good collection of sorghums
and millets bibliographies in its possession.
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