preliminary dsign of - the IDRC Digital Library - International ...

EVSIS
preliminary dsign of
an international infornation system
for the deveIopmeit sciences
Co-sponsor
International Development Aesearch Centre
International Labour Office
Organisation for Economic Co-opeation and Development
United Nations Department of Ecoromic and Social Affairs
United Nations Developmnt Programme
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

Abstract
Development is one of the most important mission
20th century, yet no global systematic attempt has yet
to those responsible for economic and social developm
information support include development planners an
in development-aid organisations. This report explores
information relevant to development and concludes th
continuous, and reliable service is to establish a coop
country and each international organisation accepts
information about the literature generated within its o
of a central unit within an international organisation
output services in printed and machine-readable f
bibliographic information and exchanging it in machin
output are included. The programs required. nationall
participate in the system are described. Options are pr
and phased implementation of the system.
Résumé
Le developpement represente pour le monde entie
en cc dernier quart du 2Oème siècle; cependant, aucu
amorcée pour acheminer jusqu'aux responsables l'i
economique. Les planificateurs, les gouvernements, tant
de developpement, les organisations d 'aide au develop
ces informations et pourtant, c'est ace niveau que Ic serv
analyse les services actuels d'information en developpe
seul mécanisme susceptible d 'assurer un service stIr, exha
d'un système d'information coopératif international
internationale serait chargé de l'identification et de
littérature publiee dans son propre territoire. Le ra
organisation internationale, d 'Un centre information
maniére a distribuer des services complets de sorties en
s'étend a Ia description de principes-directeurs pour l'en
que, de sa transposition en langage ordinatique et sugg
les sorties. Ce rapport décrit également les programmes
a cc systeme, au niveau national Ct international. D
d 'organisation, d 'administration et d 'une implantation
0
Published, on behalf of the sponsors,
1976 International Development Research C
Postal Address: Box 8500, Ottawa, Ca
Head Office: 60 Queen Street, Ottawa
Microfiche Edition $1
ISBN: 0-88936-084-7
UDC: 002:338
facing the world in the third quarter of the
een made to provide information support
nt. Those least served and most in need of
policymakers in developing countries and
he existing services that attempt to provide
the only way to provide comprehensive,
rative international system whereby each
the responsibility to identify and record
n territory. It proposes the establishment
merge inputs and provide comprehensive
rm. Technical guidelines for recording
-readable form and suggested formats for
and internationally, to enable countries to
sented for the organisation. management,
un des défis les plus importants a relever
demarche systematique, globale n'a été
formation en développement social et
es pays industrialisés que des pays en voie
ement, ont tous Ic plus pressant besoin de
cc est Ic plus inadequat. Le present rapport
ent et débouche sur Ia conclusion que Ic
stifet continu consisterait dans Ia creation
ou chaque pays et chaque organisation
'enregistrement de I'information sur Ia
port propose Ia creation au scm d'une
el oti les entrées seraient fusionnées de
publication Ct en ordinatique. Le rapport
gistrement de I 'information bibliographie
méme des formats de presentation pour
ndispensables a une participation des pays
plus, ii presente un choix de modèles
olyphasee de cc système.
y
ntre
ada K1G 3H9

IDRC-065e
DEVSIS
the preliminary d'sign of an international
information system for he development sciences
Prepared by the DEVSIS
Geneva, March- September 19
International
Organisation for Economic C
United Nations Department of
United Nati
United Nations Educational, Scienti
TUD Y TEAM, which worked in
5, on behalf of its co-sponsors:
evelopment Research Centre
International Labour Office
-operation and Development
Economic and Social Affairs
ns Development Programme
and
c and Cultural Organization
(This study was carr ed out, and published, with the aid of
a grant from the Intern tional Development Research Centre,
Ottawa, Canada.)
020960

C. DEFINING THE SYSTEM IN TERMS 0
OF USERS
D.
Chapter 2.
TABLE OF CONTE
Statement by the DEVSIS Steering Committee
Letter of Transmittal
INTRODUCTION
Chapter I. Background and summary
DEVSIS: A RESPONSE TO CURRENT
Chapter 3.
Accessibility of development 1
the present dilemma of poor
and wasted resources
The experience of existing
co-operative systems
Outputs from the DEVSIS Ce
Full-text service from the DE
3
n
TS
terature:
availability
rnational
THE NEEDS
to other
PHIC
Page
EALITIES 17
Chapter 4. The solution: a global, dece tralised,
mission-oriented information ystem 3 1
Chapter 5. Users and their priority need 34
Chapter 6.
Defining boundaries in relati
systems
Chapter 7. The quantity of development literature:
its distribution by source and language 40
Chapter 8.
The system: its files and the ,otential
products
Chapter 9. Definition of scope
Chapter 10 Languages: character set
TECHNICAL ASPECTS: THE BIBLIOG
FILE (FILE ONE)
Chapter 11. The DEVSIS record
Chapter 12. Parameters for indexing and trieval
Chapter 13. The creation of the file
Chapter
Chapter
6
8
9
9
17
26
34
38
44
46
50
54
54
58
65
tral Unit 71
SIS Central Unit 75

Chapter 16. Outputs from participating centres 78
Chapter 17. The DEVSIS network 81
TECHNICAL ASPECTS: THE REFERRAL FILE (FILE TWO) 85
Chapter 18. A centralised operation 85
Chapter 19. Content and format of the referral file
record 88
ORGANISATION 91
Chapter 20. The organisational base: options 91
Chapter 2 I . The financial base: options 98
Chapter 22. Guidance: policy, technical, financial 102
Chapter 23. Central secretariat and management functions:
relations with the network, with UNISIST and
with other international systems 105
Chapter 24. Evaluation 108
Chapter 25. The establishment of national participating
centres: the possibilities of engaging regional centres
for some operating functions Ill
Chapter 26. Consultative mechanisms: management by
participation 114
SUPPORTING PROGRAMMES 115
Chapter 27. Standards, manuals, authority lists:
responsibilities for the development and
application of norms 116
Chapter 28. Technical assistance to national participants 1 19
Chapter 29. System development: responsibilities for
research and for keeping pace with changing
needs and technological advances 124
FACILITIES REQUIRED AND COSTS 127
Chapter 30. Summary of staff and facilities required 127
Chapter 31 . Summary of estimates of central operating
costs l32
I IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE: PHASING 134
4

Indexes
Chapter 32. Development of necessary too.s: prototype
operations: availability of nati.nal
capacities 134
Chapter 33. Implementation by instalments options 138
Annex 1. Abbreviations used in the DEVSIS 'tudy Team report 145
Annex 2. Membership of the DEVSIS Steerin Committee and
Study Team 149
Annex 3. Reports and documents referring to I, EVSIS 155
Annex 4. Institutions responding to questionnaies 156
Annex 5. Replies to questionnaire: periodical t ties
received and indexed/abstracted 158
Annex 6. Description of secondary services 169
Annex 7. Survey of documents of internationa organisations 174
Annex 8. Indexing and abstracting of internatisnal organisations
documents and publications 179
Annex 9. Scope of DEVSIS 181
Annex 10. Country codes 188
Annex 11 . DEVSIS character set 193
Annex 12. DEVSIS implementation of reference manual and
added DEVSIS data elements 194
Annex 13. Sample DEVSIS worksheet 212
Annex 14. FILE TWO data elements 215
Annex IS. Standards and models considered in the design of FILE
TWO 230
Annex 16. To illustrate the layout of the biblioraphic
section of Devindex 231
5
236

Statement by the DEVSIS Steering Committee
The DEVSIS Steering Committee, which itself has been appointed by the six organisations
co-sponsoring the DEVSIS feasibility study
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
International Labour Office (ILO)
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN/ESA)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization(UNESCO)
held its Fourth Session in Paris on 4 and 5 December 1975. At this Session, it considered the provisional
text of the DEVSIS Study Team's report. The Steering Committee decided to adopt the report, to transmit
it to the co-sponsoring organisations, and to authorise its publication with the commentary that follows.
The Steering Committee believes that the sharing of information and its effective transfer to
developing nations are basic and essential needs for human progress. These beliefs have been underlined
by the Steering Committee's attention to resolutions passed at the Sixth and Seventh Special Sessions of
the United Nations General Assembly' in relation to a New International Economic Order. The Steering
Committee sees the report that is published here as an important step in the endeavour that the
co-sponsoring organisations have jointly envisaged to transform these firmly held beliefs into positive
forms of action.
The Steering Committee is composed of individuals who represent the users and producers of that
large and important body of information that we have labelled "development information". Currently
such information is not being shared or transferred to those who need it in a logical and coherent manner.
The Study Team's report, in the unanimous view of the Steering Committee, presents a clear and
intelligent plan of action. The Steering Committee therefore commends this report to all persons and
organisations with interests and responsibilities for implementing systems to make available the
information that underlies man's ability to improve himself and the economic and social environment in
which he lives and works.
The Steering Committee, having considered the various options offered by the Study Team,
particularly those in Chapters 20 and 33, recommends that the co-sponsors consider the following
programmes of interim action leading towards the later full implementation of DEVSIS.
I. Scope, thesaurus and other systems tools
The Steering Committee recognises the need for a further effort to more precisely define the limits of
the scope of DEVSIS, sector by sector. It urges the co-sponsors to support an effort to define these
limits and to link it with their support for the effort that is being managed by UNESCO, in
co-operation with certain other organisations, to develop a DEVSIS thesaurus. The Steering
Committee further proposes that arrangements should be made with the UNISIST team in UNESCO,
with the INIS team in the IAEA, and with the AGRIS team in FAO, for drafting initial versions of
the DEVSIS manuals.
2. Experimental issue
The Steering Committee urges the co-sponsors to make arrangements with organisations having the
appropriate experience (UNISIST, INIS, AGRIS) for providing the facilities that would be necessary
to prepare a specimen limited issue of Devindex (and, if possible of Devprofi/e) for demonstration
and study purposes. It urges the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs to use its channels
of communication, and those of the regional economic commissions, to solicit the voluntary
participation of national governments, regional organisations and international organisations in the
identification of appropriate items of information on core DEVSIS subjects.
'Resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3362 (5-VIl).
6

3. Consultation with Governments
Recognising that DEVSIS will not be implemented unles
Governments, the Steering Committee recommends that th
Affairs, in co-operation with the UNISIST programme and
should consider the best channels through which the D
intergovernmental body with a view to formulating consen
tion of DEVSIS, including its long-term financing.
4. Distribution of the DE VSIS report
The Steering Committee recommends that, to prepare
discussions, each of the co-sponsoring organisations shoul
members of its governing body and to appropriate authori
organisation might take the opportunity to explain the
programme and the response that it is designed to provid
5. Short-term finance
The Steering Committee urges the co-sponsors to explor
identified in paragraphs I, 2 and 3, as well as an initial p
in mind that there would be a necessary delay before su
programme and budget of a United Nations agency.
6. Continuation of the work of the Steering Committee
The Steering Committee believes that it has further work do in guiding the programme until such
time as DEVSIS is embodied in the regular budget of an nter-governmental agency. It has created
a small working group which will consult with the co-spons rs and other interested organisations, and
alert the Chairman when sufficient progress has been mad to require a further meeting of the entire
Committee.
The Steering Committee particularly endorses the statem
which stress that DEVSIS can fulfill its objectives onl
nts contained in the Study Team report
if adequate infrastructures exist in the
participating countries. It has noted the work, particularl by UNDP, UNESCO, IDRC and other
organisations, in support of national and regional efforts t. build structures for exploiting the services
of international systems like DEVSIS, and for bridging the gap between such systems and the
decision-making community. The Steering Committee elcomes the initiatives of UNESCO to
establish machinery to reinforce these efforts by improvin their co-ordination.
7
it receives the strong support of national
UN Department of Economic and Social
other appropriate parts of the UN system,
VSIS proposals could be studied by an
us recommendations for the implementa-
he ground for future intergovernmental
bring this report to the attention of the
es in its Member States. In doing so, each
eeds that have stimulated the DEVSLS
ways and means of financing the work
nod of DEVSIS implementation, bearing
h costs could be covered on the regular

DEVSIS Study Team
do International Labour Office
1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland
Telephone: 98.52.11 ext. 3001
Telex 22.271 Cable: INTERLAB GENEVE
Co-sponsors of the DEVSIS study are: the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the International Labour Office (ILO),
the Organisstion for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECDI, the United Nations Department of Economic and Social
Affairs IESA), the United Nations Development Programme IUNDPI and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO)
Dear Mr. Henry,
31 October 1975
I have the honour to transmit the report of the
DEVSIS Study Team for presentation to the Steering Committee
at its Fourth Session, and I would like to take this
opportunity to express the gratitude of the Study Team for
the guidance and advice it has received from the members
of the Steering Committee, collectively and individually.
I would also like to take this opportunity to express
my personal gratitude for the co-operation and hard work of
my colleagues on the Study Team. As explained in the report
itself, many of the members of the Study Team have been in
Geneva only for limited periods of time; thus it has not
been possible to check the entire text with every member.
We have attempted to reflect a consensus, but this does
not mean that every opinion expressed is necessarily shared
'by every member of the Study Team. I therefore personally
accept responsibility for any errors of fact or judgement
that, despite our efforts, may be found in the report.
Mr. Paul-Marc Henry,
Chairman, DEVSIS Steering Committee,
The Development Centre of OECD,
94, rue Chardon-Lagache
75016 PARIS
(France)
8
Yours faithfully,
Joh E. Woolston
Director, DEVSIS
Study Team

SECTION A
INTRODUCTI I N
Chapter 1
Background and su
In the late 1960s, as people concerned with
results of the first development decade, it became
elements in the development equation. In an attem
United Nations undertook a review of its own cap
development', a review which, among other things,
information support. At the same time initiatives
United Nations system to build the first truly inter
system to be directed towards the furtherance of a m
was the application of atomic energy to peaceful
Development is also a mission - it is increasingly tho
today's world. There was a possibility that the sam
development of co-operative and potentially compre
be applied for the provision of information to the dev
could be one of the missing elements in the develop
- the International Development Research Centre (I
for International Development (DSE) for example -
information as a programme activity rather than as a
structures.
Why has this interest in information develop
probably reflects a realisation that many developme
process by which people who need information go
commission a survey, hire a consultant, start a rese
what they get is a document which presents the info
is information for which they were willing to spend
$100,000. They bought it because they believed
policy-making, planning or operations. Potentially it
of dollars and change the lives of whole commu
represent the key link in this chain, are not easy to fi
Investments of time and money in generating infor
agencies (sometimes even by the same agency) sims
the information they want has already been put toge
these documents, and hence of the information they
depending on the methods employed. This is a ye
investment and, by placing the information in a syst
when needed, one has the facility to avoid the loss o
involved in conducting a new survey, hiring a ne
research project. And even when the current need is s
one, to have the results of the earlier work can still cu
of any new effort to generate information. In sum,
'R.G.A. Jackson, A Study of the Capacity of the
Document DP/5. Geneva 1969.
2Annex I defines all acronyms that appear in this re
9
mary
evelopment began to review the
lear that there were still missing
.t to identify these elements, the
city to meet the requirements of
pinpointed the need for stronger
ere begun elsewhere within the
ational co-operative information
ssion. In this first case the mission
ses, and the system was INIS.2
ght of as the significant mission in
technology which allows for the
ensive information systems, could
lopment community. Information
ent equation. Some organisations
RC) and the German Foundation
eacted to this notion by including
service within their organisational
d so strongly in recent years? It
studies and projects represent a
into a market and buy it. They
rch programme; but, physically,
ation they have purchased. This
10,000, $50,000, often more than
hat it would be useful in their
ould affect investments of millions
ities. But the documents, which
d once they have been presented.
ation are duplicated by different
ly because they do not know that
her. To record the existence of all
ontain, costs $20 to $50 per item
small increment on the original
m from which it can be retrieved
money and of time that would be
consultant or starting another
mewhat different from the earlier
the costs and shorten the duration
- interest in information handling
United Nations Development System
ort.

stems from a realisation that information is a resource for development and that, in the
world as it is today, even otherwise highly developed countries have very inadequate
means of gaining reliable access to this resource.
But we do not need to trace the roots of DEVSIS back so far. The feasibility study
that we are reporting here grew out of initiatives that do have a definite starting date and
a definite chronology.
In January 1974, IDRC circulated a paper entitled DEVSIS: A development
science information system This paper deplored the lack of information services
available to development planners and policy-makers, and proposed that the principles
of a mission-oriented decentralised co-operative system, combined with technologies for
providing input and producing comprehensive files, could be used to provide information
service to the development community. Six months after the distribution of this
paper, IDRC, OECD and UNESCO sponsored a meeting in Ottawa to consider whether
there was a general need for a system like DEVSIS, and if so, to define in broad terms
its subject scope, organisation and financing, and to recommend further action towards
the detailed design of the system.
The consensus was that DEVSIS did respond to an evident need. The meeting
recommended that a Steering Committee be appointed immediately to oversee a
detailed study of the feasibility of the DEVSIS proposal. To carry out the study a small
full-time team should be assembled. The Steering Committee was given broad
responsibilities to define the content of the feasibility study and oversee the work of the
Study Team. It was asked particularly to ensure the compatibility of DEVSIS with other
international information systems, to negotiate the location of DEVSIS within the
United Nations family of organisations, to explore sources of financial support, and to
discuss with governments national participation in the system.
The Chairman of the Steering Committee, M. Paul-Marc Henry, President of the
OECD Development Centre, and its members, were selected during the autumn of 1974.
UNESCO, which provides secretariat service to the Committee, convened the first
meeting in October. The members of the Study Team were selected before the spring of
1975 and the Team began its work in the headquarters building of ILO in March 1975.2
By this time both UNDP and ILO had joined the original three sponsors of the Ottawa
meeting, as co-sponsors of the Study.
At the time of publication of this report, the Steering Committee has held three
further meetings. The first in April 1975 reviewed the work programme of the Study
Team and considered its preliminary proposals about the user community of DEVSIS
and its needs, about the scope of material to be included in the system, and about the
appropriate organisational model for DEVSIS. The next meeting in July reviewed the
proposed technical design of the system and gave concrete advice on the options that
were available for locating DEVSIS within the UN family, on financial sources which
could be tapped to support DEVSIS during an experimental phase, and on the role of
regional and national participating centres. It also welcomed UN/ESA as a co-sponsor
of the Study.
The fourth meeting of the Committee, 4-5 December 1975, reviewed a provisional
text of this report. With a few minor amendments incorporated in this version, the
Steering Committee adopted the report as submitted by the Study Team. It wrote an
opening statement that is also published here. We believe that this report continues to
be a document on which the Steering Committee can rely as it completes its responsibili-
'See Annex 3 for references to reports and documents concerning DEVSIS.
2Annex 2 lists membership of the Steering Committee and the Study Team.
10

ties for negotiating a home for DEVSIS and for secu ing the necessary financial support
for an experimental period.
The Study Team was encouraged by the wide nterest that DEVSIS has generated
among national organisations during the life of thi' study. We believe that there is so
much interest because countries have begun to think nationally about the problems that
DEVSIS and its co-sponsoring organisations are atte pting to tackle at an international
level.
A significant number of countries have air ady established services that are
mainly concerned with their nationally-produced in ormation in the field of social and
economic development, primarily as a support to n. tional development policy-making
and planning. Subject to the agreement of the gov rnments concerned, these services
would appear to be logical candidates to act as articipating centres in a DEVSIS
network. The following list is illustrative rather tha exhaustive:
Brazil. The Instituto do Pianejamento Económ
of the Ministério do Planejamento e Coordena
centre that will attempt to establish bibliogr.
Brazilian economic literature and data. Acces
computer retrieval system of the Catholic
Janeiro.
Canada. In the context of the DEVSIS Stud the International Development
Research Centre has, since January 1975, att mpted to make a comprehensive
collection of the Canadian-produced develo ment literature and to analyse it
according to DEVSIS procedures. This is now a continuing activity.
Hungary. The Institute for World Economics a
both of the Hungarian Academy of Scienc
gramme in development economics which id
origin.
India. In a country as vast as India, there are,
in respect of the national socio-economic deve
of the more significant is that carried out at
Training Centre of the Indian Statistical Institu
of Prof. A. Neelameghan who has been a me
Jamaica. For many years, the Library of the Institute of Social and Economic
Research (ISER), University of the West I dies (Mona) has maintained a
documentation service for the benefit of rese rchers and government officials.
Recently the Institute has proposed to expan this service, particularly for the
benefit of decision-makers, and to create a "De elopment-Output Evaluation and
Research Service" (DOERS) - primarily to sy thesise the wide array of national
documents, reports, surveys, speeches; to cIa sify, analyse and interpret these
materials; and to disseminate information in a variety of forms.
11
co e Social (IPEA), which is a unit
ao Geral, is organising a reference
phic control over all unpublished
will be achieved by means of the
Pontifical University of Rio de
d the Economic Information Unit,
maintain a bibliographic prontifies
information of Hungarian
n fact, many important initiatives
opment information. Perhaps one
he Documentation Research and
e (Bangalore) under the direction
ber of the DEVSIS Study Team.
Morocco. In recent years, a model national soci. -economic information service has
been created in Rabat, first with the aid of F 0, later with the aid of both FAO
and UNESCO. The Centre National de Dosumentation reports to the Prime
Minister through the Secretariat d'Etat au Pla et au Développement Regional.
As noted in Chapter 2, the Centre makes every effort to capture all developmentrelated
information produced in or concer ing Morocco and to make this
available to decision-makers.

Netherlands. Starting in 1974, the Central Library of the Royal Tropical Institute
created a Netherlands Documentation Centre for Developing Countries (NEDO)
which identifies information produced in the Netherlands dealing with social and
economic concerns of the Third World. It publishes abstracts and indexes of this
information, four times a year, in a periodical known as NEDO-abstracts. The
Dutch efforts have served as a model for many of the details of the DEVSIS design
as proposed in this report
Philippines. The Development Academy of the Philippines, which provides a
research and consulting service to policy-makers and planners in the Philippine
Government, has recently restructured its information activities and created a
special information systems programme. Its emphasis is on the identification of
information produced in the Philippines and its application for development
activities.
When the Development Science Information System was first proposed in
January 1974, it was not the intention to christen the system. However, since that time
the proposal has been discussed under the name of DEVSIS at several international
conferences and in a number of papers. We realise that not all commentators are happy
with the word "Science", but we believe that the present name should be retained and
that a change now would cause more confusion than would be justified.
It was our intention to limit this report to 100 pages. We apologise for having
overstepped our limit; we hope to make amends by including a brief summary of the
contents of the report to enable the reader to judiciously select those sections which are
of most interest to him.
In SECTION B, DEVSIS: A RESPONSE TO CURRENT REALITIES we lay
the groundwork for the justification of DEVSIS. We describe a number of surveys which
demonstrate that little is known about development literature produced in developing
countries, or about unconventional development literature (reports, documents)
produced anywhere. A fairly high proportion of the development literature produced in
developed countries is abstracted and indexed many times, both by secondary services
and by individual organisations. This chaotic situation not only results in wasted
resources but it also ensures that the development community has no reliable access to
the information which concerns it most (Chapter 2).
We examine experience in other areas (particularly atomic energy and agriculture)
where co-operative international information systems have been implemented. We
identify as the major innovation the application of a "territorial" formula which
facilitates the sharing of responsibilities and costs on an equitable basis among
governments participating in the system. This can result in the elimination of duplication
and increasingly comprehensive coverage of the literature. With careful preparation of
manuals and standards and with effective training programmes participation in such
systems will grow if there is adequate political support.
We believe that countries have a national interest in bringing their own literature
under bibliographic control; once this is done, to submit information about that
literature to a Central Unit for processing and distribution adds only an incremental cost
12

which governments are increasingly willing to
information from other organisations and other co
We conclude that DEVSIS should be a glob
coverage of economic and social development litera
system relying on the participation of national gov
a Central Unit located within a UN organisation f
that it should be a mission-oriented system directe
needs of the development community (Chapter 4).
In SECTION C: DEFINING THE SYSTE
USERS we identify the target user group of DEV
the development mission: policy makers, planners,
communicators and those who provide them with i
information these users require and sketch some ave
recognise that the substance of development is
information services are being provided in some
DEVSIS. In these cases we recommend close co-ope
these systems - if they are internationally based and
- in order to draw clear boundaries (Chapter 6)
definition of the information falling within the sco
volume of literature at a little over 100,000 items.
English (60 per cent), with French and Spanish
(Chapter 7).
There is a distinction to be made between in
the development mission, and more aggregated info
also valuable for the decision-maker. We therefor
two distinct files: one that covers information centr
ment, and which contains bibliographic descriptio
that describes information sources and services to
further information. We call these files FILE ONE
the basis for the major printed products of the
(Chapter 8).
Having defined the user community, estim. ted the volume of literature, and
outlined the basic services of the system we can prov de a detailed definition of its scope.
This we do in terms of the basic activities involved n the process of development. We
believe that only a definition in terms of activities wi ensure the neutrality of the system
and therefore the credibility of its services (Chapte 9).
We also make some recommendations about
developing areas of the world the major language'
Arabic. All DEVSIS manuals and printed prod
languages. There are at present technical difficulties
of Arabic characters, so DEVSIS should be hospita i
French - and at a later date also to Arabic (Chapte
By the time the reader has reached this poin he will know what we propose as
the conceptual design of DEVSIS. The next two sec ions provide technical information
on the two files and have been written for the read r who is familiar with information
systems and their design. These sections will provi e the basis for the development of
the detailed technical designs and manuals require for implementation.
In SECTION D, TECHNICAL ASPECTS.
define the content and format of the DEVSIS F
13
iay in order to regularly obtain
ntries (Chapter 3).
/ system aiming at comprehensive
re; that it should be a decentralised
rnments to obtain its inputs and on
ir processing and distribution: and
i towards meeting the information
IN TERMS OF THE NEEDS OF
IS in terms of its involvement with
esearchers and teachers, financiers,
formation. We identify the kind of
ues of access to it (Chapter 5). We
found in many sectors and that
sectors which could overlap with
ation with the authorities operating
providing comprehensive coverage
On the basis of our preliminary
'e of DEVSIS, we estimate annual
Most of this literature is written in
ccounting for other major shares
ormation generated in response to
mation from other sectors which is
recommend that DEVSIS contain
.1 to economic and social developabstracts
and key data: and one
hich the user can be referred for
and FILE TWO, and they provide
..ystem: Devindex and Devprofile
the languages of the system: in the
are English, Spanish, French and
cts should be available in these
volved in the computer processing
le initially to English, Spanish and
10).
HE BIBLIOGRAPHIC FILE, we
LE ONE record, emphasising its

compatibility with UNISIST standards but pointing out the additional features which
we are recommending for DEVSIS (Chapter II). From here we examine the possibilities
that the record structure provides for detailed indexing and retrieval through a wide
range of types of information. To provide subject retrieval DEVSIS requires a thesaurus,
and a programme for the transformation of the Macrothesaurus into a Development
Thesaurus is described. Guidelines are given on the kinds of abstracts and subject
indexing which DEVSIS will accept (Chapter 12).
We identify the methods that participating centres can use to provide input to the
central file, and outline the procedures required centrally to merge the input and provide
the necessary outputs on magnetic tape or in printed form (Chapter 13). Outputs are
described in some detail - Devindex, the main bibliography and all its indexes, and the
file on magnetic tape (Chapter 14). We propose that the DEYSIS Central Unit maintain
a microfiche back-up file for all documents and reports not restricted by copyright law
(Chapter 15). Participating centres can use DEVSIS outputs (on magnetic tape, in
printed form and on microfiche) to develop specialised services for their own user
communities. An indication is given of the kinds of services that can be developed locally
(Chapter 16).
This section concludes with a sketch of the DEVSIS network which links national
and regional participating centres with the Central Unit. Some specific actions can be
taken to ensure that information flows freely through the network (Chapter 17).
SECTION E, TECHNICAL ASPECTS: THE REFERRAL FILE, tackles some
of the same questions for FILE TWO. But here, because of the lower volume of the File,
and because the record structure is more complex, we recommend a centralised
operation. We do define the content and the format of the File, but in a more tentative
fashion than for FILE ONE; FILE TWO is essentially experimental and will require
thorough consideration during the early stage of DEVSIS implementation (Chapters 18
and 19).
In both Section D and Section Ewe begin to provide estimates of the staff required
to perform the various tasks proposed, and an indication of some of the cost elements
involved.
In SECTION F, ORGANISA TION, we move from technical considerations to
policy. We have already established that the DEVSIS Central Unit should be located
within a UN organisation. Here we present three options for locating a three-to-six-year
interim programme (Chapter 20). The interim operation would begin before DEVSIS
could be incorporated into the programme and budget of any UN organisation. So,
although that is the ultimate objective, we need also to examine interim extra-budgetary
sources of financing. Several alternative sources are proposed: UNDP support of a
global project, funding through a trust established by several interested organisations,
or a combination of these (Chapter 21). On the basis of options outlined for the location
of DEVSJS, we suggest some possible mechanisms for providing policy, technical and
financial guidance (Chapter 22).
We review the management functions of the Central Secretariat with particular
emphasis on providing support to the technical and financial advisory bodies, on
network support and on co-operation with other international systems (Chapter 23). We
assume that before a decision is made to convert DEVSIS from an experimental project
with extra-budgetary financing to a regular programme within a UN organisation, those
providing financial support will require an evaluation. We propose an approach to
evaluation; but the Study Team believes that the real proof of the value of DEVSIS will
be found in the reaction of national governments; these, acting through the governing
14

odies of the host organisation of DEVSIS, will mak
programme should continue (Chapter 24).
SECTION G discusses SUPPOR TING PROG
and authority lists which are required for the smooth
(Chapter 27), the resources which can be drawn o
national participating centres, and the programmati.
of national centres (Chapter 28). We recognise that
technological advances in the computing field, parti
and small-scale computers. National centres shoul
knowledge and advice developed centrally and regio
the choice of computer hardware and software (Ch.
In SECTION H, FACILITIES AND COS
equipment requirements of a fully operational DE
S we summarise the staff and
SIS Central Unit and propose a
budget. We indicate only the facilities required for na ional and regional centres because
costs and staff will vary in terms of the volume of aterial to be processed, available
equipment and the size and interests of the user co munity (Chapters 30 and 31).
In the final section of our report, SECTION I
ULE: PHASING, we attempt to bridge the gap betw
the implementation of a full DEVSIS operation. In
organisational model for a preliminary three-to-sixto
define the jobs to be done during that period to en
cycles and we identify the staff required to do the joi
consider the phasing of these jobs in various corn'
operational options, at different costs, for the interi
We believe that our report is timely. It come at a time when the UN is again
considering its responsiveness to development needs. he report of the Group of Experts
on the Structure of the United Nations System' recog ises the need for the co-ordination
of information systems. Immediately after a referenc to DEVSIS, the Group of Experts
recommends: "that the new United Nations Develop ent Authority should have access
to a co-ordinated information system ensuring (. the effective and co-ordinated
collection and evaluation of data by the various age cies and branches concerned, and
(b) the compatibility and reliability of data to be use. by decision makers at the national
and international levels. To this end, the greatest d gree of co-operation between the
national and international agencies concerned will b required."
The Seventh Special Session of the General ssembly also called attention (in
Resolution 3362(S-VII)) to the need for closer c -operation among international
organisations and developed and developing countr
to the developing world.2
s for the provision of information
'A new United Nations structure for global econo
Nations. New York, 1975, para. 152.
2Resolutions of the General Assembly at its Sevent
Office of Public Information, United Nations. New York,
IS
the decision on whether or not the
In Chapter 25 we turn to national partici. ating centres and consider their
functions and staff requirements, and some guidelin s which may be useful to national
governments when they select participating centres. We also consider the operational
role of regional centres vis-à-vis their own literature roduction. We do not recommend
that regional centres take on permanently the oper 'tional responsibilities of national
participating centres. We conclude this section by con .idering how national and regional
centres can be involved in the over-all management of the system (Chapter 26).
AMMES: the standards, manuals
echnical functioning of the system
to provide technical assistance to
role of regional centres in support
there is a need to keep abreast of
larly with regard to input devices
be able to draw on a body of
ally when making decisions about
pter 29).
- IMPLEMENTA TION SCHEDen
the completion of our work and
Chapter 20 we have proposed an
ear operating period. Here we try
ble the start of regular production
s (Chapter 32). In Chapter 33 we
inations to provide a number of
period.
ic co-operation. E/AC.62 /9. United
Special Session, 1-16 September 1975,
6 September 1975.

DEVSIS is based very much on the principles of co-operation between governments
and international organisations expressed in the Resolution of the Special Session.
If implemented, it will not solve all the information problems of developing countries
or of international organisations. But we believe that as well as providing information
essential to the development process, it would promote the development of national
information infrastructures and demonstrate mechanisms which will be valuable in
meeting the objectives spelled out by the Group of Experts and the Special Session.
16

SECTION B
DEVSIS: A RESPONSE TO CURRENT REALITIES
Chapter 2
Accessibility of development literature: the
present dilemma of poor availability and wasted resources
This chapter examines the availability of the development literature itself and of
the indexing and abstracting tools recording information about it.
In brief, the studies described in this chapter show:
- that institutions wishing to keep abreast of new development literature must go
to very great expense to find out what exists and then obtain it;
- that certain types of development literature are more widely available than
others of equal or potentially greater usefulness to the development mission;
- that there is a great deal of duplication of effort in the indexing and abstracting
of some development literature and conversely almost rio indexing and abstracting
of other important segments of the literature;
- that, as a result of the above, many institutions and individuals have no means
of knowing the existence of many items that would be directly relevant to their
work, nor is there any place to which they may refer with any degree of certainty
of finding them.
The Study Team undertook various analyses of the holdings of important libraries
and documentation services. Because there is no global information service on development,
it is necessary for research institutes and bthers wishing to keep aware of new
documents being issued on development to go to very great pains, first to find out what
exists and then to obtain it. For example, both the Institute of Development Studies of
the University of Sussex and the International Labour Office reported that their library
staff regularly scan no fewer than 150 different accessions lists, book lists and
bibliographies of different sorts to identify new relevant literature. The Joint Library of
the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund has the equivalent of three
full-time employees engaged in identifying relevant development literature, and even so
is not sure it is obtaining complete coverage.
It is quite clear that no institution in a developing country can afford to imitate
such efforts, nor is it likely that those institutions in developed countries and in
international organisations, operating under severe budgetary restraints, will be able to
continue to do so much longer.
A member of the DEVSIS Study Team visited national centres in Morocco and
in the Netherlands which had been set up to record and make available development
literature generated within those countries. She also visited four documentation centres
in the Federal Republic of Germany which had amassed important regional collections
of development literature. Using information gleaned from these visits as well as that
17

obtained from the earlier analyses, it has been possible to show that the literature of
economic and social development can be divided into three categories: articles in
periodicals (journals), commercially available books or monographs, and a final
category comprising a great variety of materials which have two common characteristics
- they are usually very difficult, if not impossible, to obtain, and very seldom come under
bibliographic control.
For the purposes of discussion, one might say that the first two categories
represent the visible part of an iceberg, and the third category the invisible. Periodical
articles, the tip of the iceberg, account for perhaps 22 per cent of the total volume of
development literature. Books a further 18 per cent. But the bulk of the iceberg (60 per
cent) is the less accessible, grey, fugitive, invisible (call it what you will) literature. It is
made up of unpublished working papers, feasibility and pre-investment studies, theses,
research reports, and documents of governments and international organisations which
are not widely disseminated.
"VISIBLE"
"INVISIBLE"
THE DEVELOPMENT LITERATURE "ICEBERG"
'Interested persons should write to Mr. G.K. Thompson, International Labour Office, 1211
Geneva 22. Switzerland.
18
22 per cent
18 per cent
60 per cent
To get a clearer idea of the accessibility of development literature, how it is being
processed in institutions concerned with development, and how well it is covered by
existing secondary services, the Study Team decided to undertake questionnaire surveys
on two types of development literature: periodicals and the publications and documents
of international organisations.
Periodical articles were known to represent about 22 per cent of the total
development literature, and the materials from international organisations about 20 per
cent. While periodicals are "highly visible", the production of international organisations
represents an interesting borderline case between the "more visible" and "less
visible" parts of the iceberg. Furthermore, it is likely that decision-makers in developing
countries and elsewhere accord special importance to this documentation.
The methodology used in drawing up each questionnaire and the results aggregated
by category of reporting institution are described below. The detailed results have
been preserved and can be made available on request for subsequent analyses.' The
questionnaires were sent to several international organisations, to some regional
organisations, to development research institutes in both developed and developing
countries, to development banks and to aid agencies. Annex 4 lists the names of the
institutions whose responses reached Geneva.

The study of periodicals
Because of the availability of good directories, it is relatively easy to find out what
major periodicals are being produced in the world, and presumably anybody with
sufficient cash can subscribe to them.
No list of "core" periodicals on development exists, so the Study Team decided
to construct one pragmatically. Two studies undertaken by Aslib for the Study Team
enabled us to start compiling this list.
- For the first study Aslib examined the January-September 1974 issues of
Development Index produced by the Ministry of Overseas Development in the United
Kingdom, and prepared a list ranking those periodicals that yield the largest number of
indexed articles.
- In the second study, Aslib chose seven scholarly periodicals which almost
exclusively publish articles on development questions. Aslib carried out a citation
analysis to determine which other periodicals had in turn been cited by the seven in a
recent year.
In total Aslib had identified several dozen periodicals that were relevant to the
provisional scope of DEVSIS; however, it appeared obvious that many important
periodicals were missing from the Aslib lists. The Study Team, therefore, made a
computer search on the file of International Labour Documentation to determine which
periodicals had most frequently yielded abstracted articles. Periodicals that were
obviously within the DEVSIS scope were added at once to the list, and the abstracts of
articles from many other periodicals were examined to determine whether they would
qualify or not.
As a result of the combined Aslib-Study Team exercise, a list of 100 periodicals
was drawn up and the development institutions were asked to indicate which of these
they were receiving and also which ones they were themselves indexing or abstracting.
The tabulated results of this survey for each of the 100 periodicals may be found in
Annex 5.
Dissemination of periodicals
Thirty-two development institutions returned the questionnaire. Their answers
showed that, of the 100 individual periodicals, 42 were received by 16 or more of the
institutions. Table 2. I lists these 42 periodicals, the figure in brackets following each title
indicates the number of institutions receiving it.
Of the 42 periodicals on this list, only 4 are produced in developing countries. Yet
in the total list of 100 titles, 31 are produced in developing countries. An analysis of the
replies reproduced in Annex 5 reveals that institutions in developing countries are
generally well stocked with periodicals produced in the United States, the United
Kingdom and by international organisations, but receive very few periodicals produced
in other developing countries. The converse is also true: international organisations and
research institutes in developed countries have very good collections of periodicals
produced in developing countries.
Aslib. Study of the Subject Scope, Sources and Quantities of Development Literature
qualifying for Admission to DEVSIS. London, March 1975.
19

Table 2.1
Periodicals received by 50 per cent or more of the
responding institutions
(Maximum possible = 32)
American economic review (22)
American journal of agricultural economics (20)
American journal of sociology (16)
American sociological review (17)
Asian survey (16)
Bangladesh economic studies (18)
Boleti'n econOmico de America Latina/Economic
bulletin for Latin America (22)
Canadian journal of economics (17)
Developing economies (23)
Development and change (17)
Economic bulletin for Asia and the Far East (20)
Economic development and cultural change (23)
Economic journal (21)
Economica (18)
Finance and development/Finances et développement/
Finanzas y desarrollo (25)
Food Research Institute studies in agricultural
economics, trade and development (17)
Institute of Development Studies bulletin (19)
Inter-American economic affairs (16)
Inter-economics (23)
International development review (21)
International labour review/Revue internationale du
travail/ Revista internacional del trabajo (26)
International social science journal/Revue internationale
des sciences sociales (22)
Journal of devcloping areas (18)
Journal of development planning/Journal de la
planification du développement/Revista de la
planiuicaciOn del desarrollo (18)
Journal of development studies (25)
Journal of modern African studies (16)
Journal of political economy (18)
Kyklos (16)
Land economics (18)
Manchester School of Economic and Social Studies (16)
Oxford economic papers (18)
Pakistan development review (16)
Population (16)
Population studies (16)
Quarterly journal of economics (20)
Review of economic studies (17)
Review of economics and statistics (20)
Social and economic studies (18)
Staff papers, IMF (22)
Tiers-monde (20)
Trimestre econOmico (17)
World development (20)
20

Many of the 42 titles are not, strictly speaking, "development" journals. One
might ask, for instance, why the traditional economics journals are so widely disseminated.
"It seems that the established periodicals are becoming more established -
prestige in journal publishing is self-perpetuating, in that authors will usually try to have
their papers accepted by the higher periodicals first; only if they are refused will they
submit them to lesser titles. This is true in most cases, even if there is no specialised
journal for the subject field. Thus, the most frequently cited articles on economic
development still appear in the most general economics journals rather than in Journal
of Development Studies or Economic Development and Cultural Change ."
Indexing and abstracting of periodicals
From the data published recently by EUSIDIC (European Association of
Scientific Information Dissemination Centres), it appears that the existing major
information systems are covering virtually all the journal literature of the exact sciences,
but probably not more than about 20 per cent of that of the social sciences, where most
substantive articles on development would be found.2
The Study Team had determined, however, that many of the 100 "core"
development periodicals were being regularly indexed or abstracted by a number of
secondary services. Six of these are described in detail in Annex 6. The six services were
covering the 100 titles as follows:
Economic titles (42)
International bibliography of the social sciences (96)
International labour documentation (99)
Journal of economic literature (38)
Public affairs information service (75)
Social sciences citation index (48)
As none of the six is specifically oriented to development, it is not surprising to
note that so many of the 32 surveyed development institutions felt obliged to do their
own indexing and abstracting, as reported in Table 2.2. Nevertheless, this represents a
tremendous wastage of resources, most of which could be entirely avoided if a system
such as DEVSIS were to become operational.
Citation analysis of periodicals
The Institute for Scientific Infortnation in Philadelphia was commissioned by the
Study Team to analyse the 1974 files of Social Sciences Citation Index and identify all
citations to 25 of the 100 periodicals on our list. All 25, like the 7 in the Aslib study
mentioned earlier, were periodicals primarily publishing articles devoted to development
questions.
This analysis confirmed that the citation pattern was identical to the dissemination
pattern: periodicals produced in developing countries are being cited mainly by
periodicals published in developed countries or by international organisations and vice
versa ; there are extremely few cases where periodicals produced in one developing
country are cited by periodicals produced in another developing country.
'Fletcher, John. A view of the literature of economics. Journal of documentation, vol. 2S. no.
4. Dec. 1972, pp. 283-295.
2Newsidic, no. 16, April 1975. pp. 12-13.
21

Table 2.2
Periodicals indexed or abstracted by 10 or more of the
development institutions compared with coverage of
same journals by secondary services
22
Development
institutions
(32)
Secondary
services
(6)
American economic review 11 6
American journal of agricultural
economics 10 5
Bangladesh economic studies 10 5
Boleti'n econOmico de America
Latina/Economic bulletin
for Latin America 10 4
Developing economies 12 5
Development and change 10 5
Economic bulletin for Asia and
the Far East Il 4
Economic development and
cultural change II 6
Economic journal 10 6
Finance and development/Finances
et developpement/Finanzas y
desarrollo 13 5
Inter economics 10 4
International development review 10 5
International labour review/
Revue internationale du travail/
Revista internacional del
trabajo 14 6
International social science journal/
Revue internationale des
sciences sociales 10 6
Journal of development studies 14 5
Land economics 10 5
Oxford economic papers 10 6
Review of economics and statistics 10 6
Staff papers, IMF 11 6
Tiers-monde Il 4
Trimestre econOmico 10 6
World development 11 5

The total number of times that the 25 periodicals were cited in 1974 was 1,194.
When one considers that many of these are self-citations or citations from other
periodicals in the subset of 25, and that the total number of periodicals citations for the
year recorded in Social Sciences Citation Index was 787,000, it seems clear that
"development periodicals" are not making much of an impact on social science
literature in general. In fact, one single periodical, the American Economic Review,
received more than twice the number of citations of all 25 development periodicals
taken together'
In addition, a computer print-out was obtained of all citations made by the 25
periodicals in 1974. Unexpectedly, this confirmed that the original list of 100 periodicals
must have been fairly representative of development literature, as only one additional
periodical was found that might have been usefully included in the list used for the
survey.
The study of documents and publications
produced by international organisations
Seven periodicals produced by international organisations were included in the
study of periodicals. All of these were received by 18 or more of the 32 institutions
responding, and all but one were indexed by 10 or more; indeed several of them were
ranked at the top of the list of periodicals received and indexed.
The second study, therefore, concentrated on sales publications and unpriced
documents produced by the United Nations family and the OECD. The 40 items
selected by the Study Team did not include any confidential or restricted items: they
were chosen because they were considered as likely to be of interest to almost any
development research or funding institution. An attempt was made to include documents
produced both by headquarters and by regional offices and to cover a broad range
of development topics. All the items selected were published in 1973, and the Study
Team felt that, by mid-1975, any institution that was going to acquire them would
already have done so. Of the 40 items chosen, 27 were sales publications, and 13 were
mimeographed documents, representative of the "less visible" part of the iceberg.
Questionnaires were prepared and sent to the same institutions surveyed for
periodicals. With each questionnaire, the Study Team sent a set of photocopies of the
title pages of the 40 items to ensure proper identification (in the working language of the
recipient institution). The institutions were asked to identify which of these documents
they had received, catalogued, indexed, abstracted, announced in an accessions list, or
described in a computer record. The results of this survey may be found in Annex 7.
Fifteen of the 40 items had been received by 50 per cent or more of the
development institutions (see table 2.3). Of the 15, only 3 were unpriced documents.
Nearly all items that had been received were catalogued locally by the recipient
institutions, and about 75 per cent had been announced by the institutions in their
accessions lists or library bulletins. Sixteen of the 40 had been abstracted and put into
a computer record by two different institutions. Several of the institutions commented on
their problems:
we catalogue all those we receive. At the moment, we do not have access to any
indexes ... Due to lack of staff resources, there is no possibility that we will
undertake our own indexing of documents.
23

Table 2.3
Titles received by at least 50 per cent of the
28 development institutions arranged by
originating organ isations
Key = the number in brackets indicates
the total number of items in the
sample from each organisation
FAO 0 (1)
IBRD 1 (2)
ILO 2 (6)
IMF 1 (1)
OECD 2 (3)
UN 6 (10)
UN/ECA 1 (2)
(ESCAP)
UN/ECAFE I (4)
UN/ECLA 0 (4)
UN/ECWA 0 (1)
UNCTAD 1 (2)
UNESCO 0 (2)
UNIDO 1 (1)
UNRISD 0 (1)
24
(40 titles)
I am very surprised to see only 60 per cent of publications of international
organisations present in our library. Several of the lacking titles ought to have
been in the collection.
Referente at segundo cuestionario, podran notar que el porcentaje de publicaciones
que tenemos es muy bajo. Creo que una de las causas es el poco
conocimiento que tenemos de las publicaciones editadas por Organismos
Internacionales.
[with reference to 3 UN documents] - "Not listed in UNDI, which we check
regularly"; Iwith reference to an ILO publication] - "not received although we
have global subscription"; jwith reference to a UNESCO publication] - "Not
listed in UNESCO quarterly list, though it is in 1973 cumulative list. We only
check quarterly list."
It is clear from the responses in Annex 7, not only that some institutions have
difficulty in acquiring all they need, but more importantly that the institutions separately
go to a great deal of trouble to catalogue, index and abstract the items they do receive.

The same tasks are performed over and over again in different institutions. If we
(conservatively) estimate that it costs $15 to catalogue and index a document and that
there are about 20,000 international documents a year dealing with development
questions (see Chapter 7), then we begin to see the cost of the situation that this survey
reveals. A further discussion of the particular situation with regard to international
documents is given in Annex 8.
The evidence in this chapter supports the conclusions offered at the start of it.
Development activities are ill-served by the present chaotic situation; it is only by
co-operation and co-ordination that the present wasteful duplication of efforts can be
avoided and the serious deficiencies repaired. In the following chapter we will examine
one approach to achieving the necessary co-operation and co-ordination.
25

Chapter 3
The experience of existing international
co-operative systems
In 1966, following discussions with experts nominated by the United States and
the Soviet Union, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was invited to work
towards the building of a co-operative system to handle information related to the
peaceful applications of atomic energy. Four years later, in 1970, the International
Nuclear Information System (INIS) began to operate.
Under the system that emerged:
(I) Member States of the IAEA and international organisations are invited to
become participants in INIS, to identify the institution that will carry out the tasks
involved in this participation, and to appoint a liaison officer.
Each participating institution agrees to review the sources of scientific and
technical information in its territory (in practice, this territory is almost always that of
a national state, though the formula allows a single institution to act for a group of states
with their consent), to identify the information from these sources that falls within the
scope of INIS, and to report such information to the INIS Central Unit at the IAEA in
Vienna.
The reporting action involves submitting, for each item, a bibliographic
description drawn up according to an established standard, a set of descriptors
identifying the subject content of the item, an abstract, and - in the case of nonconventional
literature - a copy of the full text.
Wherever possible, the bibliographic description and keywords are submitted
in a computer-compatible medium (magnetic tape or paper tape) and the full texts are
submitted as microfiches. However, the IAEA does allow small-volume participants to
send their input on worksheets and their texts as hard-copy documents. The conversions
are then carried out in Vienna.
The IAEA merges the input from the various participants on a twice per
month cycle (currently about 2,500 items per cycle), and sequences the new input on
magnetic tape. Copies of this tape are available to the participants. The abstracts are
ordered in the same sequence on microfiches, and sets of these may be purchased by any
interested subscriber. The microfiche versions of the full texts are also put on sale.
The IAEA arranges for the publication of a printed announcement service,
INIS Atomindex. This is generated, twice per month, from the magnetic tape and is
printed by computer-controlled photocomposition. Each issue contains computergenerated
indexes which are also cumulated semi-annually. INIS Atomindex is made
available to the participants and, on annual subscription, to any purchaser.
The IAEA is responsible for maintaining the thesaurus of descriptors, for
producing manuals that define the modalities of operation, for training programmes to
upgrade the skills of the participants and, in consultation with the liaison officers, for the
over-all management of the system.
26

(8) The participants accepting the INIS output tapes are able to use these to
generate any additional output services (SDI, retrospective searching, specialised
bibliographies) needed to meet the needs of users in their own territories.
During the four years of preliminary work preparing for the start-up of INIS,
many decisions had to be reached about the way in which the system would operate.
Most of these decisions were purely technical, but even the technical decisions were not
easy to reach for they required participating centres to adopt new norms and standards,
thus changing their existing practices. Those participants that already had large
on-going nuclear information programmes naturally resisted these changes. What made
the whole effort possible was that there was already a political decision by governments
in favour of building a new system: within the framework of this political decision, it
became incumbent on the technical personnel to reach the necessary compromises.
Perhaps, therefore, the first lesson that can be learned from the INIS experience
is that a political decision by governments is needed both to ensure the necessary action
at the international level (to constitute a programme and budget in an international
agency) and to ensure that the national institutions give high priority to their participation
in the system and submit to the norms that they work out by compromise and
agreement.
But the major innovation that INIS pioneered was the "territorial" formula for
sharing responsibilities among the various participants. Since each participant has a
clearly defined territory for which he is responsible, there is no danger of duplication of
effort. This, in itself, is a major benefit for the economics of the system, but there are
others as well:
(I) Each participant bears the cost of finding and reporting the information
appearing in his territory. But it is, anyway, in his own national interest to perform this
task and to know what is produced in his country. Countries that have large nuclear
programmes have a lot of information to find and report; countries with small
programmes have a small amount of information to find and report. The "territorial"
formula thus apportions the costs of this work in a reasonably equitable fashion. And
indeed, the costs of finding and reporting the information (the "input" cost) is the
]argest part of the total cost of running the system.
(2) Given that the largest part of the cost of running the system is borne by the
participants out of their own resources, the central costs (to be borne by the IAEA's
regular budget) are minimised.
A number of other important conclusions can now also be drawn from the INIS
experience:
(I) That the system builds on its own momentum. Initially the input to INIS was
very small in quantity and uneven in quality. But as individual countries increased and
improved their input, their example was emulated by others. Each step heightened the
level of trust and confidence, so that even the skeptics eventually became convinced that
the participating nations would indeed report the information that they had produced.
Now all estimates indicate that INIS is covering more than 90 per cent of the world's
production of new nuclear information, and it has a cumulative file approaching 200,000
references. And, although until now abstracts have not been included in the computer
file, the INIS participants have recently agreed to undertake the work involved in
submitting these abstracts in a form that will permit their inclusion in the magnetic-tape
output and in INIS Atomindex.
27

That the costs can be held within estimates and that the international staff
needed at the IAEA does not grow inordinately.
That a considerable effort must be mounted to develop the necessary norms
and standards, and to define operational procedures in clearly written manuals. That a
continuing training programme is needed to upgrade the skills of the staff of participating
centres.
That decisions about the management of the system and its future need not
be highly centralised. The IAEA consults with the liaison officers by correspondence and
in meetings, and thus ensures that the development of the system is responsive to the
interests of the participants.
We cannot, of course, draw general conclusions from the success of only one
system. Clearly INIS is successful, and this fact is encouraging. But there were special
factors that facilitated this success. One was the early political decision and the strong
support of major powers. Another was the decision almost from the beginning, to accept
Eng]ish as the single carrier language for data that required computer processing.
Another again was the sharp focus of the definition of the subject scope of the system,
so that it has become relatively easy to identify what belongs and what does not belong
in INIS. Another is the fact that, in most countries, responsibility for atomic energy
affairs clearly resides with a single organisation which can, therefore, act decisively.
Finally, there were strong modern information-handling capabilities already in being in
many countries, and several of these put all their experience at the disposal of the INIS
design team. Thus INIS was able to take over several of the bibliographic tools that had
been developed in the United States and the Soviet Union and, after some adaptation,
the thesaurus that had been developed by the European Communities (Euratom).
These same advantages did not all apply when FAO was preparing for the
start-up of its major information system, AGRIS. This is also a mission-oriented system
and is intended to provide comprehensive coverage of the world's information in all the
areas in which FAO has programme activities, i.e. agriculture in its broadest sense,
forestry, fisheries and food science.
AGRIS has not had the same strong political support that INIS enjoyed, though
- as with INIS - there was an early decision to adopt English as the single carrier
language. The volume of literature to be covered is much greater than for INIS (perhaps
as much as 250,000 items/year).
At the national level, the institutional arrangements are much more complex and
this has hindered the process of setting up participating units and defining responsibilities.
The designers of AGRIS had expected that the existing major agricultural
information services could be engaged to provide many of the tools and services needed
for AGRIS, but the variety of these services, and especially the fact that they were using
methodologies that were incompatible with each other, tended probably more to hinder
than to assist the speedy definition of the AGRIS procedures. (Note: the AGRIS
programme has two main components known as AGRIS Level One and AGRIS Level
Two. In this discussion, we are referring to AGRIS Level One which is primarily aimed
at the rapid compilation of a comprehensive data base of references to new agricultural
literature. AGRIS Level Two is to provide for the deep indexing and abstracting of the
literature in a network of services, each restricting itself to a particular aspect of the total
range of subjects.)
AGRIS was in preparation for a period of about five years and was formally
started on I January 1975. As with INIS, the volume of input was initially small and its
quality uneven, but - in the first six months of operation - there has been a rapid increase
28

in the amount of information being reported to the system by the different participating
centres. FAO is estimating, on the basis of the plans and commitments of these centres,
that by the end of 1975, AGRIS Level One will be receiving reports on about 50 per cent
of all new agricultural information - a situation which would place it equal to any other
existing service in terms of coverage.
Because agriculture is of interest to every country, FAO feared that the simple
adoption of the INIS "territorial" formula for collecting input would result in an
unmanageably large number of input centres. It therefore sought to modify this formula
and to identify a few major participating centres whose territories would be identified
by a flexible concept of "geo-Iinguistic" coherence rather than by the political
subdivision of the world into nation states.
Nevertheless, since FAO is itself an intergovernmental organisation, it needed to
consult its member governments on the identification of the participating centres. This
consultation led to a situation in which various governments indicated that they
preferred to work nationally and thus, essentially, to follow the example that had been
set by INIS. At present input is being received from a centre acting for the countries of
the European Community and from a centre acting for the countries of Latin America.
But it appears, in general, that nations - once committed - prefer to work separately. This
can be understood.
- Nations have a national interest in bringing their own information under
bibliographic control. Once having done so, the cost of input to AGRIS becomes
only a small increment to the cost of maintaining the national data base.
- National centres can be financed out of national funds; other types of centres,
whether public or private, have much greater difficulty in identifying the financial
resources needed to carry out such a programme.
- Action at the national level permits the employment of national personnel paid
at national salary rates. This helps to build up the infrastructure of skills within
the country and avoids paying for the (usually) more expensive operations in an
international or quasi-international environment.
The political support for AGRIS is still not as strong as it was for INIS. The FAO
governing bodies have postponed until 1977 their decision on whether to retain AGRIS
as a continuing component of FAO's activities. This has induced a shadow of uncertainty
that has hindered planning at both the international and national levels. It appears,
however, that the political support is developing, albeit incrementally, as nations make
their individual decisions to participate. As with INIS, nothing succeeds like success, and
the snowball process appears now to be underway.
From a technical point of view, the early uncertainties over AGRIS may have had
a highly beneficial effect. Given the very small amount of funds available in FAO for
AGRIS development, it became clear in 1973 that FAO would not be able to develop
its own computer-processing capability in time for the scheduled start-up of the system.
This led FAO into discussions with IAEA and an eventual agreement to share the
JAEA's computer and other processing facilities. This has led to substantial economies
in operation, and it has also led AGRIS into adopting many of the same norms,
standards and procedures that are used for INIS. The two systems have, therefore,
developed a very high level of mutual compatibility.
Of course, both INIS and AGRIS are concerned primarily with technical
information, marginally with economic and social information. It is therefore useful also
29

to mention the experience of a system, developed in an international agency, that has
been used for handling economic and social information.
ISIS (Integrated Set of Information Systems) is not a system in the same sense that
INIS and AGRIS are systems. In fact it is essentially a package of computer programmes
that has been developed by the International Labour Office over a period of about eight
years. These programmes are, however, remarkably effective and reasonably economical
when applied to the construction of data bases, the retrieval (including on-line
retrieval) of information from such data bases, and the management of a range of
library operations.
ILO has used ISIS for the construction of a data base of about 70,000 items
selected from the holdings of its library. In the last few years, it has also made the
systems available to a number of other centres (in Bulgaria, Canada, Egypt, Mexico,
Romania, at ECLA, FAO, UNESCO and UNIDO). This permits the various other
centres to develop data bases that are compatible with each other and with the data base
at ILO itself. The work is particularly interesting in the present context since much of the
information that is being recorded is information about economic and social
development.
The ILO experience has shown the feasibility of providing effective retrieval from
the social-science literature with a comparatively small thesaurus (about 3,000 terms).
The over-all organisation and the mechanisms for co-operation that are proposed for
DEVSIS in this report are based largely on the INIS/AGRIS experience, but the
techniques proposed for abstracting and indexing are based primarily on the ILO/ISIS
experience.
30

e:
(I) Global
Another system that dealt only with a segment of the world's development
information would simply add to the present confusion and duplication of efforts.
Existing fragmentary efforts will continue until a new system is essentially comprehensive.
Only at this time will the librarians and documentalists around the world have the
confidence to rely on the new service.
We have considered the possibility that separate systems might be started in the
several principal developing regions, each autonomous and reflecting regional needs.
But, in fact, such an arrangement would be more costly than a single global system, since
the central activities would have to be duplicated. We believe that the constraints
imposed by accepting the procedures of a single world system are formal rather than
substantive, and that there is much to be gained by merging information from all regions
and making it available worldwide. Development is a global problem and many
specialists see advantage in facilitating transfers of experience among the different
regions. While accepting a uniform set of formal procedures to ensure compatibility of
the records wherever they are prepared, we can (and must) allow complete local
autonomy in matters of substance, i.e. in the decisions about what will be entered in the
system and what will be extracted from it.
(2) Decentralised
Chapter 4
The solution: a global, decentralised,
mission-oriented information system
In Chapter 2 we have stressed the present chaotic nature of world-wide efforts to
obtain access to development information. Many items are abstracted and indexed over
and over again for announcement and abstract journals and for the accessions lists of
various libraries. Other items, particularly the unpublished items, are unknown because
they are being missed by these services.
Order can be brought into this situation if a formula is found by which each item
is indexed and abstracted once (once only), and the product of this single effort is made
available to all interested parties. Such a formula has been found, as we indicated in
Chapter 3, for the world's production of atomic energy information, and the formula is
now being applied to the world's production of agricultural information. It is the Study
Team's thesis that this formula can also be applied to the world's production of
information about the social and economic aspects of development.
Following the INIS/AGRIS models, the system that we shall propose here must
The "territorial" formula discussed in Chapter 3 is, we believe, essential to any
new system. The principal reasons are:
it allows local autonomy in the decision about what is entered into the system
and what is extracted from it;
it ensures that the persons responsible for input are close to the sources of
production of new information; they can develop close relationships with the producers
of information and thus more effectively ensure its reporting to the system;
31

(c) it ensures the speedier reporting of new information to the central data base
and hence its speedier dissemination to the users.
These last two points may need a word of further explanation, which can probably
best be offered by contrasting a decentralised operation with a centralised one. If we had
a single input/output centre, this would need to collect the raw literature from all over
the world. First of all it would be difficult for such a centralised operation to identify all
the sources of development information in the different countries, particularly the
unpublished information. But secondly, even when it did succeed in ordering copies of
the material, it would probably have to wait for the items to arrive by sea-mail. Sea-mail
has become notoriously slow and may involve delays of months. By contrast, a national
participating centre can much more easily identify sources of information within its own
territory and can acquire it rapidly. The records describing this new information can then
be transmitted by air to the merging centre. It has been said that INIS and AGRIS have
sought to apply modern technological aids to information service. The aids being (I) the
aeroplane, (2) the computer, and (3) the microphotography, but perhaps the most
important of these is the aeroplane.
(3) Mission-oriented
In the jargon of information scientists, we distinguish between "disciplineoriented"
and "mission-oriented" information systems. A discipline-oriented system
deals with an area of man's subject knowledge - physics, economics or music. A
"mission-oriented" system is interdisciplinary and deals with one of man's major
objectives - space exploration, defence or food production. INIS is a mission-oriented
system to support the peaceful applications of atomic energy. AGRIS is the missionoriented
system for food production.
We believe that any new system to meet the needs identified in this study should
not be discipline-oriented (economics, sociology), but should be mission-oriented
(development). Thus the system would be hospitable to information that had been
produced in the furtherance of the mission - for development objectives. It would be
inhospitable to information that is purely academic. And provided a piece of information
had been produced for development goals, its admission to the system would be
assured irrespective of the discipline on which it was based.
The mission-orientation would be reflected, not only in the admission of information
to the system, but also in its internal organisation and its outputs. Thus a given piece
of information, while it might be identifIed by its discipline, would certainly be identified
by its potential role in the development process (e.g. identification of needs, policymaking,
planning, project administration, evaluation).
DEVSIS will, of course, differ from INIS and AGRIS in a number of major
aspects, even while retaining the attributes: global, decentralised and mission-oriented.
In the first place INIS and AGRIS deal essentially with technical questions and build
upon the experience that has been obtained in indexing and retrieving information
centred in the natural sciences. DEVSIS will be centred much more in the social sciences,
where the experience is quite different and the terminology much less precise. Secondly,
DEVSIS will need to handle a much larger proportion of unpublished literature than do
INIS and AGRIS (see Chapters 2 and 7); this has implications for the size of the
clearing-house operation needed to supply the full texts of the documents that DEVSIS
announces (see Chapter 15). Thirdly, while DEVSIS certainly needs the same roots in
national organisations that INIS and AGRIS have achieved, it will also need very strong
participation on the part of international and regional organisations.
32

For INIS, the IAEA itself reports not only its own production of new nuclear
information, but also the production of most of the other international organisations.
This is effective, because the IAEA is by far the largest producer of international
documents and publications in the nuclear field, and the production of other agencies
(UN, WHO, ILO, etc.) is relatively small. Similarly, FAO reports to AGRIS its own
production of new agricultural information and also the production of other international
organisations. But no single international organisation has a majority position
with respect to the economic and social aspects of development. All the UN agencies and
many regional bodies have major responsibilities for development programmes and
their production of relevant literature is consequently large. It will be an important
function of DEVSIS to consolidate the indexing of this formidable body of information
from international and regional bodies, and therefore DEVSIS will need the direct
participation of these bodies as well as that of individual countries.
33

SECTION C
DEFINING THE SYSTEM IN TERMS OF THE
NEEDS OF USERS
Chapter 5
Users and their priority needs
In the design of any information system, it is essential to identify the potential
users and to establish their needs in order:
- to ensure that the substance of the information offered by the system is indeed
what the users need; and
- to ensure that theform of the information offered by the system is that which the
users find the most convenient and acceptable.
In the case of DEVSIS we are fortunate that we can identify our potential users
quite clearly. Since, as indicated in the previous chapter, DEVSIS is to be a missionoriented
system, the potential users are simply those people who are themselves involved
in the mission. We want DEVSIS to be useful to all those involved in social and
economic development, but especially to those who are responsible for defining
development policies and plans and for taking the relevant decisions.
The Study Team, with the advice of the Steering Committee at its second meeting,
has enumerated the major users of DEVSIS as follows.
(I) Policy-makers with respect to socio-economic development at governmental
and non-governmental levels, nationally and internationally.
Planners of socio-economic development projects and programmes, including
those responsible for: the formulation of social and economic indicators; forecasting and
pre-investment studies; techno-economic and social surveys, including the scanning of
the socio-economic and socio-political environment; and assessment and performance
evaluation of projects and programmes.
Managers of development projects and programmes, in the field and in central
authorities.
Researchers and teachers of socio-economic development subjects and those
involved in management of research projects and programmes.
Financiers who provide resources and technical co-operation for development
projects and programmes. Likewise those who provide consultancy and advisory
services.
Communicators who attempt to convey information about development
policies, plans, programmes and projects in easily assimilated language to the population
at large or to particular segments of it.
34

(7) Personnel concerned with information analysis and products thereof (monographs,
data compilations, trend reports, forecasts forecasts, etc.) as support service to
those involved in the types of work mentioned in (1) to (6).
For convenience we refer to this spectrum of potential users as the "development
community" - it includes, of course, a great number of individuals all over the world
who work in national governments, in development banks, in research institutions, and
in regional and international organisations. The information that these individuals most
need is the information that the development community has itself produced - or caused
to be produced. By taking into DEVSIS the information that was generated as a response
to the felt needs of individuals in the development community, we can ensure that the
system itself will be responsive to the needs of this community. Therefore the first
approximation to our definition of the substance of the information to be included in
DEVSIS is:
That information which was generated within or for the development community in
the furtherance of its own mission.
Any attempt to narrow this down is fraught with dangers. Development is a very
complex process and, within the development community there is no universally
accepted methodology for achieving it. There are many competing theories, and many
of these change rapidly with time. No independent means exist for asserting that one
concept is more valid than another concept, and what is acceptable in one politicosocio-economic
situation may be totally unacceptable in another.
So when we ask the potential users what they most need, some ask for certain
types of information and others ask for totally different types of information. There is
nothing wrong with this; it reflects the reality of diverse needs. And it would be wrong
for DEVSIS to attempt to act as an arbiter, or to suggest that some information is more
valid than other information. Any given piece of development information will be
valuable, at least to those who caused it to be acquired and recorded.
In later chapters of this report, we shall argue for some restriction of the scope of
DEVSIS, but only with reference to other information systems and for the purposes of
avoiding duplication and keeping the DEVSIS file to a manageable size. We believe that
there is a prima-facie case for including in DEVSIS any information that was produced
in pursuit of development objectives, and that the people who manage the system at the
international level should not presume to make value judgments.
In a decentralised system, there is, however, an opportunity for value judgments
to be made at the level of the national input/output units. At this level it is acceptable
that national authorities, in the exercise of their sovereign rights, will screen out material
that they believe to be trivial or erroneous - if only for reasons of national prestige and
for building up a reputation of entering only reliable and good quality information to
the central file. National authorities can make these determinations; if international civil
servants attempted to do so, they would inevitably be reflecting their personal
socio-economic philosophies - something that would be totally inappropriate in an
international service. DEVSIS can be accepted by the world at large only if its central
staff are clearly impartial and do not attempt to impose their own perceptions of
development.
Thus, to restate our conclusion in more operational terms:
The information to be entered into DEVSIS will be that information generated
within the territory of the input centre in the furtherance of the development mission, and
35

screened according to the perceptions of the authorities under which the input centre is
operating.
At the risk of some repetition, we believe that - at the international level - we must
abstain from making judgments that could be construed as having a political bias. We
leave it to each input station to determine what is useful and appropriate to enter into
the system in accordance with the perceptions of the authorities under which it operates.
By so doing we can ensure that the over-all file of DEVSIS reflects an amalgam of all
the diverse perceptions of development, and we avoid writing selection rules that would
make the system inflexible and possibly inhospitable to new concepts of development.
In sum, our solution to the problem of defining the "substance" of information
to be included in DEVSIS is quite simply to state (I) that our users are the development
community, (2) that what this community most needs is the information generated in
the furtherance of its objectives, and (3) that, to ensure that this information is captured
in all its diversity, the designers and operators of DEVSIS at the international level
should scrupulously avoid imposing their own concepts.
Of course, the development community does need to have access to information
going beyond that which it has itself caused to be generated. Around this central core
of essential information, there are areas of knowledge which must be drawn upon from
time to time for specific purposes. Perhaps the most important of these are:
(I) Accumulated facts and data about the socio-economic environment in which
development activities will be carried out. These facts and data may relate to demographic
situations or to resources, production, consumption, distribution, trade and other
transactions. The facts and data may not have been specifically collected for the
development community, but would be of great value to it.
(2) Information about activities in particular sectors of human endeavour
(agriculture, industry, transport, education, social welfare, public health, etc.). Here the
central socio-economic information begins to merge with the technical (and even
technological) aspects.
No information system can hope ever to meet all the needs of its community.
DEVSIS can aim to bring in some of the information that is relevant to its mission - but
generated outside its central community - but only in the more aggregated forms. It can
also seek to provide referrals to appropriate sources of information that exist to serve
other communities, particularly those that have adjacent missions.
We can, therefore, now add to our statement on the substance of the information
to be treated by DEVSIS.
DEVSIS will also seek to construct avenues of access to sources of useful
information outside its immediate community particularly to basic facts and data about
the socio-economic environment and to information about sectoral activities.
But now we need to look more closely at the components of the development
community and to define the forms of presentation that will best suit their needs. The
internal design of DEVSIS should be ordered in such a way as to make it easier for each
group to find what it most needs.
(I) Many of the clients of DEVSIS will be using the information extracted from
the system to better understand the present status and trends in the economies and
societies for which they are taking decisions and making plans, and the implications of
these trends for the future. Hence the DEVSIS files should be indexed and arranged to
36

facilitate the identification and extraction of hard information on current situations and
their extrapolation into the future.
Many of the clients of DEVSIS will be seeking to have access to information
on programmes and projects closely related - in content and intent - to those on which
they are working, in order to be able to benefit from the experience of others, in their
country or elsewhere, and to effect co-ordination of efforts. Hence DEVSIS should be
particularly directed to the rapid identification of material, whatever its origin, on
programmes and projects, both existing and planned.
Many of the clients of DEVSIS will be seeking digested background
information on major trends in development theory and experience, probably in the
form of short, readable monographs (supported, where appropriate by synoptic tables,
graphs and charts). DEVSIS must therefore organise to permit the rapid identification
of digested (synoptic) information and the alternative sources from which it can be
obtained.
Many of the clients of DEVSIS may be seeking highly specialised information
which DEVSIS cannot directly provide. It must, therefore, have a built-in capacity to
facilitate the referral of inquiries to appropriate more specialised services.
37

Chapter 6
Defining boundaries in relation to
other systems
We have already referred repeatedly to the existing two international missionoriented
information systems, AGRIS and INIS. We know of proposals to create other
similar systems dealing with population and demography (IDEMIS or POPINS),
science policy (SPINES), industrial technology (UNITIS), informatics (WISI) and
architecture and urbanism (ARCHIS). All these are expected to be implemented under
the broad umbrella of the UNISIST programme.
UNISIST is a programme that has developed over the last six or seven years
through the co-operation of UNESCO and the International Council of Scientific Unions
(ICSU). It seeks to promote the adoption of norms and common tools that will maximise
the compatibility of systems, to provide a mechanism by which the development of
systems can be co-ordinated, and to encourage the building of the resources in all
nations that will allow them to participate in information system-building and to secure
the maximum benefits from the operation of such systems.
The Study Team sees DEVSIS as another system built under the umbrella of
UNISIST, applying UNISIST norms and tools whenever possible, and accepting
UNISIST's necessary responsibilities for co-ordinating DEVSIS activities with those of
other systems.
The definition of the boundaries of DEVSIS would be a much simpler task if
international mission-oriented systems were in existence in all sectors of economic and
social activity. We can go to AGRIS, and we can identify those areas where our interests
are adjacent. We can, ultimately, negotiate a boundary between the two systems and we
can jointly inform national participants that information on this topic goes to AGRIS,
information on that topic goes to DEVSIS. Perhaps it will take a series of iterations
before the boundary is defined in every necessary detail to overcome all ambiguities and
to leave no lacunae. In principle, there is no reason why this cannot be done.
The definition of this boundary will not only be essential for inputters; it will also
be a great boon to users who, given a particular question, will then know whether they
are likely to find the information they need in AGRIS or in DEVSIS. Sometimes a
particular need will bridge the boundary, and the user will know he has to go to both
systems to get a complete response. But this then becomes a tactical decision based on
knowledge, and not something the user has to do "just in case".
We can do this for agriculture, but we cannot do it for other sectors, because
similar information systems do not yet exist for industry, for natural resources, for
non-nuclear forms of energy, for transport, for public health, for education, for social
welfare, etc. In the absence of operating systems in these other sectors, the users of
DEVSIS will undoubtedly prefer us to stretch our scope deeper into these sectors than
would otherwise be necessary.
Some commentators have suggested that systems should augment their data bases
by taking blocks of related information from each other. Given the degree of compatibility
which is the goal of the UNISIST programme, such transfers could become
technically feasible. By such means, a very broad spectrum of users could be assured that
they need go only to one data base to find the information they need.
38

The Study Team does not believe that this is a valid strategy to employ at the level
where primary data bases are constructed. It would lead to a major increase in the
volume of records to be handled and, once started, it is almost impossible to know where
to stop. At some time or another, any piece of information will be relevant to a need and
we could end up by putting everything in the one data base because, some day, someone
will need it. Costs would mount as we added information of more and more peripheral
interest. The concept of one universal world system was abandoned as impracticable at
an early stage of the UNISIST study.
Also, we believe that it does not require so much effort to go to more than one data
base when there is a need to bridge the boundaries between them. In many countries the
output services from AGRIS and DEVSIS are likely to be provided from the same
institution; this is probably particularly true for developing countries, which are not
likely to be able to afford the luxury of mounting these services at separate
institutions.
And the concept of merging material from several data bases is almost certainly
valid at the secondary level. Thus an institution concerned with rural development may
want to take part of the DEVSIS data base and part of the AGRIS data base, merge
them, and search them simultaneously. We should seek the degree of compatibility that
would permit this; we believe it responds to a real need. And we believe that this is the
level (creation of secondary bases) where the benefits can be maximised for the cost
involved.
The worst solution would be to leave the boundaries vaguely defined. This would
put inputters in the very difficult position of not knowing what to report and what not
to report. The same information might get reported to both DEVSIS and, say, AGRIS
- or it might get reported to neither' Inputters need an unambiguous definition of the
scope of a system if they are to work quickly and efficiently.
In sum, we recommend:
(I) That where other systems exist with missions adjacent to that of DEVSIS, the
boundaries between the systems be negotiated with a maximum degree of precision.
That the primary DEVSIS data base should not be inflated by accepting
transfers of records from other systems.
That in adjacent areas where no information system now exists, DEVSIS
should define a boundary that takes the more aggregated forms of information that are
essential to decision-making in the development community, but that DEVSIS should
be ready to pull back as soon as an effective information system is built in any of these
areas.
That, under UNISIST, DEVSIS should seek the level of compatibility with
other systems that will enable a given user to merge segments of the data bases that are
of interest to him or to merge the outputs separately obtained from each.
39

Chapter 7
The quantity of development literature:
its distribution by source and language
There is no clear-cut methodology available for estimating the volume of
development literature on a world-wide basis, bearing in mind the multiplicity of the
sources and of the disciplines involved. After reading accounts of other investigations,
we felt it would be futile to attempt to arrive at some falsely authoritative statement
about the volume of this literature. Instead, we made attempts to determine for a few
countries how much literature was being produced in a year concerning that country,
where that literature was being produced and in what languages.
From an analysis of the holdings of a number of large libraries, it was clear that
much more was being written about certain countries than about others. The files of the
World Bank, the International Committee for Social Science Information and Documentation
and the ILO show that the most "written about" developing countries are,
in ranked order:
(I) India (4) Argentina
(2) Brazil (5) Pakistan
(3) Mexico (6) Philippines
Since it was relatively easy to analyse by computer the more than 20,000 abstracts about
specific developing countries recorded in the ILO file, extrapolations and a relatively
educated guess have been made about the total annual production of literature
concerning specific countries or groups of countries. This has been done by taking actual
figures obtained from three developing countries, one in Africa, one in Asia and one in
Latin America, and extrapolating to the whole world on the basis of the proportion
found in the ILO file. The extrapolation yields an annual production of 56,000
documents concerning specific developing countries or groups of countries. However,
these figures are based on documents which are already accessible to the three
institutions that provided them. Each institution was careful to point out that it estimated
it was missing perhaps a further 30 per cent to 60 per cent, which was either difficult to
obtain or confidential.
As indicated earlier, there is no good way to measure the literature on development
in general (i.e. not country-specific), but if one can permit an extrapolation based
on the experience of only one documentation centre in a developed country (Netherlands),
one arrives at a further 21,000 documents.
On the basis of these figures one can now arrive at two admittedly rough, but
nevertheless, relatively educated guesses about the total size of development
literature:
A different approach to arrive at the total volume of relevant literature is to
examine the production of documents by international organisations. Some 100,000
documents are produced annually by the United Nations and its affiliated organisations.
If one counts the entire United Nations family and other international organisations, the
total annual production figure is probably several times that amount. Discounting
verbatim and summary records of the governing organs, items dealing with purely
political issues, and other non-DEVSIS material, the number of items produced
40

Table 7.1
annually having a direct bearing on economic and social development may be estimated
at some 20,000-30,000.
Would all of this material, however, qualify for entry into DEVSIS? A problem
of redundancy occurs, which may be illustrated by an incident that occurred during the
Study Team's work. A member of the Study Team had found a footnote referring to a
United Nations document entitled "Impact of multinational corporations in development
and on international relations". No document number was given, as authors rarely
cite these in footnotes. Referring only to the computer files in the ILO Library, no fewer
than 15 documents were found which had that particular string of words in the title, and
it was necessary to examine 6 of them to determine which one had been referred to. How
many are redundant? How many would have been reported to DEVSIS? How many
would have been purged from the system after later versions had been prepared?
If one accepts 20,000-30,000 documents as being a reasonable range, and then
takes into account that some of these, for the reasons mentioned above, should probably
not be reported to the system - or, if reported, weeded out subsequently - then the lower
figure of 20,000 may be accepted.
In Chapter 2 it was reported that international organisations documents and
publications accounted for about 20 per cent of the total development literature, the
United Nations family accounting for some 17 per cent of the 20 per cent. If these figures
are valid, then the total literature would be around 100,000 items per year, or about the
same as our previous estimates.
Source
Low estimate High estimate
Literature about specific
countries 56 000 56 000
Invisible literature not
presently recorded 16 800 33 600
Literature about development
questions 21 000 21 000
93 800 110 600
It has not been possible in the short time available to do a detailed analysis of all
the sources of development literature. However, the National Documentation Centre in
Morocco has produced some figures which are interesting to compare with those which
can be obtained from the ILO computer files. At the present time, the Moroccan Centre
is recording about 1,400 items per year, of which 90 per cent come from Morocco and
10 per cent from outside sources. It is estimated that two-thirds of the documents from
outside sources are documents from international organisations. However, the Moroccan
Centre is not presently equipped to locate and record all information about Morocco
being produced in other countries; a comparison with the ILO file indicates that much
may be produced outside Morocco about which the Moroccan Centre is not aware. This
defect would be easy to correct if DEVSIS were operational.
41

Table 7.2
Origin of items about Morocco
recorded in ILO files
Morocco 26 per cent
International organisations 26 per cent
France 16 per cent
USA
16 per cent
All other developed countries II per cent
Other developing countries - 5 per cent
It should be pointed out that II per cent of all of the records in the ILO file concerning
Morocco are restricted. These are all documents of international organisations which, for
a variety of reasons, cannot be made available to the public. It is also highly probable
that, of the 30 per cent of documents which the Moroccan Centre is having difficulty
obtaining within Morocco, many are restricted as well. The notion of confidentiality is
a very fluid one. It seems to mean different things to different people at different times,
and documents are sometimes really less restricted than one might think. Certainly it is
in the interest of the national economic and social documentation centres located in
developing countries to have access for national use to all pertinent documentation
produced concerning that country, even if some of it cannot be communicated to other
partners in the DEVSIS network.
Languages
Table 7.3 shows the breakdown by language of the 100 periodicals used in
the survey described in Chapter 2.
Table 7.3
Language of publication of
development journals
English 73 per cent
Spanish 17 per cent
French 16 per cent
Portuguese 2 per cent
German 1 per cent
Russian I per cent
42

A computer analysis of the 20,000 abstracts on developing countries recorded in the ILO
files shows that the documents were written in the following languages:
Table 7.4
Language of publication of documents
about developing countries
English 63 per cent German 2 per cent
Spanish 20 per cent Russian 1 per cent
French 18 per cent Arabic 0. 5 per cent
Portuguese 4 per cent All other
languages 0. 3 per cent
These figures obviously do not properly reflect the literature produced in national
languages mainly for internal use. However, we are sure that the ranking ofthe top three
languages is valid. English, French and Spanish are also the main languages used in
documents produced by international organisations. As many of these are issued in two
or more languages, this explains why, in both tables, the percentages add up to more
than 100 per cent.
From here on in this report, we are assuming that a fully operational DEVSIS
would have to handle about 100,000 records annually, made up of:
22,000 records of periodical articles;
18,000 records of books;
60,000 records of documents and reports:
and that 20 per cent of the total amount would originate in international organisations.
About 60 per cent of the literature reported will have been originally written in English,
with French and Spanish accounting for roughly 20 per cent each.
43

Chapter 8
The system: its files and the
potential products
As indicated in Chapter 4, we propose that DEVSIS should be a global,
decentralised, mission-oriented system. As indicated in Chapter 5, we believe it should
concentrate on the information that has been caused to be generated by the development
community itself, with some addition of aggregated information from other related
sectors, particularly those in which no international co-operative information systems at
present exist.
To reflect the conclusions of Chapters, we have drawn up a definition of the scope
of the proposed system which is elaborated below in Chapter 9. However, one clear
distinction has already been made, as between:
(I) information that is central to the question of economic and social development,
i.e. information that is non-sectoral or cross-sectoral; and
(2) information that has been prepared for other purposes, but which is relevant
to the aims and objectives of the development community (including basic economic
and social facts and data, and the more aggregated forms of information from individual
sectors).
To reflect this distinction we are proposing that DEVSIS should have two files:
FILE ONE: A primary file that will directly identify materials available (both
published and unpublished) by citing bibliographic references and giving abstracts and
extracted key data. Access to the file will be by multi-parameter indexing to permit
etiective retrieval of specific information, e.g. by type of information, by form of
presentation, by subject, by sector, by geographic region, etc. The scope criteria (defined
in Chapter 9) are intended to ensure that, as far as possible, this file will be comprehensive
for the central topics that have been identified. These criteria will apply to all types
of material entered in this file, including references to non-documentary material such
as computer programmes, audio-visual aids, etc.
FILE TWO: A data file on specialised sources and services available in the world
dealing with topics related to socio-economic development (e.g. statistical services,
information services in particular sectors, project registers, on-going research registers,
commodity supply/demand data, indexes of equipment manufacturers, etc.). This file
will be constructed to facilitate referral of inquiries to appropriate other sources and
services.
The availability of FILE TWO will enable us to keep FILE ONE to manageable
size. A once-only publication giving statistical information on the trade of a developing
country will necessarily go in FILE ONE. But if it becomes a regular publication
(monthly, quarterly, annual, etc.), we should then consider it to be a new "service" and
enter a single, appropriately-worded reference in FILE TWO. This would avoid
multiple entries in FILE ONE while giving proper recognition to its status as an on-going
activity.
The same practice can also apply to other services where a collective reference is
more appropriate than a multitude of single references, particularly:
44

- individual statistical tables issued in time series;
- news magazines and bulletins;
- organisations that offer "question-and-answer" services;
- libraries that issue regular accessions lists:
- computer services from which data can be obtained.
All these would go in FILE TWO which, clearly, must also provide information
on the availability of the services to which it gives reference including, where appropriate,
the cost. An elaboration of the methods by which FILE TWO will be constructed
is given in Section E of this report.
The principal products of FILE ONE will be:
(I) a magnetic-tape service, issued eventually twice per month, initially once per
month. Each issue of the magnetic-tape service will give complete statements of the new
records added to the data base. For details of this service and supplementary magnetictape
services, see Chapter 14. The magnetic tapes can be used by participating centres
to establish services for the selective dissemination of information (SDI), for the
preparation of current or retrospective specialised bibliographies, and for updating a
local copy of the data base that can be employed in computerised on-line or batch
retrieval;
(2) a printed announcement bulletin. Devindex, to be issued eventually twice per
month, initially once per month. As with the magnetic-tape service, each issue will
identify all the new records added to the data base. For details of this service and the
indexes proposed, see Chapter 14, Devindex will be useful to the participating centres
and other institutions for the manual preparation of SDI services and, with its
cumulative indexes, for retrospective retrieval.
The principal products of FILE TWO will be:
(I) a data base on magnetic tape, re-issued in a new edition every four months.
The indexing parameters for this data base will, as far as possible, be devised to parallel
those used for FILE ONE so that a search can be carried out on the two files
simultaneously. Thus, the user would immediately know, not only the references to
relevant documents reported in FILE ONE, but also the services to which he can apply
for more detailed information responding to his interest:
(2) Devprofile, an indexed publication, re-issued in a new edition every four
months and containing updated statements about all the information services identified
in FILE TWO. This service will be useful to all those participating centres and other
institutions that do not have the computing facilities to search the magnetic-tape version
of FILE TWO.
45

Chapter 9
Definition of scope
In Chapter 4, we advocated that DEVSIS should be hospitable to any socioeconomic
information that had been generated in response to development objectives.
In Chapter 5, we argued that the DEVSIS central organisation should not attempt to
impose its own perceptions of the development process and that it should, therefore,
define the scope of the system and its modalities in ways that would maximise the
freedom of participating centres to determine the nature of the material that they would
report to the system and that they would extract from it. In Chapter 8 we proposed a
two-file system that would enable DEVSIS to provide direct access to information that
is central to its mission and indirect access to information that is peripheral or is already
being covered by other services.
Although we need to give maximum freedom to the participating centres to
determine what shall be put into the system, we also need to give guidance as to the
limits of the system. This is not a paradox. In the world as it is today it would be possible
to record the production of several million new substantive items of information each
year. Obviously a large proportion of these do not treat directly the problems of
socio-economic development. We need to exclude such material from the system
without, at the same time, imposing a definition of development.
But to define the scope of the system in terms of "subjects" could, implicitly,
impose a certain perception of development. If we introduced headings such as
"population growth" or even "family planning", this would be an invitation to bring
in literature on these topics and possibly tilt the system towards a Malthusian perception
of development. Terms like "gross national product" imply a production-oriented
perception of development. Other terms could be construed as favouring the centrallyplanned
economy, the market economy, or participatory perceptions of development.
All these terms may be perfectly admissible in a subject index to the DEVSIS file,
but we believe they are not permissible in the scope definition. The difference stems from
the fact that one turns to the scope definition to see whether an item qualifies for
admission to the system, whereas the subject index terms are assigned only after this
decision has been taken.
The scope definition needs to be written in a way that will reinforce the concept
of a mission-oriented system. It seems that we can best do this by writing our definition
around the basic activities that are involved, irrespective of development philosophy.
We see these as following a chronological sequence:
FINDING THE FACTS
ASSESSING THE TRENDS
DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEMS
IDENTIFYING THE NEEDS
PRESCRIBING SOLUTIONS
46

ESTABLISHING POLICIES
DEFINING PLANS
DEVISING PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
OPERATING PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ACTION
EVALUATING SUCCESSES AND FAILURES
We believe that information should be admitted to DEVSIS if it has been generated in
response to needs at one or more of the steps along this path.
The headings used in the preceding paragraph have been elaborated in more
detail and incorporated in the definition of scope which is appended as Annex 9 to this
report. At the same time the items included in the scope definition form a basis for the
categorisation scheme (see also Chapter 12). We do not believe that this categorisation
should be regarded as final: during a period of prototype operation, it may become
possible, on the basis of experience, to identify better ways of subdividing the files.
The same scope definition is proposed for both FILE ONE and FILE TWO.
However, there will clearly be a tendency for some items to be more strongly
represented in one file rather than the other. The more reliable "statistical and other
factual information and data" (topics AJO and Al5) normally appear in services that
have a certain continuity or regularity, whether published on paper or made available
from computer data banks. Hence each service would more appropriately be treated by
a single entry in FILE TWO rather than by a sequence of entries in FILE ONE. On the
other hand "studies", whether descriptive (topics A30 and A35) or theoretical (topics
BlO and Bl5), are more likely to appear as individual items and therefore take their
place in FILE ONE.
The problem of information about developed areas
In these days development is seen very much as a global process. Action in one
part of the world may have repercussions in many other parts of the world. Even if
DEVSIS is aimed at serving the needs of the poorer areas of the world, decision-makers
in these areas need economic and social information from the more developed areas.
Their own development depends a great deal on trade with the more affluent countries,
and they believe that the experiences of these countries can often be of value when they
are devising their own policies and development plans.
But if FILE ONE were equally open to information about developed and
developing areas, it would rapidly become flooded with developed-country information
and then DEVSIS would rapidly lose its intended orientation. Indeed, the largest part
of the file would be information about developed countries and be used by developed
countries. This dilemma has been a major problem for the Study Team and the Steering
Committee.
We therefore propose that DEVSIS limit its coverage of information that deals
solely with developed areas of the world to that which can be given by entries in FILE
TWO. This will not give direct access to this very large volume of information, but it will
enable the user to learn what statistical and other services are available and what
information sources he can tap. It will also, of course avoid duplication of efforts
47

etween DEVSIS and the other services. The formula proposed is spelled out in more
detail in Section IV of Annex 9.
The problem of sectoral information
DEVSIS aims at treating the central economic and social questions related to
development. But it is impossible to treat these in isolation from the questions that arise
in particular sectors: agriculture, industry, education, public health, transport, etc. And
there is no sharp dividing line between what is central and what is sectoral. We can say
that DEVSIS aims at covering that information from the agricultural sector which is vital
not only to a Ministry of Agriculture, but also to a Ministry of Planning. We have sought
a general formula and we have elaborated this in Section III ofAnnex 9. But we are not
satisfied that this general formula will suffice. There is, we believe, a need to look at each
sector in turn and to define a boundary for DEVSIS within each sector. The position of
this boundary - how "deep" it will go into the sector - will depend primarily on the
extent to which satisfactory information services already exist in the sector. Thus, given
the existence of AGRIS, we would not expect to go deeply into the field of agricultural
economics; we may have to go more deeply into the field of industrial economics
pending the development of an equivalent service in that sector.
The Study Team recommends that, after a favourable decision has been taken on
the implementation of DEVSIS, an appropriately qualified group of individuals be
entrusted with the task of defining the boundaries of DEVSIS, sector by sector; and, in
doing so, they should take particular account of the international information services
that exist (or do not exist) in each sector. Later, as new sectoral systems come to being,
DEVSIS should be prepared to retreat from these sectors and negotiate appropriate new
boundaries.
In any event, we believe that DEVSIS should not attempt to cover any purely
technical (technological) information, even when this is not being covered by any other
system (see Section II of Annex 9). To do so would rapidly reorient DEVSIS away from
the social and economic concerns to which it is designed to respond.
The problem of project documentation
The United Nations, through its Inter-Organisation Board for Information
Systems and Related Activities (lOB) is developing a Common Register of Development
Projects (CORE). At the time of writing this report, CORE has only a limited data
base which does not identify the key documents relating to each project. But the
designers of CORE made provision for recording references to such documents, and this
component of the system may be implemented in the future.
The Study Team has taken note of the correspondence between the Chairman of
the DEVSIS Steering Committee and the Chairman of the lOB which reviews the
possibilities for the future. This correspondence was considered at the Third Session of
the DEVSIS Steering Committee and, in accordance with the recommendation made at
that time, we propose that DEVSIS should receive information about project documents
only to the extent that these have not already been reported to CORE (see Section V of
Annex 9). The formula is a dynamic one, allowing DEVSIS to retreat from this area as
CORE becomes progressively more comprehensive.
48

Future elaboration of the scope definition
A first version of Annex 9 was prepared at an early stage in the work of the Study
Team, and it has been elaborated progressively during the life of the Study Team. Tests
have been carried out by members of the Study Team in Geneva, by IDRC in Ottawa,
and by the Documentation Research and Training Centre of the Indian Statistical
Institute in Bangalore. These tests have reinforced our concern about sectoral information
and the need to arrive at precise definitions, sector by sector; they have also shown
that rather large quantities of information are found that respond to the definitions
attached to categories AlO, Al5. A30 and A35. These definitions could usefully be
tightened during the next phase of DEVSIS development, and perhaps these categories
should be subdivided to ensure better precision.
But, even now, one major useful conclusion can be drawn from the tests. We can
say that a major fraction of the potential DEVSIS file is not directly concerned with
development actions, but rather with basic factual information and descriptions of
current situations. We could, therefore, draw a line leaving what is "descriptive" on one
side and beginning with what is "prescriptive" on the other. Then, if it is decided to start
FILE ONE on a limited basis in an initial phase, we would advocate retaining the
information concerning prescriptions and actions while leaving the descriptive information
for implementation in a subsequent phase. This possibility will be discussed again
in the final chapter of this report.
49

Chapter 10
Languages: character set
The INIS and AGRIS information systems employ English as the "carrier
language" for information in their respective computer records. This means that:
although the title of any item is recorded in its original language, a translation
into English is also required;
although subject categories are entered by alpha-numeric codes, they appear
in English when they are printed out;
descriptors are entered from an English-language master thesaurus;
names of institutions are often anglicised; dates are recorded using the English
names for the months of the year; collation terms are abbreviations of English words:
notes are recorded in English.
Also the respective INIS and AGRIS printed indexes, INIS Atomindex and
Agrindex, employ English as the predominant language for prefatory material,
headings, etc. The master versions of the INIS and AGRIS manuals are also edited in
English.
The adoption of a single "carrier language" has obvious advantages because it
avoids many complexities in the handling of records and in the preparation of indexes.
And, because of the high degree of precision found in the terminology of the exact
sciences, the words used in English usually have exact equivalents in other languages
(and often the root is the same so that the English word is even immediately
recognisable).
However, even in the case of INIS, a need has been felt to make the system more
conveniently accessible for people who are not conversant with English. France and the
USSR have produced French and Russian versions of the INIS thesaurus to facilitate
both input work and the retrieval of information from the INIS data base.
When we turn to DEVSIS and to the social sciences, we are faced with a different
set of problems and needs. Terminology is not as exact in the social sciences as it is in
the nuclear or agricultural sciences; often it is quite impossible to find one-to-one
equivalents for words in different languages. And words often carry connotations which
reflect the predominant social philosophy of the society in which they are employed.
Also, there is considerably less "universality" in the significance of information
in the social sciences. A measurement of the neutron cross-section of a particular nucleus,
wherever it is carried out, is equally valid and significant anywhere in the world. On the
other hand, a study of rural development in Bolivia is much more valid and significant
for Bolivia and for the other Andean countries than it would be for Mali where the
demographic, cultural and economic environments are quite different.
Hence we believe that, for maximum utility, DEVSIS should be hospitable to
information in different languages. But clearly DEVSIS cannot become a towerof Babel,
hospitable to every language in which relevant information has been recorded. We must
seek a compromise that will respond to a diversity of linguistic needs without becoming
unmanageably complicated.
50

Let us, as a first step, narrow down to the languages principally used by the United
Nations organisations. These are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and
Spanish. As a second step, let us consider which of these six languages are most
frequently used in the "development" context.
Since "development" is the mission with which DEVSIS is concerned, we must
look especially at the linguistic practices in the developing areas of the world:
- in the developing areas of the American hemisphere, Spanish is the most widely
used of the UN languages, plus some English and French in the Caribbean region;
- in Africa, English, French and Arabic are the most important of the UN
languages employed for development activities;
- in the developing areas of Asia, English is the language that is most extensively
used in communications about development; Arabic, Chinese and French are important
in particular countries or subregions.
Clearly no simple solution can meet all interests equally. We are, nevertheless,
prepared to assert that the group of languages composed of English, French and Spanish
are the most significant and widely used in the development literature and by the
development community: this assertion is consistent with the analysis given in Chapter
7. And, despite the uncertainties revealed by the analysis in Chapter 7, we believe that
Arabic would be the next most important of the United Nations languages.
There is a fortunate coincidence that the three major languages for development
work are also the three UN languages that employ the Roman alphabet. The introduction
of an additional alphabet would impose a major complication for any system, even
a computer-based system. We, therefore, propose that the "carrier languages" for
DEVSIS should initially be English, French and Spanish. Once the system is implemented,
those responsible for managing it should keep in close touch with technological
developments and be ready to respond when it becomes feasible to add languages with
non-Roman alphabets to this list.
In detail, we propose that the participating centre shall identify a "language of the
record (L/R)" for each record that it enters in the DEVSIS file. If the item that the
record describes is itself in English, French or Spanish (E, F or S), the L/R shall be that
same language. If the item is not in E, F or 5, the participating centre shall choose one
of these languages to be the L/R. Then, reverting to the list given at the beginning of
this chapter, we recommend, for DEVSIS, that:
(I) Titles should be given in the original language. If the original title is not in the
L/R, then a translation of the title into the L/R should also be given.
Categories should be entered by an alpha-numeric code; however, there
should be equally valid lists of these in E, F and 5, so that they may be printed out in
any one or more of these languages.
The DEVSIS thesaurus should be prepared in three equally valid versions
with each concept identified by equivalent descriptors in E, F and S. At input, descriptors
will be written in the L/R. The computer system will recognise the equivalences between
terms in the three languages, and any inverted file will be constructed without taking
cognizance of the language in which a descriptor was originally entered. When a search
is to be made on the DEVSIS data base, it will then be possible for the inquiry to be
formulated employing descriptors in any one of the languages: the output will reveal all
"hits" irrespective of language.
51

A computer-processing methodology for this type of multilingual capacity has
already been worked out within the framework of IDRC-ILO collaboration in system
deve]opment for ISIS. It promises to be operational in 1975.
The authority list for names of institutions should be built as far as possible
to retain names in the original language, transliterated where necessary. Since transliteration
of ideogrammatic languages is fraught with difficulties, names of institutions
originally given in ideogrammatic languages should be translated into one of the three
carrier languages by the appropriate input centre.
Dates should be entered according to the UNISIST Reference Manual for
machine-readable bibliograph descriptions Where this results in the use of a word (e.g.
the name of a month), this should be given in the L/R.
Information about collation and notes should be recorded in the L/R. DEVSIS
manuals will need to spell out recommended abbreviations in each of the three
languages.
At the time of writing this report, neither INIS nor AGRIS Level One has
incorporated abstracts in its computer file. When abstracts are prepared for DEVSIS
records, they shall be written in the L/R.
The major printed product, Devindex, will have its prefatory material,
headings, etc. in all three carrier languages. Each issue will carry three subject indexes
of the entire contents (see Chapter 14), one in each of the three carrier languages.
However, there will be only one geographic index (see below).
The DEVSIS Central Unit (in co-operation with regional operating and
advisory bodies) would have the obligation of producing the DEVSIS manuals in three
equally valid and up-to-date language editions.
Even though DEVSIS will initially have only its three carrier languages,
consideration should be given to the preparation of other language versions of the
important systems tools (category list, thesaurus, manuals). The DEVSIS Central Unit
should stand ready to assist national or regional groups in preparing such other versions,
but these should be issued under the responsibility of the translating/compiling
agency.
The handling of geographic names
The recommendation contained in this chapter that DEVSIS should adopt three
carrier languages, all of which are to have equal prominence, poses a number of serious
technical problems. These problems are seen in their most acute form when we come to
the design and layout of Devindex. The titles of the various categories which will divide
the main body of each issue will be stated only once in each issue (see Chapter 12); there
is, therefore, no great problem in stating these titles in all three languages. We have,
however, indicated above that we believe that there should be three language versions
of the subject index each complete in itself.
This tripling of the volume of the subject index will lead to a bulky and, inevitably,
more costly product, but we believe it is justified.
However, the main problem arises over the question of the names of countries and
regions. In Chapter 14 we shall propose that, in the main body of Devindex, the entries
UNISIST reference manual for machine-readable bibliographic descriptions, pp. 34-35, 39.
Paris, UNESCO, 1974 (doe. SC.74/WS/20).
52

in each category should be subdivided by region and by country. The names of the
regions and of the countries will therefore appear many times in the main body of each
issue - and also, of course, in the geographic index. To cite these names in all three
languages every time they appear would be quite impracticable.
The solution that the Study Team proposes involves the use of an internationally
accepted code for the names of regions, countries and other "entities".' This code (ISO
alpha-2) employs two alphabetic characters for each region, country or other entity.
Although many of the codes are immediately recognisable (United States - US, United
Kingdom - GB, Hong Kong - HK), others are derived from words that are more easily
recognised within the country than in the rest of the world (Algeria - DZ, Switzerland
- CH). However, the Study Team believes that a user of Devindex could quickly
assimilate the codes for those countries that concern him. The code itself, and its
conversion into all three languages could be routinely printed, perhaps on the inside of
the cover, in each issue of Devindex. The full list (in English only) is given in Annex
10.
Character set
We recommend that DEVSIS should employ the seven-bit coded character set
that has been adopted by ISO2 and that is reproduced here as Annex II. This character
set can be implemented either with the inclusion of diacritical marks or with their
omission. The implementation of the provision for diacritical marks introduces complications
equivalent to back-spacing on a typewriter and, for this reason, UNISIST has
(temporarily) recommended their exclusion.3 AG RIS also uses the ISO character set, but
follows the UNISIST recommendation and excludes the diacriticals.
However, AGRIS has only English as its carrier language, and, since English has
no diacritical marks, this was the obvious course of action. With French and Spanish as
additional carrier languages in the DEVSIS file, we cannot automatically follow the
same course of action. When French or Spanish text is reproduced without diacriticals,
it may be comprehensible, but it appears bizarre - or at least inelegant. We recommend
that, despite the complications involved, DEVSIS should exercise the option provided
by ISO for the implementation of diacritical marks within the seven-bit character set.
The DEVSIS Central Unit should therefore aim to have the computer facilities to handle
the diacriticals, and to carry them through photocomposition for the production of
Devindex ; but a centre taking the DEVSIS tapes for output services could either retain
the dia- diacriticals or, if it did not have the facilities to handle and print them, it could
eliminate the diacriticals by a simple computer routine.
For the transliteration of titles, institution names, etc., from non-Roman alphabets,
we recommend that DEVSIS should follow the recommendations of UNISIST.4
'Codes for the representation of the names of countries, internationale standard 3166.
Geneva, ISO, 1974. Codes pour Ia representation des noms de pays, norme international 3166.
Gcnève. ISO, 1974.
2Seven-bit coded character sets for information processing interchange, international
standard 646. Geneva, ISO, 1973. Jeu de caractCres codCs a 7 elements pour l'echange d'informanon
entre matériels de traitement de 'information, norme internationale 646. Genève, ISO,
1973.
30p. cit., p. 58.
40p. cit., pp. 56-58.
53

SECTION D
TECHNICAL ASPECTS: THE BIBLIOGRAPHIC FILE
(FILE ONE)
Chapter 11
The DEVSIS record
One of the first tools that INIS developed (in 1967-68) was a set of rules for the
preparation of bibliographic descriptions and their recording in machine-readable
form.
This work was carried out at about the same time as the US Library of Congress
MARC Pilot Project. This fortunate coincidence enabled INIS to elaborate its rules in
almost continuous contact with the Library of Congress staff, recognising the impact that
such an endeavour would have at the international level.
The format structure (but not the contents) developed by the Library of Congress
for the recording of its bibliographic data became, shortly thereafter, an ANSI standard,
and was finally recommended as an international standard by the ISO.'
Within a relatively short period of time the ISO format received a wide acceptance
throughout the world and was adopted by INIS and, later, by AGRIS. It was also
recommended by the Working Group on Bibliographic Descriptions, established within
the UNISIST framework, in its Reference Manual for machine-readable bibliographic
descriptions 2 (hereafter referred to as the Reference Manual). The Reference Manual
also defines a basic set of data elements and recommends a standard presentation for
each of them, making use, wherever they exist, of other pertinent ISO
recommendations.
Because of the participation of both INIS and AGRIS in the Working Group,
their rules for bibliographic descriptions are to a large extent compatible with the
recommendations of the UNISIST Reference Manual, although, at present, a magnetic
tape produced by INIS or AGRIS would require conversion by a computer programme
to fully implement the UNISIST recommendations. But this is actually all that is
required, since the Reference Manual is binding only at the level of interchange of
information between systems and not within any given system. INIS would have had no
difficulty in implementing the recommendations of the Reference Manual, had this been
available when the system designers of INIS made their final decisions.
INIS and AGRIS are now operational systems and the implementation of new
rules requires extremely careful planning and adequate time, so that the transition will
be as smooth as possible. But DEVSIS is a new system. From the start, it should adopt
the recommendations of the Reference Manual, as there are indications that, by the time
'Documentation-Format for bibliographic interchange on magnetic tape, international
standard 2709. Geneva, ISO, 1973.
20p. Cit.
54

DEVSIS is operational, INIS, AGRIS and possibly other systems will have adopted
them also.
The Reference Manual, as it stands, leaves "various degrees of freedom in the
applications of the conventions which it describes", and it expects individual users to
"select a level of implementation which is appropriate to their functional
requirements".
Because of the nature of the DEVSIS user community, we can expect that the
DEVSIS data base will be processed by computer systems at varying levels of
sophistication. Thus, if we want to satisfy all users, we should make the DEVSIS data
base available at the highest level permitted by the Reference Manual and other
DEVSIS system parameters, but also ensure that less demanding users can downgrade
it to the level that will best suit their needs by means of a suitable computer
programme.
Just as we must make provision for downgrading output records from the highest
"implementation level", so we must also make provision for accepting input to the data
base at various implementation levels and ensure that information submitted at these
lower implementation levels can be upgraded to the highest implementation level by
computer programmes without human intervention.
We have identified three levels which the DEVSIS Central Unit should be able
to accept:
Implementation level] (the lowest level) corresponds to the data as entered on the
DEVSIS worksheet or a machine-readable copy of the worksheet in one of the basic
input media accepted by DEVSIS (see Chapter 13). A record at this implementation
level must contain enough information to enable a computer programme to produce
automatically the corresponding DEVSIS record at implementation level 3, but some
data elements may be absent or in the form of codes (e.g. corporate entries) or presented
in a different form.
Implementation level 2 corresponds to records recorded on magnetic tape in the
ISO communication format. This implementation level can be used to submit input to
DEVSIS and will in most cases be a byproduct of existing local information systems.
Records at this level must contain as a minimum all those data elements which are
required at implementation level 1.
Implementation level 3 (the highest level) corresponds to records recorded on
magnetic tape in the ISO communication format and implementing all the data elements
of DEVSIS. This is the level of the data base as it will be distributed to the DEVSIS
participants. Magnetic tapes containing records at this implementation level will also be
accepted as input to DEVSIS.
In Annex 12 we outline the proposed DEVSIS implementation of the Reference
Manual and indicate, where appropriate, the differences between the three implementation
levels discussed above. Annex 12, in conjunction with the Reference Manual, should
serve as the basis for drawing up detailed DEVSIS manuals concerning descriptive
cataloguing and magnetic-tape formats as explained in Chapter 27.
In selecting a LJEVSIS implementation of the Reference Manual, we have
essentially followed two principles:
- to omit certain data elements inapplicable to DEVSIS (e.g. all data elements
concerning patent literature) or those that would have no (or a very limited) interest in
55

the DEVSIS context, e.g. the identification of persons other than authors, editors or
compilers associated with a work. In all cases where DEVSIS omits data elements, these
were specifically declared as optional in the Reference Manual;
- to make mandatory certain data elements that the Reference Manual offers as
optional, when we felt that these were highly desirable in the DEVSIS file, e.g. the
language code for titles.
In only two cases, we found it necessary to depart slightly from the Reference
Manual:
- in the case ofcorporate entries (fields A14,A15,A16,A17,Al8,A19, A40, A41)
a fourth subfield (identifier %9) was added to indicate the corporate-body code in
accordance with the DEVSIS corporate-body authorities file (see Chapter 27);
- in the case of report numbers (field A39) where, contrary to the specifications
of the Reference Manual, additional punctuation is inserted in order to identify the
"report number prefix", thus adopting the same rules that INIS and AGRIS are
following. We believe that a uniform handling of report numbers in the three systems
will serve as a stimulus to the world community to accept a defacto standardisation.
In addition to the data elements provided for in the Reference Manual, which is
concerned essentially with "bibliographic" data, the record will contain other data
elements specific to DEVSIS:
and
- field BOl, which is used to enter the carrier language of the record (L/R);
- fields B02 through B09, which are used to enter suhjectoriented data, and are
discussed in detail in the following chapter.
Two descriptive cataloguing problems were discussed at length by the Study
Team: the DEVSIS coverage of the various types of literature, and the problem of
multilingual editions and translations.
Types of information
It was felt that DEVSIS should process the following types of information:
Serials (restricted to articles or contributions published in a serial issue)
Books
Documents or reports
Maps and atlases
Motion pictures, filmstrips, slides and other pictorial media intended for projection
Phonographic records and all other forms of sound recording
Computer readable data
56

The Study Team was well aware that the distinction between "books" and
"documents or reports" is not always clear and that, in fact, no satisfactory formal
definition for these two types exists. We felt, however, that the distinction can be made
quite clearly in terms of the availability of the item. A "document or report" is, in the
DEVSIS context, a non-conventional item and as such it must be submitted to the
DEVSIS Central Unit (see Chapter 15). A "book", on the other hand,is a conventional
item and will not be available through the DEVSIS Central Unit.
Thus we believe that DEVSIS should encourage its participating centres to favour
the treatment of doubtful items as non-conventional whenever this is possible without
infringing the copyright law.
The Study Team also felt that the first four types listed above should be given
priority over the others until such time as an internationally accepted methodology for
cataloguing non-book material has been established. (UNESCO, ISO and IFLA are
currently studying this problem and a working group to prepare a draft International
Standard Bibliographic Description for non-book material, ISBD (NBM), will be
established in 1975 under a UNESCO contract.)
Multilingual editions and translations
There are several situations with which the DEVSIS cataloguer will be
confronted:
The same physical item contains different articles or chapters in different
languages, but each article or chapter is in only one language (e.g. the proceedings of
an international conference). This case should present no special problem since each
individual article or chapter can be treated analytically.
The same physical item contains several language versions of the same text.
In this case only one record should he made, but giving all titles in the various languages
and a translation into the L/R if none of the languages is the L/R. All the languages will
also be entered in field A23 (see Annex 12).
The same text is produced in several languages but each language version is
issued separately: this is typical of publications of international organisations. This case
presents a problem since, in addition to the title, a number of other bibliographic data
elements will vary from one version to the other (e.g. ISBN, pagination, date of
publication), but the subject description of the work will be the same for all language
versions.
The Study Team felt that each language version should be treated as an
independent item (as translations, discussed in (4) below). There will therefore be as
many DEVSIS records as there are language versions. In order to avoid the retrieval of
all the language versions of the same item in answer to a query it is recommended that
all these versions be linked through the use of field A47 (Related Record Number).
A genuine translation of an item. Because of the territorial formula applied in
DEVSIS, the translation is likely to be submitted by a participating centre different from
the one which submitted (or should have submitted) the original. In this case the
translation is treated as any other item (i.e. the record contains a full bibliographic
description and subject description) and the corresponding record will contain additional
data elements indicating that it describes a translation and, whenever this can be
identified, the DEVSIS reference number of the original (see Annex 12, field A47).
57

Chapter 12
Parameters for indexing and retrieval
As described in Chapter 8, File One will identify materials by citing bibliographic
references and by giving other items of information which will permit effective retrieval.
These include categorisation of each item by the purpose for which it was written, by
type and form of presentation, by subject, by sector, by geographic region, etc. These
criteria apply equally well to non-documentary material such as computer programmes,
audio-visual aids, etc.
Categorisation by purpose
A major innovation proposed for DEVSIS is that references lished in Devindex
not be presented in classified order by subject, but rather by purpose in relation to the
mission. For every item reported to DEVSIS, participating centres will attempt to
determine the purpose for which it was written. This categorisation scheme is fully
developed in Annex 9, and is presented in outline form in table 12.1:
Table 12.1
Devindex major topics, categorised by purpose
A - Facts, trends and analyses
B - Prescriptions for decision-making
C - Official policies, plans, programmes, arrangements
D - Development actions: operational experience
E - Consequences and evaluation
F - Resources and tools for development
Each category is designated by a three-digit code. Participating centres may
indicate more than one code if they wish, but the full entry for all new items will appear
in Devindex only under the first category code indicated. Category headings printed in
Devindex will be trilingual: English, French and Spanish.
The "Development Thesaurus"
It is clear that for the products of DEVSJS to be easily used all participating
centres in the DEVSIS network must agree to use the same vocabulary both for indexing
purposes and for retrieval. Moreover, this vocabulary must exist at least in the three
carrier languages of the system: English, French and Spanish.
58

Over the past decade several of the organisations co-sponsoring DEVSIS have
actively collaborated in the preparation of a basic vocabulary covering economic and
social development questions, known as the Macrothesaurus. This thesaurus was
constructed in such a way as to reflect the programmes of activity of the different
organisations who contributed terms that they had found useful for their own work.
It was published in English' and French2 in 1972, in German3 and Spanish4 in
1973, and in Portuguese5 in 1974. In addition, a provisional version was also published
in Arabic6 in 1974.
The Macrothesaurus is presently being used as a common indexing and retrieval
tool by IDRC, ILO, OECD, UNIDO, ITC, CLADES and presumably by many national
institutions as well. It is hard to estimate just how widely it is being used, but well over
5,000 copies were sold or distributed. Since its publication in 1972 other specialised
thesauri within the scope of DEVSIS have also been published, and the conceptual
framework of economic and social development has evolved.
Because of all of these factors, it appears obvious that while DEVSIS will require
a trilingual "Development Thesaurus", it should not be necessary to prepare one from
scratch. IDRC, ILO, OECD and other organisations which have been using the
Macrothesaurus for some time have found it necessary to reinforce it; but the basic
experience has shown that it is useful for indexing and retrieving development
literature.
During 1974 and 1975, a trilingual version of the thesaurus was maintained in
machine-readable form by the ILO, but this maintenance consisted solely in eliminating
errors found in the original printed edition.
UNESCO has now agreed to manage a programme that will lead to the
production of a "Development Thesaurus" with particular reference to the needs of
DEVSIS; in so doing, the consultant to be entrusted with the task will draw heavily on
the experience of the Macrot hesaurus and on other related activities including those that
have been carried out within UNESCO itself (the thesauri for the Computerised
Documentation Service, for SPINES, and for the information activities of UNESCO's
International Bureau of Education).
A fund in trust will be set up by UNESCO, and the work on the transformation
of the thesaurus will be undertaken under the guidance of the Division of Scientific and
Technological Documentation and Information and in co-operation with other interested
organisations. A work programme will be drawn up which wilt take into account
the following work items suggested by the Study Team and approved at the third
meeting of the DEVSIS Steering Committee:
'OECD Development Centre, Macrothesaurus; a basic list of economic and social development
terms. I. English version. Paris. 1972. xvi, 457 p.
2Macrothesaurus; liste des principaux descripteurs, relatifs au développement économiue et
social. 11. Edition franaise. Paris, 1972. xix, 205, 222 p.
3Macrothesaurus; Verzeichnis der Grundbegriffe wirtschaftlicher und sozialer Entwicklungsterminologie.
Ill. Deutsche Ausgabe. Erarbeitet zusammen mit der Deuischen Stiftung für
Entwicklungslander Zentrale Dokumentation. Paris, 1973. xxix, 457 p.
4Macrothesaurus; lista de los principales descriptores relativos al desarrollo económico y
social. IV. Edición espanola. Preparada con Ia colaboracion del Centro latinamericano de
documentación económica y social, Santiago, Chile. Paris, 1973. xxix, 457 p.
5Macrothesaurus; lista dos principais descritores referentes ao desenvolvimento económico
C social. Ed. brasileira. Rio de Janeiro, Instituto Brasileiro de Bibliografia e Documentaçao, 1974,
427 p. 6lndustrial Development Centre for Arab States. Macrothcsaurus OECD 1970. Arabic
edition. Draft project. ICairol, May 1974, 227 p.
59

(I) make the necessary additions and corrections found useful by its main present
users;
examine sectoral thesauri prepared in recent years to make certain they are
mutually compatible with the proposed "Development Thesaurus";
reinforce sections which are known to be weak, such as public health,
demography, energy, etc.;
recast the structure of the "Macrothesaurus" to reflect the sectoral classificalion
proposed for DEVSIS;
consult with appropriate organisations in a number of countries with different
social philosophies in order to determine whether the terms and scope notes need
amendment to ensure that they can be accepted as "ideologically neutral".
If all of these steps are taken, it should be possible to have very quickly a trilingual
tool which could be used by all participating centres, and would allow for merging by
computer of entries prepared in the different languages, printing of subject indexes in all
three languages and retrieval from the DEVSIS files in any one of these languages. The
study team recommends that the work to build a "Development Thesaurus" should
begin immediately in order that the revised version will be available in time for
prototype testing of DEVSIS and the initial start-up of the system.
Once the "Development Thesaurus" is available, the DEVSIS Central Unit
should budget for a full-time professional officer to deal with thesaurus maintenance and
development duties, as is the case for INIS.
Subject indexing and abstracts
Three basic options are open for participating centres to choose from when
preparing input for transmission to the DEVSIS Central Unit. All require the use of
descriptors selected from the "Development Thesaurus", and in each case certain basic
rules are to be followed.
Option one - Descriptors embedded in abstracts. This technique is presently being
employed by IDRC, ILO, OECD, FAO, UNESCO, UNIDO, CLADES, ITC, NEDO
and others. It combines the technique of assigning subject descriptors with the technique
of writing short indicative abstracts. Abstracts written in this manner are presently being
prepared by one or another of the above-mentioned institutions in all three carrier
languages of DEVSIS.
Option two - String of descriptors. In this case only subject descriptors are assigned,
with no attempt at using natural language or other devices, such as links or roles, to show
the relationships of the various terms to each other.
Option three - Descriptor strings plus free text abstracts. Used in many large-scale
scientific and technical information systems, the abstracts may be written by the authors
of the papers themselves, or by specially trained information staff, making use of ISO
Recommendation 214 (Abstracts and Synopses).
DEVSIS will accept input prepared in any of the three manners, but certain
conventional rules must be employed. Any number of descriptors may be chosen to
describe a document, but a maximum of three will be used to produce entries in the
subject index of Devindex. At the input stage, all descriptors must be surrounded by
60

triangular brackets, and the main descriptors (up to a limit of three per item) must have
an asterisk between the final letter and the closing bracket, e.g.,
These brackets and asterisks are manipulation codes for the computer, and will
not print out in Devindex itself. All descriptors used to characterise a document,
however, are available in the computer store for retrieval, SDI services, etc. The limit of
three "main" descriptors is imposed to keep the subject index to a manageable size.
Access by country or region
The Study Team has identified, as one of the major irregularities in the flow of
development information, the fact that information produced in developing countries is
not available to other developing countries. The inclusion of geographic codes within the
DEVSIS record is a relatively simple way of providing access to the documented
experience of countries and regions.
The geographic codes provide one means of subdividing the central DEVSIS file
- both the printed bibliography ( Devindex ) and the machine-readable file. Since
much development information is country-specific, the geographic codes can be a very
powerful tool to retrieve information from the DEVSIS files during either an on-line
search or the automatic production of a bibliography.
The main subdivision of the printed bibliography will be by category, but records
within the categories will be subdivided by the 2-letter global, regional and country
codes given in Annex 10.
The field in the DEVSIS record which contains geographic codes (B03) is made
up of two subfields: one for primary geographic codes and one for secondary codes. The
first primary code will determine the geographic subheading under which the item
appears in the main body of Devindex. The most significant and specific geographic code
should be entered. If the code that is entered is one for a country, the corresponding
region will be identified programmatically so that the record is printed in the appropriate
position.
All the primary codes (to a maximum of three) will be used to qualify descriptors
in the subject index to Devindex. For this reason, the countries or regions to which the
primary codes refer must all be specifically mentioned in the document in relation to a/I
of the descriptors selected for the subject index. Countries or regions that are mentioned
in a document, but not in relation to its main subjects and, therefore, not in relation to
the descriptors selected for the subject index of Devindex, should be identified only by
secondary geographic codes.
Thus a document might discuss as its main subject, means of increasing rural
income in the Philippines. The same document might cite experience in India in the use
of mass communication techniques in agricultural extension work. The Philippines (PH)
would be coded as the primary geographic code and

with a number of different experiences in different countries, say "rural income" in the
Philippines, "mass communications" in India, and "agricultural productivity" in
Thailand, a different solution would be necessary to avoid false co-ordinations. One
might treat the three parts of the document as though they were separate documents, but
if this were not possible, the codes for Philippines, India and Thailand would have to
be entered as secondary no! primary codes. The primary code would then have to be that
for the region.
Both primary and secondary codes will be used to construct the geographic index
to Devindex.
The geographic codes are not intended to replace completely the need to enter
geographic descriptors in either the abstract or the descriptor string. They are intended
to reduce the need to weigh the abstract down with country names. If the participating
centre judges it necessary, geographic codes may still be amplified in the abstract or
descriptor string. But these terms must not be marked with an asterisk for use in the
subject index. It is the true subject descriptors combined with geographic codes that will
provide the first points of entry for the subject indexes which will form a regular part of
Devindex.
Access by sector
One of the premises of DEVSIS is that there is a core of information describing
the economic and social aspects of development which is necessary for the over-all
planning of national development, but which cannot be categorised as falling exclusively
within particular sectors of economic activity. Some examples of such information are:
the gross national product - which results from activity in all sectors of the economy;
trade - which cuts across many sectoral boundaries; financial policy - which must take
account of resource requirements and production in all sectors; the social consequences
of the implementation of a particular government policy; the analysis of the results of
five-year development plans. This kind of information is of central concern to DEVSIS
and will normally be retrieved through the DEVSIS categories or descriptors. It includes
economics, politics and sociology, to the extent that they are applied to the solution of
development problems.
But it is often necessary to go outside these disciplines to seek information about
a particular sector of development activity. The planner needs to know the various
sectoral components of GNP; he needs to know which sector is more or less active in
trade; he must be able to assess how his financial policies will affect sectoral as well as
national activity; he must know what the requirements will be for social services like
education and housing if a particular policy is implemented; he cannot analyse
development experience without examining the effects of past policies on all sectors of
the economy. DEVSIS cannot respond to the development mission without including at
least the more aggregated forms of sectoral information which also relate to that mission
- except to the extent to which the sectoral activities are covered by other international
information systems (see Chapter 6).
Thus DEVSIS cannot exclude sectoral information. We may hope that eventually
other mission-oriented systems will be developed to handle sectoral information. But
until that time sectoral information, which is a necessary input to the development
planning process, must be made available through DEVSIS.
To facilitate access to sectoral information - to enable the machine-readable file
to be broken down into subsets by sector to meet specialised needs of users and to
facilitate individual retrieval by sector, a field for sectoral codes will be included in the
DEVSIS record (B04).
62

The classification on which the sectoral codes is based does not correspond to any
one existing classification but it does take account of existing classifications and also of
the sectoral breakdowns used in a sampling of national development plans. It cannot be
finalised until the structure of the "Development Thesaurus" has been established.
What follows is therefore a tentative and not a final solution.
Table 12.2
3- digit provisional sectoral classification
for DEVSIS
010 AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY, FISHERIES: RURAL
DEVELOPMENT
020 COMMUNICATIONS
030 EDUCATION AND TRAINING
040 ENERGY
050 HANDICRAFTS AND COTTAGE INDUSTRIES
060 INDUSTRY (excluding handicrafts and cottage industries)
070 LABOUR, MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYMENT
080 LAW AND REGULATION
090 MINERALS AND MINING (for coal, oil, natural gas, use
ENERGY)
100 POPULATION
110 PUBLIC HEALTH
120 PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, SOCIAL WELFARE
130 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
140 TOURISM
150 TRANSPORT
160 URBAN DEVELOPMENT
The following codes are used only in FILE TWO (see Chapter 18):
900 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT (general)
910 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
950 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
63

Document type
The DEVSIS Central Unit will identify types of documents preinvestment studies,
feasibility studies, project proposals, loan agreements, evaluation reports etc. - which
serve a particular function in the development process. These will be coded, when they
apply, in field B05 of the DEVSIS record.
Value of investment
When the document concerns an investment project, the total value of the
investment is entered in field B06, a US dollar figure indicating the order of magnitude
of the investment. Like the document type, the value of the investment can be used most
effectively to filter down to the precise documents that may be required after a subset
has been identified using the major indexing parameters outlined above.
Statistical tables
If a participating centre considers statistical tables contained within a document
to be of particular interest to DEVSIS users, it may provide detailed information about
these tables in field B09 of the DEVSIS record. Three types of information are provided
for each table: subject descriptors, geographic codes and dates.
Other parameters
A very detailed technical description of all proposed indexing parameters is given
in Annex 12.
64

Chapter 13
The creation of the file
The DEVSIS Central Unit should be equipped to accept input on a variety of
media. Participating centres should be able to select the technology best suited to their
resources and their work programme. At present a number of alternatives exist.
Worksheets
The DEVSIS worksheet will be a standard form used by all participants who
choose to input records in this fashion. It will be completed according to the specifications
outlined in DL VS1S: Guidelines for Bibliographic Description. The only equipment
required is a typewriter. The processing of worksheets, however, will require resources
at the DEVSLS Central Unit for keying the information to machine-readable form and
for proof-reading. This capability is necessary at least in the initial phase of DEVSIS to
accommodate participants who do not have access to any means of creating machinereadable
input records. Annex 13 contains a sample DEVSIS worksheet.
Magnetic cassettes
Cassettes will be prepared at the participating centres according to the relevant
specifications contained in a manual on record formats for magnetic-tape input. The
record will be essentially a copy of the DEVSIS worksheet (what, in Chapter Il, we
have called implementation level I).
A number of cassette devices are available which may be equipped with:
- a typewriter-like keyboard;
- a visual display unit;
- a printer;
- a double station for reading and writing which facilitates duplication and
correction.
Participating centres considering this alternative should consult the Central Unit
to ensure that the output cassettes are compatible with the cassette converter used at the
Central Unit.
Paper tape
Paper tape will also be prepared locally according to the specifications and record
formats outlined in a DEVSIS manual on paper tape input. Paper tape devices are
relatively cheap but paper tape handling is cumbersome, and local correction difficult.
Computer-compatible magnetic tape
The specifications and record formats for magnetic-tape input (implementation
levels 2 or 3) will be applied at participating centres which have access to a computer
- but not necessarily to a configuration of the order of magnitude of that required by the
65

Central Unit. The only constraint is that 7-track or 9-track, 800 or 1,600 BPI tapes can
be produced. The make and memory capacity of the computer are not critical and
mini-computers can be considered as well as large-scale computers. Computercompatible
magnetic tape will be the preferred input medium for contributors of large
volumes of input.
The OCR (Optical Character Recognition) option
OCR is a technique for producing machine-readable records by means of an
apparatus that scans a sheet of paper and recognises the characters that have been typed
or printed on it. It requires that the characters be presented in one of a series of
acceptable fonts and that the paper and the characters on it be carefully aligned. If this
proves feasible, the only equipment needed at the input centre will be a typewriter with
an OCR font and a supply of specially-designed worksheets.
The initial results of tests undertaken at IAEA for the DEVSIS Study Team have
been encouraging. Data recorded on OCR worksheets has been integrated into both the
AGRIS and the INIS production cycles. A recognition error rate of less than I in 15,000
characters read has been achieved. It seems probable that national participating centres
will be able to produce input in machine-readable form at low cost; and that there will
be a significant reduction in the Central Unit's costs for keying data from worksheets.
The OCR option could replace the need for input on paper tape or magnetic cassette.
Records received from participating centres will enter the production cycle of the
DEVSIS Central Unit to be merged and eventually redistributed, along with other input,
to all DEVSIS users. The production cycle contains three elements: registration and
bibliographic control, correction, and output production.
Registration and bibliographic control
Data may be received at the DEVSIS Central Unit on worksheets, OCR forms,
paper tape, magnetic cassettes, or computer-compatible magnetic tape. The registration
unit must note information about incoming records (participating centre, range of
temporary record numbers (TRN) assigned by each participating centre, volume,
production cycle) and forward the records to the appropriate internal unit for
processing.
- Worksheets will be sent to a bibliographic control unit to be scanned for
completeness. A thorough error check is not performed at this stage; the worksheet is
keyed onto a computer-readable medium - paper tape or cassette.
- OCR forms will be input directly to an OCR reader to avoid excessive handling.
OCR records that are rejected either because of the physical condition of the form, or
because the record is not complete, will be recreated, either on paper tape or cassette
after checking, by the bibliographic unit.
- Paper tape and cassettes will be sent directly to the computer unit for conversion
to magnetic tape. Records received in computer-readable form will also be sent to the
computer unit to be read directly into computer memory.
These will be daily operations which, for each cycle, continue until the cut-off day
for input to that cycle.
66

Worksheet
Completeness
check
Keying to
cassette or
paper tape
'Jr
Conversion
to
magnetic
tape
REGIS TRA TION AND BIBLIOGRAPHIC CONTROL
OF WORKSHEETS
Proofreading
correcting
OCR
form
Participating
Centre
V
DEVSIS
Central Unit
I
Registration
Yes
67
Unit
Paper
tape
Conversion
to
magnetic
tape
Cassettes
Conversion
to
magnetic
tape
Magnetic
tape

Correction cycle
The computer will build a master file for each cycle from the records received
during the input period for that cycle. Newly received records will be added daily and
upgraded to implementation level 3; computer checks will be performed on all those
fields for which validity checks have been devised or for which authority files can be
applied. An error list will be produced daily for correction. Only a limited amount of
automatic correction is possible - for example the correction of recognised spelling errors
in descriptors. Other errors must be corrected manually and the corrections made to the
master tape. Records which cannot be corrected without recourse to the participating
centre will be transferred to an error file while the centre is approached for information.
Such records will be maintained on the error file for a maximum of six months. If the
correction is made during this period the record will be transferred back to the current
production cycle; if it is not made, the original record will be purged from the error file
and the centre requested to resubmit the full record.
Output production cycle
Alter the cut-off day for any given cycle the master tape will receive a final check
for errors. Any records not accepted at this stage will be transferred to the master tape
for the next production cycle. The records retained will be sequenced by category and
geographic code as they are to appear in Devindex, and the permanent record numbers
(RN), which reflect this sequence, will be assigned. Copies of the bibliographic tape will
then be made for subscribers to the tape service. The tape will be essentially the same
for each subscriber, except that the temporary record numbers (TRN) will be erased
from all records except those submitted by the subscribing centre; this ensures that
future modifications will be made only by the participating centre which orginally
submitted a given record. A copy of the master tape will be used as a basis for the
generation of the indexes that will appear in Devindex; then both the bibliographic tape
and the index tapes will be converted to the form needed for input to the photocomposition
process (i.e. with all the typographic data added).
The output films from the photocomposer will be transferred to the printer
responsible for the production of Devindex.
Production costs
We estimate that the tasks outlined above can be carried out by nine staff
members, of which two or three should be professional or experienced general service
staff. The six staff members handling registration, bibliographic control and correction
should include one professional librarian and two clerical staff skilled in keypunching.
For development and maintenance of computer software, two or three staff are required,
of which one should be an experienced systems analyst. In this chapter we are only
concerned with the production cycle and have not considered staff requirements for
management or quality control. A complete description of staff requirements is given in
Chapter 30. It is more difficult to estimate computer processing costs at this stage. Costs
depend on the complexity of each job and the length of time required to complete it.
This in turn depends on such things as the exact nature of the record structure and the
required outputs and the amount of correction required to input records. The IAEA is
currently processing AGRIS records for FAO. On the basis of the cost of processing
60,000 records per year, and taking account of the fact that DEVSIS records will be
more complex than AGRIS records and that Devindex will include more indexes than
Agrindex does, we can conservatively estimate that computer costs for FILE ONE
processing will be of the order of $75,000 per year.
68

cc
Update of
master
Keying
corrections
Correction
unit
Error
listing
Master
tape for
next
cycle /
Rejects
CORRECTION CYCLE
Conversion to
implementation
level 3
t
Mae
tape
Validation
checks
Sequencing
records
and assignment
of RN
( Final
master
for
\cle
Final
error Error
check file
69

Copied
for
subscribers
PRODUCTION CYCLE
Master
for
cycle
70
Generation
of
indexes
1
Addition
of
photocomp.
codes
CI)
Production
of
photocomp.
film
Printing
Devindex

Chapter 14
Outputs from the DEVSIS Central Unit
The outputs to be printed regularly by the DEVSIS Central Unit from its
computer file are those that are essential to the local user either because he has no access
to a computerised retrieval capability or because his level of use does not justify the
application of computerised retrieval techniques.
Devindex: bibliography
The essential printed product of DEVSIS is a comprehensive bibliography of the
records added to the central file in the period between system updates. This printed list
of references is designed to provide a current awareness service to users. DEVSIS when
fully operational will consolidate in one regular volume, references from all sources on
the subject of economic and social development.
References will be arranged first by the categories which define the scope of
DEVSIS (see Annex 9). Within categories they will be arranged according to the
geographic codes explained in Chapter 12. Each reference will contain, as well as a
complete bibliographic description, an abstract or a string of descriptors which denotes
the precise subject content of the document (Chapter 12).
References in Devindex will be printed in the carrier language (L/R) in which
they are entered into the DEVSJS file. The categories by which the references in the
bibliography are ordered will be printed in the three carrier languages of the system:
English, French and Spanish. Within categories, records will be arranged according to
the first of the primary regional or country codes (see Annex 10) assigned to each item.
Within the same geographic code, records will be sorted alphabetically on the name of
the first personal author, or if there is no personal author, on the corporate-body name.
Specimen pages of Devindex are given in Annex 16.
Devindex: indexes
The bibliographic list will be accompanied by five indexes:
Subject Index
Geographic Index
Corporate-Body Index
Personal-Author Index
Report-Number Index
Each reference will be entered in the subject index only under the main descriptors (a
maximum of three) that have been identified by the indexer. The titles of references
displayed under a given descriptor will be prefixed by the primary geographic codes, so
that the user can co-ordinate a given concept (by its descriptor) with a particular
geographic area (by its code). Three subject indexes will be prepared, one in each carrier
language of the system. Each will reference the entire file.
The geographic index will be ordered by the geographic codes first, and display
the titles of the relevant records in the L/R.
71

The corporate-body index will be subdivided by country.
The personal-author index will list authors' names in alphabetical order.
Report numbers will be prefixed by the acronym for the organisation in which the
document originates and the index will be sorted on the acronym and then on the report
number itself.
In all indexes the record number will provide access to the reference itself.
When DEVSIS is in full operation, all indexes will be cumulated and cumulations
will be printed and distributed as separate volumes. Periodicity of cumulation will then
be established in terms of the volume of input to the central file and the use made of the
cumulated indexes. The cumulated indexes will allow the user of the printed bibliography
to search the DEVSIS file retrospectively.
Devindex: distribution
Every participating centre, and all developing-country governments which have
not yet designated a DEVSIS participating centre, will regularly receive two copies of
Devindex and of the cumulated indexes. Devindex will be sold to other users at a price
established by the host organisation of the DEVSIS Central Unit.
All published DEVSIS products will be processed by photocomposition to allow
for a full range of type sizes and styles. Photocomposition has been shown to greatly
improve the attractiveness and acceptability of the printed products of INIS and
AGRIS.
Costs of photocomposition and printing
We have stated that each developing country government and each participating
centre will receive two free copies of DEVSIS printed products. The host organisation
of DEVSIS will probably be required to also provide free copies to fulfil statutory
agreements, exchange agreements and deposit agreements. We propose therefore that
1,000 copies of all printed products of the DEVSIS file be produced for free
distribution.
With a twice per month production cycle, 24,000 copies of Devindex will be
printed annually. Cumulative indexes will raise this figure by 2,000. On the basis of a
range of estimates received by IAEA, on the one hand for printing, and on the other for
photocomposition, printing and bulk distribution, we can estimate the cost of photocomposition,
printing and mailing of 1,000 copies of Devindex at $170,000 per year. This
figure does not include the cost of printing and distributing standards, manuals and
authority lists (Chapter 27).
Devindex will also be sold on subscription. Subscription prices will be set to pay
for run-on costs of producing extra copies over and above 1,000.
Machine-readable outputs
The DEVSIS Central Unit will produce at the end of each cycle, a machinereadable
file containing all the new records that have been added to the data base. This
72

file will be used to generate the corresponding issue of Devindex. The file will be
available on both 7-track and 9-track magnetic tape to accommodate users with different
computer configurations. Copies of it will be despatched by air to those participating
governments and international organisations that have ordered it, for the material cost
of the tapes. Each government will be free to make use of the tape, including commercial
use, within its own territory. The DEVSIS Central Unit will not, however, sell the tape
for commercial use or make it available to non-participating countries.
The Central Unit will also provide cumulative versions of the DEVSLS file, at cost
and on request to participating centres. These cumulative versions will be particularly
useful to new participating centres and to any participating centre which converts from
a manual to an automated system.
The file will meet the standards of DEVSIS implementation level 3 (Chapter 11)
and will thus conform to the ISO international standard for the exchange of bibliographic
information and to the UNISIST Reference Manual for machine-readable
bibliographic descrpf ions.
The DEVSIS Central Unit must also make available on magnetic tape the
authority files which it is asking participating centres to apply, that is, the corporatebody
authority file, the portion of the serials titles authority file which is applicable in
any given country (a subdivision of the International Serials Data System file), and the
"Development Thesaurus"in whichever carrier language, or combination of languages,
the participating centre requests. These are essentially housekeeping files which are
updated by the Central Unit in response to the needs of participants and to take account
of modifications to international standards. Regular up-date cycles should be established
and the complete versions of the authority files should be distributed in order to
avoid problems of merging old and new versions at participating centres.
Optional outputs
At an early date the DEVSIS Central Unit should consider the feasibility of
offering subsets of the cumulative data base. A participating country may have need for
a reduced file dealing with only a geographic sector of the world, only a particular
subject area, or only those records in a particular language.
The Central Unit may also want to distribute the inverted file which contains
access points to the records contained in the data base and which facilitates on-line
retrieval operations. The main advantage of a centrally distributed inverted file is the
cost saving to the participating centre. Inversion is one of the costliest operations in the
management of bibliographic information. It could be carried out once only at the
Central Unit and the tape copied for distribution to participants. However, the method
of generating and updating inverted files is tied to the computer programmes in
operation in any given centre; and the requirements of users at a given centre determine
which data elements in the record should be inverted for retrieval; the Central Unit is
not ideally placed for judging this.
If the Central Unit does accept the responsibility for distributing the inverted file
it should include at a minimum: descriptors, geographic codes and the language of the
record. Records containing descriptors should also contain an indication of whether the
descriptor has been marked for inclusion in the subject index of Devindex.
Additional data fields could be inverted, for example, the fields which describe
statistical information. But these require more complex structuring to allow for linking
73

etween the particular statistical table referred to and the appropriate time period and
descriptors.
There is no standard ISO format for the exchange of authority files and inverted
files. If the Central Unit accepts the responsibility for supplying inverted files it will have
to develop record structures within the framework of existing standards for the exchange
of bibliographic information.
74

Chapter 15
Full-text service from the DEVSIS
Central Unit
As indicated in Chapter 7, we are assuming that DEVSIS, when in full operation,
will be capturing about 100,000 records a year; of those, it is expected that about 60,000
will describe non-conventional literature.
It will serve very little useful purpose to abstract and index this non-conventional
literature, and announce it to the world, unless some means will exist to enable the users
of the system to gain access to the full texts of those items that are relevant to their
interests. For this reason, INIS has - since its beginning - maintained a proviso that any
input centre that reports a non-conventional item to the system must also provide a copy
of the full text of the item. In most cases the record is not accepted unless the full text
has already arrived in Vienna. Input centres are asked to provide the full text already
on microfiche but, since many of them are not equipped to do so, the IAEA has built a
capacity to make microfiche versions of the texts that it receives on paper. The master
microfiches are kept in Vienna: diazo copies are prepared and are sold to respond to
standing subscriptions and to individual orders.
The Study Team is convinced that a somewhat similar service is essential for
DEVSIS. We have not, however, commissioned a detailed study of what would be
involved. We are fortunate that a very thorough study of this problem has recently been
carried out for AGRIS by Dr. D.N. Wood of the British Library: this chapter is based
very much on Dr. Wood's report and his conclusions.
Dr. Wood studied a number of alternative arrangements for organising access to
non-conventional literature within the framework of AGRIS. After weighing the
advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives, he recommended that the AGRIS
Co-ordinating Centre at FAO should accept a number of responsibilities, including:
"7. To receive from Regional Input Pints hard copy of non-conventional
agricultural literature and to provide microfiche masters of this material.
8. To produce and distribute full sets of duplicate microfiche of non-conventional
literature to Regional Centres and to make available sets or subsets for purchase by
other libraries. Microfiche should be prepared to the NMA 98-frame standard."
We believe that this conclusion for AGRIS, which in fact follows the INIS
precedent, is also right for DEVSIS. Thus, with some minor exceptions, DEVSIS
participating centres would be required to submit copies of the full texts of those items
of literature that they identify as "non-conventional" (principally documents and
reports). In all cases of doubt, DEVSIS inputters would be advised to treat their items
as non-conventional rather than as conventional (i.e. as "books"); indeed they would
be advised to treat as conventional only those items that are embargoed for reproduction
by the commercial application of copyright privileges. The identification of an item as
non-conventional when submitted to DEVSIS will imply that the item is not copyrighted,
or that copyright privileges will not be enforced. Since most DEVSIS inputters
will be acting under the authority of national governments, it is fair to assume that they
will have either the knowledge or the power to so authorise reproduction of their
'Wood, D.N. Access to primary documents in the fields of agriculture, food and related
subjects, p. 103. FAO/AGRIS/16. Rome, FAO, December 1974.
75

governments' own documents (even in those instances where the documents are marked
to claim copyright protection).
Thus the DEVSIS Central Unit will, when the system is fully operational, be likely
to receive records of about 60,000 non-conventional items a year and to have the
obligation to offer a rapid service of providing microfiche copies of this material. Since
some of the participating centres are likely to have their own microfiche production
capacities, particularly those centres in international agencies and in the governments of
more affluent countries, we may (conservatively) assume that 10,000 of the 60,000 items
will be received already on microfiche.
The DEVSIS Central Unit would therefore be required to establish the capacity
ultimately to convert 50,000 documents per year to microfiche. At an average of perhaps
20 pages per document, this means 1,000,000 pages per year on 50,000 separate
microfiche masters.
In Dr. Wood's report (page 44) he quotes some figures based on calculations
carried out by H.B. Parsons for the United Kingdom in 1972. Dr. Parson's figures were
also for 1,000,000 pages per year, but on 17,600 microfiches.
Despite our allowance in table 15.1 for inflation at 100 per cent, we believe the
total figure may still be low. It could probably be achieved only if the DEVSIS
microfiching operation were integrated with the microfiching operations for other
international systems. If this is not the case, we believe that we should increase the
labour cost item to $24,000, giving a total of $70,000 for the annual production of
50,000 microfiche masters (average 20 pages each).
Dr. Wood's figure for the production of duplicate microfiches is 5.5 p. per copy.
To produce complete sets of copies of the 60,000 DEVSIS microfiches for five regional
centres (free of charge) would therefore cost (again with 100 per cent inflation), a total
of $80,000. With packing and mailing, this could be $85,000.
So the total cost of the microfiche operation at the DEVSIS central operations
would become $155,000 a year once the system is in full operation.
Actually, we expect that it would be necessary to make more copies of these
microfiches in order to respond to subscriptions and unit sales. However, we believe that
the price for such sales should be set to cover the full cost of preparing the extra copies
and servicing the orders. Hence the net cost of the operation needs no adjustment.
If each principal regional centre has a complete set of the microfiches, it can be
responsible for providing most of the needs of the local users and can set up
microfiche-to-microfiche, or microfiche-to-enlargement services as required. We share
Dr. Wood's view that traffic in microfiches and enlargements could be greatly facilitated
by the introduction of a coupon scheme (as has been done with INIS). Coupons could
be printed in books at the international agency responsible for the operation of DEVSIS
and sold to users against payments in local currencies. The UN agencies already have
mechanisms for selling their publications against payments in local currencies, so this
would be no innovation. In addition, we believe that the DEVSIS Central Unit should
look into the possibility of inserting a small number of coupons in each issue of
Devindex. The cost of these could be included in the subscription price for Devindex, and
would enable new clients to get very rapid access to the products of the system by
clipping and sending their coupons either to a regional centre or to the DEVSIS Central
Unit.
76

Table 15.1
Costs of producing microfiche masters
of 1,000,000 pages per year
Wood Wood With
report report 100%
adjusted
for 50,000
inflation
£
microfiches
£
(1) Labour costs (filming
and checking) 2 780 2 780 13 800
(2) Film and processing
(md. labour cost
for processing) 1 800 5 400 27 000
(3) Amortisation of
capital cost of
equipment 3 300 3 300 16 500
(4) Storage costs 166 500 2 500
At the Third Session of the DEVSIS Steering Committee, there was discussion
about the possibility of also offering a microfiche service for the conventional literature
(journal articles and commercially published books) reported in DEVSIS. Before this
could be done, it would be necessary to find a solution to the copyright problem. The
Steering Committee noted that some countries had introduced a "copyright stamp"
which could be affixed to a facsimile of the original document and be a source of
compensation for the publisher. The DEVSIS Central Unit should watch the development
of the practice and, in consultation with UNESCO and with other international
systems, determine whether the means become available for offering a full-text service
on conventional literature to supplement its service on non-conventional literature.
77
59 800

Chapter 16
Outputs from participating centres
The DEVSIS Central Unit will not be equipped to perceive all the specialised
needs of users at the national or regional level, nor to meet demands to provide
specialised services to individuals. There will, however, be in all regions, participating
centres receiving regularly the magnetic tapes which, when cumulated, represent the
sum total of the DEVSIS file. These tapes can be the basis for specialised services
provided by a DEVSIS participant to users on a regional, national, or even global
basis.
Selective dissemination of information
We have seen in Chapters 11 and 12 how a given piece of information may be
described in terms of a number of parameters: objective (by category), subject (by
means of descriptors from the "Development Thesaurus"), country or region (by
geographic code), form (by type-of-document code), etc. We have also seen in Annex
12, how a given piece of information may be identified by its source: personal author,
responsible institution and source of publication. Exactly the same parameters may be
used to define the interest of an individual, or a group of individuals or an institution.
In the jargon of information science, the combination of parameters describing such an
interest is called a "profile".
A participating centre, seeking to provide output services to its clients will
accumulate many profiles. These, just like the descriptions of the documents in the
DEVSIS file, may be recorded in a computer store. Then each time an update to the
DEVSIS file is received, the centre's computer can compare the user profiles to the
descriptions of the new records. When the computer finds a record in the bibliographic
file that matches one of the user profiles, the reference is printed out. The references for
any one user are batched and mailed to him periodically: he thus is alerted to all
up-to-date information in his area of interest.
Recurring bibliographies
The participating centre may identify a subject which is of particular and recurring
interest to users in its country or region. The centre might then cumulate DEVSIS tapes
over a longer period of time, select all items that pertain to the subject, and produce a
regular printed bibliography. This bibliography could, according to the policy of the
participating centre, be distributed free of charge or be sold against subscription
payments.
Retrospective bibliographies
A user beginning a research project or considering for the first time the implementation
of a particular development project might well want to review all the literature
available about experience in the same and related fields. In this case the full DEVSIS
file could be searched to extract the relevant references. Such a bibliography could be
prepared for an individual user or, because the subject was one of emerging interest to
the region or country, it could be printed for wider distribution.
78

Single-language bibliographies
There may be users in countries or regions who are only interested in literature in
one of the carrier languages of the system. In this case, the participating centre could
produce either a printed bibliography - of the whole file or a specific subset of it - or a
machine-readable file containing the same information, in one language.
Bibliographies on single countries or regions
The same principles apply to the selection of material relevant only to one country
or region. Such bibliographies may be of particular interest to those establishing libraries
or documentation centres to serve national planning ministries, or to schools and
universities which are planning new programmes in development studies.
All the above products could conceivably be produced by participating centres
using a purely manual system. The provision of such services is greatly facilitated by the
use of a computer. It is feasible, however, for a manually operated centre to provide such
services for a small community of users - in-house research staff for example.
The utility of the above services will be greatly enhanced if the participant can
provide the user with copies of the documents identified as being of interest, or can assist
the user in locating them (see Chapter 15).
All the services outlined above are direct products of the DEVSIS data base. The
extent to which a participating centre can provide information analysis services based
on DEVSIS will depend on its own resources and capabilities and the local demand for
such services.
Supplementary files at participating centres
Participating centres, in conjunction with the activities they undertake in relation
to DEVSIS, may build files on different subjects for local use and they may also provide
information to other international information systems. The DEVSIS record structure,
while providing for compatibility with international standards, also allows the participating
centre to develop a range of data fields for its own use. Data fields which are
specified in the UNISIST Reference Manual carry tags beginning with the letter A. Data
fields which have been defined specifically for DEVSIS FILE ONE carry tags beginning
with B; those defined for FILE TWO carry tags beginning with C. We recommend that
a participating centre which wishes to add data fields to bibliographic records for local
use preface these with the letter Z. Individual records could then include elements from
the A, B and Z series.
The DEVSIS record structure and file structure will represent the most complete
implementation of the UNISIST Reference Manual. In the case where a country is
considering the establishment of one centre to handle input to international systems, we
recommend that the possibility of using the DEVSIS worksheet and file creation
programmes be explored. By the use of a data field in the Z series the participating
centre could identify records destined for each file and create separate magnetic-tape
files for input to each system. All input tapes would be converted to the ISO communication
format which is accepted by all international systems.
One application of the Z tag will be to enable a participating centre to maintain
a file of confidential material which could be searched only locally using the same
computer programmes as would be used to retrieve from the DEVSIS data base.
Provided the file of confidential records has been established according to DEVSIS
79

norms, it could be treated as an extension of the local copy of the DEVSIS data base and
be searched at the same time.
We admit that much of the literature that is currently labelled as confidential or
restricted is probably so labelled for administrative reasons rather than for reasons of
substance. We hope that the existence of DEVSIS will motivate organisations to consider
carefully before they restrict documents, and to review periodically the validity of the
restriction. The mechanism proposed here would allow a participating centre not only
to safeguard, for national purposes, material that is truly confidential, but it would also
allow it to input to DEVSIS, without the need to recreate the record, material from
which the restriction has been lifted.
The advantages of compatibility can best be seen when an institution has a need
to build a tailor-made data base responding to its needs. Thus an institution serving the
needs of a particular country may want to build its own file by merging:
A file describing national documents (including appropriately flagged
confidential material).
The DEVSIS data base (perhaps excluding some material of peripheral
interest, particularly if its local computer configuration sets a limit on the quantity of
material that can be handled).
A segment of the AGRIS data base (a segment chosen to reflect the crops and
agricultural practices that are of major interest in the country).
interest.
Other data bases, or segments of other data bases, of particular national
Given the compatibility that is one of the major goals of UNISIST, and to which
DEVSIS will attempt to adhere, it should become possible to search simultaneously all
these components of the national data base. The participating centre could then print out
announcement lists and bibliographies that represent a merging of relevant material
drawn from the various sources.
80

Chapter 17
The DEVSIS network
The DEVSIS network is a simple one. Participating centres collect information on
the basis of a strict territorial formula and a clearly defined subject scope. They record
the information on a physical medium and in a format acceptable to the DEVSIS
Central Unit; and they transmit the information to the Central Unit. The Central Unit
then performs the necessary validity checks on the material received; merges the
material that passes the checks into a single file, and redistributes the total file back to
participating centres. These centres then use the file as the basis for the services that they
provide to users in their various territories.
National participating centres will report literature produced within the territory
under the jurisdiction of their own governments. International intergovernmental
organisations and regional organisations which act as participating centres will be
responsible for reporting the literature produced within their own organisations.
Regional participating centres may also develop programmes in their regions to support
DEVSIS national participants. These support functions are described more fully in
Chapter 28; the operational work of a regional centre will have not only its own intrinsic
value as a contribution to the DEVSIS file, but will also provide the real experience on
which the regional centre can base its programme of support activities on behalf of
national participants. A regional centre could also perform the input function on behalf
of a national government if it received an express request to do so from that government
and if, at the same time, programmes were initiated to develop the required capabilities
within the country concerned.
National infrastructures
In order for a participating centre to transmit information to the DEVSIS Central
Unit it must be able to establish mechanisms for the timely and regular collection of such
information. One organisation at the national level should have this responsibility. It
should be assigned the responsibility by the government so that it has the authority to
collect the necessary information. It must also have the financial and personnel resources
to enable it to carry out the task. Some guidelines for the selection of national
participating centres are proposed in Chapter 25.
Equally, the participating centre must provide service to national users based on
the DEVSIS output products. In some countries national information infrastructures are
sufficiently developed that channels for the flow of information already exist. In others
there is a need for an assessment of users' needs - particularly the needs of governments
- to ensure that the services developed effectively support national priority
programmes.
Adherence to standards
Material that is not recorded in a physical form acceptable to the DEVSIS Central
Unit will be rejected. Information must be provided - on worksheet, facsimile worksheet,
or magnetic tape - in a form that is "readable" either by the staff who must key the
information into machine-readable form, or by the computer programmes in operation
at the DEVSIS Central Unit. Physical specifications for machine-readable media and the
rules for bibliographic description must be applied. The DEVSIS Central Unit can only
correct on a regular basis errors which can be identified by computer programme. The
DEVSIS Central Unit and the participating centres will develop standards to facilitate
identification of errors; these may be modified over time but in any given time period
81

tio
Participating
Centre
National
Participating
Centre
National
Participating
Centre
National
Participating
Centre
INPUT
OUTPUT
TEMPORARY
- INPUT
-
/
/
Support
Programmes
/
/
The DEVSIS network
INPUT
OUTPUT
Regional
Participating
Centre
/ National
Participating
Centre
82
( International
Intergovernmental
Organization
Participating
Centre /
INPUT
OUTPUT

they must be adhered to if a backlog of error records and a delay in the announcement
of information are to be avoided.
Training programmes
The DEVSIS Central Unit and the appropriate regional organisation can help to
ensure the application of standards by conducting or supporting training programmes
at every new participating centre and by holding regular, perhaps annual, meetings of
DEVSIS liaison officers. In the first implementation phase of DEVSIS, training would
probably be carried out by the Central Unit's staff: later on-the-job training could be
taken over by experienced national or regional participating centres. These would be
better equipped to conduct training programmes in the most appropriate language. The
Central Unit can assist with the identification ofparticular problem areas where it might
wish to arrange special training seminars.
Quality control
The DEVSIS Central Unit should perform regular random checks of input
received to check not only the formal contents of the records but also the consistent
application of categories, descriptors, sector codes, geographic codes and so forth. It
should inform the participating centres of the results of these quality checks perhaps
through the publication of a regular newsletter, and be prepared to assist in defining
solutions in problem areas.
Scheduling
DEVSIS, when fully operational, is expected to announce about 100,000 new
items of literature a year. The printed Devindex will include five indexes, of which one
- the subject index - will be printed in full for each of the three carrier languages of the
system. In order to print a volume of manageable size, and also to maintain the
current-awareness value of the system, a semi-monthly production cycle should be
implemented eventually.
INIS, with an annual volume of 60,000 records runs on a semi-monthly cycle.
Although DEVSIS will encompass more participating centres, and process a higher
volume of records (and a higher volume of records which require transformation to
machine-readable form), a similar production cycle is feasible for DEVSIS. INIS has
found that the staff required to process 60,000 records is not significantly greater than
that required for 20,000 records. The extrapolation to 100,000 records may have some
impact on staffing (see Chapter 30), but, given the necessary staff, there is no reason why
a semi-monthly cycle should not be attained. In the preliminary phase of operation, until
input builds to a volume of approximately 50,000 records a year, a monthly cycle should
be implemented. This pattern is currently followed by AGRIS. It will enable the Central
Unit staff to gain experience and identify bottlenecks before full implementation.
Guidelines for mailing
Specific instructions should be provided for the labelling of magnetic tapes that
are sent as input so that there is no possibility for confusion at the Central Unit as to the
contents of the tape. Mailing instructions should also be provided to forestall the
possibility of the delaying of magnetic tapes by postal and customs authorities.
Instructions should also be given on the means of identifying batches of worksheets with
all information necessary to their speedy processing by the Central Unit.
83

It is most important, and should be recognised from the outset, that all intercontinental
and many international transfers be carried out by air (whether post or freight).
The DEVSIS Central Unit should seek to minimise the cost involved, e.g. by arranging
air shipments in bulk rather than in small packets, but the system would rapidly lose its
responsiveness if it relied on sea mail and sea freight. The major item involved is, of
course, the distribution of the printed products, particularly Devindex. The subscription
price for this should be set to include the cost of delivery by air to distant recipients: the
same subscription price should be charged to all recipients and those that happen to be
in the same country or the same continent as the DEVSIS Central Unit should not enjoy
any special price advantage because of this happenstance.
84

SECTION E
TECHNICAL ASPECTS: THE REFERRAL FILE
(FILE TWO)
The need for referral
Chapter 18
A centralised operation
The term "referral" is defined by UNISIST as the indication of sources from
which information may be obtained and the mechanisms for switching users to such
sources. Activities of a referral centre are described as follows:
- to carry out on-going surveys of information resources available ... with a
thorough characterisation of their respective products ... to facilitate data acquisition
from operating services, to increase analytical access to their files: and to develop
standard routines for printing directories, card files, statistical surveys, etc.;
- to evaluate regional and or sectoral resources with a view to detecting possible
improvements in the division of labour and resources
- to provide referral services to individual and corporate users
These are also the basic functions of the DEVSIS referral file operation.
As DEVSIS is a global mission-oriented system designed to meet the information
requirements of the "development community" as defined in Chapter 5, these
requirements have to be reflected in both its files. But, whereas FILE ONE is designed
primarily to record information that is central to the questions of economic and social
development, FILE TWO must respond to those information requirements of the
community that go beyond the central issues of socio-economic development but
nevertheless have bearing on the aims and objectives of the development community.
For the most part this information has not been originated by the development
community. It may be sectoral, even technological; it may have been prepared for other
purposes and by other mission- or discipline-oriented communities. To include this more
peripheral information in FILE ONE would surpass the capacities of DEVSIS and might
be redundant because, in some important fields, bibliographic coverage of sectoral
information is well established and much of the relevant data can easily be retrieved
through existing services. What the referral file has to record are the means for gaining
access to these existing sources of bibliographic and factual information, as well as to
institutional sources of information (e.g. libraries) active primarily but not exclusively
within the development community. The sources of information to be identified in FILE
TWO are defined in detail in Chapter 19.
For FILE TWO, we thus need to expand the scope adopted for FILE ONE in
order, in particular, to provide the development community in developing countries with
access to information sources and services in developed countries. A description of the
UNISIST Study Report on the feasibility of a World Science Information System.
UNESCO/UNISIST/4. UNESCO, Paris. 1971, p. 91.
85

differing policies adopted for the two tiles has been given in Chapter 8, but it should be
reiterated here that FILE TWO will indeed follow the same scope definition, offered in
Annex 9, but without the limitations there imposed for FILE ONE on sectoral
information and on developed-country information.
The reasons for a centralised operation
DEVSIS as a whole is conceived as a decentralised system (Chapter 4). This
principle is seen as essential for the operation of FILE ONE. For FILE TWO a different
approach is required. FILE TWO is to cover a very broad spectrum of information
material which, in a totally decentralised system, would have to be rendered into record
format by the staff of the individual participating centres. However, the rate at which
new records are prepared for FILE TWO will be very much slower than the rate at
which new records are prepared for FILE ONE.
The exacting process of evaluating, structuring and coding data in the required
format would have to be carried out by each participating centre for a relatively small
number of items and at quite irregular intervals: thus the staff of these centres would find
it difficult to maintain the continuity of their experience - and for the file as a whole, it
would be difficult to then maintain the consistency that is essential in all informationsystem
activites. We propose therefore that the co-operation of the participating centres
be enlisted for the collection of data for FILE TWO, but that the structuring of these data
and their conversion to machine-readable form should be the responsibility of the staff
of the DEVSIS Central Unit. A detailed questionnaire', with guidelines for completing
it, will be prepared by the DEVSIS Central Unit and distributed for use by interviewers
from the participating centres; training and assistance for local interviewers will be
provided.
Much of the information needed for FILE TWO is already available in existing
directories and needs only to be evaluated, updated and reformatted for the purposes
of DEVSJS. By making this a centralised operation, we can minimise the work involved
and ensure the consistency of the File and its products.
FILE TWO output
The proposed products of FILE TWO are:
(I) A data base on magnetic tape of selected but essential data on published and
institutional sources of information. This will be the referralfile proper compatible with
FILE ONE in physical format. The data base is to be updated and reissued in a new
edition every four months. Virtually the same set of DEVSIS data fields and indexing
parameters as used for FILE ONE will be used for FILE TWO with a minimum of
modification in implementation. Thus, a high degree of compatibility will be established
between the two files and, in particular, users of the two files will be able to employ the
same sets of computer software for processing and retrieval.
A microfiche masi'erfile back-up to the data bank on magnetic tape containing
the full descriptions of information sources as entered on the questionnaires.
Devproflle, a hard-copy directory-like version of the magnetic-tape referral file
published in a new updated edition every four months. A call number will be added to
every entry to identify the microfiche on which the detailed description is available.
The headings on which the questionnaire may be based have been elaborated and are
available from Kate Wild, IDRC, P.O. Box 8500, Ottawa, Canada, KIG 3H9, or from Jose Kokole.
Institute of Occupational Safety, Behoriccva ul. 22a, 61000 Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.
86

Entries in DevproJile will be arranged first by the sector codes defined in table 12.2 and
then by the countries of origin of the sources. A subject index will be included, but no
other indexes are foreseen in the initial operating period.
The magnetic tape data base and Devprofile, accompanied by user manuals, will
be distributed to participating centres on the same basis as the products of FILE ONE.
Microfiche service from the microfiche master file will be provided by the DEVSIS
Central Unit on demand. DEVSIS regional participants will also possess complete sets
of the microfiche file.
FILE TWO updating
Updating procedures will be important for FILE TWO because, while there will
be fewer new records added to this File than to FILE ONE, there will be a higher rate
of change of existing records. Users will need to be rapidly informed when services
change their address, cease operations or change the focus of their service. Procedures
for updating will be tested during the initial operating phase. For the full operation of
FILE TWO, a team of three (one professional and two assistants) will be required.
The future for FILE TWO
The DEVSIS referral activity may eventually expand out of the file framework
and perform an increasing range of referral functions to meet the needs of the
development community. It would then take on more of the missions identified by
UNISIST for services of this kind: it would look for gaps or deficiencies in the
information services available to the development community and make suggestions for
remedial action: it would promote the use of common standards by all other inventory
and referral activities within the development community to promote compatibility and
work sharing, and to facilitate access to their products; it would evaluate and seek to
improve the effectiveness of information transfer within the development community;
and it would, itself, devise standards relevant to the promotion of information transfer
within the development community wherever they are lacking.
Processing and printing costs for FILE TWO
Estimates of the volume of records to be included in FILE TWO range between
a low figure of2,000 and a high figure of 5,000. Until the first experimental implementation
has been carried out it is impossible to give a precise figure. It is therefore difficult
to estimate the costs of processing the File or of printing Devprofile. We feel, however,
that the $75,000 allocated yearly to computer processing should cover the cost of
processing FILE TWO as well as FILE ONE. For the photocomposition, printing and
distribution of 1,000 copies of DevproJile three times a year we recommend that $25,000
be added to the Central Unit's printing budget.
87

Content of the file
Chapter 19
Content and format of the referral file record
Sources of information to be included in FILE TWO for referral purposes are
described by the following categories:
Secondary services: including all types of continuing bibliographic services
recording or citing information on primary sources: abstracting journals, bibliographic
indexes, citation indexes. These secondary services may themselves be issued as serial
publications, on magnetic tape or other machine-readable media, and on other media
such as printed cards, notched and visual cards, microfiche aperture cards, etc. FILE
TWO should cover not only secondary services central to socio-economic development,
but also those that identify development-oriented information from particular sectors.
Inventories (registers) of on-going research activities and projects will similarly be noted
in FILE TWO if their coverage is such that they can be used to identify development
studies and projects, and provided that they are continuing activities.
A once-only publication, such as a bibliography on a particular topic, or a
directory of research activities, would not be entered in FILE TWO, but would be
entered in FILE ONE where we have provided special indexing codes to facilitate the
identification of such items.
Current awareness services distributed to limited user communities by such
facilities as libraries and documentation or information centres: accessions lists, library
or information centre bulletins, current contents announcements, etc. Items to be
recorded in this category are usually issued as hard-copy serials. As to substance, the
same criteria are to be applied here as for items to be reported as "secondary services".
The essential difference between this category and the preceding one is that items in this
category are normally made available only for a limited, often in-house, clientele but
potentially are of broader value.
Primary serial publications central to socio-economic development or concerned
with development in particular sectors, if they present information such as news
items not to be regularly reported in detail to FILE ONE; also news magazines and
bulletins, particularly house magazines issued by institutions within the development
community, e.g. development-aid organisations, industrial firms, investment banks etc.,
that regularly present surveys, data and facts of interest to the development
community.
Statistical time series presenting basic economic and social facts and data as
defined in categories AlO and AI5 of Annex 9. Statistical time series may be issued in
hard copy or on computer media.
Reference materials: directories of institutions, organisations, firms, lists of
experts, indexes of equipment manufacturers, inventories of statistical sources, etc.,
which usually appear in book or other hard-copy form. If these are, in fact, once-only
reference materials they would be entered, not in FILE TWO, but in FILE ONE; in
FILE ONE they would be identified by the "Directory" flag in the field for "Secondary
literature type". They are mentioned here to reaffirm the need for compatibility between
FILES ONE and TWO to facilitate simultaneous searches.
88

Secondary facilities, i.e. institutions, organisations, or divisions within institutions
which can be identified as sources of information. Facilities of this kind are:
libraries, documentation and information services or centres, information analysis
centres, referral centres and possibly translation centres and clearing houses. If not
issuing distinctly identifiable secondary or current awareness publications, they at least
have collections of primary documents with appropriate indexes or offer "questionand-answer"
services. To qualify for inclusion in the DEVSIS referral file, a secondary
facility would have to meet the same criteria in terms of substance as have been specified
for secondary services.
Factual data banks, representing institutional sources of information similar
to those identified for the (d) category, but not offering a continuing serial output. Both
data banks based on machine-readable media and ones storing their data in any form
of hard copy of microform are covered here providing their scope and profile correspond
to those of the (d) category.
Institutions and organisations of varied profiles and status (see Annex 14)
active within the development community or providing sources of information and
facilities of interest to the development community (e.g. consulting firms, training
institutes).
In the initial operating phase of DEVSIS we recommend that priority be given to
including information in FILE TWO about published sources of information, (a) to (e).
Some information about institutional sources, (1), (g) and (h), will be included to test
the functioning of the system and evaluate its products. But less emphasis will be placed
on gathering this information initially. In a later phase the DEVSIS Central Unit may
wish to consider the inclusion of profiles of individuals as information sources members
of the development community who possess expertise valuable for decision making in
socio-economic development.
The categories outlined above contain two types of information - information
about publications and information about institutions. The record structure of FILE
TWO must reconcile these two types of information and at the same time allow for
simultaneous manipulation of, and retrieval from, FILES ONE and TWO. As far as
possible FILE TWO, as FILE ONE, will be structured according to the UNISIST
Reference Manual for Machine-Readable Bibliographic Description. For FILE ONE we
have already added a series of data fields (the B series) to accommodate the special
requirements of DEVSIS users. These fields, with the exception of the category field B02
are also used in FILE TWO records. But for FILE TWO we add a further series (C) to
accommodate the additional data elements required to describe the categories of
information outlined above. A detailed description of C series data elements is provided
in Annex 14. The list of elements is extensive, but, in most cases data is entered in
free-text form; the structure may seem complex, but is so only to allow maximum
flexibility of choice when print-outs from the File are being structured.
Annex 14 lists all the data elements which would be required to provide a
complete description of all the categories of information sources outlined above.
However, to implement the full description in an automated system before the concept
of the referral file has been adequately tested would prejudice the process of optimisation.
We recommend therefore, that in the initial phase of DEVSIS only essential data
elements be implemented. The complete description of each source will, as explained in
Chapter 18, be retained on microfiche and be available to all users who request it.
In view of the mixed contents of FILE TWO and the diversity and complexity of
data recorded in it, it is important that existing standards, codes of practice and
guidelines be taken into account and that an attempt be made to introduce standardisa-
89

tion for those features and elements of the File for which standards do not yet exist. All
standards applied in shaping FILE TWO are listed in Annex 15.
The need for further design work and optimisation
The Study Team is acutely conscious of the fact that it has been able to advance
the design of FILE ONE to a considerably greater extent than it has been able to
advance the design of FILE TWO. But the reader should not, therefore, assume that we
attach less importance to FILE TWO. In fact, given the experience of INIS and AGRIS,
we were able to start our work on FILE ONE at a point that was already well advanced.
For FILE TWO, it was a case of starting with comparatively little relevant experience.
This "development gap" needs now to be closed: we, therefore, recommend that special
attention be given to FILE TWO in the next phase of DEVSIS development and, in
Chapter 32, we propose that a professional specialist be recruited to work full-time on
the design and testing of FILE TWO from the start of the proposed programme.
90

SECTION F
ORGANISATION
Chapter 20
The organisational base: options
One of the conclusions of the Ottawa meeting in June 1974 was:
The system (DEVSIS) should be managed within the United
Nations family. It would be based on voluntaiy co-operation; the active
participation of all member States in a network should be encouraged, as
well as that of intergovernmental and non-governmental bodies concerned
with problems of development.'
This association of DEVSIS with the United Nations family has been fully reflected in
the co-sponsorship of the present study and strongly confirmed in all the discussions of
the Steering Committee. From time to time, the Study Team has received suggestions
for centering the activity in public institutions other than the United Nations, but has
never been persuaded that this could be an over-all advantage. The individuals that
object to a location in the United Nations often express their concern in terms of cost,
particularly that of personnel (salaries and other related expenses). On this there are
different opinions but, to the extent that the concern may be valid, it is an inevitable
consequence of having an international staff, most of whom must necessarily be
compensated for working away from their own countries and often in cities with a high
cost of living (New York, Geneva, etc.). But if, as indicated in Chapter 5, we seek to
build a system that is hospitable to all perceptions of development, we do need to place
its central management in an international environment. To locate DEVSIS in a national
institution and staff it with people mostly of the same nationality would inevitably
introduce a bias. Even given a management that, with the best will in the world, sought
the maximum degree of impartiality, the perceptions of the host nation would inevitably
be reflected in many subtle ways.
The community of nations, in establishing many different programmes, has
accepted the costs involved in having these programmes carried out by international
civil servants acting under the authority and control of bodies in which governments are
directly represented. We submit that DEVSIS qualifies for such an arrangement and we
believe that the following reasons are compelling:
The need to engage governments
The establishment of DEVSIS, its continuance and any subsequent
major changes in its organisation will be based on policy decisions
taken by governments acting in concert with each other. Although DEVSIS
could start with less-than-universal agreement, it will start only when a
significant group of countries agree to participate by providing input and by
testing the products of the system; a United Nations organisation can provide
the machinery by which governments can exchange their points of view and
'Recommendations 01 the meeting on the feasibility of an international information
system for the development sciences (DEVSIS). Ottawa, II to 13 June 1974.
91

carry out the negotiations that will precede their deciding to engage in these
activities. Such an organisation, through its nearly-universal membership,
can provide a mechanism for maintaining a flow of information to any
countries not initially adhering to the system and for facilitating their
adherence as soon as they are ready to participate.
There is, in fact, no constitutional means for engaging governments
in such a decision-making process except through an existing international
organisation or through the creation of a new one - which would be
absurdly costly and time-consuming. And, since DEVSIS will reach full
operation only with universal participation, we need to base DEVSIS on an
existing international organisation with near-universal membership, which
implies one of the bodies within the United Nations family.
The need to engage the community
of international organisations
As has been stated, particularly in Chapter 7, the international
organisations are themselves substantial producers and users of development
information. By implementing DEVSIS within a United Nations organisa.
tion, we will secure the most appropriate means for establishing contacts
within the community of international and regional organisations, both
governmental and non-governmental, to engage their participation in the
operation of the system.
Equitable financing
The financing of DEVSIS will be discussed in more detail in the
next chapter of this report. However, it is necessary to state here that we
believe that, ultimately, DEVSIS should take its place on the regular
programme and budget of an organisation that is financed according to the
United Nations formula for assessing contributions from all member States.
For a project of this global character, the UN formula appears to be the most
appropriate and equitable.
Existing infrastructure
If we have accepted the premise that DEVSIS should be
implemented in an international environment, then we need to locate it
where there is an administrative structure that can handle the employment
of international civil servants, provide accounting services according to
international procedures, engage in world-wide communications (telex,
telephone, postal and pouch services), organise international meetings,
provide translation and interpretation services, etc. The United Nations
organisations have the structures that can provide these services and they
have long experience in operating them. To create these where they do not
now exist would be enormously expensive and impose an impossible
overhead cost on the DEVSIS operation.
Another objection that has been raised to the location of DEVSIS in a United
Nations organisation is that of "bureaucracy". lintern some circles, it has become
fashionable to lampoon the national organisations as palaces where endless discussion
and vast expenditures produce miniscule results. But the international organisations are
92

only instruments for carrying out the programmes established by their governing bodies.
When these programmes are ill-defined, repetitious and inconsequential, it is inevitable
that little will be achieved. The international organisations have proved to be effective
instruments for carlying out clearly-defined programmes that have the political support
of the member governments. In our field of interest, we need look no further than INIS,
which is providing its output on a very tight schedule and with a staff that has
dramatically improved its productivity as the volume of input has increased.
Thus, the Study Team has accepted the premise of locating DEVSIS in a
United Nations organisation - but which? With the guidance of the Steering Committee,
the Study Team has attempted to elaborate the tangible criteria that could be used for
making the most appropriate selection. It recognises, however, that there are other
factors that may eventually have a determining role. Institutions can have an institutional
"personality". That personality finds expression both in the governing body of the
institution and in the consensus positions of its staff. Clearly, the most important of the
less tangible factors is whether the institution is interested and eager to undertake the
task. It would be disastrous to propose the implementation of DEVSIS in an institution
whose "personality" was antipathetic to the concept.
The tangible criteria on which to base a choice of the ideal host organisation
may be stated as follows:
The mission of economic and
social development
The preferred host organisation should be one that has responsibilities
central to United Nations activities with respect to economic and
social development. Such an identity of goals with the objectives of DEVSIS
would provide for a strong involvement of the organisation's staff and
consequently ensure a common body of interest and knowledge with mutual
cross-fertilisation between DEVSIS and the other activities of the host
organisation. At the same time, such an attachment would greatly facilitate
direct contacts with the appropriate components of national governments.
Relevant experience
The selected organisation should, if possible, have had successful
experience in large-scale bibliographic data processing and commensurate
staff resources. Experienced staff are essential for getting DEVSIS into
operation without undue delay: if these resources do not exist in the selected
organisation, they could be built up - but at some expense and with
considerable delay.
Necessary equipment and facilities
The selected organisation should also have access to a largescale
computer on which the appropriate software can be implemented; it
would need equipment for production and reproduction of microfiches, as
well as facilities for photocomposition and rapid inexpensive printing. All
these things can, of course, be bought. But it is, in almost all cases, cheaper
to put an additional workload into an existing efficient facility than to create
a facility where none now exists.
93

Reviewing the various organisations of the United Nations system with
regard to their ability to meet these criteria, the Study Team, while identifying several
that meet one or even two of them, did not find any organisation that meets all of them.
There appear to be two possible approaches to overcome the problem - either to twin
two bodies so as to arrive at the desired combination of capacities, or to identify one
organisation partly responding to the criteria and to upgrade its capacities by furnishing
it with the required additional resources - this latter alternative obviously calling for
greater cost in the initial phase and almost certain delays.
In discussions at the Third Session of the Steering Committee (Geneva, July
1975), it was felt that the "twinning" solution would be more appropriate than any
solution that involved greater initial costs and delays. This reaction was based partly on
grounds of economy, but mainly on the fact that it would be very difficult at this time
to identify a permanent home for DEVSIS in the United Nations organisations. Major
structural changes have recently been proposed for the United Nations, particularly in
respect of those organs that have central responsibilities for development programmes.'
We are entering a period of uncertainty and change and the Steering Committee was
clearly of the opinion that any solution proposed now could only be an interim
solution.
We must also face up to the realities of the financial situation, which is
discussed in more detail in the next chapter. Since we are proposing an interim solution
to the question of finance, we are also well-advised to seek an interim solution to the
question of organisation. Following the discussions that took place in the Steering
Committee, we believe that this interim solution should be devised on the assumption
that it will endure for a period of three to six years; however, the interim arrangements
could be superseded whenever an appropriate organisation had made the necessary
arrangements to incorporate DEVSIS in its continuing programme and budget.
The interim solution
The Steering Committee asked the Study Team to give particular consideration
to the possibilities for locating the management of DEVSIS within a UN body
having its base in a developing region of the world. There are some obvious candidates,
particularly the regional economic commissions whose responsibilities are clearly
identified with the same mission that DEVSIS itself is designed to support. These
commissions have their headquarters in Addis Ababa, Bangkok, Beirut and Santiago (as
well as the one in Geneva). But we must also consider the relationship of the
management function to that of the central processing function. Although we accept the
possibility of twinning, so that the processing could be carried out at a location different
from that where the management is conducted, the bulk of the staff needed will be with
the processing rather than with the management. To locate the management in a
developing country while still leaving the processing in Europe or North America would
be seen as a piece of facile political window dressing. If we are going to make a really
meaningful response to the legitimate interest in locating DEVSIS central operations in
a developing country, then it would be necessary to put there both the management and
the processing functions. This, as is indicated in criteria that we have elaborated, would
imply access to experienced staff, a large-scale computer and photocomposition services,
microfiche production equipment and rapid inexpensive printing services. These
resources do not now exist on the scale they would be needed at any of the locations
where there are major United Nations installations in developing countries.
'A new United Nations structure for global economic co-operation, document
E/AC.62/9 (New York: United Nations, 1975); Nouvelle structure des Nations Unies pour Ia
cooperation économique internationale, document E/AC.62/9 (New York: Nations Unies,
1975).
94

The Study Team believes that continued attention should be given to the
possibility of locating all DEVSIS central activities in a developing region and that this
could occur in three to six years when the interim solution is superseded by a permanent
solution. The establishment of the necessary staff, equipment and other facilities in a
developing region will inevitably be costly and should not be undertaken until DEVSIS
has proved its effectiveness and its long-term future is assured.
For the interim solution, we are offering three options. These are not seen as
the only possible options. Clearly, however, it is not within the competence of the Study
Team to approach a final conclusion. The ultimate decision on organisation, even for an
interim solution, must necessarily be taken within the highest echelons of the United
Nations family, probably in consultation with the governing bodies of the agency, or
agencies, concerned.
As indicated earlier, the following options are offered on the premise that the
interim solution will endure for three to six years and that, during this time, financing
will be available from sources other than the regular budgets of the organisations
concerned.
Option 1: The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(UN/ESA), New York, in contractual arrangement with the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna.
This option fulfils our criteria in that UN/ESA has a central role for the
mission of economic and social development and the IAEA has the staff, experience and
equipment for handling large-scale bibliographic data processing as well as rapid and
relatively inexpensive printing.
UN/ESA provides the secretariat for the Economic and Social Council; it has
under its purview the regional economic commissions; it has direct contacts with those
components of national governments that are concerned with development policy; and
- most important for DEVSIS - it has over-all responsibility in the United Nations system
for questions of development planning and for the continuous review and appraisal of
the development strategies adopted by the General Assembly for successive decades.
The Charter of the United Nations assigns to the Economic and Social Council
paramount responsibilities for development planning and programme co-ordination.
This assignment is spelled out, for instance, in ECOSOC Resolution 1767 (LIV) where
the Council accepts to examine "the activities and programmes of the agencies of the
United Nations System in order effectively to perform its functions as co-ordinator of the
system and to enable it to ensure that the work programmes of the United Nations and
its agencies are compatible and mutually complementary".
The Council has repeatedly recognised that "information on the United
Nations system's activities, resources, results and findings, is of relevance and significance
to the planning process in developing countries" and that there exists a "need of
governments of member States for improving coherent and comparable information on
the projects and programmes of the United Nations system to facilitate the decisionmaking
process...". DEVSIS, because it embraces the entire range of economic and
social development activities, is a potentially powerful tool for implementing the
co-ordination and review functions of the Council and could therefore, quite naturally,
come under its supervision.
The IAEA appears at present to be the organisation within the United
Nations system having the most successful record in the computerised processing of
95

large amounts of literature (computer capacity of 512 K). As indicated particularly in
Chapter 3, INIS is now past its fifth anniversary and serves in many ways as a model
for DEVSIS. IAEA also already has experience of a "twinned" operation; it handles the
processing needed for AGRIS on behalf of FAO.
The main shortcoming of the twinning of UN/ESA with IAEA is the
geographical distance between the two organisations, UN/ESA being headquartered in
New York and IAEA in Vienna. A way of partly overcoming this disadvantage might
however be to second some management staff to Vienna to ensure the maintenance of
continuous close contacts. This, in fact, is what has been done as between FAO and
IAEA; FAO has stationed key personnel in Vienna to participate in the processing work
and to make on-the-spot decisions related to it.
Option 2: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO), Paris, either under the mandate of its General Conference
or possibly by delegation from the Economic and Social Council.
UNESCO's qualifications include: its leading role in the United Nations
system in the area of information and documentation, further accentuated over the last
few years by its UNISIST programme (this was originally conceived to promote
information exchanges in the fields of science and technology, but is now being
expanded to take in the economic and social sciences as well): its activities to support
the building of national information infrastructures now embodied in its NATIS and
UBC (Universal Bibliographic Control) program mes; and its experience in information
processing (the International Serials Data System - LSDS, Computerised Documentation
Service - CDS, the Information System on Research in Information and Documentation
- ISORID, and the Science and Technology Policies Information Exchange System -
SPINES). These different information programmes are in the process of being consolidated
into a single integrated programme as requested by the last General Conference
of UNESCO ( 18C/Res. 7.21) and represent an expenditure of around 13 million dollars
in 1975-76. UNESCO's data-processing equipment in Paris is adequate (512 K), but its
capacities could be complemented, if necessary, by farming out certain operations to
either the IAEA in Vienna or to the International Computing Centre (ICC) in
Geneva.
A major UNESCO asset, due to its information mission in the United
Nations system, is undoubtedly its large and diversified experience in providing
assistance to developing countries in the setting up of regional and national information
services, which has recently been embodied in the NATIS programme. The direct
contacts so established should be of great value for putting into operation the national
DEVSIS units in developing (and even developed) countries and for building the
necessary infrastructures.
The principal shortcoming of UNESCO might be its lack of a central
mandate concerning economic development and thus its limited links with national
planning organisations and economic decision-makers. Also its practical experience in
the operation of large-scale decentralised bibliographic information systems is not yet
as extensive as that of either IAEA or FAO.
Option 3: The International Labour Office (ILO) in conjunction with the
International Computing Centre (ICC), Geneva.
96

The principal qualification of ILO is its long experience in the computer
processing of information in economic and social fields. Its Integrated Set of Information
Systems (ISIS) has been adopted for this purpose by an increasing number of other
international and national organisations (including ECLA, FAO, IDRC, UNESCO,
UNIDO and national organisations in Bulgaria, Mexico, Romania and Sweden). Thus,
ILO has a body of experienced staff and a familiarity with many of the technical
problems to be encountered in the implementation of DEVSIS.
ILO is also in the fortunate position of being able to call on the capacities of
the ICC which is located a few hundred metres from ILO headquarters. The ICC, which
has been in operation since 1971 was set up to provide a major common computing
facility for organisations in the United Nations system. The UN, itself, and UNDP and
ILO, have been major participants in the financing and use of the ICC facility which
involves a computer configuration with a capacity of 1,400 K. The ICC has strong
technical capabilities, including computer output on microfiche (COM), optical character
recognition (OCR), photocomposition and tele-communications. It has a staff of 42,
but, like that of ILO itself, the ICC staff has as yet no direct experience in major
decentralised bibliographic systems.
Having a legitimate major stake in economic and social development, the
Governing Body of the ILO might well be open to considering DEVSIS as a fitting
extension of its programme. However, while ILO does have this stake in economic and
social development, its main mandate is obviously in the field of labour and employment.
This might reflect on the image of DEVSIS in the eyes of potential users and also
have an unwanted influence on the choice of counterpart organisations in member
States.
The Study Team believes that among the options it has identified, and others
that may be identified in the future, the United Nations family has the resources to meet
the criteria that were set out earlier in this chapter. At the Third Session of the Steering
Committee, the principals involved (UN/ESA, UNESCO and 1LO) were invited to
consult with each other and to be prepared to narrow the options at the Fourth Session
which will be held in Paris in December 1975. By then the Study Team will have
completed its work, but its members look forward to a resolution of the organisational
questions involved in an interim solution.
Long-term solution
If, as has been suggested, DEVSIS is implemented with interim finance and
interim organisational arrangements for an initial period of three to six years, this will
allow for evaluations of the effectiveness of the system as an aid to development
decision-making. Such evaluations will be reflected in the positions that governments
take on the long-term future of the operation and their readiness to accept it on the
regular programme and budget of an appropriate United Nations organisation.
At that time also, the results of any restructuring of the United Nations will
be known. If, as has been proposed', a new United Nations Development Authority
(UNDA) has by then been established, it would be a leading candidate to provide
DEVSJS with its permanent home. Such an authority might very well have either its
main headquarters or a major component of its operations in a developing region. Given
a favourable evaluation of the initial phase of DEVSIS operations, it would then be
reasonable to make the capital and other investments needed to permit the future
operation of DEVSIS to be carried out from an UNDA base in a developing region.
'Loc. Cit.
97

Chapter 21
The financial base: options
As indicated in the previous chapter, we are proposing that DEVSIS should
be started on the basis of a three-to-six-year interim programme. Ultimately we believe
that the system should be operated as part of the regular programme of the responsible
agency and, hence, financed out of the regular budget of that agency. However, we
realise that, given their budget preparation cycles, it takes from two to three years to
bring a new activity into the programmes of the United Nations agencies. And, if
DEVSIS is first implemented under interim arrangements, it is likely that the United
Nations and the member States will want to carry out an evaluation of its usefulness
before adopting it as an indefinitely-continuing activity (see Chapter 24).
Any full discussion of the financial aspects of DEVSIS should acknowledge
the fact that all systems of this type involve investments, not only for the operation of
the Central Unit, but also for the operation of the participating centres in individual
countries and in international and regional agencies. In total, the costs incurrred in the
participating centres will be significantly greater than those of the Central Unit itself.
Based on the experience of other systems, one can assert that, when the total costs of the
Central Unit are averaged out over the number of items put through the system, they
are not likely to exceed $10 per item processed. But the preparation of these items in the
participating centres will have cost at least as much and possibly significantly more. The
actual costs in the participating centres will probably fall in the range of$lO-25 per item
depending on the volume handled, the degree of sophistication with, which the
participating centres carry out their work (e.g. do they write abstracts? do they convert
worksheets to machine-readable form?) and on a host of other factors, including
particularly the local salary rates. We cannot, in the time available for the study,
elaborate costs for participating centres in typical countries. We acknowledge that they
are important, but we believe that they represent a necessary investment in the national
interest, since each country needs to have an inventory of its own information
irrespective of whether or not it is participating in DEVSIS. The question of support for
the national participating centres is taken up again in Chapters 25 and 28; this present
chapter will, in fact, only deal with the financing of the Central Unit and not with that
of the participating centres.
Returning then to the question of financing the Central Unit operations in an
interim three-to-six-year period, we can offer a number of options:
(I) a joint inter-agency financing formula, by which the various UN agencies
with development interests each contribute to a pool;
the formula by which UNDP alone finances DEVSIS as a global project;
the formula by which a variety of interested sponsors contribute to a trust
fund set up by the agency that has management responsibility;
a combination formula effectively involving (2) and (3).
As we will indicate in Chapter 33, we will need, for the first three years, a
total sum of the order of $1,600,000 to $2,000,000.
98

Option I: Inter-agency financing
An interesting precedent is the budget of the Inter-Organisation Board for
Information Systems and Related Activities (lOB) and its secretariat. The lOB was set
up by inter-agency agreement expressed through the UN Administrative Committee on
Co-ordination (ACC) on the recommendation of the Consultative Committee on
Administrative Questions (CCAQ). A formula was worked out for establishing the
budget of the lOB on the basis of funds contributed by the participating agencies.
Conceivably DEYSIS could be established, either by assigning the responsibility to the
lOB, or by creating a similarly financed body in parallel with the lOB. This alternative
was not mentioned in the preceding chapter and, for the following reasons, the Study
Team does not recommend it:
The sums of money needed are sufficiently large to have a significant impact
on the budgets of the contributing agencies. It is most unlikely that they could
make these contributions without first going through the process of writing
DEYSIS into all their own separate programmes and budgets, a process that,
as indicated before, is likely to take two or three years. Each agency would
be working to its own schedule, the decisions would be staggered over a long
period of time, and - in the meanwhile - DEVSIS would have a very
uncertain existence.
We do not believe that the lOB is really an appropriate analogy. lOB was set
up primarily to serve the family of UN agencies; DEVSIS will be set up
primarily to serve the member States. Thus DEVSIS should much more
appropriately come under intergovernmental authority than under interagency
authority. Admittedly the agencies themselves are under intergovernmental
authority, but to interpose a level of interagency authority would, in
the opinion of the Study Team, remove the activity too far from direct
consideration and control by governments.
Option 2: Global project
At the Third Session of the DEVSIS Steering Committee, the members
agreed that a proposal should be submitted to UNDP to seek approval of a global
project that would provide the funds needed for the operation of DEVSIS by an
"executing agency". The initial submission would be for three years with a possible
extension for another three depending on the results achieved initially. An initial period
of less than three years would, in the opinion of the Study Team, be inadequate, given
the time needed for the preparation of the system as well as the time needed for the
diffusion of its products before any reasonable evaluation could be carried out.
It is significant that the UNDP Administrator has included the following
statement about DEVSIS in his 1974 report:
At another level, UNDP is supporting a feasibility study on the
technical requirements involved in the establishment of an International
Information System for the Development Sciences (DEVSIS), which would
act broadly as a documentation centre and clearing house for studies on
development. The study is being co-sponsored by UNDP, the International
Development Research Centre, OECD, the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and the International
Labour Organisation (ILO). As initially conceived, DEVSIS would provide
improved access to economic and social information among developing
countries and all those involved in the formulation and implementation of
99

development activities. It would also foster the building of national and
international resources needed to meet this goal, improve co-ordination
among existing development information facilities and help to avoid unnecessary
duplication and waste of resources. The system would first and
foremost be directed at meeting priority information needs of the developing
countries themselves. As such it could constitute an important step toward
encouraging greater technical co-operation among these countries.
The procedure for handling global projects in the UNDP involves a certain
lead-time during which the UNDP secretariat, the DEVSIS Steering Committee and an
"executing agency" selected from the options offered in the preceding chapter would
prepare the necessary documents and a detailed programme and budget. Once
approved by the Administrator, the proposal would then be considered by the UNDP
Governing Council. With an accelerated activity on the part of all the organisations
involved, it might be possible to have the funds available from July 1976.
Option 3: Trust fund
In recent years, many of the UN agencies have developed machinety for
undertaking work related to their missions or programmes, but for which no specific
budgetary provisions had been made. Funding agencies, particularly the bilateral
development-aid agencies, have often encountered situations where progress could
clearly be best achieved within the political environment of a multilateral organisation
and with the facilities and experience available only within the United Nations family.
In these cases, the funds are placed in a special account (trust fund) under the control
of the UN agency concerned; the UN agency then draws on the fund to recruit the staff
needed for the agreed programme and for other related expenses, and the funding
agency receives periodic programme reports and financial accounts. In most cases, the
UN agency also receives a percentage of the total amount in the trust fund as a
contribution towards the increased administrative expenses that it incurs as a result of
accepting the trust fund.
The machinery that has been established is straightforward and, normally,
no long lead-time is required for the establishment of such a fund.
If a trust fund is established in an appropriate UN agency, the Study Team
is encouraged to believe that contributions would be forthcoming. Already the DEVSIS
project is co-sponsored by six organisations, and while it would be unrealistic to suppose
that all of them are in a position to make major contributions, it seems reasonable to
expect that all of them would eventually be in a position to make some contribution, and
that some of them might be in a position to make sizeable contributions at an early date.
The International Development Research Centre (Canada) has already allocated about
$250,000 to the DEVSIS study, while the contributions of the other co-sponsors have
mostly been in kind, particularly through the assignment of their personnel to work with
the Steering Committee and the Study Team.
While not formally a co-sponsor of the DEVSIS study, the Deutsche Stiftung
für Internationale Entwicklung has participated actively in the work of the Steering
Committee and is financing a review conference on the DEVSIS feasibility study to be
held in December 1975. The Ministère de Ia Cooperation (France) and the Agency for
International Development (United States) have watched the study in progress and
have sent observers to meetings of the Steering Committee. Clearly these actions do not
commit any one agency, but the interest displayed bodes well for the future.
'The Administrator Reports 1974 United Nations Development Programme. United
Nations, New York, 1975, pp. 16.
100

Parenthetically, it may be useful to note that contributions in kind are often
more readily available than contributions in cash. This has been particularly noticeable
in the case of AGRIS. Several countries and institutions, particularly Belgium, France,
the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the
International Development Research Centre (Canada), have made individual experts
available for extended periods of duty to assist with the design and start-up of the
system. The Federal Republic of Germany has accepted to carry out the photocomposition
and printing of Agrindex during the prototype stage and for the first year of regular
production.
The Study Team believes it is difficult to integrate ad hoc contributions in
kind with the mainstream of an on-going pro- programme and that, often, such
contributions involve costly and time-consuming efforts in making the necessary
administrative arrangements. From a strictly operational point of view, cash is certainly
better. But it should also be borne in mind that a contribution in kind often engages the
donor agency to a much deeper extent in the programme, and this can be very important
in developing the necessary political support.
Option 4: Combination formula
Perhaps the most promising of the options for interim financing would
involve both the UNDP, in the form of a global project, and other interested sponsors
who would transfer their contributions into an appropriate fund. The Study Team has
not attempted to define the precise mechanisms by which these several contributions
could be combined; clearly the best mechanism would be that which fits most
conveniently into the normal administrative and financial procedures of the UNDP and
the "executing agency". One way would be for the other sponsors to transfer their funds
to UNDP to be managed in parallel with the UNDP's own allocation. Another would
be for the "executing agency" to establish a trust fund that would be used for specified
activities complementing those covered by the UNDP's global project. It is impossible
to define the most appropriate mechanism until the "executing agency" has been
identified.
The Study Team strongly recommends that all alternatives be pursued as
rapidly as possible, that a submission should be made to the UNDP as soon as an
"executing agency" has been identified and that, early in 1976, arrangements should be
made to convene a pledging conference to which potential sponsors should be invited.
We also recognise that, in view of the sums of money involved, the contributing agencies
will need a mechanism to satisfy themselves that the resources are used economically.
The question of financial management is treated with other management aspects in the
next chapter.
101

Policy
Chapter 22
Guidance: policy, technical, financial
As discussed, particularly in Chapter 20, the establishment and operation of
DEVSIS will depend on the continuing engagement of governments, and the national
authorities that they name, for the implementation of the system at the national level.
Governments must therefore be intimately involved in the direction and control of the
programme. By locating DEVSIS within a United Nations organisation we ensure that
it, as any other programme executed in such an environment, will come within the
purview of intergovernmental policy-making bodies.
These specific bodies can be identified when we look at the three options
outlined in Chapter 20.
Option I: The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs
(UN/ESA), New York, in contractual arrangement with the International
Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna.
Under this arrangement the competent intergovernmental body to exercise
policy guidance would be the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The Council
would probably wish to assign a major review responsibility to one of its committees,
perhaps the Committee for Development Planning or the Committee on Science and
Technology for Development. The DEVSIS programme would first be discussed in the
relevant committee and then submitted to ECOSOC through the competent sessional
Policy and Programme Committee. If, after the interim period, the UN/ESA also took
on financial responsibility for DEVSIS, the same route would be followed for budget
submissions.
Option 2: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation
(UNESCO), Paris, either under the mandate of its General Conference
or possibly by delegation from ECOSOC.
If, in fact, UNESCO is directly managing DEVSIS, the UNESCO General
Conference would be the ultimate intergovernmental policymaking body. The General
Conference would probably wish to assign a major review responsibility to the UN1SIST
Steering Committee. If, after the interim period, UNESCO also took on financial
responsibility for DEVSIS, these same bodies, as well as others in the UNESCO
structure concerned with financial questions, would be involved in considering budget
submissions.
If, on the other hand, UNESCO is managing DEVSIS by delegation from
ECOSOC, the UNESCO Director-General would submit major policy papers and
reports to ECOSOC after they had been reviewed and endorsed by the UNISIST
Steering Committee and the UNESCO General Conference (or Executive Board). Such
a three-tier arrangement may seem cumbersome, but it would also have the advantage
of elevating DEVSIS to a status of major concern to the UN system as a whole and thus
ensure the participation and involvement of all the agencies.
102

Option 3: The International Labour Office (ILO) in conjunction with the
International Computing Centre (ICC), Geneva.
If the ILO is to have direct responsibility for the implementation of DEVSIS,
major policy matters would be the concern of its Governing Body. In this case, the Study
Team believes that it would probably be necessary for the Director-General or the
Governing Body to establish a special intergovernmental committee to review the
programme in detail in advance of more formal discussions in the Governing Body
itself.
As in the UNESCO case, it could be that ILO would undertake the work by
delegation from the ECOSOC. Then, as also in the UNESCO case, the ILO Director-
General would submit major policy papers and reports to ECOSOC after they had been
reviewed and endorsed by the special committee and the Governing Body of the ILO.
Technical
The Study Team strongly urges the creation of a Central Technical Committee
(CTC) which would have considerable influence with the DEVSIS Central Unit on
technical and substantive issues. Clearly the final decision-making powers must rest with
the intergovernmental policy bodies. Nevertheless it is the experience of INIS, for
example, that a group composed mainly of the participants can effectively act on
technical and substantive issues. This experience is discussed in more detail in Chapter
26. Since the national participating centres are established by governments, the positions
taken by the centres' representatives at technical meetings are very likely to receive the
endorsement of their governments, which will then support these positions in the higher
level, truly intergovernmental bodies.
So the Central Technical Committee would be advisory, but because it would
involve a strong representation of the participating centres in the network, its advice
would carry considerable weight. Indeed its members would be able to speak not only
about the Central Unit's technical programme, but also about the programme of the
national and regional participating centres and what, individually and collectively, these
centres would be prepared to undertake.
However, because we may eventually have over a hundred centres in the
DEVSIS network, it would be impossibly expensive and unwieldy to allow for direct
representation of all of them in the CTC. It is partly for this reason that we will propose
(Chapter 26) the formation of regional monitoring groups. We believe that the core
members of the CTC should be appointed on the nominations of the regional
monitoring groups, and that each of these individuals should be empowered by his
regional monitoring group to speak for the centres in his region.
In addition to the core members appointed from the regions to represent the
interests of the participating centres, the CTC might also have some members who can
directly reflect the interests of the users of the system. These might be senior officials
from ministries of planning in developing countries. Finally, at all meetings of the CTC,
provision should be made for the presence of representatives of the UNISIST programme
and of other major co-operative international information systems.
The CTC should normally meet once a year. It would consider topics referred
to it by the regional monitoring groups as well as reports on the past and present
activities of the Central Unit and the Central Unit's forward programme.
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Finance and administration (interim period)
As discussed in the previous chapter, we expect that, for an initial threeto-six-year
period, DEYSIS will be financed by a consortium of interested bodies
including the UNDP. These bodies will probably wish to establish a mechanism by
which they can monitor the spending of the funds that they have contributed, to advise
on the management practices that are employed, and to consider any proposals for
supplementary financing or for further instalments of the initial programme. This
mechanism would also give the sponsors an opportunity to co-ordinate their funding of
DEVSIS-related projects in particular countries or regions.
We propose the creation of a Finance and Administative Committee (FAC)
that would work in parallel with the CTC. Like the CTC it would be advisoiy, and it
would not detract from the executive powers of the governing bodies of the agency
responsible for the programme. The FAC would be a small committee with one
representative of each contributor. Like the CTC, the FAC would consider reports on the
past and present activities of the Central Unit and the Central Unit's forward
programme. It would make recommendations to the DEVSIS director and to the
financial and administrative officers of the managing agency.
The FAC could be dissolved once DEVSIS began to derive its entire
financing from the regular programme and budget of the responsible agency; in this case
the FAC functions would be taken over by the agency's normal procedures for financial
and administrative monitoring. Nevertheless, even at this stage there may be a need to
retain a body which could globally co-ordinate the financing and scheduling of projects
designed to support socio-economic development information activities.
Central
Technical
Committee
National
and Regional
Centres
Scheme of guidance of DEVSIS activities
3
Regional
Monitoring
Groups
ECOSOC
Governing Body of
executing agency
(if it is not ESA)
Intergovernmental
Committee
4
Executing
Agency
DEVSIS
Central Unit
A *
Contracting
Agency (if any)
104
Finance and
Administration
Cttee (sponsors)

Chapter 23
Central secretariat and management functions:
relations with the network, with UNISIST and
with other international systems
In earlier chapters we have described in some detail the technical functions
of the DEVSIS Central Unit. Obviously the Central Unit must keep its own house in
order. Participating centres must be able to rely on the fact that their input is processed
speedily, that there is prompt feedback about problems in input, that production targets
are met and that output products meet the required standards. In respect of FILE TWO
they must be assured of receiving regular and up-to-date information about available
resources. Since the Central Unit is essentially a service organisation its performance will
be highly visible to participating centres.
In this chapter we will consider the management responsibilities of the
Central Unit in relation to its host organisatlon and its advisory committees, in relation
to the functioning of the network as a whole, and in relation to co-operation between
DEVSIS and other international information systems.
The Central Unit
We have recommended (in Chapter 20) that the DEVSIS Central Unit be
located within an existing organisation of the United Nations family. The first
responsibility of management is therefore to integrate DEVSIS within that organisation
and make full use of the support services it offers and the opportunity it provides for
communication with national governments. Particularly in the early stages of DEVSIS
implementation every effort must be made to explain to governments the principles of
the system and the mechanisms by which countries can participate. Management will
also be responsible for preparing the necessary programme statements and budgets on
which the continuance of the programme will depend. The body to which the
management of the Central Unit will be directly responsible will depend on which of the
three options outlined in Chapter 20 is selected as providing the most appropriate home
for DEVSIS.
In any event the Central Unit will be responsible for providing secretariat
services to the Central Technical Committee (CTC) and the Financial Advisory
Committee (FAC) that we proposed in Chapter 22.
The functioning of the network
We will suggest in Chapter 26 that the feedback of national participating
centres (concerning their needs, ideas and suggestions) can be consolidated through
regional mechanisms. However, we also propose that each national participating centre
appoint a liaison officer not only to co-operate within regional groupings, but also to
handle communications with the Central Unit. Since national centres will be providing
input directly to the Central Unit, close contacts will be required with individual staff
members in the Central Unit, in order not only to overcome immediate technical
problems, but also to ensure that the system as a whole is responsive to the needs of
national centres. These links can be strengthened by general meetings of liaison officers
in the early phase of DEVSIS when participation in the system is limited. We do
propose, again in Chapter 26, that a time will come when participation will be so large
105

that global meetings will be unwieldy. In this case meetings of regional groups can be
held with a member of the Central Unit staff in attendance.
The formal mechanisms for ensuring the smooth flow of information through
the network (see Chapter 17) should be on the agenda when liaison officers meet. These
mechanisms include the continuation of the DEVSIS Newsletter in a form which will
enable all participating centres to make contributions; the development of training
programmes on subjects identified by the liaison officers as being particular problem
areas; and the revision and translation of standards and manuals. In Chapter 28 we
identify a leading role for regional centres in training. But it will be the responsibility of
the management of the Central Unit to co-ordinate training and to ensure that the
appropriate members of its staff are available.
The staff, and in particular the management, of the Central Unit must not be
constrained by formal procedures. They must be prepared to respond to ad hoc requests
for discussions, meetings and training although the need for such activities, particularly
in the area of training, can be reduced by adequate planning. If training programmes
reflect the needs of participants as expressed by their liaison officers, if adequate advance
warning is provided, and if they are located in the most convenient places for the
participants, the need to go outside formal training programmes should be reduced.
Relations with UNISIST and with
other international systems
The management of the DEVSIS Central Unit must ensure that DEVSIS
fulfils its responsibilities towards the community of international information systems
developed under the UNISIST umbrella.
Designing a system within the constraints of existing standards inevitably
complicates the task of the systems analyst. Every system has some unique features, and
standards which do not take account of these features are always more difficult to apply
than locally developed procedures. But the answer for DEVSIS is not that it develop its
own norms and standards, but that it participate - through UNISIST and ISO - in the
development of inter-system norms and standards. The alternative - to design the system
in isolation from work being done elsewhere - would impose on participating centres,
the burden of using tools, to input to DEYSIS and to exploit its products, that have no
other application.
Standardisation can be usefully applied to a number of components of
information systems. There is an obvious advantage to both the DEVSIS Central Unit
and to participating centres if standard sets of computer software can be used, on the one
hand to create and process machine-readable input for all international information
systems, and, on the other, to process all outputs. The IAEA and FAO have already gone
far along the road to developing a software package which can handle the central
processing of both INIS and AGRIS records. DEVSIS would hope to take advantage of
this co-operation, and to build onto the common set, features that are specially required
for DEVSIS. We would also hope that DEVSIS will take a lead in the further
development of the common package.
The analysis, design and implementation of computer software is an
expensive and lengthy process. If it is useful to attempt common software for the Central
Units of international systems, it is even more useful to attempt it for participating
centres where perhaps several dozen different programme packages would otherwise be
developed to handle essentially the same tasks. Close co-operation will be required
106

among the systems analysts in the Central Units and in those participating centres which
have access to computers.
Standardisation of software has an impact throughout the systems. It
facilitates the use of common tools such as worksheets and authority lists. It enables staff
trained for one system to apply their skills to other systems. There are definite economic
benefits both for the Central Unit and for participating centres.
Co-operation with other systems is also important for ensuring that the
appropriate lines are drawn between material that is input to DEVSIS and that which
is input to other systems. There are areas within the scope of DEVSIS which are of
interest to other systems - rural development to AGRIS for example. In order not to
duplicate the analysis and processing of this literature those responsible for the two
systems must decide exactly where the boundaries fall. The users of both systems also
obviously need to know. The scope of DEVSIS has been cast deliberately wide because
at present the user we have identified is poorly served by information systems. We have
stated that DEVSIS will retreat from parts of its scope as other systems are developed
which provide equivalent service to users. Constant contact therefore must be maintained
with systems that are proposed within the UNISIST framework.
On the technical level UNISIST also provides a forum for harmonising the
thesauri used by various systems. As more international systems develop in adjacent
subject areas the need for compatible indexing and retrieval tools becomes more
pronounced.
Clearly none of this co-operation will amount to much unless the managements
of international information systems are sensitive to the need to solve technical
and policy questions in concert with representatives of other systems. UNISIST provides
the framework for such co-operation and the Study Team recommends that the DEVSIS
management take full advantage of it.
In this chapter we have identified the tasks of the central secretariat in
relation to internal management, network support and co-operation with other systems.
The key people in the Central Unit involved in these tasks will be the Director and his
assistant, the technical staff responsible for over-all system development and thesaurus
management, and the computer systems analyst. But all staff have a role to play in
promoting these activities.
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Chapter 24
Evaivation
Whatever arrangements are made for the initial operation of DEVSIS, a time
may come when the organisations providing the necessary financial and other resources
will want to carry out an evaluation of the system. Indeed, it is very likely that some form
of evaluation exercise will be required before the international community will agree to
shift DEVSIS from an interim operation (financed mainly as an experiment) to a
continuing operation (financed for the value of the services it provides).
The terms of reference and the methodology of any evaluation should, of
course, be specified by an independent organisation, and the evaluation should be
conducted by individuals who have no direct involvement in the operation of the system.
Total impartiality is an illusion; but evaluation might best be carried out by individuals
who are involved in the process of socio-economic development and who identify their
interests with those of the development mission. They should, of course, have an
understanding of the techniques available for promoting information transfer, but they
should not be partisans of any particular technique.
In general, there are two techniques available for evaluating an information
system, the microscopic and the macroscopic.
Microscopic methods
Here one identifies a particular product (say, one subscription to the printed
issues of Devindex ) and seeks to follow this product through to the users for whom it
was destined. The evaluators would then ask:
- Did it reach the .iser(s) for whom it was destined?
If they recieved it, did they look at it?
- If they looked at it, did they take any action as a result?
If they took some action, did this action benefit the user(s) or did it harm
them?
The sequence would have to be repeated for a sufficiently large sample of DEVSIS
products among a sufficiently large sample of users.
But, even if the samples are large, this technique is fraught with dangers.
Users, particularly decision-makers and those who are close to decision-makers, are
exposed to messages from many channels of communication. Post facto, it is very
difficult to know what message tipped the scales in favour of this decision or that
decision. Experience shows that the methodological problems are great in any direct
microscopic study of the role of information in decision-making.
Macroscopic methods
Fortunately there are other techniques available for those who may attempt
to evaluate DEVSIS in the future, and the Study Team believes that, in the long run, the
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macroscopic techniques are more reliable. As we have pointed out in Chapter 2, there
are now many services, some local, some national, some international, that attempt to
provide information services on a limited basis to particular segments of the development
community. Obviously these will not be abandoned the moment that a decision is
taken to create DEVSIS. But, to the extent that DEVSIS is successful, it will begin to
displace these more limited services, and the organisations that are now financing them
will use their resources for other purposes (some perhaps even for preparing input to
DEVSIS itself).
A very clear illustration of this process can be seen by looking at the history
of information services in atomic energy. After 1945, many countries established atomic
energy programmes and endowed them rather liberally. Most of them saw the
importance of building rapid and comprehensive information services to serve the
national programmes, and many of the more interesting modern developments in
information science grew out of the experience within these atomic energy programmes.
At first each country tended to work on its own, even though it attempted to make a
world-wide collection of relevant information by scanning all the science journals and
establishing exchanges with other countries. By the mid-I 950s many of the atomic
energy centres had their own abstracting and indexing programmes and, for those days,
sophisticated retrospective searching and current-awareness services, including manual
SDI. To build these services, many of the centres had established enormous files with
hundreds of thousands of cards.
But, by then, the United States programme was producing Nuclear Science
Abstracts, a first-class service for both retrospective searching and current-awareness.
Nuclear Science Abstracts was available on exchange and by purchase to other atomic
energy centres all over the world. One by one, the national atomic energy programmes
realised that it would be more cost-effective for them to rely on Nuclear Science
Abstracts and to close out their own files. By the mid-1960s almost all of the larger
national indexing and abstracting programmes had been displaced in favour of Nuclear
Science Abstracts. But, of course, this solution depended on the willingness of the United
States Government to maintain the service as the volume of new literature increased and
the costs rose correspondingly. And, the United States became one of the principal
initiators of the INIS project with the aim of finding a long-term solution that would
ensure the participation of all countries and a sharing of the efforts required. Now INIS
has reached the point that it is providing almost complete coverage of the world's new
nuclear literature, abstracts are being added to the computer records, and the United
States has indicated its intention to end Nuclear Science Abstracts during the course of
1976.
Indeed, the surest indication that INIS is now a cost-effective programme is
the willingness of the United States to abandon a service that has been known to be of
inestimable value to its own scientific community, and one that has earned great prestige
for the United States in other countries.
A decade, of course, is a very long time, and it may be that no one will want
to wait that long before evaluating the DEVSIS service. But even over a shorter
time-scale, it should be possible to see whether libraries and information centres begin
to give up their own indexing and abstracting activities and place increasing reliance on
the DEVSLS products.
The technique of macroscopic evaluation seeks, not to make a direct
judgment of the service, but to detect decisions that responsible people have made and
that reveal their judgments of service, e.g. the librarian who, with the interests of his
clients and his own budget in mind, decides either "Yes, I will cut down or abandon my
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own indexing operation and use Devindex instead" or "No, Devindex is not sufficiently
rapid, comprehensive and reliable, and I must continue to develop my service".
In this connection, the surveys that ADI and CLADES are conducting in their
respective regions, and that ECWA is considering undertaking, in West Asia and North
Africa, to determine what socio-economic information services are now available will
provide useful benchmarks for any macroscopic evaluation of DEVSIS a few years after
its implementation. Then, it will be relatively easy and inexpensive to inquire what has
happened to the services that were operational in 1975 and to assess the impact that
DEVSIS will have had on them.
The macroscopic evaluation seeks, therefore, to identify the decisions that
reflect an aggregation of judgments. But the mechanisms by which DEYSIS itself is
managed involve a reflection of judgments at an even higher level of aggregation.
DEVSIS, as we have proposed in Chapter 20, will be under intergovernmental control.
Major decisions on its programme and budget will be taken in a forum where
representatives will reflect the judgments of their national authorities. These separate
national judgments will, in turn, be reconciled in an international consensus. In the view
of the Study Team, this is the last word. Whatever is done in the way of independent
scientific evaluation of the system, DEVSIS will continue if governments find it useful
and want it to continue; DEVSIS will be killed if governments find it too costly or of too
little value and want it to stop.
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Chapter 25
The establishment of national participating centres:
the possibilities of engaging regional centres
for some operating functions
National participating centres
DEVSIS has been defined as a decentralised system; it will rely on national
participating centres for much of its input. This report has suggested that the DEVSIS
Central Unit be located within a United Nations organisation. The management of the
Central Unit can thus directly approach member States to name national DEYSIS
participating centres. The Central Unit can provide guidelines to aid the national
government in making the selection, but the choice is a national responsibility to be
made by national governments.
Functions
The national participating centre will identify and collect nationally produced
publications, reports and documents which fall within the scope of DEVSIS. It
will record information about this literature in the required form, and regularly transmit
records to the Central Unit. It will receive the printed output from the Central Unit
which represents the global file, and it may receive the file itself, or a requested subset
of it, on magnetic tape. It will make DEVSIS outputs available to national users.
The first task is identification. Most countries have deposit laws; in principle
all national publications are available in one location. In practice this is not always the
case, and the DEVSIS participant will probably have to join others to work towards
either the enactment of a deposit law or its firmer application. As far as unpublished
material is concerned, the DEVSIS participant will need to develop links with
government ministries, banks, research institutes, universities, and with any other
organisations within the country that are producing literature which falls within the
scope of DEVSIS, to ensure that relevant material i regularly reported.
The method of recording information (worksheets, facsimile worksheets,
magnetic tape) will depend on the resources of the participating centre. Ideally no new
institutional framework should be established for DEVSIS. The functions should be
carried out in an organisation which is already providing some level of documentation
and information service, preferably one that directly supports development decision
makers, e.g. in the Ministry of Planning. The additional resources required to prepare
DEVSIS input will depend on the volume of economic and social development literature
produced in the country and the degree to which it is already being processed.
Staff requirements
In an organisation which is already recording full bibliographic information
about its country's DEVSIS-type material, probably only one additional staff member
would be required to liaise with the Central Unit, to be familiar with DEVSIS standards
and guidelines, to ensure that they are applied locally, and to establish links with other
participating centres, particularly those within the same region.
Ill

An organisation that is building its DEVSIS capability from scratch will
require a manager who can liaise with the Central Unit and establish links with national
producers of information; a staff member with a background in economics or one of the
social sciences who would be responsible for selecting items according to the scope
definition (referring doubtful cases to the manager), assigning items to categories,
preparing abstracts and assigning descriptors; a cataloguer who would prepare
bibliographic descriptions of items in accordance with DEVSIS guidelines and standards,
and the support staff required for typing, filing, etc. One subject specialist could
process about 40-50 items a week, one cataloguer perhaps 100 items a week.
Most probably the DEVSIS national participating centre will be located in
an organisation which is already performing some, but not all, of the tasks required for
DEVSIS. In this case the primary requirement would be for a liaison officer who could
train staff to adopt the techniques already in use to meet the requirements of DEVSIS
and reinforce the national links required to secure all input.
If there already exists at the national level an organisation responsible for
providing machine-readable input to AGRIS or INIS this facility could also be used to
prepare machine-readable input for DEVSIS. If the organisation is a documentation
centre which analyses, indexes and catalogues documents, it is possible that only one
additional subject specialist would be required to analyse DEVSIS material. If the
organisation is simply a computer-processing centre, the DEVSIS participating centre
could be located elsewhere and arrange to use the processing capability.
Dissemination of DEVSIS outputs
The DEVSIS participating centre will be responsible also for ensuring the
most effective use of DEVSIS outputs. Chapter 16 outlines suggested specialised output
services that could be provided nationally from the DEVSIS magnetic-tape service. It
points out that similar services can be developed on the basis of the printed outputs. If
the DEVSIS participating centre is located within an organisation that already has an
established user network, the same network can be used to disseminate information
from DEVSIS. But special attempts should be made to reach the users of DEVSIS
identified in Chapter 5 - particularly planners and policy makers. Selective information
services should be provided to these users and evaluated.
One participating centre staff member should be responsible for developing
and maintaining contacts with users. His responsibilities will include defining specialised
needs and responding to them, developing mailing lists for regular services based on
DEVSIS outputs, arranging user seminars, evaluating the degree to which DEVSIS
meets national needs and communicating these to the regional monitoring group (see
Chapter 26) and the DEVSIS Central Unit.
Apart from the technical functions outlined above, the DEVSIS participating
centre should, once it is operating effectively, offer training based on its own specialised
experience. It should be able to advise its government's information policy group; and
it should provide the DEVSIS Central Unit with any information which could lead to
the modification of DEVSIS to better serve local users.
Guidelines for selection of participating centres
A DEVSIS participating centre could be built in any one of a number of
different candidate organisations: existing library and documentation centres, central
banks, planning ministries, universities, etc. Whichever organisation is selected should
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have the support of its government to facilitate the collection of literature; it should have
assured sources of finance; it should have - or have access to - the physical plant to
support whichever DEVSIS implementation level it seeks to apply; it should have, or be
willing to develop, close links at the national and international level. Preferably the
organisation should already have established links with users of economic and social
information; preferably also it should have on its staff a subject specialist in the social
sciences. The identification of the DEVSIS participating centre should be made by the
government on the advice of whatever organisation is primarily responsible for
development policy-making and planning in consultation with the unit responsible for
information policy.
In some countries there may be no focal point for information policy and
little infrastructure on which the new operation could be based. In such a case the
DEVSIS Central Unit should try to introduce the government concerned to the NATIS
and UNISIST programmes, and to other international programmes which are directed
towards building and strengthening information infrastructures. The objective will first
be to assist the government in determining its own information policy in the light of
national needs and the support it can get from the various international programmes,
and to help ensure that it makes its decision regarding DEVSIS in the light of this
broader consideration of national information needs.
All the functions outlined above apply to DEVSIS, but they can also be
applied to the collection, storage and retrieval of literature outside the scope of DEVSIS.
The operation of the DEVSIS participating centre requires skills which are essential if
a country is to bring its own recorded knowledge under control. DEVSIS techniques
could be applied to meet other information requirements of participating countries.
Regional participating centres
Regional DEVSIS participating centres should always be located at regional
organisations which themselves produce literature within the scope of DEVSIS. One of
their primary operational functions will be to provide their own input to the system - and
possibly that of other regional organisations; the other will, of course, be to exploit the
DEVSIS file for the benefit of their own staff and programmes. They may also perform
these operational roles on behalf of particular countries in their region. But this should
be accompanied by efforts to build the required capability in the countries concerned.
Thus, we see an operational role for the regional centres, but not a major one.
We also see important programmatic roles for the regional centres and these will be
discussed in Chapters 26 and 28. But for the staff of the regional centres to carry out their
programmatic roles in a sensitive and effective manner, they need a clear understanding
of all the technical processes involved in DEVSIS operations. Their own in-house
operations, albeit on a limited scale, will give them the experience from which this
understanding may grow.
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Chapter 26
Consultative mechanisms: management by participation
In Chapter 22, we outlined the need for high-level advisory bodies that will
guide the work of the DEVSIS Central Unit. But, particularly on substantive and
technical aspects, it is most important that the system should be sensitive to the needs
of national and regional participants, and geared to respond to the feedback that they
will provide.
At each national centre participating in INIS, a liaison officer has been
appointed. About once a year, the INIS liaison officers come together from all over the
world. They discuss the operation of the system, identify problems, consider the next
phase of development and reach a consensus about what should be done and what are
relative priorities. The recommendations of the INIS liaison officers carry a great deal
of weight both with the governing bodies of the IAEA and with the governments of the
participating countries. When the INIS liaison officers are in agreement, the necessary
facilities and money are usually forthcoming as, for example, following the recent
decision to add the abstracts into the INIS computer records.
But INIS actively involves only about 45 countries. Hopefully DEVSIS will
involve all countries. It would be impossibly expensive to bring together the DEYSIS
liaison officers from all over the world and, even if this could be done, the meetings
would be so large that it is not likely that they could make much progress in dealing with
complex technical matters.
Another solution must be found, one that is effective in providing feedback
channels to overcome deficiencies and to guide the further development of the system.
The Study Team proposes three mechanisms:
Liaison officers
As indicated in Chapter 25, we believe it is essential that each national and
regional participating centre appoint an individual (which may be its chief) to liaise with
the Central Unit and with the rest of the network. This person might also be the person
who has the major responsibility for liaison with producers and users of DEVSIS
information within the centre's territory.
DEVSIS liaison officers will be the persons mainly responsible for correspondence
with the Central Unit and with other centres. They will be in close touch with their
own centre's operations identifying problems and needs. They will be encouraged to
reflect these in their correspondence with the Central Unit, and to make suggestions, e.g.
for training programmes, for modifying manuals, etc. There is always a danger that the
highly specialised staff in the Central Unit will steer the system in directions that,
theoretically, would be optimal but that would impose practical difficulties for the
participants. This tendency can best be counteracted by ensuring a continuous input of
pragmatic suggestions from the liaison officers.
DEVSIS Newsletter
A DEVSIS Newsletter has already been started by the Study Team to
establish a flow of information to its constituency and to solicit advice on its work. This
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should be expanded and transformed when DEVSIS becomes an on-going programme.
It should become the primary medium for reporting the experiences of participating
centres, their failures as well as their successes; for commentaries on the effectiveness of
the system; for suggestions to improve the system and to overcome deficiencies; and for
establishing a sense of "community" among the individuals active in the network. The
liaison officer in, say, Indonesia may never meet the liaison officer in, say, Jamaica: but,
from the DE VSIS Newsletter, each will have learned about the other and his work and,
as colleagues, they should feel free to correspond on matters of mutual interest.
The DEVSIS Newsletter should become trilingual. It may need more than
one editor (one for each language). The editor(s) should not necessarily be located at
the Central Unit, and the DE VSIS Newsletter should not necessarily be published from
the Central Unit. The Central Unit will, of course, need to contribute to the DEVSIS
Newsletter and use it to report on progress and plans related to the system as a whole;
but there is much to be said for placing the main responsibility for its editorial content
with an experienced liaison officer in one of the participating developing countries.
Regional monitoring groups
In the absence of periodic world meetings of DEVSIS liaison officers, it will
be very important to establish regional monitoring groups meeting preferably at least
once a year. Each participating centre in the region will be represented on the regional
monitoring group by a named individual, normally its liaison officer.
The regional monitoring groups will be convened by the appropriate regional
participating centres; they will discuss all aspects of DEVSIS, including training
programmes, technical procedures and requirements with respect to outputs. They will
formulate recommendations that can be addressed to the Central Technical Committee,
to the Central Unit, or to the regional participating centres. The monitoring groups will
oversee particular regional activities, e.g. the production of manuals in local languages.
They will identify the need for new products for the region, e.g. specialised printed
outputs.
Each regional monitoring group will be set up to reflect the realities of the
situation in its region. It may be small or large but, if it becomes too large, it can be split.
It may have a permanent Chairman or a rotating Chairman; a secretariat in the regional
centre or a secretariat in one of the national centres. At least for its annual meetings, it
will be able to count on the presence of a representative of the Central Unit who will be
there to supply information about central activities, answer questions, respond to
suggestions, and carry recommendations back to his colleagues in the Central Unit.
The regional monitoring groups will be important links in the chain for
establishing policy with respect to the technical and substantive aspects of the system,
e.g. changes in scope, improvements to indexing. Each regional monitoring group will
appoint a member of the Central Technical Committee and thus ensure that its concerns
and its suggestions are reflected whenever a global decision is to be reached.
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SECTION G
SUPPORTING PROGRAMMES
Chapter 27
Standards, manuals, authority lists: responsibilities
for the development and application of norms
In the context of DEVSIS, standards define the permitted values of a given
field in a bibliographic record and the permitted format in which a record may be
submitted to the central processing unit. Manuals explain how a participating centre
makes a decision about which of the permitted values should be applied in any given
situation, or about how to construct a record, on a worksheet, on paper tape or on
magnetic tape, in a form that is accepted by the computer programmes in operation at
the Central Unit. Authority lists are developed from the central file on the basis of a
preliminary definition worked out by the Central Unit and usage in the participating
centres. These lists are then distributed to participating centres to ensure acceptance of
the common usage by all participants.
Norms refer collectively to standards, manuals and authority lists and are
required in three areas:
the preparation of the bibliographic description of the document;
the subject indexing, or description of the content of the document;
the format in which the information can be submitted to the central
processing unit on a machine-readable medium.
Standards can, and often will, be identified or developed by the staff of the
DEVSIS Central Unit. They cannot, however, be established until they have been tested
and evaluated within participating centres.
The same is true of manuals which explain where and how standards are to
be applied. These must be usable tools for those responsible for providing input in
participating centres. It is true to a lesser extent of authority lists which are constructed
from the contents of the file itself and which therefore may already reflect the usage of
participating centres.
Bibliographic description
The basic manual of instruction for bibliographic description will be
DEVSIS: Guidelines for Bibliographic Description. This manual will indicate how to
select types of documents for inclusion in the DEVSIS file and how to define each field
in the DEVSIS record. The guidelines will be supplemented by the standards and
authority lists which are required to appropriately identify corporate bodies, serials titles,
report numbers, geographic entities, sectors and languages, and the rules for the
transliteration of non-Roman alphabets. An annex to the guidelines should include
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samples of complete bibliographic descriptions for all types of DEVSIS input: serials,
books, reports, film strips, slides, maps, etc.
The guidelines will be consistent with UNISIST recommendations but they
must reflect specific DEVSIS requirements for additional information. The basic
document for the preparation of the guidelines is Chapter 11 of this report and its
annex.
DEVSIS can rely on international standards for the authority lists of serials
titles (ISDS), geographical areas (ISO) and languages (ISO). The sector codes are few
and straightforward and will be developed internally. We can apply INIS and AGRIS
rules for the construction of report number identifications. The corporate body list has
been the most problematic in other systems.
INIS began by attempting to standardise names of corporate bodies both
when these were entered as "authors" in their own right and when entered as
"affiliations" of personal authors, but found that it was impossibly difficult to enforce
the standards and maintain the authority list. INIS, therefore, gave up its attempt to
standardise for affiliations but retained its standardisation of corporate authors. The
Study Team believes that INIS was trying to standardise at too detailed a level within
institutions: for one corporate body there could be as many as 40 entries identifying
subdivisions within the institution. These divisional names change often and it is almost
impossible for the Central Unit to maintain a current authority file.
We believe that it is essential that DEVSIS users be able to retrieve
information issued from a particular institution (i.e. the place where the work was done).
For this reason we recommend that DEVSIS does attempt to standardise corporatebody
names but that it do so only at the level of the name of the institution itself and
not of its subdivisions.
Subject indexing
The main standards developed to assist with subject indexing will be: the
DEVSIS: Scope Definition, and the DEVSIS: Development Thesaurus. The scope
definition (see Annex 9) defines the categories to which records may be assigned and
under which they will appear in the printed bibliography, Devindex. The Thesaurus lists
the terms which may be used in abstracts or keyword strings to describe the contents of
referenced documents, and defines the relationships among these terms. The DEVSIS:
Indexing Manual will explain how to apply the categories and keywords, and how to
prepare abstracts as well as give guidance on when it is appropriate to prepare a full
abstract for a particular document and when a keyword string will suffice.
Format of machine-readable records
The specifications and record formats for magnetic tape and paper tape input
will also be defined in DEVSIS manuals. These will specify the format of the record, the
structure of the file and tape labelling requirements as well as the acceptable physical
characteristics of the tape. The specifications will be compatible with the relevant
recommendation of the International Standards Organisation (ISO 2709) Format for
bibliographic information interchange on magnetic tape, which is also recommended by
the UNISIST Reference Manualfor machine-readable bibliographic descriptions. This
implies that they will also be compatible with AGRIS and INIS specifications. DEVSIS
must also identify a permissible set of characters which may be used in DEVSIS records
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(see Chapter 10) and the codes which represent these characters on magnetic and paper
tape.
Responsibilities for identifying and
ensuring the application of norms
The central processing unit is responsible for producing and distributing
standards, manuals and authority lists. However, mechanisms must be developed for
sharing this responsibility with participating centres. In the operational phase of
DEVSIS, the regional monitoring groups (see Chapter 26) could provide a forum for
examining norms and for planning tests and evaluations.
The Central Unit must ensure that all standards, manuals and authority lists
are available in the three carrier languages of DEVSIS; it may not, however, have the
resources to undertake all translation itself and thus may wish to contract the work to
the appropriate participating centre.
As the DEVSIS operation becomes established and more participants join
the system the responsibility for evaluating norms and for indicating when modifications
or new standards are required will be increasingly spread among participating centres.
In the planning phase when norms are being developed for the first time and few
governments have identified participating centres, a more centralised approach will
probably be necessary.
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Chapter 28
Technical assistance to national participants
Training and advisory services
from the DEVSIS Central Unit
The DEVSIS Central Unit has a direct responsibility for ensuring that
training is provided to national participating centres in those areas of information
processing which are essential for the successful operation of the system:
bibliographic description;
abstracting and indexing;
reprographic techniques, particularly those that apply to the use of
microfiche;
- the manipulation of DEVSIS outputs to meet user needs;
- the application of various levels of computer technology to bibliographic
work.
It also has a responsibility to provide advice to participating centres on such
questions as: the appropriate level of technology to be applied (taking account of
alternative hardware, available support, compatibility etc.), staffing requirements and
organisational questions.
The advisory functions can probably be carried out largely by correspondence,
particularly once liaison officers have been identified and they have become
familiar with the responsibilities of individual members of staff in the Central Unit. The
DEVSIS Newsletter can also serve as a more generalised source of advice.
Training, however, must be carried out on the spot and the Central Unit will
need to assign to one Professional staff member the responsibility for co-ordination and
to budget for staff travel for this purpose. We suggest later in this chapter that the
regional centres have a role to play in identifying training needs in their regions and in
organising with the Central Unit the necessary programmes. Regional centres might
want to include a component in their own budgets for travel within the region for
training purposes.
Training in all subjects related to information processing has been identified
as one of the major obstacles to the development of national information infrastructures
in developing countries. The DEVSIS Central Unit will not have the mandate to launch
a broad attack on this problem. The Study Team recommends that the following
strategy be followed by the DEVSIS Central Unit with regard to training.
Most of the resources available for training should be concentrated on those
areas of information processing which are particularly related to DEVSIS - subject
description and the exploitation of outputs. As we propose it, the DEVSIS indexing
scheme has more parameters than have yet been adopted for any other international
information system; DEVSIS is concerned with a subject where concepts are not always
fixed and are open to regional and national variations. DEVSIS is proposing to serve a
user community that has been poorly served in the past by information systems.
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Tailor-made training programmes may be required to ensure that national participating
centres and user groups get full value from the services DEVSIS provides.
On the other hand, many of the technical features of DEVSIS are similar to
those of the other two existing international information systems; AGRIS and INIS. All
three systems have been developed according to UNISIST principles - and several other
systems are under consideration. Thus, there are participating centres at the national and
regional levels which could benefit from training programmes which highlight the
common features of these systems. INIS and AGRIS have already begun to experiment
with joint training - the first joint INIS/AGRIS Training Seminar was held in Ankara
in June 1975. We recommend that the DEVSLS Central Unit concentrate some of its
training resources in shared programmes which are multipurpose and which therefore
can have great impact at the national level.
There is another source which the DEVSIS Central Unit might tap in order
to provide training for staff of national participating centres. Four of the six organisations
co-sponsoring DEVSIS have considerable experience in operating information
systems to serve the needs of their own staff and outside users. ILO, IDRC, OECD and
UNESCO all have implemented computerised information storage and retrieval
systems. All will input to DEVSIS information about documents produced by their own
orgamsations. Formal co-sponsorship will end when DEVSIS has found a home within
the United Nations. However, the Study Team recommends that the DEVSIS Central
Unit explore with the co-sponsors the possibility that from time to time they may accept
trainees from national centres in some aspects of information processing.
Relations with other programmes to
improve national infrastructures
In the field of science and technology awareness has grown of the need to
emphasise the mechanisms and facilities for the transfer of information to developing
countries, as much as the content of' the information itself.' This report has stressed the
necessity of effective participation by national governments if DEYSIS is to be a useful
system. The merging and distribution of the DEVSIS file will be a centralised operation;
but without active national participating centres there will be little substance to the file
and no means of exploiting it effectively. For DEVSIS too there is a need to develop and
strengthen mechanisms for the transfer of information to, from and among national
centres, particularly in developing countries.
One of the objectives of DEVSIS defined by the Ottawa meeting is to foster
the building of the national and international resources needed to provide improved
access to economic and social information in developing countries. DEVSIS itself is a
single system with a defined scope of activity and with limited resources for operations,
although in the preliminaiy phase of DEVSIS we are proposing that $100,000 be
earmarked for surveys to identify national needs and to plan the response that DEYSIS
can make. The results of this initial planning effort will be made available to all
organisations which support information activities at the national level and will assist
governments to form their judgments about required actions at the national level.
DEVSIS cannot independently embark upon a programme of building national
infrastructures for information handling. But DEVSIS can work in two directions to
encourage and support the development of such infrastructures.
First we have defined the technical aspects of DEVSIS in terms of existing
and developing international standards in order that national participants can make
'Scientific and Technical Information for Developing Countries. A report ad hoc
Advisory Panel of the Board on Science. Technology for International Development. Office of the
Foreign Secretary, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C. April 1972.
120

maximum use of training and equipment and avoid duplication of effort in systems
definition. There have been numerous references in this report to the UNISIST
programme of UNESCO within the framework of which technical standards for
DEVSIS have been developed. The primary function of UNISIST is to facilitate the
interconnection between systems and, hence, the exchange of information. Both AGRIS
and INIS have been developed within the UNISIST framework and these systems do
provide us with technical and operational models for the DEVSIS Central Unit. But the
real benefits of adhering to UNISIST and other international standards accrue to
national participants. These are not then faced with the need to modify skills and
techniques in order to play a role in each new international system and in order to make
use of outputs from them.
Countries which are participants in AGRIS and INIS, and which therefore
may be equipped to participate in DEVSIS, already possess some level of information
infrastructure. There are many developing countries in which little or no infrastructure
exists. The DEVSIS Central Unit cannot therefore limit its co-operative efforts to
UNISIST. It must seek to work with organisations, intergovernmental, nongovernmental,
national and international, which have developed programmes to
encourage the building of information capabilities in developing countries. UNESCO
has a particular responsibility in this area and the NATIS programme has been
developed to respond to that responsibility. NATIS will provide a framework within
which to co-ordinate diverse information activities at the national level. The objective
is to enable any country, regardless of the level of its infrastructure, to contribute to and
make use of the information resources available globally. UNESCO will support
projects and programmes designed to achieve the objectives of NATIS in member
States. Some national organisations - the German Foundation for International
Development (DSE) for example - also support projects to develop documentation and
information services and networks nationally and regionally. Nongovernmental organisations:
particularly FID, the International Federation of Documentation, and IFLA,
the International Federation of Library Associations, do the same.
Links must be well developed particularly at the level of policy and project
identification, between DEVSIS and these efforts, if the most effective use is to be made
of the international resources available for the improvement of national information
infrastructures and capabilities in developing countries.
Programmatic role of regional
participating centres
The role of each regional organisation participating in DEYSIS will be
shaped by its own specialised areas of activity and strength within the region. Before
engaging in a programmatic role in support of DEVSIS national participants, regional
participants should acquire a base of practical experience. They should therefore be
producers of literature about economic and social development and be inputting records
to the DEVSIS Central Unit. Such organisations could still encompass a range of
activities. Candidate organisations for a DEVSIS regional role are: the Regional
Economic Commissions of the United Nations, Regional Development Banks, Regional
Professional Associations, Regional Research and Training Institutes and the secretariats
of regional or subregional political groupings.
The question of the selection of regional participants is more complex than
the selection of national participants. In the latter case, member States of the host
organisation of the DEVSIS Central Unit can be approached through the channels of
that organisation. In the case of regional organisations no such mechanism exists.
Regional organisations are more likely to work out de facto arrangements with the
121

Central Unit motivated by their own programme and priority areas of activity. The two
organisations that are now working actively with the DEVSIS programme are the
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Asian Development Institute. Both
these organisations are surveying the existing economic and social documentation
resources in their regions.
Both organisations have plans to develop information and documentation
programmes to support their own activities and in response to the needs of governments
of their regions. The survey activity therefore, while carried out within the framework
of the DEVSJS Study, will also yield information of value to the organisations
themselves and to national governments in the region.
By carrying out activities of this kind the regional organisation can stimulate
awareness in the region of the need for national information infrastructures and policies.
It can facilitate the exchange of experience among countries by pinpointing strengths
and weaknesses in the region and by making the information widely available.
The surveys that are now underway concentrate on organised sources of
development information. More needs to be known also about the pattern of use of
economic and social information in development planning. Regional organisations can
identify national activities which are designed to provide such information, in some cases
co-ordinate survey work already underway, or planned, or initiate surveys based on
common concepts in a number of countries of the region. The regional monitoring
groups proposed in Chapter 26 may provide a forum for developing this kind of
co-operation and co-ordination.
While, in all regions, there will probably be national organisations that are
strong enough to take on a "regional vocation" by sharing their experience with
neighbouring countries, an organisation that, constitutionally, already has a regional
vocation is likely to be able to promote the exchange of experience and co-ordinate
activities more systematically than any single national organisation.
We have said in Chapter 25 that the regional organisations should not accept
the input function for a country without at the same time supporting programmes to
develop national capabilities because this would be detrimental to the development of
national capabilities. The regional participants will not therefore take on operational
responsibilities on a continuing basis for national participants. But there are specific tasks
to be performed nevertheless.
We have said that there will be three carrier languages for DEVSIS: English,
French and Spanish. The DEYSIS Central Unit will only be responsible for producing
standards and guidelines in these languages. But there are other major languages in the
developing world - for example: Arabic and Portuguese. Translations into these
languages will be useful and should be carried out by one organisation and made
available to national participants.
We have said that all unconventional literature reported to the DEVSIS
Central Unit will be available on microfiche. Not all national participants will be
equipped to make duplicates of microfiches and full-size photocopies from microfiches.
The regional participants should maintain a full set of microfiches and be prepared to
respond to requests from countries in their regions for duplicates and full-size copies.
This means that regional participants should be equipped with microfiche duplicators
and reader printers.
There will be no absolute need for the regional participants to maintain sets
of conventional literature. Items input to DEVSIS will be identified in Devindex by
122

source; the national participant that reports the item will be the logical organisation
from which to seek help when an item cannot be obtained locally. However, it is likely
that the regional organisations that become DEVSIS participants will already have
significant libraries devoted to socio-economic development. The DEVSIS centres and
these libraries should co-operate closely and will mutually reinforce each other. DEVSIS
will help the libraries to identify the literature available and to build up their clientele
of readers - particularly for conventional literature.
There will clearly be a requirement for training during the implementation
period and as new participating centres are identified. We have already indicated that,
wherever appropriate, training programmes should be co-ordinated with those of other
international information systems. But in the areas where training is particularly relevant
to the operation of DEVSIS - the techniques of abstracting and indexing, the use of
DEVSIS outputs, and the education of users of the system - training should be
co-ordinated regionally. The regional participant should know enough about national
centres to be able to identify sources of strength for training purposes, and could also
help identify people in countries of the region who would particularly benefit from the
training resources available centrally.
When the DEVSIS Central Unit plans training programmes, or visits to
national participating centres, these should be co-ordinated with regional participants in
order that the maximum advantage can be gained for participating centres in the region.
The Central Unit will need feedback from national centres on the ways in which
DEVSIS outputs can be modified to make them more relevant to the needs of local users.
Regional co-ordination of feedback will increase its impact; it will also provide a
mechanism for evaluating the DEVSIS services provided by national centres - with a
view to modifying the services provided centrally as well as the operation of particular
national centres.
In short: regional participants must have an operational role of their own, but
it need not be a large-scale one. They also have a programmatic role: to survey national
level activities in order to identify strengths and weaknesses and to encourage exchange
of experience; to support training programmes in the region; to provide tools tailored to
the needs of the region; to evaluate the services provided centrally and locally - in
general terms to establish links within the region which will lead to the best use of the
resources of the region, and of the DEVSIS Central Unit, by all national participants.
123

Chapter 29
System development: responsibilities for
research and for keeping pace with changing
needs and technological advances
Each DEVSIS national participant will be best able to assess the level of
technology which is appropriate to the resources (equipment, technical support and
maintenance, personnel) of its own organisation and its own country.
The Central Unit should be in a position to recommend, on the basis of the
national assessment of the local situation, the options which are available at given levels
of technology. The Central Unit should therefore encourage, and if possible support,
developmental work; it should be aware of new technologies, and of programmes within
national participating centres which could serve as prototypes for implementation
elsewhere.
A number of areas of research are already apparent.
At DEVSIS implementation level one - the level at which a worksheet or
facsimile worksheet is transmitted to the DEVSIS Central Unit - there are options which
may replace the simplest form of input - the typewritten worksheet.
One of these is the magnetic tape cassette which may be converted to 7-track
or 9-track magnetic tape for computer input. There is a wide range of cassette machines
on the market but not enough is known about their prices in local currencies, their
reliability in tropical climates, and the provisions for servicing them in developing
regions of the world. Market surveys of equipment could most effectively be carried out
at the national or regional levels with the information collected being made available,
through the Central Unit, to all DEVSIS participants on a world-wide basis.
National and regional participants could also identify the manufacturers
which provide technical training for maintenance staff thus reducing the need for local
servicing facilities.
The use of optical character recognition (OCR) equipment for low-cost
production of machine-readable input has only recently been seriously considered for
large-volume bibliographic work. The DEVSIS Central Unit must be prepared to test
such technological developments when they appear feasible. Adequate testing would
involve the participation of selected national centres with co-ordination the responsibility
of the Central Unit.
At DEVSIS implementation levels 2 and 3, where computer-readable input
is being supplied by the participating centre, developmental work would probably
concentrate on standard software packages for file creation and retrieval which could be
implemented on a range of computer configurations. Within these implementation levels
centres are likely to have access to a wide range of computer configurations. Since
DEVSIS files will be built according to international standards and will be compatible
with existing and planned international information systems, the DEVSIS Central Unit
in association with those for INIS and AGRIS could lead the way in developing
optimum software packages and standard methodologies for handling input to all the
systems and retrieval from all the files.
124

One move in this direction is the attempt to develop a turn-key hardware/software
combination for a mini-computer configuration which could support not
only the creation and manipulation of the files of the international systems but which
would also provide the facilities for developing a national bibliographic processing
capability. The development of such a system is a costly and time-consuming process
and should not be repeated in a number of national organisations. When the DEVSIS
Central Unit learns of such an initiative it should disseminate information about the
project to all participating centres; it should promote contacts between the centre where
the project is located and other interested centres. It may also want to encourage
national and regional centres to provide an assessment, for their own territories, of the
possibilities of implementing such a system. Such an assessment would include the
availability of the proposed hardware, and maintenance facilities, and the availability
of training facilities or already trained personnel who could operate the computer and
maintain the software system. Here again the Central Unit plays a co-ordinating role
and the national and regional centres provide information which is necessary for
determining the feasibility of applying the results of development work in a particular
situation. Should the development be successful, the Central Unit also has a role in
facilitating assistance for implementation in participating centres.
The use of mini-computers for bibliographic processing is still relatively
uncommon and work in this area is true development work. Many bibliographic systems
are running on second and third generation computers. The DEVSIS Central Unit,
because of its connections with other organisations with similar programmes and
because of its relations with international programmes like UNISIST, should be able to
evaluate existing packages and recommend them to participating centres with access to
large-scale computers.
DEVSIS has been defined as a decentralised system in order that the
capability for controlling and processing national bibliographic output can be developed
within participating countries. The Central Unit will not therefore be particularly
interested in developments in the telecommunications field with a view to achieving
direct input into a central file from participating centres. However, the use of telecommunications
networks for retrieval purposes might be considered, particularly for developed
countries which already have the necessary infrastructure in place to make use of
the networks. Feasibility studies for the establishment of regional or subregional
telecommunications networks can be conducted by those centres already possessing the
necessary computing capability. The possibility of using telex and facsimile transmission
facilities should also be explored.
In these areas of technology the Central Unit has the responsibility for
keeping abreast of the state of the art, for encouraging and if necessary undertaking
experiments to test new techniques, for disseminating information about projects under
way to all national participants and for promoting the implementation of techniques that
have been adequately tested. Regional DEVSIS centres could be particularly useful in
surveying the situation vis-à-vis the local applicability of particular technologies.
National participants may initiate experimental or developmental work of their own,
and should provide the Central Unit with all relevant information. They may also
participate in experiments initiated centrally and assist with the implementation of the
results of experiments in other national centres.
The same practices should apply to the non-technical areas of information
processing. The Central Unit will have close links with the UNISIST programme and
with other international organisations like ISO. It will be aware of new standards and
guidelines which apply to bibliographic work. It will have the responsibility of informing
participants and ensuring that the necessary mechanisms are available centrally for
125

making use of new standards and guidelines. This may involve issuing new authority
lists, modifying software, revising worksheets, etc.
Since the DEVSLS Central Unit is in direct contact with all DEVSIS
participating centres it has the primary responsibility for ensuring that information
about new developments is disseminated. There are two obvious mechanisms for
achieving this: regular meetings of liaison officers from all participating centres and the
regular publication of a newsletter.
126

SECTION H
FACILITIES REQUIRED AND COSTS
Chapter 30
Summary of staff and facilities required
In this chapter, we shall attempt to identify the manpower resources and
facilities that will be required at the DEVSIS Central Unit when the system is in
full-scale routine operation. We shall also note the basic facilities (but not the staff) that
will be required at regional and national participating centres, though in considerably
less detail. There will, in fact, be much variation among the different participating
centres depending on the level at which they are working, the volume of input from their
respective territories and the size and interests of the constituency of users that each will
serve.
We shall not make repeated reference to the general office facilities that will
be required at the Central Unit and at other points in the network. But these are very
important. There will be a need for rapid and reliable communications by telephone,
telex and postal services. Magnetic tapes, bundles of worksheets, bulk supplies of
Devindex and DevproJile will be transmitted by airmail or air freight; this will be
frustrated if the recipients do not have procedures for rapid clearance of packages
through customs. Ultimately data may be transmitted directly from computer to
computer by satellite telecommunications, although this is unlikely to be of major
significance in the first years.
Within the centres, especially the Central Unit, there will be need for back-up
printing services for the production of manuals, worksheets, the DE VSIS Newsletter and
specialised outputs. There will be a need for microfiche readers and reader-printers
throughout the network. Especially in tropical countries, consideration should be given
to the need for air-conditioned space, especially for computers, input devices (particularly
devices using paper tape) and for the storage of materials (particularly
microfiches).
In general, DEVSIS operations should be located where these general office
facilities are already available. DEVSIS is intended to be a service, a service that will be
most effective if it is located with its principal clientele. The Study Team believes that
it would be a mistake, anywhere, to set up facilities "just for DEVSIS", and that the
wisest course is to implement DEVSIS operations where they can share the use of
appropriate administrative and office services.
The Central Unit
At the Central Unit we have to allow for the following functions:
(I) Over-all direction, relations with participating centres, training
co-ordination.
127

Over-all system maintenance and development, and relations with other
systems, including the updating of the thesaurus and manuals.
Control of input, including the production of input in respect of FILE ONE
material originating within the agency that is managing DEVSIS.
Maintenance of FILE TWO.
Conversion of input not already in machine-readable form.
Computer processing, and maintenance of software related to processing.
Photocomposition and printing of Devindex and Devprofile.
Operation of the microfiche service.
Clearly these functions overlap. For example, the staff that are responsible for the
control of input will also participate in the work on over-all system maintenance, the
identification of needed improvements to the thesaurus, and the training programmes.
The headings used here are, however, useful for the enumeration of the resources
required.
In carrying out this enumeration we shall use United Nations terminology to
refer to Professional staff (P) and General Service staff (GS). The staffing pattern
proposed has been based very largely on the Study Team's analysis of that being used
at the IAEA for INIS.
(I) Over-all direction, relations with participating
centres, co-ordination of training
Under this heading we place the director of the DEVSIS programme, his
executive assistant and two general assistants/-secretaries (2P, 2GS). They will be
responsible for the management of the Central Unit within the organisation where it is
located, the servicing of the central DEVSIS committees, and relations with the liaison
officers in the participating centres. They will need to travel extensively to participate in
the meetings of the regional monitoring groups and for ad hoc interventions when
problems or new opportunities arise. The executive assistant could be assigned special
responsibilities for organising the Central Unit's training programme, which would
reinforce his links with the participating centres.
(2) Over-all system maintenance and development
and relations with other systems: thesaurus
management
Under this heading we place 2P and 2GS to co-ordinate the work involved.
Some of the detailed work will be done by the specialists identified under other
headings. One of the professional persons would have the major decision-making
responsibilities with respect to the DEVSIS thesaurus. The other would have the
principal responsibility for ensuring that DEVSIS was responsive to the initiatives of
UNISIST, ISO and sister systems in their efforts to promote compatibility and
interconnections (see Chapter 23).
128

Control and production of input (FILE ONE)
Here we need a senior clerk (IGS) to maintain records (the registration unit
referred to in Chapter 13) and to organise the flow of input through the system to
computer processing. We also propose a group consisting of 3P, 3GS to prepare input
in respect of the host agency's own material, to carry out sample checks of input from
participating centres, to identify problems in bibliographic and subject descriptions, to
propose improvements to the thesaurus and the manuals, and to participate in training
programmes.
The three P staff should be selected for their experience of work in
socio-economic development. While all three should be able to work in more than one
language, their language proficiencies should, in fact, enable them to man what might
become known, respectively, as the English, French and Spanish desks. They will thus,
almost automatically, acquire particular responsibilities for responding to the needs of
individual participating centres, in so far as these work mainly in one or other of the
three languages, and for assisting the director in his relations with these centres.
While, inevitably, the emphasis of this team will be on the monitoring of
input, they will also provide the main resource of subject knowledge within the Central
Unit that can be applied to output problems. Indeed, to the extent that the Central Unit
develops retrieval capabilities (if only for the constituency of users in the host
organisation), it will be the responsibility of this group to provide the technical skills
needed to operate the service.
Maintenance of FILE TWO
The Study Team is not offering an estimate of the volume of records to be
maintained in FILE TWO. This will become apparent only as a result of pilot operations
and decisions that have to be taken on the criteria for admissibility (other than the
criterion of relevance). If the users of DEVSIS find that it is valuable to have exhaustive
records of many information sources, the maintenance of FILE TWO could become a
major operation. Its initial compilation will, of course, be a formidable task, but it might
be spread over several years. For the present purpose, we are assuming that the File has
been constructed and that we must provide staff for updating existing records, weeding
and occasional new additions. We tentatively propose IP, 2GS.
Conversion of input to machine-readable form
The possible techniques have been outlined in Chapter 13. Even when
DEVSIS is in full operation, it will be necessary to make provision for the maintenance
and replacement of equipment. Experience in recent years shows that such equipment
rapidly becomes obsolete. We believe that the IAEA's experiments with OCR are
distinctly promising, however, and that by the time DEVSIS is in operation, this may
well have become a proven and reliable technique for our purposes. This would clearly
obviate the need for a large team of keypunchers, and we believe it safe to express the
need here for only IGS. Overload situations, sickness and vacations could be covered by
training some of the GS staff identified in section (3) to carry out this work when
needed.
129

Computer processing and software maintenance
The Study Team does not believe that it is necessary for the Central Unit to
have its own computer. But, of course, it must have access to a computer. The minimum
configuration for full-scale operation can be defined as follows:
a machine with 512 K bytes of memory, and teleprocessing capabilities;
a disc capacity of 100 M bytes;
two tape drives, one with 800 to 1,600 bpi and 7-track conversion
features;
a high-speed printer equipped with a print train that implements the DEYSIS
character set;
I/O devices that correspond with the media accepted for machine-readable
DEVSIS input.
If DEVSIS does not have its own computer, it will not need its own staff for
operating the computer. But it will need its own staff for maintaining the software,
overcoming problems that arise and developing new capabilities. As indicated in
Chapter 23, we do not believe that DEVSIS should independently extend its software,
but that it should play its part in joint developments with other similar systems. We
propose IP and IGS.
Photocomposition, printing and distribution
In these activities, the economies of scale are overriding, and we believe that
the Central Unit should again not attempt to maintain facilities dedicated to DEVSIS
alone. As has been indicated in Chapter 20, we believe that DEVSIS should be located
where such facilities already exist. Speed is of utmost importance in ensuring the
timeliness of the distribution of Devindex and Devprofi!e and time would be lost if tapes
had to be sent to another country for photocomposition, if photocomposition plates had
to be sent to another country for printing, or if the printed and bound products had to
be sent to another country for distribution.
And again, if DEVSJS is to rely on an existing organisation for these
functions, it does not need to provide staff for them. However, it probably does need to
engage one clerk (IGS) who would be responsible for maintaining subscriptions and
distribution lists for all DEVSIS products, including the microfiche products (see next
section).
Microfiche service
The discussion in Chapter 15 was similarly predicated on the assumption that
DEVSIS would have access to equipment that would produce microfiche masters from
original documents (NMA 98-frame standard) and diazo duplicates from the masters.
Bulk production, even of the duplicates, could thus be obtained from a service for which
DEVSIS would not directly supply the staff. There might, however, be some advantage
in having a small diazo copier that could be under the control of the output distribution
clerk (see last section) who could use it in the fulfilment of small orders.
130

In summary, therefore, we propose that the Central Unit should have a minimum of
equipment under its direct control, and that its staff, for full-scale operation, should be
made up of 9P and I 3GS.
Regional and national centres
The needs of regional and national centres are substantially different from
those of the Central Unit, and they depend markedly on the magnitude of the operations
conducted. All centres will need the general office facilities mentioned near the start of
this chapter but, beyond these, the spectrum is very broad indeed.
A minimum operation would, in fact, need little more than a few typewriters
equipped with the DEVSIS character set and fonts acceptable to the OCR reader at the
Central Unit. The participating centre would submit its input on typed worksheets and
operate its services to users on the basis of Devindex and Devprofile. The full-text
back-up service could be provided by microfiches obtained from the Central Unit (or the
regional depository) and by obtaining the co-operation of a local library to photocopy
periodical articles; or the centre might also have its own photocopying equipment.
For any intermediate operation, the participating centre would need to have
access to a computer. Since it would not be involved in the very large operations required
for the quality checking of descriptors, the configuration could be one with 64 to 256 K
bytes of core memory instead of the 512 K bytes needed at the Central Unit. At this
level, the participating centre would need its own input devices, and it would be able to
produce specialised outputs on the computer line printer. (SDI, specialised
bibliographies).
But we can also look to the possibility that many of the participating centres
will want afull operation offering rapidly responsive services to meet the needs of a large
clientele. At this point, we should consider the possibility of having on-line access by
video terminals to a computer on which at least a selected segment of the DEVSIS data
base is continuously available. This can be expensive if it means running lines to a
computer in a service bureau, but there are clear indications, as we mentioned in
Chapter 29, that suitable mini-computer packages will be available within two or three
years. It seems that the best all-round solution for a major participating centre would be
to set up an in-house mini-computer facility; this would enable it to process several
thousand new input records a year and also provide a full range of output services to its
clientele (capital equipment costs for such an installation would range from $100,000 to
$250,000 at present prices, but they have been falling).
Some commentators have questioned the validity of the solution proposed
here in which increments to the data base are sent on magnetic tape by airfreight to the
participating centres, who then can mount these in their own computers. These
commentators point to the development of intercontinental satellite telecommunication
networks and suggest that it will be possible for an interested centre to query a DEYSIS
data base maintained at a central global point. We concede that this possibility is coming
and that some centres may wish to avail themselves of it. Indeed the two solutions are
not mutually exclusive. However, as has been pointed out in Chapter 16, we expect that
DEVSIS activities may be integrated with other information activities at the national
level, including the processing of information that governments wish to retain for
national purposes only. In general, the Study Team believes that a significant objective
of the DEVSIS programme is the upgrading of local capacities to handle socio-economic
information and that this objective could not be achieved to anything like the same
extent if a national centre accepted dependence on a data base maintained outside its
country.
131

Chapter 31
Summary of estimates of central operating costs
This chapter is essentially a recapitulation of information previously presented
in the report, costed in preliminary form. The Study Team would like to offer at
the outset a word of caution about the use of the estimates given in this chapter for
anything other than preliminary budgetary purposes. In particular, it will be necessary
to recast these estimates when the location of the DEVSIS Central Unit has been
determined. If the management and processing facilities are to be in two separate cities,
this will need to be taken into account, as will the staff costs in the cities concerned. No
provision has been made in this summary of estimates for equipment purchases, as it has
been assumed that the DEVSIS Central Unit would be located in an organisation
possessing most of the required facilities. The costs are for a typical year of full-scale
operation, but at 1975 prices.
A special word of caution has to be inserted about the largest item on the
estimates: staff costs. Some cities where international organisations are located are very
expensive indeed; others somewhat less so. For the purposes of calculating staff costs for
professional (P) and general service (GS) staff (following United Nations terminology
as in the last chapter), we have chosen to use a rough hypothetical figure which is about
midway between Geneva and Vienna costs: $35,000/year for P staff and $15,000/year
for GS staff. Dollar fluctuations and inflation could make this hypothetical figure
unrealistic within a few months, but we feel that we must offer a reasonable late-1975
figure to illustrate our calculations.
Table 31.1 gives a hypothetical budget for a year of full operation of
DEVSIS. Chapter numbers in brackets refer to fuller discussions of the various line
entries.
STAFFING (Ch. 30)
Table 31.1
Preliminary estimates of cost of DEVSJS Central Unit
for a year of full-scale operation at late-1975 prices
(I) Direction, relations with centres,
training co-ordination (2P, 2GS) 100 000
(2) System development, thesaurus (2P, 2G5) 100 000
(3) Input production and control (3P, 4GS) 165 000
(4) FILE TWO (1P, 2GS) 65 000
(5) Input conversion (lOS) 15 000
132
$
(con 't.)

(Table 31.1 con't.)
(6) Software maintenance (IP, 1GS)
(7) Distribution (1GS)
Total (9P, I3GS)
TRAVEL, TRAINING AND MEETINGS
Staff travel
PROCESSING
PRINTING
Training (Ch. 28)
Central Technical Committee (Ch. 22)
Maintenance and trade-in of input equip.
Computer service (Ch. 13)
Devindex (Ch. 14)
Devprofile (Ch. 18)
Manual revisions
MICROFICHE OPERATIONS (Ch. 15)
TOTAL
133
50
15
510
15
25
15
55
10
75
85
170
25
5
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
000
200 000
155 000
1 005 000

SECTION I
IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE: PHASING
Chapter 32
Development of necessary tools: prototype operations:
availability of national capacities
This chapter is essentially concerned with the time it will take from a decision
to go ahead with the implementation of DEVSIS until the first regular production cycles
can be started.
If we consider the INIS experience, we should probably count from a date
in late 1967 when the first work on manuals and computer programmes was started until
April 1970 when the first issue of Aromindex appeared, about 2 1/2 years. If we consider
the AGRIS experience, we should probably count from late 1972 when the decision was
taken to produce an experimental issue until January 1975 when the first regular issue
of Agrindex appeared, about two years.
But these experiences are not necessarily relevant in our case. For INIS was
the first such system and it was started before UNISIST guidelines were available;
hence, a great deal of detailed design work was required, which did not have to be
entirely repeated for AGRIS and which would not have to be entirely repeated for
DEVSIS. On the other hand, INIS - in its early stages - involved a relatively small
number of countries most of which had the necessary resources. Also INIS did not go
through the stage of having a true experi- experimental issue. It began rather with a
much restricted subject scope (thus ensuring a manageably small volume of input), and
all of its regular issues for the first year or so could be considered as essentially
experimental.
AGRIS profited greatly from the availability of INIS manuals, INIS software
and the experience of INIS staff. This reduced the effort needed for central design work
and for building up the experience of the staff that would manage central processing. On
the other hand, AGRIS sought to begin operation by accepting information over its
entire subject scope, and so had to face the possibility that input would be arriving in
large volumes from the different participating centres, some highly skilled but others
with very little experience. AGRIS, therefore, took the precautionary step of producing
a prototype or experimental issue to ensure that the norms and standards had been
properly elaborated and understood, and that the participating centres could produce
acceptable input. This took time, of course, and the start-up of AGRIS was also hindered
by a number of factors outside the immediate control of the FAO's technical staff. These
factors mainly related to the lack of sufficient and secure financing, but also involved the
absence of a sufficiently firm political decision by the member States and hence, a
reluctance on the part of national and regional centres to change their existing
operations and to undertake new ones.
The Study Team believes that the lead-in phase for DEVSIS need not be
more than I or 1 1/2 years, provided: (i) that the financing is secure and sufficient; (ii)
that the political support in member States is sufficiently firm; and (iii) that the DEVSIS
Central Unit is located where there is already considerable experience of large-scale
134

ibliographic data processing and where most of the necessary equipment and other
facilities are already in existence.
The work to be done during this lead-in period involves:
(I) a sector-by-sector review of the scope definition to give it maximum
precision;
the elaboration and testing of the DEVSIS manuals and authority lists;
the elaboration and testing of the DEVSIS thesaurus;
the adaptation of INIS/AGRIS computer programmes to meet the needs of
DEVSIS;
the acquisition of equipment and facilities not already available;
the identification of participating centres (to be named by governments) and
the training of their staff in DEVSIS procedures;
the possible production of an experimental issue of FILE ONE;
the production of a first limited edition of FILE TWO.
Let us look at each of these items in turn in order to determine the amount
of work involved and, hence, the possible cost. We count basically in terms of
professional man-years and add factors to allow for support staff, consultants, travel,
meetings, etc.
(I) Review of the scope definitions
For this we will need one Professional for about three months of continuous
activity. But this person will need to consult with specialists in the different sectors.
For this the DEVSIS staff member will either travel or bring in advisers for
a few days at a time. To allow for the cost of travel and advisers, we should count this
activity as 0.4 Professional man-years.
DEVSIS manuals and authority lists
Using the INIS manuals as a basis, FAO staff were able to bring the AGRIS
manuals to a usable state with an investment of about I Professional man-year. Let us
assume that a slightly larger investment will be needed for DEVSIS: 1.5 Professional
man-years. Printing and distribution of a complete range of first editions of these
essential tools might cost $20,000.
The DEVSJS thesaurus
At the Third Session of the Steering Committee, it recommended that the
co-sponsors undertake an immediate programme to develop an appropriate thesaurus,
which will be needed for development information work whether DEVSIS is established
or not. We, therefore, assume that the financing for this will be available separately and
will not be a charge on the main DEYSIS start-up budget. Clearly, however, the
135

managers of DEVSIS will need to keep in touch with the activity and be ready to take
over the management of the thesaurus once DEVSIS is implemented.
The necessary computer programmes
The adaptation of the INIS programmes for AGRIS required 0.5 Professional
man-years. The INIS staff estimate that, because of the more significant
departures proposed for DEVSIS, the adaptations required might take 1 man-year if
handled by staff familiar with the INIS/AGRIS programmes or 2 man-years if handled
by staff not familiar with these programmes. Let us say 1.3 Professional man-years.
Acquisition of equipment and facilities
If, as discussed in Chapter 20, an option is exercised that places the
processing of DEVSIS where the necessary major equipment and facilities already exist,
then no immediate capital expenses would be involved. Obviously existing equipment
and facilities would have to be expanded once DEVSIS comes into operation, but this
could be factored into the annual charges that DEVSIS will have to pay for services
received and need not be a charge on the budget for the lead-in period. The Study Team
believes that such arrangements should be made and, therefore, it proposes only a small
allocation of $50,000 for the acquisition of appropriate keyboard devices for use in the
run-in period.
National participating centres: training
As has been indicated elsewhere in our report, the Study Team believes that
the cost of national DEVSIS activities should properly be borne by the appropriate
national authorities. It will be the responsibility of national governments to identify these
authorities and to secure their financing either from national resources or from
programmes of international co-operation. We have proposed that the DEVSIS central
budget should include a special item of $100,000 for the planning of national
programmes, and this is separately identified in the budget that we will present in the
iinal chapter of this report.
However, it is also true that the individuals responsible for the DEVSIS
programme during the lead-in period will be heavily engaged in activities aimed at
fostering the early participation of the national bodies. They will need to convene and
service meetings of the DEVSIS committees, undertake advisory missions to member
States, receive visitors and explain the programme to interested parties, and advise the
management of their own organisation; above all, they will be called upon to provide
the core staff for training seminars.
We include here the time of the director of the DEVSIS programme plus that
of one other person who may be identified either as the director's executive assistant or
as the person who, while he would have other duties, would carry the main responsibility
for training activities. We can say, to allow also for some consultants and travel, 2.5
Professional man-years. Direct meeting and training seminar costs are indicated at
$30,000.
136

An experimental issue of Devindex
The Study Team has difficulty at this stage in recommending whether or not
DEVSIS should follow the AGRIS example and organise an experimental issue some
months in advance of the first regular production cycle. Whether to do so or not will
depend largely on whether DEVSIS will start regular production with its full scope and
with a large number of participants. If, in fact, it will start regular production with only
a limited scope and/or a limited number of participants, then this regular production can
itself be regarded as experimental (as it was with INIS).
To include an experimental issue would probably stretch out the run-in
period from 12 to 18 months and would require the investment of another 0.5
Professional man-years for someone to act as its expeditor. We should also identify a
sum of about $25,000 for the direct costs associated with the production of the
experimental issue.
Limited edition of FILE TWO
Since, as has been explained earlier, we believe that considerable design
work remains to be done on FILE TWO, we believe that a full-time person should be
recruited to work exclusively on the elaboration of the systems to be employed. He will
probably also need to call for some software development and we allow a total of 1.3
Professional man-years. This investment would also enable DEYSIS to begin operation
with a limited edition of the File constructed for experimental purposes during the
design phase. To cover computer and other costs we allow $15,000.
In sum, the items enumerated here (excluding an experimental issue of
Devindex) add up to a total of 7.0 Professional man-years and $95,000. To allow for
support staff, we cost a Professional man-year at $50,000. So our estimate for the lead-in
period is $445,000. This would be augmented by $50,000 if there is to be experimental
issue.
137

Chapter 33
Implementation by instalments: options
In Chapter 32 we have outlined the resources and costs involved in preparing
for the implementation of DEVSIS. In Chapters 30-31 we have outlined the resources
and costs involved in running DEVSIS when it reaches the stage of full operation.
But, clearly, we will not move immediately from no operation to a total
operation. How may the instalments be defined?
The instalments, in fact, can only be defined in relation to the financial
resources that are available. In Chapter 2 1, we proposed that, for an initial three-year
period, finance should come from a combination of interested agencies that would
contribute to a fund to be placed at the disposal of the agency that accepts to manage
the system. In this chapter, we shall, therefore, consider this three-year period and the
options that are available within it.
Another major factor, apart from finance, is the determination of the location
of the DEVSIS operations. For the purposes of this chapter, we shall assume that these
operations will be located where there is considerable experience in bibliographic data
processing and where most of the needed facilities are already in existence and can be
shared. If a location is chosen where this experience and these facilities are not available,
then a considerable stretch-out in the implementation schedule would be needed.
But the major determining factor, of course, will be the readiness of national
governments and international organisations to participate in the system, and the extent
to which this readiness finds expression, particularly in the creation of active participating
units. DEVSIS as a whole can move no faster than the input/output units that make
up the network. To activate the network requires a strong sense of purpose and political
will on the part of the participants. The speed with which this sense of purpose develops
will, above everything else, determine the rate of progress. We can visualise six levels
at which it may occur:
I. an early clear-cut agreement among most governments and international
agencies to move ahead on the full range of DEVSIS activities;
an early clear-cut agreement among most governments and international
agencies to move ahead, but with a restriction on the scope of DEVSIS
during the initial phase;
an early clear-cut agreement among a few governments and international
agencies to move ahead on the full scope of DEVSIS while waiting for others
to join when they are ready;
an early clear-cut agreement among a few governments and international
agencies to a move ahead but with a restriction on the scope of DEVSIS
activities during the initial phase and while waiting for others to join;
a provisional decision by governments and international agencies to move
ahead, but at a slow pace while waiting for the mobilisation of the necessary
political support;
138

6. a decision to move ahead, but restricting the initial phase of DEVSIS to the
information that is generated by international agencies.
In fact, the Study Team finds that - in terms of the costs of central operations
- all these alternatives work out at about the same. There is a certain minimum of staff
and facilities that are required whatever is undertaken; once these staff and facilities are
in place, they can handle a large volume of information at a cost which is not an order
of magnitude higher than that required for handling a small volume of information. Of
course, the same is not true for the costs of participating input/output units; there the
costs are much more nearly a linear function of the volume of work handled, particularly
input.
The observations in the preceding paragraph apply essentially to FILE ONE.
We do not see any reasonable way of scaling down the operations involved in producing
FILE TWO. For those alternatives that do involve putting FILE ONE on a restricted
scope, the simplest formula is that advanced in Chapter 9 where we proposed the
temporary elimination of material that falls in the A categories of our scope definition
(Annex 9). This information is undoubtedly of great interest to development decisionmakers,
but it is background information and not directly prescribing or describing
development action. A further restriction could be made by temporarily eliminating the
B categories. The bulk of the information in the B categories comes from the academic
and research community that studies development action and offers advice on it, but it
is not, in general, the information that is generated by that component of the
development community that has direct responsibilities for development action.
However, to have the desired effect, any restriction would have to be a major restriction,
and the details of it should be negotiated by the parties that will be implementing it.
Putting FILE ONE on a restricted scope would clearly offer a savings in
output costs (printing, distribution of Devindex, microfiche clearing-house) and it could
offer a saving in support staff. But, except in the case of alternative six, we do not see it
as offering a saving in Professional staff. In the estimates that follow, we remove $45,000
from the salary budget of Chapter 31 whenever DEVSIS is on restricted scope. Figures
are rounded to the nearest $5,000.
Alternative one: an early clear-cut agreement to move ahead involving most
governments and international agencies and aiming at the full DEVSIS scope.
In this case, there would be a large nuthber of participating centres at widely
varying levels of technical proficiency. There would be a need for an experimental (or
prototype) issue of Devindex, and hence a need to stretch the period of preparation from
12 to 18 months. A supplementary provision would be needed for training; and, to
ensure that the system was not overwhelmed before it was ready to cope with a very
large volume of input, it would be necessary to restrict the scope for the first year of
implementation. The schedule might then be:
preparation and prototype issue - 18 months;
operation on restricted scope - 12 months;
operation on full scope - 6 months.
139

The costs would be approximately as follows:
study of resources in developing countries (see
Chapter 28) $100 000
preparation (see Chapter 32)
prototype issue (see Chapter 32)
supplementary provision for training (1 P-year,
1 GS-year and $20,000)
twelve months' operation (see Chapter 31)
discounted for staff-cost savings and for savings
(60 per cent) in processing and output costs
(computer printing and microfiche) due to
restricted scope
six months of full-scale operation - 505 000
Total (3 years) $1 870 000
Alternative two: an early clear-cut agreement to move ahead involving most
governments and international agencies but with a restricted scope throughout the initial
period. The restriction on scope throughout the initial period could substantially reduce
the costs for the participating centres in the last year of operation, but it would have very
little impact on central costs. Indeed for the central operation the only saving, as
compared with Alternative one, would be the continuance of the discounting of costs
through the final six months.
Alternative three: an early clear-cut agreement to move ahead by a few
governments and international agencies while waiting for the rest to join.
The "few" in this case are likely to be the most advanced countries in terms
of their production of information and their ability to participate in information systems.
In terms of volume of material to be handled, the restriction on the number of
participants might not have as great an effect as would a restriction on scope. However,
implementation could be phased more quickly because of the smaller number of
participants and their higher average level of technical proficiency. The schedule might
be:
preparation - 12 months
operation at restricted scope - 12 months
operation at full scope - 12 months
140
- 445 000
50 000
70 000
- 700 000
Costs as in alternative one $1 870 000
Less savings in staff costs and output costs
for the last six months 150 000
Total (3 years) $1 720 000

The costs would be approximately as follows:
study of resources in developing countries (see
Chapter 28)
preparation (see Chapter 32) 445 000
twelve months of operation (see Chapter 31)
discounted for staff-cost savings and for
savings (70 per cent) in processing and output
costs due to a restricted number of countries and
the restricted scope
twelve months of operation discounted for
staff-cost savings and for savings (35 per cent) in
processing and output costs due to the restricted
number of countries
preparation and prototype issue
operation on restricted scope and (probably) with
restricted number of participants
141
S 100 000
660 000
800 000
Total (3 years) 52 005 000
Alternative four: an early clear-cut agreement to move ahead by a few
governments and international agencies and to do so on a restricted scope throughout
the three-year period.
Central costs would be essentially the same as for Alternative three except for
some additional savings in output costs in the third year:
costs as in alternative two $2 005 000
less savings (70 per cent instead of 35 per
cent) in output costs for the final 12 months 150 000
$1 855 000
Alternative five: a provisional decision to move ahead at a slower pace while
awaiting the mobilisation of political support.
Any decision to move ahead implies that the system would be developed to
the point where it could be evaluated and a further decision then taken. But, if the
decision was a qualified one, the objective would be to minimise the initial investment
and, in particular, to reduce the size of the team of individuals involved. This would have
the consequence of spreading the preliminary work over a longer period of time, but still
entering an operational phase (even on a limited basis) well before the end of the
three-year period. Paradoxically, the schedule might not be very different from that in
Alternative one or two, although the reason for the stretch-out of the preliminary phase
is a different one:
18 months
18 months

The costs would be about as follows:
study of resources in developing countries $ 100 000
preparation 445 000
prototype issue 50 000
eighteen months of operation discounted for
staff-cost savings and for savings (70 per cent)
in output costs due to restricted scope and
(probably) a restricted number of countries 990 000
Total (3 years) SI 585 000
Alternative six: confining the system throughout the initial period to the
information generated by international agencies.
The Study Team is not attracted to this alternative because the members of
the Team believe that the participation of national centres is essential if full use is to be
made of the products of the system. However, the alternative has been discussed and it
is presented here for comparison purposes.
In this alternative there would be no need to protract the period of
preparation and probably no need to produce a prototype issue. As indicated in Chapter
7, the information generated by international agencies is probably about 20 per cent of
the total information qualifying for admission to DEYSIS.
We believe that, even if this alternative were adopted, it would still be
desirable to carry out the survey of resources in developing countries in preparation for
a later extension of the system. However, the training components could be taken Out
of the budgets for both the period of preparation and the period of operation.
and the costs:
The schedule would be:
preparation 12 months
operation at full scope 24 months
study of resources in developing countries $ 100 000
preparation (less training component) 375 000
twenty-four months of operation discounted for
(a) training component, (b) staff costs because
of limited participation, (c) output costs (by
75 per cent) because of limited volume I 125 000
Total (3 years) $1 600 000
142

We should, of course, also face up to the possibility that no agreement may
be reached on the financing of DEYSIS and/or on the mobilisation of an international
agency to manage the programme. In this case the present waste and duplication of
development efforts will continue. A negative decision on DEVSIS as an international
programme will not, however, stop those countries and institutions that already seek to
bring their own production of information under some form of bibliographic control to
facilitate its retrieval and use. We believe that, even in the absence of an international
programme, our work need not entirely have been in vain. Those countries and
institutions that still wish to pursue this type of endeavour could make ad hoc
arrangements to co-operate in an interim period and, if they do, we hope that they will
find the procedures and systems recommended in this report to be useful for their
purpose.
143

Annex 1
Abbreviations used in the DEVSIS Study Team report
ACAST Advisory Committee on the Application of Science
and Technology to Development (United
Nations)
ACC United Nations Administrative Committee on
Co-ordination
ADI Asian Development Institute (formerly, Asian Institute
for Economic Development and Planning)
Agrindex A printed bibliography with indexes of all records
added to the AGRIS file in the period between
system updates
AGRIS International Information System for the Agricultural
Sciences and Technology (co-ordinated by
FAO)
ANSI American National Standards Institute
ARCHIS Architecture and Urbanism Information System
(Proposal)
Aslib Association of Special Libraries and Information
Bureaux, London
Atomindex A printed bibliography with indexes, of all records
added to the INIS file in the period between system
updates
CCAQ Consultative Committee on Administrative Questions
(United Nations)
CDS Computerised Documentation Service (UNESCO)
CLADES Centro Latino Americano de DocumentaciOn EconOmica
y Social (Latin American Center for Economic
and Social Documentation - ECLA)
CODEN Alphabetical Codes of Serial Titles (American Society
for Testing and Materials)
COM Computer Output on Microfiche
CORE Common Register of Development Projects (lOB)
145

CTC Central Technical Committee (DEVSIS)
DSE German Foundation for International Development
(Deutsche Stiftung für Internationale
Entwicklung)
Devindex A printed bibliography with indexes, of all records
added to DEVSIS FILE ONE in the period between
system updates
Devproflle Printed Indexed Output of DEVSIS FILE TWO
DEVSIS Development Science Information System
ECA Economic Commission for Africa (United
Nations)
ECAFE Economic Commission for Asia and the Far East
(now ESCAP) (United Nations)
ECLA Economic Commission for Latin America (United
Nations)
ECWA Economic Commission for Western Asia
ECOSOC United Nations Economic and Social Council
ESA Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the
United Nations
ESCAP Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (formerly ECAFE) (United Nations)
EUSIDIC European Association of Scientific Information Dissemination
Centres
FAC Finance and Administrative Committee (DEVSIS)
FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United
Nations
FID International Federation of Documentation
IAEA International Atomic Energy Agency
JBRD International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
(World Bank)
ICC International Computing Center (United Nations)
ICSU International Council of Scientific Unions
IDEMIS International Demographic Information Service (A
change of acronym was decided at the International
Demographic and Population Conference, Mexico,
10-12 Sept. 1975. Replacement not yet decided)
146

IDRC
IFLA
ILO
INIS
lOB
ISBD
ISBD-NBM
ISBN
ISDS
International Development Research Centre
(Canada)
International Federation of Library Associations
International Labour Office
International Nuclear Information System (coordinated
by IAEA)
Interorganisation Board for Information Systems
and Related Activities (United Nations)
International Standard Bibliographic Description
International Standard Bibliographic Description
(non-book material)
International Standard Book Number (Library of
IFLA)
International Serials Data System (UNESCO)
ISIS Integrated Set of Information Systems
ISO International Organization for Standardization
ISORID Information System on Research in Information
and Documentation (UNESCO)
ISSN International Standard Serial Number (ISDS,
(UNISIST)
ITC International Trade Center
L/R Language of Record (DEVSIS)
MARC Machine-readable Catalog (Library of Congress)
NATIS National Information Systems (UNESCO)
NEDO Nederlands Documentatiecentrum voor
Ontwikkelingslanden
NMA National Microfilm Association
OCR Optical Character Recognition
OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development
RN Record Number
147

SD! Selective Dissemination of Information
SPINES Science and Technology Policies Information Exchange
System (UNESCO)
TRN Temporary Record Number
UNCTAD United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development
UNDA United Nations Development Authority
(Proposed)
UNDI United Nations Document Index
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNESCO United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organisation
UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development
Organisation
UNISIST A UNESCO Programme with the aim of coordinating
existing trends towards co-operation, of
acting as a catalyst for the necessary developments
in scientific and technical information, of developing
the necessary conditions for micro-systems interconnection
and of facilitating access to world
information resources
UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social
Development
UN United Nations
WHO World Health Organization
WIPO World Intellectual Property Organization (formerly,
BIRPI)
WISI World Information System on Informatics
(Proposal)
148

Chairman
Membership of the DEVSIS Steering Committee
and Study Team
Steering Committee
Vice-Chairmen
Members
Annex 2
Mr. P.M. Henry,
President OECD Development Centre,
94 rue Chardon-Lagache,
F-75016 Paris, France.
Chief S. Oluwole Awokoya,
P.O. Box 2018,
Lagos, Nigeria.
Mr. M. Elmandjra,
Special Adviser to the
Director-General,
UNESCO,
Place Fontenoy,
F-75700 Paris, France.
Mr. Scott Adams,
Chairman, Committee on International
Scientific and Technical
Information Programs,
US National Academy of Sciences,
Washington, USA.
Mr. G.B. Kossov,
Institute of InfQrmation for
Social Sciences,
Academy of Sciences,
28/45 Krasicova Street,
Moscow, USSR.
Mr. E-.J. von Ledebur,
Deutsche Stiftung fUr Internationale
Entwicklung,
Service of Documentation,
Endenicher Str. 41,
D-53 Bonn,
Federal Republic of Germany.
Mr. E. Oteiza,
Director,
Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias
Sociales (CLACSO),
Lavalle 1171 - 40,
Buenos Aires, Argentina.
149

Mr. L. Shapiro,
Director,
Management Information Service,
Bureau of Administration and Finance,
UNDP,
866 United Nations Plaza,
New York, USA.
Mr. K-. H. Standke,
Director,
Office of Science and Technology,
Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs,
United Nations,
New York, NY 10017, USA.
Mr. K. K. Subrahmanian,
Director,
Sarder Patel Institute of Economic
and Social Research,
Post Box No. 4062,
Navrangpura,
Ahmedabad,
380009, India.
Mr. P. Wignaraja,
Asian Development Institute,
Sri Ayudhya Road,
P.O. Box 2-136,
Bangkok, Thailand.
Mr. J.E. Woolston,
Director,
International Development Research Centre,
P.O. Box 8500,
Ottawa, Canada KIG 3H9.
Mr. A.B. Zahlan,
Director,
Arab Projects and Development,
P.O. Box 8015,
Beirut, Lebanon.
Mr. H. Zoeteweij,
Chief of the Bureau of Economic and
Social Analysis,
International Labour Office,
4 rue de Morillons,
1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.
Member in Mr. R. Aubrac,
personal UN Department of Economic and Social
capacity Affairs,
United Nations,
New York, NY 10017, USA.
150

Assessors
Study Team
The following persons spent all, or a considerable amount of time working
as members of the DEVSIS Study Team between 24 March and 30 September, 1975.
Mme Gladys Adda,
Directeur de Développement,
Société Tunisienne de Banque,
I avenue H. Thameur,
Tunis, Tunisia
Dr. Malek Basbous,
Président du Plan Vert,
B.P. 4460,
Beirut, Lebanon.
Mr. R. Basten,
Acting Director of the JOB Secretariat,
JOB,
Palais des Nations,
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
(previously Mr. H. Drucks)
Mr. E.J. Brunenkant,
Director,
Division of Scientific and
Technical Information,
IAEA,
Kärntnerring 11,
Vienna, Austria.
Mr. N . St. Dumitrescu,
Director,
Library and Documentation Systems
Division,
FAO,
Via delle Terme di Caracalla,
1-00100 Rome, Italy.
Mr. G.K. Thompson,
Chief, Central Library and
Documentation Branch,
ILO,
4 rue des Morillons,
1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.
Mr. A. Wysocki,
Director,
Division of Scientific and
Technological Documentation
and Information,
UNESCO,
Place Fontenoy,
F-75700 Paris, France.
151
24 March-15 April
24 March-Il April

Dr. Omar Botero-Páramo,
Calle Ill No. 4-35,
Bogota, Colombia.
Formerly: Consultant,
Inter-American Development Bank.
Mr. Giampaolo Del Bigio,
Senior Systems Analyst,
Computerized Documentation Service
UNESCO,
7 Place Fontenoy,
F-75700 Paris, France.
Mr. Hans Einhaus,
Chief, Office for Science and Technology,
Geneva Branch,
Palais des Nations,
1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland.
Mr. Mandi Elmandjra,
Special Adviser to the Director-General,
UNESCO,
Place Fontenoy,
F-75 700 Paris, France.
(Vice-Chairman, DEVSIS Steering Committee)
Mr. Joze Kokole,
Zavod SRS za varstvo pri delu,
(Institute of Occupational Safety),
Behoriceva ul. 22 a,
61000 Ljubljana, Yugoslavia.
Miss Lorenza Mariano,
Information Systems Program,
Development Academy of the Philippines,
Matimyas Bldg., E. Rodriguez, Sr. Avenue,
Quezon City, Philippines.
Prof. A. Neelameghan,
Head, Documentation Research and
Training Centre,
Indian Statistical Institute,
112 Cross Road 11,
Malleswaram,
Banga lore 560003, India.
Miss Doris Piazzalonga,
Research Assistant,
Central Library and Documentation Branch,
152
24 March-15 April
2 June-3 June
6 July-11 July
10 August-14 August
Mr. Victor di Lauro, 30 June-S July
Programme Officer, I August-15 August
Central Library and Documentation Branch, 1 September-8 Sept.
ILO,
4 rue des Morillons,
1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.
15 August-30 Sept.
24 March-30 Sept.
18 June-20 June
16 July-4 Sept.
I July-23 Sept.
24 March-15 April
9 May-Il May
21 June
1 June-30 June

In addition:
ILO,
4 rue des Morillons,
1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.
Mr. George K. Thompson
Chief,
Central Library and
Documentation Branch,
ILO,
4 rue des Morillons,
1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland.
(Deputy Director, DEVSIS Study Team
DEVSIS Steering Committee)
Ms. Kate Wild,
Programme Officer,
International Development Research Centre,
P.O. Box 8500,
Ottawa, Canada KIG 3H9.
Mr. John E. Woolston,
Director,
International Development Research Centre,
P.O. box 8500,
Ottawa, Canada KIG 3H9.
(Director: DEVSIS Study Team,
Member: DEVSIS Steering Committee)
Ms. Alexandra Ahlborn, Ms. Veronika Hellmann and
Ms. Mollie Mayes provided invaluable support services
to the Team.
Mr. Tamás Földi,
Kozgazdasagi Informacios Csoport,
Economic Information Unit,
Münnich Ferenc u. 7,
H-105l Budapest, Hungary.
Ms. Farah Ahmad,
M.A. Student in Information Studies,
University of Sheffield,
Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Ms. Marcelle Saint Arnaud,
Programme Officer, IDRC,
OECD Development Centre,
94 rue Chardon-Lagache,
F-75016 Paris, France.
Mr. Behrooz Rafli,
Plan and Budget Organization,
Teheran, Iran, and
153
6 Jan.-25 March
making administrative
arrangements for starting
up work of Study Team
26 March-12 Sept.
and Assessor,
24 March-30 Sept.
24 March-19 Sept.

Mr. Ponna Wignaraja,
Asian Development Institute,
Sri Ayudhya Road,
P.O. Box 2-136,
Bangkok, Thailand
(Member: DEVSIS Steering Committee)
assisted the Study Team for shorter periods of time.
Apart from the individuals specifically mentioned in this list, the Team is
grateful for the comments and suggestions of all members of the Steering Committee.
In particular Mr. Raymond Aubrac spent several weeks in Geneva on other business and
gave freely of his time. The Secretariat of the Steering Committee, provided by the
UNISIST staff of UNESCO, particularly its Director, Dr. Adam Wysocki, made notable
contributions. Visitors from OECD, particularly Mr. M. Jacomet, Mr. G. Fossi and Mr.
J. Viet also gave us the benefit of their advice.
154

Annex 3
Reports and documents referring to DEVSIS
John E. Woolston, DEVSLS: a development science information system,
report IDRC-doc-041 (International Development Research Centre: January
1975). Also available in French.
Advisory Committee on the Application of Science and Technology to
Development (ACAST), Record of the Twentieth Session, 2 1-30 October
1974, p. 8 (United Nations, Geneva: 1975); John E. Woolston, The
Development Science Information System (DEVSIS), document
E/AC.52/XX/CRP.9 prepared for the Twentieth Session of ACAST (United
Nations, Geneva: 26 September 1974).
United Nations Development Programme. The Administrator reports: 1974,
p. 16 (UNDP: 1974).
Group of Experts on the Structure of the United Nations System, A new
United Nations structure for global economic co-operation, document
E/AC.62/9, p. 45, paras 151-152 (United Nations: 1975). (Also in
French).
J.E. Woolston, International Information Systems: their relation to economic
and social development, Proc. IAEA-FAO-UNESCO Symp. Information
Systems, their Interconnection and Compatibility, Varna, Bulgaria, 30
September-3 October 1974, pp. 5 1-60 (IAEA, Vienna: 1975).
D. Leatherdale, DEVSIS: Development Sciences Information System, Proc.
Workshop/Seminar Regional Co-operation in Agricultural Information,
College, Laguna, Philippines, 3-12 March 1975, pp. 125-133 (SEARCA:
1975).
Kate Wild and John E. Woolston, Social and Economic Development: how
DEVSIS would link into the emerging network of international information
systems, paper presented at the Fifth World Congress of the International
Association of Agricultural Librarians and Documentalists, Mexico, DF,
14-18 April 1975, 8 pp.
John E. Woolston, Economic and Social Information: an essential element
for development decision making, paper presented at the Symposium on
Scientific and Engineering Secondary Information Transfer for the Developing
Countries, Brussels, 23-24 June 1975, 8 pp.
George K. Thompson, Coniputerised approaches to the literature of economics:
from ISIS to DEVSIS, paper presented at the Symposium on the
Organisation of Economic Knowledge, Kiel, 7-12 July 1975.
John E. Woolston, DEVSIS: Development Science Information System,
paper to be presented at the FID Symposium on Information System Design
for Socio-Economic Development, Brussels, 30 September-2 October 1975,
10 pp.
155

Annex 4
Institutions responding to questionnaires
Category A - International organisations located in developed countries:
Inter-American Development Bank, Washington
International Labour Office, Geneva
Joint Bank-Fund Library, Washington
Category B - Research institutes, documentation centres and donor agencies in
developed countries:
Dokumentationsleitstelle Afrika, Hamburg
Dokumentationsleitstelle Asien, Hamburg
Dokumentationsleitstelle Latein-Amerika, Hamburg
Dokumentationsleitstelle Moderner Orient, Hamburg
Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Economics/ Institute for World
Economics, Budapest
International Development Research Centre, Ottawa
Institute for Development Studies, University of Sussex, Brighton
Institut nauchnoi informatsii p0 obshchestvennym naukam, Akademiia nauk
SSSR, Moscow
Institute of Developing Economies, Tokyo
Interuniversitair Centrum voor Studie en Documentatie van Latijns
Amerika, Amsterdam
Nederlands Documentatiecentrum voor Ontwikkelingslanden, Amsterdam
Presidéncia do Conselho. Grupo de Trabalho Permanente para a Documentaçao
e Informaçao económico-social, Lisboa
United States Agency for International Development, Washington
Category C - International organisation located in developing countries:
Asian Institute for Economic Development and Planning, Bangkok
156

Caribbean Community Secretariat, Georgetown
Council for the Development of Economic and Social Research in Africa
(CODESRIA), Dakar
ILO Regional Office for Asia, Bangkok
ILO Regional Office for Latin America, Lima
UN ECLA, Santiago
UN ESCAP, Bangkok
Category D Research institutes and documentation centres in developing countries
(other than those included in C):
African Institute for Economic and Social Development (INADES),
Abidjan
Centro de Estudios EconOmicos y Demograficos, Colegio de Mexico, Mexico
City
Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Poona
Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi
Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Ibadan
Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of the West Indies,
Kingston
National Center of Scientific and Technological Information, Tel-Aviv
Red de InformaciOn Socio-Económica (REDINSE), Venezuela
Société tunisienne de Banque, Tunis.
157

Annex 5
Replies to questionnaire: Periodical titles received and indexed/abstracted
Key:
Category A - International organisations located in developed countries (3 institutions
responding)
Category B - Research institutes, documentation centres and donor agencies in developed
countries (13 institutions responding)
Category C - International organisations located in developing countries (7 institutions
responding)
Category D - Research institutes and documentation centres in developing countries (other
than those included in C (9 institutions responding)
1/A = Indexed and/or abstracted
Category A Category B Category C Category D TOTALS
(3) (13) (7) (9) (32)
Titles
Recd. I/A Recd. I/A Recd. I/A Recd. I/A Recd. I/A
I. African affairs (LONDON) 2 2 6 3 1 0 3 0 12 5

2. African development
(LONDON) 2 1 5 3 1 0 3 0 11 5
3. African social research
(LUSAKA) 2 2 5 3 1 0 3 0 II 5
4. Africana bulletin
(WARSAW) 4 2 1 0 3 0 9 3
5. America Latina
(RIO DE JANEIRO) 3 3 4 3 1 0 3 0 11 6
6. American economic review
(MENASHA) 3 3 7 5 5 3 7 0 22 11
7. American journal of agricultural
economics
(LEXINGTON) 3 3 6 4 5 3 6 0 20 10
8. American journal of
sociology (CHICAGO) 1 1 7 5 1 0 7 0 16 6
9. American sociological
review (WASHINGTON) 2 2 4 3 4 1 7 0 17 6
10. Artha vijriana (POONA) 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 0 9 6
11. Asian survey (BERKELEY) 2 2 7 4 3 3 4 0 16 9
12. Bangladesh economic
studies (DACCA) 3 3 6 4 4 3 5 0 18 10

13. Boletin econOmico de
America Latina/or Economic
bulletin for Latin America
(SANTIAGO/NEW YORK) 3 3 7 5 6 2 6 0 22 10
14. Bulletin of Indonesian
economic studies(CANBERRA) 2 2 5 2 3 3 2 0 12 7
15. Bulletin of the Oxford
University Institute of
Economics and Statistics
(OXFORD) 2 2 2 1 5 3 5 0 14 6
16. Cahiers africains
d 'administration publique
African administrative
studies (TANGER) 1 1 3 2 1 0 3 0 8 3
17. Cahiers d'études
africaines (PARIS) 1 1 5 2 1 0 3 0 10 3
18. Cahiers d'outre-mer
(BORDEAUX) 1 1 4 2 1 0 1 0 7 3
19. Canadian journal of
African studies (OTTAWA) 1 1 4 2 1 0 4 0 10 3
20. Canadian journal of
economics (TORONTO) 3 3 4 3 4 3 6 0 17 9
21. Civilisations (BRUXELLES) 2 2 6 4 1 0 2 0 II 6

22. Community development
journal (LONDON) 1 1 4 2 2 1 2 0 9 4
23. Cuadernos de economia
(SANTIAGO DE CHILE) 3 3 2 2 1 1 2 0 8 6
24. Demografia y economia
(MEXICO) 3 3 7 4 2 1 3 0 15 8
25. Demography (WASHINGTON) 2 1 5 2 2 I 6 0 15 4
26. Desarrollo econOmico
(BUENOS AIRES) 3 3 5 3 1 1 3 0 12 7
27. Desarrollo rural en las
Americas (BOGOTA) 2 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 5 3
28. Developing economies
(TOKYO) 3 3 7 4 6 5 7 0 23 12
29. Development and change
(THE HAGUE) 3 3 8 7 1 0 5 0 17 10
30. Eastern Africa economic
review (NAIROBI) 2 2 6 3 1 0 5 0 14 5
31. Eastern Africa journal of
rural development (KAMPALA) 2 2 3 1 1 0 2 0 8 2
32. Economia y desarrollo
(LA HABANA) 2 1 7 5 1 1 3 0 13 7

33. Economic bulletin for Asia
and the Far East(BANGKOK/
NEW YORK) 2 2 9 6 5 3 4 0 20 11
34. Economic bulletin of
Ghana (ACCRA) 2 2 5 2 1 0 5 0 13 4
35. Economic development and
cultural change (CHICAGO) 3 3 7 4 6 4 7 0 23 11
36. Economic journal (LONDON) 3 3 5 3 6 4 7 0 21 10
37. Economic record (MELBOURNE) 3 3 3 3 4 3 4 0 14 9
38. Económica (LONDON) 3 3 4 3 5 3 6 0 18 9
39. Europe outre-mer (PARIS) 2 2 5 2 1 0 2 1 10 5
40. Finance and development/ou
Finances et développement/o
Finanzas y desarrollo
(WASHINGTON) 3 3 8 5 6 4 8 1 25 13
41. Food Research Institute
studies in agricultural
economics, trade and
development (STANFORD) 3 3 5 3 4 2 5 0 17 8
42. Indian economic journal
(BOMBAY) 3 3 4 3 3 2 5 0 15 8
43. Industrial and labor
relations review (ITHACA) 2 1 4 2 0 0 5 0 11 3

44. Industries et travaux
d'outre-mer (PARIS) 2 I 4 2 1 0 2 1 9 4
45. Institute of Development
Studies bulletin (BRIGHTON) 3 2 5 3 6 4 5 0 19 9
46. Inter-American economic
affairs (WASHINGTON) 3 3 6 4 4 2 3 0 16 9
47. Inter economics (HAMBURG) 3 2 9 6 4 2 7 0 23 10
48. International development
review (WASHINGTON) 2 2 9 5 5 3 5 0 21 10
49. Internationl labour review!
o Revista internacional del
trabajo/ou Revue inter
nationale du travail
(GENEVA) 3 3 10 7 7 4 6 0 26 14
50. International social
science journal/ou Revue
internationale des sciences
sociales (PARIS) 3 3 8 5 5 2 6 0 22 10
5 I. InvestigaciOn econOmica
(MEXICO) 3 3 2 2 0 0 2 0 7 5

52. Journal of administration
overseas (LONDON) 1 1 5 2 1 0 5 0 12 3
53. Journal of Asian and
African studies (LEIDEN) 1 1 7 5 1 1 3 0 12 7
54. Journal of developing
areas (MACOMB) 3 3 7 4 3 1 5 0 18 8
55. Journal of development
planning/ou Journal de Ia
planification du développement/o
Revista de Ia planificaciOn
del desarrollo
(NEW YORK) 2 2 7 4 4 2 5 0 18 8
56. Journal of development
studies (LONDON) 3 3 10 7 6 4 6 0 25 14
57. Journal of modern African
studies (LONDON) 2 2 6 3 1 0 7 0 16 5
58. Journal of political
economy (CHICAGO) 3 3 5 3 3 1 7 0 18 7
59. Journal of world trade law
(TWICKENFIAM) 1 1 2 0 3 3 2 0 8 4
60. Kyklos (BASEL) 3 3 5 3 4 2 4 0 16 8
61. Land economics (MADISON) 3 3 8 5 2 2 5 0 18 10

62. Latin American research
review (AUSTIN) 3 3 6 4 2 1 4 0 15 8
63. Malayan economic review
(SINGAPORE) 2 2 5 2 3 2 4 0 14 6
64. Manchester School of
Economic and Social
Studies (MANCHESTER) 3 3 3 3 5 3 5 0 16 9
65. Manpower and unemployment
research in Africa
(MONTREAL) 2 1 5 2 1 0 6 0 14 3
66. Manpower journal (NEW
DELHI) I I 5 2 2 2 1 0 9 5
67. Marches tropicaux et
méditerranéens (PARIS) 2 1 5 2 2 0 2 1 11 4
68. Milbank Memorial Fund
quarterly (NEW YORK) 1 I 3 0 2 1 5 0 11 2
69. Mondes en developpement
(PARIS) 3 3 5 2 0 0 3 0 II 5

70. Narody Azii i Afriki
(MOSKVA) I 1 4 2 0 0 I 0 6 3
71. Nigerian journal of
economic and social
studies (IBADAN) 2 2 5 2 1 0 5 0 13 4
72. Oxford economic papers
(LONDON) 3 3 6 4 5 3 4 0 18 10
73. Pakistan development
review (ISLAMABAD) 3 3 5 2 5 4 3 0 16 9
74. Pesquisa e planejamento
econOmico (RIO DE JANEIRO) 2 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 4 4
75. Philippine journal of
public administration
(MANILA) 1 1 3 1 2 1 1 0 7 3
76. Population (PARIS) 2 2 6 4 3 2 5 0 16 8
77. Population studies
(LONDON) 2 1 6 3 1 1 7 0 16 5
78. Problemas del desarrollo
(MEXICO) 2 2 3 3 1 0 2 0 8 5
79. Quarterly journal of
economics (CAMBRIDGE) 3 3 5 3 5 3 7 0 20 9
80. Review of economic
studies (EDINBURGH) 3 3 4 3 4 2 6 0 17 8

81. Review of economics and
statistics (CAMBRIDGE) 3 3 6 4 5 3 6 0 20 10
82. Review of income and
wealth (NEW HAVEN) 3 3 4 2 3 2 5 0 15 7
83. Revista brasileira de
economi'a(RIODEJANEIRO) 3 3 5 4 3 1 2 0 13 8
84. Revista de Ia integracion
(BUENOS AIRES) 3 3 5 4 3 2 3 0 14 9
85. Revista de planeaciOn y
desarrollo (BOGOTA) 3 3 5 4 1 0 2 0 11 7
86. Revista mexicana de
sociologia (MEXICO) 2 2 5 3 1 1 4 0 12 6
87. Revista paraguaya de
sociologia (ASUNCION) 2 2 4 2 1 1 2 0 9 5
88. Revue algérienne de
sciences juridiques,
économiques et politiques
(ALGER) 2 2 3 2 1 0 2 1 8 5
89. Revue tunisienne de
sciences sociales (TUNIS) 2 2 5 3 1 0 2 1 10 6
90. Rural Africana (EAST
LANSING) 2 1 4 1 0 0 3 0 9 2

91. Rural sociology
(UNIVERSITY PARK) 3 2 5 4 1 1 5 0 14 7
92. Social and economic
studies (KINGSTON) 3 3 6 3 2 2 7 0 18 8
93. Sociologia ruralis (ASSEN) 1 1 3 1 0 0 2 0 6 2
94. South African journal of
economics (JOHANNESBURG) 3 3 5 5 1 0 4 0 13 8
95. Staff papers, IMF
(WASHINGTON) 3 3 8 5 5 3 6 0 22 11
96. Studies in comparative
international development
(NEW BRUNSWICK) 3 2 4 2 0 0 1 0 8 4
97. Tiers-monde (PARIS) 3 3 8 5 4 2 5 1 20 11
98. Trimestre econOmico
(MEXICO) 3 3 8 6 2 1 4 0 17 10
99. Vierteljahresberichte,
Probleme der Entwicklungslander
(BAD GODESBERG) I 1 8 6 0 0 1 0 10 7
100. World development (OXFORD) 3 3 8 5 5 3 4 0 20 11

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SIX INDEXING/ABSTRACTING SERVICES
International
Labour
Documentation
Social
Sciences
Citation
Index
Economic
Titles
Journal
of
Economic
Literature
International
Bibliography
of the Social
Sciences
Public
Affairs
Information
Service
NTitle
Characteristics
1965-
1970-
1974-
1963-
Econ 1952-
Soc 1951-
PolSci 1952-
Anthro 1955-
1914-
Foreign
Language
Index 1968-
Publication
Period
Semi-monthly;
cumulates every
two years
Every four
months; cumulates
annually
Semi-monthly
with subject
index cumulating
annually
Quarterly
Annual
*
Frequency
Bulletin - weekly, five cumulations each year with annual bound cumulation.
Foreign language index - quarterly, each issue cumulated with annual bound cumulation.

96% 97% 38% 42% 48% 100%
Development
periodicals in
survey received
75% 96% 38% 42% 48% 99%
Development
periodicals in
survey indexed
or abstracted
Treatment Selectively Selectively All selec- 22% abstrac- Permuted title Abstracted, but
indexed indexed tively ted cover- index of all only very
indexed; to-cover; articles; selectively
abstracted 20% abstrac- full citation
ted 3/5-4/5 indexing
Coverage of Articles, Mainly books Mainly Mainly Periodical Books,
Service books, govern- and articles books and articles, articles articles,
ment docs.
articles some books, only
government does
etc.
government
and interna-
docs.,
national
directories,
organisation
annual
publications
reports
Annual subscrip- $150 $15 for each $34.50 750 Guilders $1,250 $17 (semition
price, hard (Bulletin) volume (includes
monthly issues
copy
$125 (Foreign
subscrip-
only)
language
tion to
index)
American
Economic
Review

Annex 6
Description of secondary services
Pub/ic Affairs Information Service. PAlS is a non-profit organisation
which is located in the Economic and Public Affairs Division of the Research
Libraries of the New York Public Library. It publishes a weekly Bulletin which indexes
articles, books and other documents produced in the English language, and recently
started publishing a Foreign Language Index. The weekly bulletins are cumulated five
times during the year and subsequently in annual bound volumes. The Foreign
Language Index is issued quarterly, each issue cumulating until the annual bound
volume comes out. PATS currently receives 96 of the 100 periodicals in the survey, and
selectively indexes articles in 75 of them.
International Bibliography of Social Sciences. The International
Committee for Social Science Information and Documentation (LCSSD) publishes four
annual bibliographies in the fields of economics, sociology, political science, and social
and cultural anthropology. UNESCO's Department of Social Sciences awards an annual
grant to the ICSSD to help defray the cost of preparing these bibliographies which are
published in London by Tavistock, and generally appear two or three years after the
date of publication of the materials which they record. At present the JCSSD receives
97 of the 100 titles and selectively indexes articles from 96 of them. Entries are presented
in each of the four bibliographies according to a classification scheme unique to each,
and the four bibliographies all contain bilingual subject indexes (English-French).
Journal of Economic Literature. JEL, sponsored by the American
Economic Association, appears quarterly. Periodical articles are listed in classified
order, and the more important ones are abstracted, along with books and other
materials. An annual subject index is also prepared. Currently, the Journal of Economic
Literature covers 38 of the periodicals in the survey, primarily those that publish articles
in the English language.
Economic Titles. The Economic Information Service of the
Ministry of Economic Affairs of the Netherlands produces a semi-monthly bulletin of
abstracts which encompasses periodical articles, books and government publications,
research reports and important annual reports and directories. Entries are arranged in
classified order according to the Universal Decimal Classification, and a brief indicative
abstract accompanies each entry, written in one of the following languages: English,
French, German or Dutch. One to three descriptors, in English only, are used to index
each entry and to prepare the subject index which appears in each issue and cumulates
annually. Economic Titles currently abstracts 42 of the 100 periodicals. Of these, 22 are
done cover-to-cover, that is to say, every article in each issue is abstracted.
Social Sciences Citation Index. All articles published in 48 of the
100 periodicals are regularly recorded in the SSCJ, published by the Institute for
Scientific Information in Philadelphia, along with those in more than 2,000 other
journals. Although SSCJ contains a subject index made by permuting keywords in the
titles of articles (or their English translations), its main interest resides in the fact that
index entries are generated for all references cited in each article. This can only be done
by computer manipulation of such an enormous file.
International Labour Documentation. This semi-monthly bulletin
of indicative abstracts is produced as a by-product of the operation of the
computerised ISIS system in the Central Library and Documentation Branch of the
169

International Labour Office. All 100 of the periodicals surveyed are received by the ILO
Library and abstracts are prepared on a highly selective basis from 99 of them. Only one
periodical is abstracted cover-to-cover. This, quite logically, is the International Labour
Review, a monthly publication of the ILO itself.
170

Yes
No Yes Yes Yes
Only for the
foreign
language
index
Are computers
used in production
of printed
service?
Yes
No No Yes Yes
No
Magnetic tape
service available
on
subscription?
Yes, in Geneva
and Ottawa
Yes, through
Lockheed
No No Beginning
in 1976
Under consideration
Can data base be
searched on-line
Yes, monthly
or quarterly
Yes, weekly
by subscr.
No No Beginning
in 1976
No
S.D.I. Service?
Yes
Yes
No No Beginning
in 1976
No
Retrospective

Annex 7
Survey of documents of international organisations
(29 institutions responded to the survey: the figures in the columns
indicate the number of "yes" replies to the questions in the headings)
Put in
computer
store?
DOCUMENT (source and short title) Received? Catalogued? Indexed? Abstracted? Announced?
FAO Food and Nutrition
Alimentation et Nutrition
Alimentación y Nutrición 9 7 5 2 5 2
IBRD Environmental, Health and
Human Ecologic Considerations
in Economic Development Projects
12 12 6 2 9 2
IBRD List of national development
plans 17 16 10 2 11 2
IMF Surveys of African Economies 14 13 8 3 9 2
ILO Employment in Africa
L'emploi en Afrique 13 13 7 1 9
ILO Mechanisation and employment
in agriculture 8 8 5 1 5

ILO Population and Labour 13 11 5 1 9
ILO Roads and redistribution:
Iran 9 9 5 1 7
ILO Technical guide employment,
unemployment 4 4 3 1 4
ILO Urban unemployment in
developing countries 19 19 8 2 15 2
OECD Agricultural policies and
employment: Tunisia 18 17 7 2 14 2
OECD Environmental aspects of
economic growth 2 1 19 8 2 15 2
OECD Studies on employment in the
Mexican housing industry 12 10 5 1 6 1
UN Application of computer technology
for development 18 15 7 2 13 2
UN implementation of the international
development strategy 21 19 9 2 15 2
UN Measures for improving performance
of public enterprise in
developing countries 9 8 5 3 7 2
UN Methods of Projecting Households
and Families 15 12 6 1 9

UN Multinational Corporations, A
Select Bibliography 15 12 8 1 8 1
UN Self-help practices in housing:
Selected case studies 9 7 3 1 6 1
UN Status of Rural Women, especially
agricultural workers 3 1 1 1 2 1
UN Directory Public administration
13 Il 5 3 8 2
UN Urban land policies and landuse
control measures 15 13 6 1 9
UN World Energy Supplies 20 15 6 2 14 2
UN-ECA African regional plan for
the application of science and
technology to development 15 12 5 2 9 2
UN-ECA Report of the regional
expert group meeting of higher
management education and training
in Africa 7 4 2 1 3
UN-ECAFE An Asian plan of action
for the application of science
and technology to development 9 6 3 2 7 2
UN-ECAFE Industrialisation and
employment 6 3 2 1 4

UN-ECAFE Intra-regional trade projections,
effective protection
and income distribution 15 13 6 2 12 2
UN-ECAFE Report of the ECAFE Conference
on social development 6 4 2 1 5 1
UN-ECLA Analisis de Ia situaciOn
educacional en America Latina 5 5 2 1 2 1
UN-ECLA Bibliografia sobre
promociOn de exportaciones 7 6 5 2 5 2
UN-ECLA Latin America and the international
development strategy 10 9 6 1 7
UN-ECLA Strategy for nontraditional
exports 8 5 5 1 4 1
UN-ECWA Studies on social development
in the Middle East, 1971 11 9 3 1 9
UNCTAD Current problems of
economic integration 15 17 6 1 10
UNCTAD Index to resolutions and
other decisions of UNCTAD 11 6 1 1 6
UNRISD Methods of estimation and
prediction in socio-economic
development 9 8 2 1 5

12
1
9
17
20
UNIDO Summaries of industrial
development plans
3
1
1
4
5
UNESCO Agriculture et processus de
développement
5 1
1
2
6
9
UNESCO Possibilities and limitations
of functional literacy:
the Iranian experiment

Annex 8
Indexing and abstracting of international
organisations documents and publications
It is actually more difficult today for institutions to learn of the work of the
United Nations family in the field of economic and social development than it was a
quarter of a century ago. Two very important and useful tools produced by the United
Nations in the first years of its existence have long since been discontinued and no
satisfactory substitute found.
Until 1954 the United Nations published an annual Catalogue of Economic
and Social Projects of the United Nations and the Specialised Agencies, and from
1950-62 the United Nations Documents Index contained information not only about
documentation produced by the United Nations, but also by the specialised agencies.
Input to the United Nations Documents Index was gathered in the same way as INIS and
AGRIS input is gathered today; each specialised agency made a selection of its
important new documents or publications and reported these to the United Nations
Library in New York. There the documents were indexed in a uniform fashion in UNDI
which was then published once a month.
This index was only issued in English. Following pressure in the late l950s
to prepare a French version, the United Nations decided, after consultation with all of
the specialised agencies, to discontinue the indexing of their documentation.
This decision met with vociferous protests from the primary users of the
index, namely those libraries that received the documentation of the United Nations and
the specialised agencies by subscription or as depository libraries. The matter was
discussed several times at different meetings convened by the ACC (Administrative
Committee on Co-ordination) and in October 1967 an Inter-Agency Working Party on
Indexing was created. The terms of reference of this Working Party, which has not met
since 1968, included:
review current indexing activities;
propose and further the establishment and development of common standards
for the organisation, indexing, storage and dissemination of the
documents produced by the United Nations, the specialised agencies and
IAEA;
consider ways and means of achieving and maintaining compatibility
between existing and planned systems of indexing and retrieval of documents;
and
formulate recommendations to the ACC on these matters, taking into
account the various needs and practices of each individual agency and other
users.
This Working Party did work out an inter-agency microfiche standard which
most agencies are using to this day, and devised a two-digit agency identification code
which agencies were encouraged to include in their document symbols; this code was
never adopted by any agency.
179

Beginning in the mid-sixties, however, several members of the United
Nations family, followed by the OECD, IDRC and others, started developing cornputerised
systems to record and retrieve information about their own documentary
production. In fact, nearly all of the present co-sponsors of DEVSIS operate such
computerised systems. While these efforts have improved the control of documentation
within each agency, to date they have not gone very far to facilitate the task of certain
categories of users, as indicated in the survey carried out by the Study Team.
Although a number of organisations (UNESCO and FAO for example) do
provide comprehensive coverage of their own documentary production, at the present
time there is no indexing or abstracting service which systematically cover the
documentary production of international organisations. However, there are at least three
current awareness services providing information about a selection of new documents
and publications; two of these are available for purchase by subscription and the third
is a restricted bulletin which can only be made available to the members of the United
Nations family:
(I) International bibliography, information, documentation
Published quarterly by Unipub (a Xerox Company), New York. Contains a
classified annotated listing of new publications of organisations of the United Nations
family and a few other international organisations. Tables of contents of periodicals are
also reproduced, and a subject index is included in each issue. Several hundred items are
announced each year.
International social science journal
Published quarterly in English and French by UNESCO. Each issue contains
a section entitled "Materials from the United Nations system: an annotated selection".
Publications and documents are both included, with brief annotations. Approx. 300
items per year are announced, nearly all of direct relevance to DEVSIS.
International labour documentation supplementary list
Published weekly by the ILO library. Contains annually a selected listing of
some 3,000 important new documents and publications received from all major
international organisations in the economic and social field including a complete listing
of new ILO documentation. As many items are restricted, this list cannot be made
available outside the United Nations family. Items are not indexed in any way, but all
entries are stored in computer memory. Since the titles of international organisation
documents are usually highly significative, it is possible to undertake meaningful
retrieval on the file by use of keywords.
Approximately every ten years or so a guide to the documentary production
of the United Nations system is produced, and these do provide some help to institutions
wishing to find their way around.'2'3 However, the only sure solution would be to return
to the 1950-62 United Nations Documents Index formula and to reconstruct the
mechanisms for collecting input from the various agencies.
'Thompson, George K. United Nations Documents: A manual for their use in the
library. Cleveland, Western Reserve University. 1951. 192 p. (unpublished Master's Thesis).
2Brimmer, Brenda. A Guide to the Use of United Nations Documents. New York,
Oceana Publications. 1962. 272 p.
3Winton, Harry N.M. Publications of the United Nations System. New York, Unipub,
1972. 202 p.
180

Annex 9
Scope of DEVSIS
(categorised by purpose)
I. INFORMA TION TO BE ADMITTED TO DEVSIS
As DEVSIS is a mission-oriented system, a given item of information shall
be admitted to the system if, and only if, it was generated with the purpose of
contributing to the accomplishment of the mission. The following set of definitions have
been elaborated to reinforce the concept of purpose, and participating centres are
advised to look for this when making their decisions whether or not to report a given
piece of information to the system. However, particularly in the case of information to
be recorded under categories AlO and A15, the participating centre may find that the
purpose has not been explicitly stated in the piece of information at hand: in such cases,
it will be the responsibility of the participating centre to determine whether the purpose
is implicit, or whether - in the perception of the participating centre - the facts made
available are likely to be a useful resource for development decision making.
The following definitions of the information to be admitted to the DEVSIS
data base should be read in conjunction with the exclusions and limitations identified in
sections II, Ill, IV and V of this annex.
A00 FACTS, TRENDS AND ANALYSES
A 10 Basic information and data:
national and international
Statements of factual information and data relating to existing economic and
social conditions and phenomena (including resources, production, consumption,
distribution, trade and other transactions) for the entire world, for
regions of the world, or for particular whole countries.
Al5 Basic information and data.
sub- national
Statements of factual information and data relating to existing economic and
social conditions and phenomena (including resources, production, consumption,
distribution, trade and other transactions) for particular localities
or sub-areas within a country or countries.
A20 Extrapolations and forecasts:
national and international
Extrapolations of economic and social conditions and phenomena (including
resources, production, consumption, distribution, trade and other transactions)
carried out with the purpose of forecasting future situations - for the
entire world, for regions of the world, or for particular whole countries.
A25 Extrapolations and forecasts:
sub-national
181

Extrapolations of economic and social conditions and phenomena (including
resources, production, consumption, distribution, trade and other transactions)
carried out with the purpose of forecasting future situations - for
particular localities or sub-areas within a country or countries.
A30 Existing situations: international
and national
Descriptions and analyses of existing economic, social, political and regulative
(legislative) situations carried out with the purpose of identifying causes
of underdevelopment and factors favouring development in the entire world,
regions of the world or particular whole countries (if, however, the description
or analysis leads to significant recommendations for decision making,
use BlO).
A35 Existing situations: sub-national
Descriptions and analyses of existing economic, social, political and regulative
(legislative) situations carried out with the purpose of identifying causes
of underdevelopment and factors favouring development in particular
localities or sub-areas within a country or countries (if, however, the
description or analysis leads to significant recommendations for decision
making, use B15).
BOO PRESCRiPTIONS FOR DECISION-MAKING
B 10 Prescriptions for development policy or
action. international and national
Statements and studies produced with the purpose of recommending new
policies or programmes to foster economic and social development in the
entire world, in regions of the world, or in particular, whole countries. (Note:
if the recommendations relate specifically to the work of an official body,
they may constitute a statement of that body's policy or a commentary on it:
then use ClO or C 15).
B 15 Prescriptions for development policy or
action: sub-national
Statements and studies produced with the purpose of recommending new
policies or programmes to foster economic and social development in
particular localities or sub-areas within a country or countries. (Note: if the
recommendations relate specifically to the work of an official body, they may
constitute a statement of that body's policy or a commentary on it: then use
ClO or Cl5).
COO OFFICIAL POLICIES, PLANS, PROGRAMMES, ARRANGEMENTS
C 10 Official statements of development policy
182

Documents issued by or on behalf of organisations: international regional,
national and local, such as governments, banks, funding and investment
agencies and political parties, defining or explaining their policies in relation
to the pursuit of development goals. Over-all general descriptions by such
organisations of their present and future activities. (Note: for retrospective
reviews, such as annual reports, use D50).
Cl 5 Commentaries on official
policies and activities
Commentaries on the policies and over-all activities of organisations:
international, regional, national and local, such as governments, banks,
funding and investment agencies, and political parties. (Note: if the commentary
was issued by or on behalf of the organisation itself, use do.)
C20 Development plans
Official plans, papers on plans and statements issued by organisations:
international, regional, national and local, such as governments, banks,
funding and investment agencies and political parties detailing their development
plans, programmes, resource allocations, budgets, time targets, etc.
C25 Commentaries on development plans
Commentaries on the official plans issued by organisations: international,
regional, national and local, such as governments, banks, funding and
investment agencies and political parties. (Note: if the commentary was
issued by or on behalf of the organisation itself, use C20).
C30 Legal, financial and administrative
arrangements: international
Official documents relating to co-ordination and co-operation in development
activities, establishing or involving international or regional institutions,
or linking parties in different countries: treaties, agreements, institutional
and contractual arrangements.
C35 Commentaries on international
arrangements: legal, financial
and administrative
Commentaries on international arrangements relating to co-ordination and
co-operation in development activities: legal, financial and administrative
aspects.
C40 Legal, financial and administrative
arrangements. national and sub-national
Official documents relating to co-ordination and co-operation in development
activities, establishing or involving national or local institutions within
single countries: legislation, agreements, institutional and contractual
arrangements.
183

C45 Commentaries on national arrangements:
legal, financial and administrative
Commentaries on national and local arrangements relating to co-ordination
and co-operation in development activities: legal, financial and administrative
aspects.
D00 DEVELOPMENT ACTION: OPERATIONAL
EXPERIENCE
D 10 Studies for particular projects
D20
Studies (including feasibility studies and market surveys) related to the
economic and social aspects of specific projects and the evaluation of the
proposals (i.e. project appraisals).
Development resources (particular projects)
Studies identifying resources for a specific development project and methods
used in raising the resources. (Note: for more general resource studies, use
F30 or F40).
D30 Announcements and descriptions of new projects
News releases, announcements and descriptions of development projects
that have been approved and are to be undertaken (for operational experience
use D40 or D50).
D40 Operational experience (particular projects)
Descriptions and progress reports of particular development projects:
reviews and evaluatory reports of the experience itself, including managerial,
financial, legislative, administrative and contractual aspects: co-ordination
and control experiences. (Note: for impact studies, use ElO or E20; for
evaluations in terms of economic and social effects, use E30).
D50 Operational experience (general)
General review and evaluatory papers on experiences in implementing
development projects and programmes, including managerial, financial,
legislative and administrative aspects; co-ordination and control experiences.
Retrospective reviews, such as annual reports, of the activities of organisations
involved in development actions.
E00 CONSEQUENCES AND EVALUATION
El 0 Impact. international and national
Analytical studies and interpretations, commentaries, reviews and evaluations
of the economic and social impact of development policies, plans,
programmes and projects in the entire world, in regions of the world or in
particular whole countries.
184

E20 Impact. sub-national
Analytical studies and interpretations, commentaries, reviews and evaluations
of the economic and social impact of development policies, plans,
programmes and projects for particular localities or sub-areas within a
country.
E30 Evaluations
Evaluatory reports of specific development strategies (including legislative
measures), programmes and projects from the point of view or on the basis
of the results achieved. (Note: for evaluations of operational experience, use
D30 or D40).
F00 RESOURCES AND TOOLS FOR DEVELOPMENT
F 10 Research
Descriptions and surveys of research capacities and research personnel for
development purposes. Descriptions of policies, programmes and activities
(including annual reports) of development research institutes. Directories of
research institutes and personnel. Bibliographies of research publications too
broad to be placed in a more specific category.
F20 Information
Descriptions and surveys of information systems and services designed to
support development activities. Directories of such systems and services.
Glossaries and other terminological aids.
F30 Men money and materials:
international and national
Descriptions and surveys of the resources available for development actions
in the entire world, regions of the world or particular whole countries.
Directories of such resources. (For resource studies related to a particular
project, use D20).
F40 Men, money and materials:
sub- national
Descriptions and surveys of the resources available for development actions
in particular localities or sub-areas within a country. Directories of such
resources. (For resource studies related to a particular project, use D20).
F50 Models, methodologies,
techniques and tools
Descriptive and evaluative accounts of techniques and tools (e.g. economic
and social indicators, econometric models, methodologies and computer
programmes) useful in economic and social forecasting, development policy
making and planning, project appraisal, project management and programme
evaluation.
185

II. EXCLUSIONS
Information that would qualify for admission to DEVSIS under any of the
categories mentioned in section I would, nevertheless, be excluded if it, either:
is trivial or redundant; or
contains exclusively technical information, even when such technical information
has been collected for, or is a result of, particular development
programmes or projects.
III. LIMITATIONS IN REGARD TO
SECTORAL INFORMATION
Non-sectoral and cross-sectoral information would fall within the purview of
DEVSIS if it can be identified under one or more of the categories mentioned in section
Information pertaining to a single sector (for example, industry, commerce,
transport, education, public health, social welfare, town planning, etc.) will fall within
the purview of DEVSIS according to the following indications:
IV. LIMITATIONS IN REGA RD TO INFORMA TION
ABOUT DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
situations:
FILE ONE: information to be entered into FILE ONE shall pertain to
- affecting one or more developing countries (i.e. countries on the UNDP list
of developing countries), or its (their) relationships with one or more
developed countries;
- affecting developing areas within developed countries.
In other words, to limit DEVSIS to a manageable size in the initial phase, information
will not be entered into FILE ONE if it deals only with situations affecting one or more
developed countries, unless it specifically relates to the problems of developing areas
within such countries.
Note: Information on "Models, methodologies, techniques and tools" (category
F50) is regarded as of universal interest and, therefore, information falling
within these categories shall be admitted to FILE ONE whatever be the
source of generation or whatever be the point of application of the tools
involved.
FILE TWO: relevant information shall be entered into FILE TWO irrespective
of whether it deals with situations in developing or developed countries.
V. LIMITATION IN REGARD TO
PROJECT DOCUMENTATION
A document relating to a project shall not be reported to DEVSIS if it has
already been reported to the United Nations Common Register of Projects (CORE).
186

Falls within the purview
Category number of DEVSIS or not
in section 1
Yes No
AlO x
A15 x
A20 x
A25 x
A30 x
A35 x
BlO x Provided the information
is presented in
the context of the
contribution it can
make to over-all
socio-economic
development.
BlO x If the information
concerns development
within the sector only.
B15 x
ClO and 15 x
C20 and 25 x
C30 and 35 x
C40 and 45 x
Dl0 x
D20 x
D30 x
D40 x
D50 x
ElO x
E20 x Provided the impact of
an action in one sector
is related to over-all
economic and social
development.
E20 x If it is a description
of impact in the given
sector only.
FlO, 20 x If international or
regional.
FlO, 20 x If national or subnational.
F30 x
F40 x
F50 x
187
Conditions

GLOBAL XZ
AFRICA XA
Annex 10
Country codes
Algeria DZ
Angola AO
Botswana BW
Burundi BI
Cameroon CM
Cape Verde Islands CV
Central African Republic CF
Chad TD
Comoro Islands KM
Congo CG
Dahomey DY
Egypt EG
Equatorial Guinea GQ
Ethiopia ET
French Afars and Issas Al
Gabon GA
Ghana GH
Guinea GN
Guinea Bissau GW
Ivory Coast CI
Kenya KE
Lesotho LS
Liberia LR
Libya LY
Madagascar MG
Malawi MW
Mali ML
Mauritania MR
Mauritius MU
Morocco MA
Mozambique MZ
Namibia NA
Niger NE
Nigeria NG
Reunion RE
Rwanda RW
Sao Tome and Principe ST
Seychelles SC
Senegal SN
Sierra Leone SL
Somalia SO
South Africa ZA
Southern Rhodesia RH
Spanish Sahara EH
Sudan
SD
Swaziland SZ
Tanzania, United Republic of TZ
188

EUROPE XE
Togo TG
Tunisia TN
Uganda UG
Upper Volta HV
Zaire ZR
Zambia ZM
Albania AL
Andorra AD
Austria AT
Belgium BE
Bulgaria BG
Byelorussian SSR BY
Cyprus CY
Czechoslovakia CS
Denmark DK
Faroe Islands FO
Finland Fl
France FR
German Democratic Republic DD
Germany, Federal
Republic of DE
Gibraltar GI
Greece GR
Greenland GL
Hungary HU
Iceland IS
Ireland IE
Italy IT
Liechtenstein LI
Luxembourg LU
Malta MT
Monaco MC
Netherlands NL
Norway NO
Poland PL
Portugal PT
Romania RO
San Marino SM
Spain ES
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Islands SJ
Sweden SE
Switzerland CH
Turkey TR
Ukrainian SSR UA
Union of Soviet Socialist
Republics SU
United Kingdom GB
Vatican City State
(Holy See) VA
Yugoslavia YU
189

LATIN AMERICA XL
Antigua AG
Argentina AR
Bahamas BS
Barbados BB
Belize BZ
Bolivia BO
Brazil BR
British Virgin Islands VG
Cayman Islands KY
Chile CL
Colombia CO
Costa Rica CR
Cuba
CU
Dominica DM
Dominican Republic DO
Ecuador EC
El Salvador SV
Falkiand Islands (Malvinas) FK
French Guiana GF
Grenada GD
Guadeloupe
GP
Guatemala GT
Guyana GY
Haiti HT
Honduras HN
Jamaica JM
Martinique MQ
Mexico MX
Montserrat MS
Netherlands Antilles AN
Nicaragua NI
Panama PA
Panama Canal Zone PZ
Paraguay PY
Peru PE
Puerto Rico PR
St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla
St. Lucia
St. Vincent
KN
LC
VC
Surinam
Trinidad and Tobago
Turks and Caicos Islands
SR
iT
TC
Uruguay UY
Venezuela VE
NORTH AMERICA XN
Bermuda BM
Canada CA
St. Pierre and Miquelon PM
United States US
190

ASIA AND THE PACIFIC XP
Afghanistan AF
American Samoa AS
Australia AU
Bangladesh BD
Bhutan BT
British Indian Ocean
Territory 10
British Solomon Islands SB
Brunei BN
Burma BU
Canton and Enderbury
Islands CT
China CN
Christmas Island CX
Cocos (Keeling) Islands CC
Cook Islands CK
Fiji FJ
French Polynesia PF
Gilbert and Ellice Islands GE
Guam GU
Heard and McDonald Islands HM
Hong Kong HK
India IN
Indonesia ID
Iran IR
Israel IL
Japan JP
Johnston Island JT
Khmer Republic KH
Korea, Democratic People's
Republic of KP
Korea, Republic of KR
Laos LA
Macao MO
Malaysia MY
Maldives MV
Midway Islands MI
Mongolia MN
Nauru NR
Nepal NP
New Caledonia NC
New Hebrides NH
New Zealand NZ
Niue Island NU
Norfolk Island NF
Pacific Islands (Trust
Terr.) PC
Pakistan PK
Papua New Guinea PG
Philippines PH
Pitcairn Islands PN
Portuguese Timor TP
Sikkim SK
Singapore SG
191

WEST ASIA XW
Sri Lanka LK
Taiwan, Province of TW
Thailand TH
Tokelau Islands TK
Tonga TO
United States Misc.
Pacific Islands PU
Viet-Nam, Democratic
Republic of VD
Viet-Nam, Republic of VN
Wake Island WK
Wallis and Futuna Islands WF
Western Samoa WS
Bahrain BH
Iraq IQ
Jordan JO
Kuwait KW
Lebanon LB
Neutral Zone NT
Oman OM
Qatar QA
Saudi Arabia SA
Syria SY
United Arab Emirates AE
Yemen YE
Yemen, Democratic YD
Antarctica AQ
Bouvet Island BV
British Antarctic
Territory BQ
Dronning Maud Land NQ
French Southern and
Antarctic Terr. FQ
St. Helena SH
192

__________________ column
b.b3b7b
b30 0 0 0
b6 0 0
Annex 11
DEVSIS character set
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 71
0000 0 NUL ic7
(DLE) si' 0 ) P ' p
0001 1 IC
(SO H)
DC,
1 A Q a q
00102 TC2 ac,"
00113
(SIX)
TC3 DC3
(EIX)
01004 TC. DC.
CEOT)
01015 TCTCB
(ENQ) (NAK)
01106 TCeTC9
(ACK) (SYN)
193
2 B R b r
# 3 C S c s
4 D I d t
% 5 E U e u
& 6 F V f V
01117 BELTC.
(E 18) ' 7 G W g w
10008 FEOCAN
(BS)
iooi9 FEEM)
101010 FE2SUB
(LF)
101111 FE3ESC
(VT)
( 8 H X h x
(HI) 91 Y i y
* : J Z j z
+ ; K [ k {
110012 FE.IS.
(FF) (FS) , < L \ I I
110113 FE5 Is3
(CR) (GS)
111014 so is2
(RS)
1 0 0
0 0
= M ] m }
. > A -
N
1 1 1 1 15 si is
(US) / ? 0 0 DEL

Annex 12
DEVSIS implementation of Reference Manual and
added DEVSIS data elements
This annex describes in detail, field by field, the DEVSIS implementation of
the Reference Manual and the added DEVSIS data elements. It should be used, in
conjunction with the Reference Manual, as a basis for drawing up detailed DEVSIS
manuals on descriptive cataloguing and magnetic tape formats.
Identification of "literature types"
Each DEVSIS record will be assigned one primary and, whenever applicable,
one or more secondary literature types. The primary type will determine, together
with the bibliographic level(s), the list of essential data elements for any given
record.
Primary literature types
Serial (restricted to articles or contributions published in
a serial issue)
Bookt
Document or report
Map or al/as
Motion pictures, filmstrips, slides and other pictorial media
in tended for projection
Phonographic records and a/i other forms of sound recording
Computer readable data (data only existing in this form)
Secondary literature types (used only
in combination with the primary type)
or report".
Conference publication (assigned if the item is a paper given at a meeting or
the proceedings of the meeting). When this type is assigned
fields A30, A3 I and A32 are essential data elements.
Computer programme (assigned if the item is the description of a computer
programme).
Translation (assigned if the item is a translation). When this type is assigned,
and the original item has been reported to DEVSIS, field A47
(Related Record Number) is an essential data element.
'See the discussion in Chapter II concerning the definition of" book" and "document
194

Bibliographic level
Statistical data (assigned if the item consists mainly of statistical data in the
form of graphs or tables).
Thesis or dissertation (assigned if the item is a thesis or dissertation written
for the purpose of obtaining a degree from an academic institution).
When this type is assigned A41 and A42 are essential data
elements.
Bibliography (assigned if the item is a bibliography or a review article
containing a comprehensive list of references). When this type
is assigned A45 is an essential data element.
Directory (assigned only if the item is a directory of services, institutions,
manufacturers, individuals, etc.).
Summary (assigned if the item is a summary and no full text exists). The
assignment of this type will cause the automatic provision on
implementation level 3 DEVSLS tapes of field A46.
DEVSIS accepts the notion of bibliographic level as described in the
Reference Manual.
We feel, however, that the DEVSIS record should state all the bibliographic
levels present, rather than give only the lowest one as indicated in the Reference
Manual.
Description of DEVSLS data elements:
General conventions
The following conventions are applicable to all fields:
Indicators
Only indicator positions 1 and 2 are used, DEVSIS will provide indicators on
its output tape, in conformity with the specification of the Reference Manual,
in order to ensure full compatibility with other systems' data bases. However,
because of the specific DEVSIS implementation, the value of the indicators
can always be inferred contextually by computer programme. Thus indicators
are omitted in DEVSIS input on worksheets (implementation level I),
and are optional at implementation level 2.
Subfield identifiers
All required subfield identifiers will be supplied on DEVSIS output tapes. On
input, however, identifiers %Ø and %l are always omitted at implementation
level 1 and are optional at implementation level 2 since these can be
automatically inserted by computer programme unambiguously. Note,
however, that identifiers %2...%N are mandatory at all implementation levels
whenever the corresponding subfield is present.
195

Field separators
The field separator character is always present on DEVSIS output tapes. It
is optional at implementation level 2 and omitted at implementation level
Notes subfield
The notes subfield (identifier %N) is reserved in DEVSIS. It may only be
used in field A27 (Edition) and must be omitted in all other fields.
Codes
Whenever a DEVSIS data element calls for the entry of more than one code
(e.g. languages of publication, categories, geographic indicators) these are
always packed together with no separator. At implementation level I,
however, when multiple codes are entered they should be separated by a
comma in order to ease the validation of the data.
Devsis implementation of Reference
Manuai data elements
In the following list of data elements when nothing is said about the
presentation of a given data element it is understood that the specifications of the
Reference Manual are applied literally.
AOl: ISSN
(A02: CODEN - not used by DEVSIS)
A 03 "Short title" of serial
Data: DEYSIS will standardise serial titles according to the ISDS authority list.
Should a serial title not appear in the ISDS authority list, the title will be
entered in this field according to the Guidelines for ISDS Whenever a serial
title is taken from the ISDS authority file AOl (ISSN) is mandatory.
Indicators: Indicator position 2 depends on the presence of field AOl and is set to 1 if
AOl is present or to 2 if AOL is absent.
Note: Although field A03 will always be present on DEVSIS level 3 tapes, the
Central Unit may decide to allow the omission of this field at levels 1 and 2
whenever field AOl is present, since the contents of A03 can be derived
automatically from the ISDS authority file by means of the ISSN.
1973.
UNISIST, International Serials Data System; Guidelines for ISDS. Paris, UNESCO,
196

(A04: Series designation - not used by DEVSIS)
Volume number
Subfields: 1 mandatory; 2 mandatory; 3 not used by DEVSIS; 4 present.
Data: Subfield I is entered in the L/R.
Issue or part number
SubfIelds: I mandatory; 2 mandatory; 3 present.
Data: Subfield I is entered in the L/R.
Other identification of issue or part
Title of contribution (Analytic)
Title of volume or monograph
Title of collection
Subfields: I mandatory at all levels: 2, at level 1: omitted if language of field is the L/R,
mandatory if otherwise: at level 2: optional if it would be omitted at level I;
at level 3: always present.
Data: The first or only occurrence of fields A08, A09 and AlO must be in the L/R.
If the language of the item that the record describes is different from the L/R
then this field must occur at least twice (see the discussion on multilingual
items and translations in Chapter II).
Indicators: Indicator position 2 is set to:
(1) if the code given in subfield 2 is one of those given in field A23
(languages of text) and the corresponding language uses the
Roman alphabet;
if the language code given in subfield 2 is one of those given in
field A23 and the corresponding language uses a non-Roman
alphabet;
if the code given in subfield 2 is not one of those given in field
A23 (note that this may only happen when the code in subfield
2 is the code of the L/R).
Note: Subfield 2 is optional according to the Reference Manual. In the case of
DEVSIS we believe that the indication of the language is important enough
to make it mandatory.
197

Person associated with a contribution
Person associated with a monograph
Person associated with a collection
Subfields: I present at all levels; 2 through 6 not used by DEVSIS; 9 mandatory at all
levels when required.
Data: The connectives" =" and " +" suggested by the Reference Manual for the
creation of index entries will not be used by DEVSIS, at least in its initial
phase. The DEVSIS Central Unit should review this matter after some
experience with the processing of DEVSIS material. Subfield 9 (relationship
between the person cited and the item described by the record) is mandatory
whenever the relationship is other than "author". Subfield 9, when present,
is entered in a standard abbreviated form in the L/R. The relationships
accepted by DEVSJS are "editor" and "compiler": persons other than
authors, editors or compilers are not entered.
Indicators: Indicator position 2 is set to 1 if subfield 9 is absent; 2 if subfield 9 indicates
the relationship "editor"; 3 if subfield 9 indicates the relationship
"compiler".
Affiliation (Contribution)
Affiliation (Monograph)
Affiliation (Collection)
Subfields: 2 and 3 present at all levels; 9 corporate body code.
Data: The affiliations are standardised according to the DEVSIS corporate body
authority list (see Chapter 27). This field is not entered whenever the
affiliation coincides with a corporate author entered in fields A 17, A 18 or
Al9. Subfield 9 is used to enter the corporate body code as found on the
authority list. If a corporate entry appears in the DEVSIS corporate body
authority list the entry of subfields I, 2 and 3 is optional at implementation
levels 1 and 2 since these can be automatically supplied by computer
programme by means of the code entered in subfield 9. Subfields 1-3 are
mandatory, however, whenever the entry cannot be found in the authority
list. In this case subfield 9 is omitted.
Corporate Author (Contribution)
A 18: Corporate Author (Monograph)
198

Corporate Author (Collection)
Subfields: (see A14, A15, A16 above)
Data: Corporate Authors will be standardised according to the DEYSIS corporate
body authority list.
Page numbers
Subfields: I present at all levels; 2 and 3 not used by DEVSIS.
A21: Date of issue or imprint
Subfields: I at level I is omitted; at level 2 is optional; at level 3 is present; 2 is optional
at all levels; 3 is present at all levels.
Data: The date entered in subfield 3 is always a Gregorian date standardised as
follows:
- the day of the month, one or two arabic numerals;
the standard abbreviated form of the name of the month in the
L/R;
the year, four arabic numerals.
The elements of the date are separated by a single space. A date entered in
subfield 3 must consist at least of the year. When inclusive dates are cited in
the original only the most recent is entered. When no date is cited "(nd)" is
entered in subfield 2.
(A22: Date of publication - not used by DEVSLS)
A23: Language(s) of text
Data: The codes used are the ISO standard 2-letter codes for languages (in
preparation). Note that the code for the L/R must be entered in this field
only if the item being described is, in fact, in the L/R. The codes are packed
together with no separators.
A 24: Language(s) of summaries
Data: (same as A23).
A25: Publisher: Name and location
Subfields: 1 and 2 present at all levels; 3 is not used by DEVSIS.
199

Indicators: DEVSIS will not use indicators for this field. They are set to zero.
ISBN
Indicators: DEVSIS will not use indicators for this field. They are set to zero. Note,
however, that when multiple publishers (field A25) are entered the corresponding
ISBNs should be entered in the same order.
Edition
Subfields: 0 mandatory; N optional.
Data: Subfield 0 consists of a single arabic number. Other textual information
appearing in the edition statement of the item described by the record (e.g.
revised, enlarged, and similar) is entered in subfield N in the L/R.
Collation. Description of non-serial collection
Subfields: I and 2 are present at all levels.
Data: Subfield I is used to enter the number of pieces. Subfield 2 is mandatory and
used to indicate the nature of the pieces (e.g. volumes) plus any other
descriptive information regarding the physical composition of the
collection.
In addition, for:
Maps: it states the size(s) and optionally an indication of whether they are
in colour e.g. %I3%2 maps, col. 80 x 75 cm
Slides, motion pictures and other pictorial media intended for projection: it
states (where applicable) running time, sound, colour, width or size.
Computer-readable material: it states (where applicable) number of tracks,
recording mode, number of records, maximum record size,
number of files.
Note: The DEVSIS Guidelines for Bibliographic Description will have to spell out
in detail the appropriate form of entry of subfield 2 for each type of record
and for each L/R.
Collation: Description of monograph
Subfields: I and 2 are present at all levels.
Data: Subfield 1 consists of a single arabic number. When the item is variously
paginated this number represents the total number of pages. Subfield 2 is
mandatory and entered according to same entry rules as subfield 2 of A28
(see above).
200

A30: Name of meeting
Subfields: I and 2 are present at all levels.
Data: The name of the meeting is entered in the original language. Subfield 2 is
mandatory.
Indicators: Indicator position 2 is set to: I if the code given in subfield 2 corresponds to
a language using the Roman alphabet; 3 if the code given in subfield 2
corresponds to a language using a non-Roman alphabet.
A 31: Location of meeting
Subfields: I and 2 are present at all levels.
Data: Subfield I is entered in the language used on the item described by the
record. The country name is not included in subfield I but its standard ISO
alpha-2 code is entered in subfield 2.
A32: Date of meeting
Entered as described under field A2 1 except that when inclusive dates are
cited the starting date is entered.
(A33 through A38 - not used by DEVSIS)
A39: Report Number
Data: Report Numbers are standardised and entered according to the INIS:
Descriptive Cataloguing Rules, except that any textual information indicating
edition, revision, addenda, etc., is abbreviated according to a standard list of
abbreviations for each carrier language and is entered in the L/R. This field
is an essential data element for reports or documents, but it is expected that
a fair number of items which can be categorised as "reports" or "documents"
will not have, in fact, a report number. In these cases this field should
be omitted, but the record should still be assigned the literature type
"report". DEVSIS will assign a DEVSIS microfiche number to such items.
A 40: Name of performing organisation
A41: University (or other educational institution)
A42: Degree level
These fields are entered according to the same rules as fields A17, Al8 and
A19 (see above).
201

Data: The degree level is entered in the original language.
A 43. Availability
This field is mandatory for theses not available through the DEVSIS Central
Unit (Chapter 15).
(A44: Source of abstract - not used by DEVSIS)
A 45: Number of references
Data: A single arabic number.
A46: "Summary only" note
This field is omitted at level I, optional at level 2 and will be present, where
applicable, at level 3.
A 47 Related Record Number
Subfields: I Related Record Number; 2 language code.
Data: This field is used to link different language versions of the same item present
in the DEVSIS file. Subfield 1 is used to enter the DEVSIS Record Number
of the related record and subfield 2 the ISO language code of the related item
(this is not necessarily the LIR but the language of the item described by the
record whose number is entered in subfield 1).
Note: The DEVSIS participating centres should be encouraged to try to identify the
related record number, whenever possible, by means of Devindex and its
cumulative indexes. This field will be used to provide automatic crossreferencing
in Devindex for the various language versions and may be used
in retrieval to select, when available, the version (and only that version) in
the language requested by the user.
A99: Ancillary data
Data: Field A99 is used to enter any additional bibliographic note which cannot
appropriately be entered in any other field. The DEVSIS: Guidelines for
Bibliographic Description will have to spell out guiding principles for the
entries to be made in this field (see, for example, the INIS and AGRIS rules
relative to their tag 610). For certain types of material this field will be
mandatory. The data, which will be in most cases in free form, is entered in
the L/R.
202

Added DEVSIS data elements
The following suggested list of additional data elements is outside the scope
of the Reference Manual. In order to avoid confusion with data elements of the
Reference Manual they have been assigned tags beginning with the letter B.
BOl: Language of the record (LIR)
Indicators: not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 0 language code.
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field BO I is used to enter one fixed length code indicating the carrier
language of the record. The code used should be in accordance with the
relevant ISO standard (ISO/R 639-1967, under revision).
Category code(s)
Indicators: not used. Set to zero.
Subflelds: 0 Category code(s).
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field B02 is used to enter one or more fixed length category codes. The first
code entered indicates the primary category and determines the heading
under which the item will be printed in Devindex.
Geographic codes
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 1 primary geographic codes; 2 secondary geographic codes.
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field B03 is used to enter one or more fixed length geographic codes defining
the country (countries) and/or region(s), if any, covered by the item
described by the record. Where specific countries are covered the corresponding
country code selected in accordance with the ISO' alpha-2 standard
is entered. Where one or more regions are covered the following alpha-2
codes will be used:
XZ Global
XA Africa
XE Europe
XL Latin America
XN North America
XP Asia and the Pacific
XW West Asia
'ISO 3 166-1974: Codes for thc representation of name of countries.
203

(Note: the series XA through XZ is reserved in the ISO alpha-2 code and
may be assigned by user systems after agreement between the interchange
parties. It is recommended that the DEVSIS Central Unit consult with ISO
and other international systems such as INIS and AGRIS before finalising
the alpha-2 code for regions suggested above).
Subfield I of field B03 is used to enter the primary code(s). The first code
entered in subfield 1 determines the geographic subheading under which the
item will be printed in Devindex. All countries or regions entered in subfield
I will be used as subheadings in the subject index of Devindex. For these
reasons it is recommended that the number of codes entered in subfield 1 be
limited to a maximum of three. The primary subject (as expressed by the
primary category entered in field B02) and all the concepts embraced by the
subject descriptors selected as headings for the subject index must actually be
discussed in the item in relation to the countries or regions entered in subfield
1 (see fields B07 and B08 below). Failing this condition, subfield 1 should
be omitted. Subfield 2 of field B03 is used to enter additional country or
region codes which are covered in the item described by the record. In both
subfield I and 2 the codes are packed together with no separators. All
countries and/or regions entered in field B03 (irrespective of the subfield in
which they are entered) will be used for the production of the geographic
index of Devindex (see also Chapter 12).
Sector codes
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 0 Sector codes.
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field B04 is used to enter one or more fixed length sector codes. The sector
codes will be established by the DEVSIS Central Unit. The codes are packed
together with no separator (see also Chapter 12).
Type of document
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 0 type of document code(s).
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field B05 is used to enter one or more one-character codes, indicating the
type of document as follows:
A Pre-investment study
B Loan agreement
C Contract
D Evaluation report
204

The DEVSIS Central Unit will develop a comprehensive list of types as the
need will arise. The codes will be packed together with no separator. It is
expected that the type of document codes will be used mostly as "search
filters" (i.e. to limit the output of a query) rather than as retrieval keys.
Value of investment
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 0 value of investment.
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field B06 is used to enter the total value in US dollars of the investment
involved in the project described by the item. The value is entered as a
decimal number in the range 1.0-9.9 followed by a plus sign (+) and an
integer indicating the power of 10 by which the first number must be
multiplied to obtain the actual value. The decimal point must always be
present. For example:
Value Entered as
$300,000 3.0+5 (i.e. 3 x l0)
$7.5 million 7.5+6 (i.e. 7.5 x 106)
Abstract
Indicators: Position I not used. Set to zero. Position 2 may take the values 0 or
Subfields: 0 Abstract.
Repeatable: No.
Data: Field B07 is used to enter an abstract of the item being described. The
abstract is always entered in the L/R. The abstract can be of two types:
Type (a)
a natural language abstract, in which the choice of the words
used is completely free;
a natural language abstract containing embedded descriptors
selected from the DEYSIS Thesaurus. In this case, the descriptors
are flagged by enclosing each of them in triangular brackets
().
The use of triangular brackets (< >) in a type (a) abstract is forbidden.
Should the need arise for their use (in their mathematical sense) they should
be replaced by the spelled out forms "less than" and "greater than".
205

Type (b)
Descriptors embedded in a type (b) abstract which are intended for use in
the subject index must include an asterisk (*) immediately preceding the
final bracket. All the subject descriptors' so identified in field B07 must
be applicable to all the countries and/or regions entered in subfield I of field
B03. These descriptors will be used as headings in the subject index of
Devindex. For this reason it is recommended that not more than three
descriptors be identified with the *
Note: In order to avoid any possible ambiguity it is recommended that the
characters " "and" *" be considered as "sizeless" for the purpose
of printing this field, i.e. that the required spacing and/or punctuation be
provided at the time of input as if these characters were in fact not
present.
Indicators: Indicator position 2 is set to 0 if field B07 contains a type (a) abstract and
to 1 if field B07 contains a type (b) abstract. (Note: the setting of indicator
position 2 depends on the presence of triangular brackets in field B07).
B08: Subject descriptors
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 0 subject index descriptors.
Repeatable: No (but see the note at the end of the description of field B08).
Data: Field B08 is used to enter a string of descriptors selected from the DEVSIS
Thesaurus, whenever field B07 contains a type (a) abstract. Each descriptor
is enclosed in triangular brackets < >. Descriptors which will be used as
headings in the subject index of Devindex are identified by an asterisk
immediately preceding the final bracket

B09: Statistical tables - subjects
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Sublields: I descriptors; 2 country/region code(s); 3 dates.
Repeatable: Yes, each different statistical table indexed requires a separate repetition
of field B09.
Data: Field B09 is used to describe statistical tables contained in the item and
which are deemed important enough to provide a specific retrieval point. In
the case of statistical tables the use of links (discussed under field 808 above)
seems to be justified. Consider, for example, the case of a report in which the
two following tables are given:
Production of school textbooks.
Translations of technical reports by country of publication.
It is obvious that, if no linking mechanism was provided, the inclusion of the
descriptors for both tables in the same field would cause the retrieval of this
item in response to queries such as "Production of technical reports ",
"Translation of school textbooks ", "School textbooks by country of
publication" and in none of these cases would the item be relevant. For these
reasons, each different statistical table indexed requires a separate repetition
of field B09. The DEVSIS Study Team felt that the indexing of statistical
tables may present a special problem and will require the development of a
detailed set of specific indexing rules. It is recommended that, before a final
decision on this matter is taken, DEVSLS seek the advice of specialised bodies
such as the Statistical Offices of the United Nations and UNESCO. It was,
nevertheless, felt that field B09 should contain at least three subfields.
Subfield 1 (always present): used to enter a list of descriptors describing the subject
contents of the table. The descriptors are enclosed in triangular brackets
(

Summary of DEVSLS implementation
of the reference manual
The following table lists the Reference Manual data elements and the
DEVSIS implementation of these.
The first column gives the tag and the name of the data element. The second
column gives the subfields of each data element. The third column gives the Reference
Manual usage of each subfield indicating whether the subfield is essential (E), optional
(0) or not defined (-). The latter case represents subfields which are used by DEVSIS
but not provided for in the Reference Manual. The fourth column gives the DEVSIS
usage of each subfield indicating whether the subfield is essential (E), optional (0) or
omitted in DEVSIS (-). "Essential" subfields are those that must be included in the
bibliographic description if they are either present on or derivable from the original
piece.
Data elements Subfields RM DE VS IS
AOl: ISSN ISSN E E
N: Notes 0
A02: CODEN Field not
used
A03: Short title of
Serial Short title E E
N: Notes 0
A04: Series Designation Field not
used
A05: Volume Number I: Caption 0 E
2: Volume number E E
3: Year 0
4: Subdivision of
volume E E
N: Notes 0 -
A06: Issue of part
number I: Caption 0 E
2: Issue Number E E
3: Subdivision of
issue E E
N: Notes 0
A07: Other identification
of issue or part Issue identification
E E
N: Notes 0
208

A08: Title of contribution
1: Title E E
A09: Title of monograph 2: Language code o E
AlO: Title of collection N: Notes 0
Al I: Person associated 1: Name as on the
with a contribution piece E E
Al2: Person associated
with monograph
2: "Established
form" of name 0
A13: Person associated
with collection 3: Real name 0
4: Pseudonym 0
5: Former name 0
6: Subsequent name 0
9: Role o E
N: Notes 0
Al4: Affiliation 1: Name of
(contribution) organisation E E
A15: Affiliation
(monograph) 2: Address E E
Al6: Affiliation
(collection) 3: Country code o E
9: Corporate code - E
N: Notes 0 -
Al7: Corporate Author 1: Name of
(contribution) corporate E E
A18: Corporate Author
(monograph) 2: Address o E
A 19: Corporate Author
(collection) 3: Country code o E
9: Corporate code - E
N: Notes 0 -
A20: Page numbers 1: Page numbers E E
2: Page fragment E
3: Additional
information E
N: Notes 0
A21: Date of issue or Normalised date E E
imprint 2: Date part E E
3: Date in full E E
N: Notes 0
A22: Date of publication Field not
used
209

Language(s) of 4: Language code(s) E E
text N: Notes 0 -
Language(s) of Language code(s) E E
summaries N: Notes 0 -
Publisher Publisher name E E
Location or address E E
Country code 0 -
N: Notes 0 -
ISBN
Edition
Collation (nonserial
collection
Collation
(monograph)
Name of meeting
Location of
meeting
Date of meeting
Identification of
Patent Document
Person associated
with Patent
Corporate associated
with Patent
Domestic Filing
Data
Convention Priority
Data
ISBN E E
N: Notes 0 -
Edition number E E
N: Notes 0 0
I: Number of pieces F F
2: Other descriptive
information 0 E
N: Notes 0 -
I: Number of pages E E
2: Other descriptive
information O E
N: Notes 0
Name of meeting E
Language code 0
N: Notes 0
I: Location E E
2: Country code 0 E
N: Notes 0
Normalised date
(ISO) E E
Date part E E
Date in full E E
N: Notes 0
210
Not used
Not used
Not used
Not used
Not used

Reference to a
legally related
domestic document
Report Number 0: Report number
N: Notes
Name of performing
organisation 2:
3:
9:
N:
A4l: University
Degree level
Availability
Source of abstract
Number of
references
"Summary Only" t:
Note N:
Related Record
Number
A99: Ancillary data
9:
N:
N:
N:
Name
Address
Country code
Corporate code
Notes
N a me
Address
Country code
Corporate code
Notes
Degree level
Notes
Availability
Notes
0: Number of
references
N: Notes
Note
Notes
DEVSIS Record
Number
Language code
N: Notes
0: Ancillary data
N: Notes
211
Not used
E E
0 -
E E
O E
O E
- E
0 -
13 13
O 13
O E
- 13
0 -
E E
0 -
13 E
0 -
Not used
E E
0 -
F F
0
F E
- E
0 -
E E
0 -

Annex 13
Sample DEVSIS Worksheet
The ultimate form of the DEVSIS worksheet would need to be developed after experimentation
end testing of a number of alternative approaches. Some advisors suggest that separate worksheets
be developed for different types of literature (journal articles, books, non-conventional documents,
etc.). Others suggest a single, bst necessarily more complicated, worksheet that would be used for
all Items reported to the system. In this Annex we are putting, on two sheets of paper, the various
components that would need to be Included in an all-purpose worksheet, but we realize that the
arrangement and sequencing of theoe components would need to be optimized after a period of teoting.
The worksheet has 6 sections as follows:
Used to record the lowest bibliographic level (analytic, monograph or
collection).
Used to record the second bibliographic level when this is a serial or a
monograph.
Used to record the collective level when this is present (not to record
a collection as such which would be entered in section (A)). Sections (D),
(E) ad (F) are independent from biblioCranhic level.
Used to record Theses data whenever appropriate,
Used to record Conference data whenever appropriate.
Used to record General data.
Page 2 of the worksheet is used to record overflow information from page 1,
and information described by the added DEVSIS data elements discussed in
Chapter 12.
Here are some examples of hcw the worksheet would be used:
Journal article (A), (B)
Book (A)
Book in series (s), (C)
Chapter of book (A), (B)
Chapter of book in series (A), (B), (C)
Issue of serial treated
as single document (A), (B)
212

AUTHORS
All
Al2
A13
AFFILIATION
A14
Al 5
A16
CORPORATES
A17
ALE
A19
TITLES A26 ISBN A27 Edition
ALE
A09
All
A20 Page Numbers
A28
A29 Collation
AFFILIATION
Al 5
AlE
C ORPO RE T ES
A18
A19
A20 Page Numbers
A28
A29 Collation
TITLES
All
ALE Collation
A05 Volume Ns. A06 Part No.
213
BIBLIOGRAPHIC LEVEL AQMUCD (A)
AUTHORS BIBLIOGRAPHIC LEVEL MES (o)
Al2
Al 3
TITLES AOl ISSN A26 ISBN A27 Edition
A03
A09
All
A05 Volume No. AlE Issue/Part No.
A07 Speoial Issue
BIBLIOGRAPHIC LEVEL 1J (C)
THESES
A41 University A42 Degree (D)
CONFERENCES (E)
A30 Name
A3l Place A32 Date
GENERAL A2l Date A23 Language(s) of text .................... (F)
A24 Languages of summaries ....................A45 References
A39 Repsrt No(s)
A47 Related record No.
A99 Notes

OVERFLOW FROM PAGE I
Thg Infort1on
SUBJECTS 802 Ctegry coUe 80 4Seetorcodes -, -,
802 000g. od primary , secaniary __,
80? Abstract: Free isaguageO With drsociptors 0
808 optorS
806 Budget ssnOunt
800 Statistical table descriptors
Grog code(s) Dates Descriptors
214

Annex 14
FILE TWO data elements
This annex describes, in some detail, a provisional structure - field by field
- for records to be entered in file Two. After further consideration, testing and
optimisation, it could be used as a basis for drawing up detailed File Two manuals for
record structuring and magnetic tape formats.
Identification of "sources of information"
The codes to identify different types of "sources of information" are entered
into the leader of the record. They are analogous to the "primary literature types" and
"secondary literature types" employed in File One. The first code is based on an
elaboration of the classification of sources of information spelled out in Chapter 19. The
second is used only for institutions and indicates the legal status of the institution itself.
Each code consists of a single letter or digit, as follows:
Secondary services
Type of source Code
Abstracting journal A
Bibliographical and citation indexes B
"Abstracts" or "current literature" section in a
primary journal C
Recurrent inventory or register of research
activities and projects D
Current awareness services
Library accessions lists, library or information
centre (news) bulletins, current-contents
bulletins, normally of limited circulation E
Primary serial publications
Primary journals containing valuable news section
or other regular information features that are
not covered by File One F
News magazines, particularly house journals,
bulletins published by organisations concerned
with social and economic development G
Statistical time series H
215

Reference materials'
Secondary facilities
Information centre, if it provides only questionand-answer
services that cannot be identified more
specifically I
Documentation centre J
Information analysis centre K
Library L
Factual data banks M
Institutions and organisations
Educational R
Government or public office S
Research institute T
Foundation U
Consulting agency W
Professional association or body Y
Commercial or industrial firm Z
Legal status codes (for categories (f), (g), (h))
Government
Social authority 2
Other public 3
Private-for-profit 4
Private non-profit 5
Other non-public 6
International 7
'(e) refers to reference materials, which, as once-only publications would appear in
File One. They will, however, be accessible through File Two retrieval techniques and it is for this
reason that they are included here. See Chapter 19 for further explanation.
216

Tag field salon
COO ISSN
Suamary title
of referral file data foelds
acid their use for a to h categories of sources of information
a = Secondary services
= Current awarenenn
o = Primary serials
= Statistical tune series
Reference materials
= Secondary facilotien
= Factual data bunko
h Institutionn/Organiniticns
CR21 TitSe of secondary service!
Name of tape service M N N N
CR3 Abbrsvi ated title 0 0 M 0
Cod Title crose-reference(s) note M M N M
ategorics of sources of information Nature of
lervioec/publooations Institutions information
type of sources type of sources
b c d e C g h fields
a
O 0
C20 Type and frequency of iodeoes N N
C2S Oagcoetio tape specificotions N N M
C22 Availability and price of computer software N
217
N/c o
C23 Coeplemeotsry services statement N N N N
124 beer ocmmuaoity etatemeot P M N N a M N M
C25 Microfiche call soaber
AaciiSary data
M M N M M M N
C99
P01 Lmlogaage of the record CL/b) M N N M N N N N 0
003 Country of origin N N M N N N M M
004 Seotar codes N N N N M M N N
B07/B08 Abstract/Sobject descriptors N N N N N N M M
BOO Statistical tables - subjects N M
Main entry data field faratoecategoriec N = macode ory
2 MaIn entry data field far f to h categories 0 eptia al
5 Including Corporate code' in subfield 9

Data Fields
The designation in the leader of a particular "type of source" identifies
automatically the need for the presence of certain data fields in the ensuing record.
These are identified as "mandatory" or "optional" in the preceding table.
COI. ISSN
Field COl is to be used, as is field AOl in File One, for the unique
identification of a serial title. When an ISSN is present in field CO 1, the title entered into
field CO2 must be the LSDS key-title.
CO2: Title of secondary service, name of tape service
Indicators: Not used, set to zero
Subfields: I Title, Name; 2 Edition, section title;
3 Acronym; 4 Language code.
Repeatable: Yes, if several language versions are given
Data description: Field CO2 is used to enter the title of the secondary service, tape
service or primary serial when the record is identified by type-of-source codes A to H,
or M. The file title of, for example, a statistical data base not issuing a specific
publication or magnetic tape service should also be entered here. A subtitle is also to be
added if it is necessary for the complete identification of the service. Title should be
given in the original language in Roman characters, i.e. in transliteration, if the original
language uses a non-Roman alphabet. For serial publications the form of title entered
into field CO2 must correspond to the ISDS key-title.
Subfield 1 is used for entering title and possible subtitle.
Subfield 2 is used for entering edition or section title, added to and forming
part of the full title of the serial publication (e.g. the title of a section of the Bulletin
signaletique ).
Subfield 3 is used to enter the acronym of the service, if it is also generally
used, but does not form part of the title proper. If, however, the acronym is the only form
of the title or is embedded in the title, then this information is only to be entered in
subfield 1. Acronym refers to the full title of service, i.e. to the title plus section title
information. In a print-out acronym information should immediately follow the full title
of the service.
Subfield 4 is used for entering the two-letter language code.
Field CO2 may be repeated if there are parallel titles in other languages and
it is felt necessary to include them; inclusion of parallel titles is optional. CO2 can also
be repeated to provide the translation of the original title into L/R; the latter is indicated
by putting the translation between brackets. Field CO2 is the main entry for records of
services.
218

CO3. Abbreviated title
Indicators: Yes. The same use as in field A03, File One.
Subflelds: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field CO3 is equivalent to field A03 "Short title of Serial" in File One.
Its use follows the rules laid down in the data description for field A03. Consequently,
it is to be applied only to serial publications.
C04: Title cross_reference note
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subflelds: No.
Repeatable: Yes.
Data description: Field C04 is used for entering any other form of title considered
necessary for identifying or adding valuable information to the title as entered in field
CO2. It is to include title information equivalent to ISDS "Variant title ", "Other
language edition" or "Has other language editions ", "Inset in or supplement to" and
"Has inset or supplement" data elements. Former and successor titles references are not
entered here, because they form part of field C 11 "History statement". For each title
cross-reference field C04 is to be repeated.
CO5: "Included in" note
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: Yes.
Data description: Field CO5 is used for entering the title, in the original language, of an
abstracts or current-literature section included in a primary serial. In a print-out this
information may immediately follow the full description of the primary journal and
precede the detailed description of the services given by the abstracts or currentliterature
section. This field may be repeated for entering possible parallel abstracts
section titles in other languages or a translation of the title into the L/R; the latter is
indicated by putting the translation between brackets. Use of repeated field is
optional.
C06: Issuing organisation
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: I Name in original language; 2 Acronym; 3 Street
address/P.O. Box; 4 Postal code, City, State (Province);
5 Country code; 6 Cable address; 7 Telex number;
8 Telephone number(s); 9 Corporate code.
Repeatable: No.
219

Data description: Field C06 is used for entering full name and address of a corporate
body, i.e. institutional information, which may be:
an organisation or its editorial body, issuing a secondary service of a primary
serial or the organisation originating the data base or its magnetic-tape
service; and at least for the period of pilot operation of File Two also:
an information facility (a library, information centre, information analysis
centre, etc.) as covered by type-of-source codes Ito L;
any institution or organisation active in the field of social and economic
development included in File Two, as covered by identification codes R to
Z.
Field C06 is consequently the main entry for the institution records; field C06, for this
purpose, is mandatory. The official name in the original language must be entered in
subfield 1. If the official name is multilingual, enter all versions, separating them by
dashes. If it is found that the name of the institution needs to be translated into the L/R,
use field C07. In subfield 2 enter the acronym of the organisation if this is officially or
widely used; this element will then be used for cross-references in directory print-outs.
Subfield 3 is used for entering street address including house number, name of street,
P.O. Box number, and possible other items according to local usage. Subfield 4 is used
for entering the postal code (ZIP, PIN, etc.), name of the city and name of the state, or
province, for countries where this information is valuable; name of the state or province
may be used in abbreviated form. Country code in subfield 5 must be entered according
to the relevant ISO standard (ISO 3 166-1974). Use of subfields 6 to 8 is self-evident.
Subfield 9 is used for entering the corporate-body code taken from the DEVSIS
corporate body authority list.
CO 7. Issuing organisation name- in- other- languages note
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: Yes.
Data description: Field C07 is used for entering other names, or the name in other
languages, of the institution identified in field C06. Accordingly, it may also be used for
entering a translation of the name into the L/R. But if the institution has official names
in more than one language, all versions must be entered in full in field C06.
C07 is primarily used to provide cross-references in print-outs.
C08: Parent organisation
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 1 name of parent organisation; 9 Corporate code.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C08 is used for entering the official name of the parent
organisation of the body whose name has been entered in field C06 (exceptionally also
220

in field C09). Use of this field is optional at the initial stage of DEVSIS, but is
recommended wherever the body identified in C06 has only a division or section status
within its parent organisation (e.g. a library or documentation centre within an
organisation).
C09: Publisher
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (see field CO5 for
definition of subfields).
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C09 is used for entering name and full address of the publisher
of the printed secondary service or primary serial or name of the organisation
distributing a data base, e.g. magnetic tape service.
Field C09 is to be used only if the publisher or magnetic tape service distributor is
different from the issuing body, i.e. the data base originator.
ClO: Source of order
Indicators: Not used.
Subfields: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 (see field CO5 for
definition of subfields).
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field Cl 0 is used for entering the name and full address of the
organisation to which orders should be addressed, if different from the publisher of
secondary services and primary serials (this is often the case with serials published by
government-sponsored organisations and to be ordered only from a central government
office).
CII: History statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field Cit is used for entering two kinds of information in free-text
form:
(a) for secondary services, magnetic tape services and primary
serials: year when the service began under its existing title,
possible interruptions of the service under existing title, as well
as any previous title changes, merges, absorptions, splits, etc.
with the indication of dates of occurrence (from ... to ...). These
last-mentioned data correspond to the ISDS data elements
221

"Former titles" and "Successor titles "; therefore they should
not be entered in field C04 "Title cross-reference note". Beginning
year and the first former title are items of information that
are mandatory for inclusion in field CII.
(b) for type-of-source codes R-Z: year of establishment of the
institution and a short history (not a description of activity,
which is to be entered in abstract form into fields B07 or
B08).
C12: Frequency statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C 12 is used for entering the frequency of a serial or of a magnetic
tape service. Number of issues per volume and volumes per year may also be indicated.
Frequency codes as used by ISDS can also be applied here. Use of field C12 is
mandatory.
CI 3: Presentation-of-data statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C 13 is used for entering information on how data are presented
in bibliographic or magnetic tape records with the indication of average number of
entries per year. Total number of entries ranging from the beginning year of service up
to the year preceding the inclusion of the service in File Two may also be entered here.
Elements are to be entered as follows: average number of abstracts, references, citations
or bibliographic entries (without abstracts) per year; total number of entries since
beginning of service, average number of words per abstract, interval (time lag) between
primary publication and publication in the secondary service. For statistical data bases
average number of items of statistical information (as specified) per tape or a specified
section or time coverage of the data base should be given.
C14: Language(s) of service
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C 14 is used for entering one or more fixed-length language codes
according to ISO/R 639-1967 (under revision) to indicate primary language (equivalent
to the language of the abstracts) as well as secondary languages of the publication or
222

service. Codes are to be entered in order of importance in compact form without
separators. Use of field C 14 for this purpose is mandatory.
Field Cl 4 may also be used in respect of an institution entered in field C06
to indicate the primary and secondary languages used in its activities. Use of field C 14
for this purpose is optional at the initial stage of DEVSIS.
Coverage of primary sources
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subflelds: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field Cl 5 is used for entering information on primary sources (journal
articles, reports, monographs, theses, conference papers, development studies, etc.)
which are covered by the secondary publication or tape service. Indication of percentage
or average number of single sources covered per year is optional. It is mandatory,
however, to enter the number of primary journals scanned or actually covered by the
service, distinguishing between coverage of domestic and foreign journals. If information
on development studies in progress is covered by the service, it is also mandatory
to enter the average number of studies covered per year. For statistical data bases,
equivalent sources (e.g. administrative reports, municipal reports, surveys, interviews,
case studies, field observations, census, etc.) must be entered.
Field C 15 may also be used for entering information on primary holdings of a secondary
facility (e.g. a library) having main entry in field C06. Percentage or number of
individual types of holdings may also be indicated.
Media statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
SubfIelds: I Storage media; 2 Main output medium of the service
described in the record; 3 Complementary output media.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field Cl6 is used for noting the media that are being used by a
secondary service, tape service, statistical data bank for storage and output of bibliographic
or factual data. Field C16 can also be used for entering information on
unconventional media and equipment used by secondary facilities (libraries, information
centres having main entry in field C06), e.g. notched card indexes, aperture
microform files, automation for housekeeping or retrieval purposes, reprographic and
microform reading equipment. Provisionally, field Cl6 may also be used for entering
information on laboratory or computer equipment of the institution with a main entry
in field C06. Use of field C 16 for the latter two purposes is optional for pilot operations
of File Two.
Subfield 1 is used for noting storage media which may range from hard copy
to magnetic discs. Subfield 2 is used for entering the basic or most characteristic output
medium being used by the secondary service described in the record. Subfield 3 is used
for entering (a) other output media also offered by the secondary service but comple-
223

mentary to the medium entered into subfield 2 (and thus possibly also used by the
complementary services if entered in field C23); (b) all output media of a statistical data
base. For the statistical data banks output media must be entered in subfield 3 if they
are different from storage media.
Further suggestions for the possible use of the subfields may perhaps be
needed. Obviously subfield I is the proper place to enter information on library,
information centre, or institution media and equipment. Subfields 2 and 3 are best suited
to record the possible range of media offered by a secondary service, storage media not
being significant here really. Accordingly, information on media can be entered either
into subfield I or into subfields 2 and 3, with a note that output media are the same as
storage media and vice-versa. Information on both storage and output media, when they
are different, can be of great importance for a statistical data base not providing a
specific user service and having its main entry in field C06; in this case all subfields can
be used.
CI 7:A vailability statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field Cl 7 is used for explaining the availability of the secondary
service, magnetic tape service or statistical data bank (e.g. subscription, exchange, lease,
licence, purchase, etc.) with an indication of possible restrictions. Price information is to
be entered in field C18.
Field Cl7 may also be used for entering information on availability of
specific services of a secondary facility (particularly a library) having main entry in field
C06. Possible items of information to be recorded are as follows: availability of library
to users (general public, special categories of users), hours of opening, borrowing
privileges, consulting services and the like.
C18: Price statement including form of payment
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C 18 is used for entering charges for current and back services
(volumes of serials, files of tape services, subscription to or lease of statistical data bases,
etc.), information on possible royalty fees as well as price differentiation by type of use
(e.g. price of basic service, price of an index) and/or type of user (e.g. commercial firm,
educational institution). Form of payment (in buyer's national currency, in foreign
currency, by means of international reply coupons or UNESCO coupons, etc.) should be
added to each price statement. Cost ranges for the use of irregular or on-order services
of a statistical data bank having main entry in field C06 can also be entered here.
224

C19: Subject-analysis and file_arrangement statements
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
SubiIelds: I Subject analysis or classification;
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C 19 is used for explaining the subject analysis used by secondary
services or facilities and the principles of file arrangement for both bibliographical and
factual data.
Subfield I is used for entering information on subject analysis or classification
techniques (e.g. uncontrolled keywords, descriptors from a controlled thesaurus,
classification scheme numbers or codes) used for identifying subject content of primary
sources covered by a secondary bibliographic or magnetic tape service or information
facility. Source of the subject analysis or classification (e.g. thesaurus, Dewey classification)
and average number of content designators used per primary document should
also be recorded here.
Subfield 2 is used for recording the principles of arrangement either of a
service having a main entry in field CO2 or of the files of a data base facility having a
main entry in field C06. Arrangement for bibliographic services may be briefly
indicated, e.g. "by subject categories and names of countries" or "UDC and authors ",
etc. For factual data, particularly statistical files and time series, classification or
standard used for organising the data should be entered here. Subfield 2 should not be
used to enter information on library subject or classified catalogues; for this purpose use
field C20.
Type and frequency of indexes
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C20 is used for entering information on indexes which are
provided as part of regular service. The following elements should be entered: type of
indexes (author, subject, any other), frequency, and possible cumulations. Lists of
periodicals scanned or covered by the service, if published periodically, should also be
entered with the indication of their frequency.
Field C20 may also be used for entering information on catalogues or files
of a secondary facility (e.g. a library) having a main entry in field C06. Types of
catalogues or files (dictionary, author, title, classified according to --- etc.) and primary
sources which they cover should be entered. Use of field C20 for this purpose is
optional.
Magnetic tape specifications
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
225
2 File arrangement

Data description: C2 1 is used for entering specifications of the magnetic tape issued by
the bibliographic or statistical data base. At least the following elements should be
entered: character set used, density, tape width, number of tracks, tape labelling, tape
length. Specification for paper tape or punched cards, if either happens to be the main
medium for distribution of the service concerned, should also be entered into field C2l.
Use of field C2 1 is mandatory.
Availability and price of computer software
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: I Availability statement; 2 Price statement.
Repeatable: Yes, for each type of software.
Data description: Field C22 is used for entering information on SDI and retrospective
search software as well as an indication of their prices. Subfield I is used to record type
and availability of software as well as possible restrictions imposed on its purchase.
Programming languages and the appropriate hardware configuration may also be
identified here. Subfield 2 is used for entering price or range of charges for the software
recorded in subfield 1. Form of payment (in buyer's national currency, in foreign
currency, any possible coupon-type arrangement) must be added to the price
statement.
Field C22 must be repeated for each type of software.
Complementary services statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: 1 Type of service; 2 Name of service; 3 Price of
service.
Repeatable: Yes, for each type of service.
Data description: Field C23 is used to record services that are offered by the organisations
identified in fields C06, C09 as either an additional or an auxiliary by-product of
the basic service, including complementary technical services (reprography, translations)
or as a parallel presentation of the service with possible modifications in scope and
format on another medium. Thus a publication (abstracting journal, bibliographic
index) derived from a magnetic tape service (or vice-versa) is to be entered here (with
the indication of full title in subfield 2). For facilities and institutions having main entry
in field C06, in particular for libraries and statistical bases, field C23 is used to record
auxiliary as well as basic services (e.g. a library accessions list). Information on data
products (summary tabulations, graphic displays, interpretive reviews and analyses,
statistical analyses, data tile copies, etc.) available from the statistical data base, but not
issued as a distinct printed or magnetic tape service, should also be recorded as an
appropriate element in field C23. Suggested service elements to be recorded in field C23
are as follows:
(a) printed abstract journal or bibliographic indexes (if issued by corresponding
magnetic tape service recorded as main entry in field CO2);
226

magnetic tape service (if issued by corresponding publisher of the printed
secondary service recorded as main entry in field CO2);
publications published regularly by a facility or institution with its main entry
in field C06;
data products of statistical data bases;
literature searches (SDI, retrospective);
reprographic services;
translation services;
other services not included in (a) to (g).
For each service element, field C23 is to be repeated. Subfield I is used to record type
of service and its description, if necessary, in free text. Subfield 2 is entered only if the
service recorded in subfield 1 has a distinct title and, consequently, a full record of its
own in File Two; data entered into subfield I must therefore match the data entered into
subfield I of field CO2 in the corresponding record. Subfield 2 is used for cross-reference
purposes. Subfield 3 is used for entering price details of the respective service with the
indication of the form of payment (in buyer's or user's national currency, in foreign
currency, by means of UNESCO coupons, other means).
User community statement
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
Data description: Field C24 is used for entering information on the user community on
whose behalf the over-all activities of a secondary service facility or institution are
carried out. First, the geographic distribution of the user community should be recorded,
e.g. global, regional, national or local (employing region and country codes). Next the
individual or institutional users should be identified by their function (e.g. government
decision-makers, company executives, consultants, administrators, planners). Finally
the users should be identified by their mission or discipline-oriented profiles (e.g.
sociologists, economists, market researchers; environmental research institutions,
population planning organisations, industrial statistics centres, educational institutions
with faculties for social and economic sciences, etc.).
Microfiche call number
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: No.
227

Data description: Field C25 is used for entering the unique call number assigned to the
microfiche which provides the detailed descriptive and quantitative information on the
service or institution that is identified in the main entry.
C99: Ancillary data
Indicators: Not used. Set to zero.
Subfields: No.
Repeatable: Yes.
Data description: Field C99 is used as a special "notes" field to enter any additional
data that cannot appropriately be entered in any other field (e.g. data collecting agency
of a statistical data bank if different from the latter). Field C99 should be used only
exceptionally. Data are to be entered in free text. Field C99 may be repeated if
required.
BOl: Language of the record (L/R)
In File Two, field BO I is to be used with the same structure as in File One for
entering the carrier language of the record.
(B02: Subject category Codes - not used in File Two.)
Country of origin
In File Two, field B03 is used for entering the code of the country in which
the secondary service data bank facility or institution is located. This is why it is labelled
"Country of origin" and not "Geographic subject codes" as in File One. In File Two,
field B03 retains the same structure as in File One, but only subfield I is used. A single
fixed-length country code is entered according to ISO 3166-1974. For regional and
international services or organisations, use the alpha-2 regional codes proposed in
Annex 10. Field B03 is used to determine the sequence in which records will be printed,
under the appropriate primary heading(s) (field B04), in Devprofile.
Sector codes
In File Two, field B04 is used in the same way as in File One, to enter one
or more fixed-length sector codes (see table 12.2). The codes are packed together with
no separators. Sector codes entered in field B04 are used as primary headings under
which records will be sequenced in Devprofile.
(B05: Type of document - not used in File Two; equivalent information entered as
type-of-source codes in the record leader.)
(B06: Value of investment - not used in File Two.)
228

Abstracts
Subject descriptors
In File Two, fields B07 and B08 are used for entering information on the
subject fields covered by the source of information identified in the main entry (CO2 or
C06). Field B07 is used for entering a free-text description of the services or activities.
Field B08 is used for entering a string of descriptors from the DEYSIS thesaurus as well
as additional activity or content attributes vital for the adequate description of activities
of a facility or institution. Fields B07 and B08 are structured as in File One and the same
rules for their use are retained.
Statistical tables - subjects
In File Two, field B09 is used for entering detailed information on geographic
and time-period coverage of single statistical data representations (tables,
reviews, analyses, etc.) offered by a magnetic tape or other media service or contained
in a statistical data base. File Two uses field B09 for the same purposes as does File One;
consequently, the same structure and rules of application are retained.
229

Annex 15
Standards and models considered in the design of FILE TWO
American National Standards Institute, Committee Z39 on Standardization,
American National Standard Account Number for identification of bookdealers
(book wholesalers, book retailers, publishers, distributors), libraries,
school and school systems. Draft prepared for Standards Committee Z39 by
Subcommittee 30 on Standard Account Numbering. 2 May 1975.
FID Abstracting services, 2nd ed. 2 vols. FID, The Hague, 1969.
FID/NFAIS World inventoly of abstracting and indexing services. (Magnetic
tape to be issued in autumn 1975, printed directory in spring 1976.)
ISO/R 639-1967, under revision, Symbols for languages, countries and
authorities.
ISO/2l46-1972, Directories of libraries, information and documentation
centres.
ISO/2709-l973, Documentation-Format for bibliographic information
interchange on magnetic tape.
ISO/3 166.2-1974, Codes for the representation of names of countries.
Schneider, J.H., Gechman, M., Furth, S.E., Ed., Survey of commercially
available computer-readable bibliographic data bases. ASIS, Washington,
1973.
Sessions, V.S. Ed., Directory of data bases in the social and behavioral
sciences. Science Associates/International, New York, 1974.
UN Economic and Social Affairs Statistical Office, Data banks of economic
and social statistics. Report by the Statistical Office. Geneva, 1975.
UNESCO, World guide to technical information and documentation services.
UNESCO, Paris, 1969.
UNISIST, Guidelines for ISDS. UNESCO, Paris, 1973.
UNISIST, Guidelines on the conduct of a national inventory of scientific and
technological information and documentation facilities. UNESCO, Paris,
1975.
UNISIST, Reference manual for machine-readable bibliographic descriptions.
UNESCO, Paris, 1974.
IS. UNISIST, Study report on the feasibility of a world science information
system. UNESCO, Paris, 1971. File Two uses field B09 for the same purposes
as does File One; consequently, the same structure and rules of application
are retained.
230

Annex 16
To illustrate the layout of the bibliographic section of Devindex
A FACES, TRENDS AND ANALYSES
AlO Basic i.sfonnation and data: national sod international
XW 000001 Altnozaini, D. (Kuwait Fond for Arab
Economic Development, Kuwait, KU). Key
indicators of Arab countries.
Kuwait. 1975. SSp.
Reproduces statistical tables from various sources, and includes data
on loans from the Kuwait Fund to the end of (974. Arab Countries,
economic indicator, social indicator5, statistical data
STATISTICAL TABLES: Arab countries, inses'naeional loans, XW XA
KU, through 974.
A20 Extrapolations and forecasts: national and international
XZ 000002 Organisation foe Economic Co-operation and
Development, Paris, FR. Energy prospects to
1985: an assessment of long tens energy developments and related
policies.
Paris. OECD. 1974. 2v. illut.
Senergy°,forecast°.
XP IN 000003 Henderson, P D (International Bank foe Reconstruction
and Development, Washington DC,US(.
India: the energy sector.
Washington DC. IBRD. 1975. l8Sp. tables. Revised and extended
version of an surlier report which was tssued at v.2 of the Bank's 1974
report on the economic situation and prospects of India.
I coal, electric power, energy economics5, energy source5, gao, nuclear
power, petroleum, power conoumption'.
A30 Existing situations: national and inlemntinnsl
XZ 000004 Dorozynski, A. (International Development Research
Centre, Ottawa, CA). Doctors and healers.
IDRC.043e. ISBN 5-88936-052-9. Ottawa. IDRC. 1975. 63p. illus.
Describes innovative health sercicea developed to reduce the cost
and improve the effectiveness of health core delivery particularly in
rural areas- describes methods of training non-professional medical
personnel5 (medical assistants, auxiliaries, health eslension workers,
XZ 000005 Dorozynski, A. (Centre de recherches pour In
dlveloppemenl international, Ottawa, CA). Médrcisc
sans nséderins. IDRC-043f
ISBN 088936-054-S. Ottawa. CRDI. (975. fl4p. illus.
cost, formation, personnel medical5, eercicc de sante5, zone rural.
XZ 000006 Johnson, O.E.C. (International Monetary Fund,
Washington DC, US). An economic analysis of
corrupt governmenl. with special application In less developed coon-
Kykios(l975( v.28(l) p.47-6l.
economic analysis°. goceroment, public adminiseratioo.
XA MW 000007 Mills, iC. (Univ. of Malawi, Zomba, MW). Price
responses of Molawi smallholdee farmers: fast, slow
Zosoba. Uris. ofMalawi. 1975. 42p.
Assesev lhr effect of increased agricultural priceo between 1972 and
1974 on cultivation practicees and plans of small-scale farmers.
231
XL 000008 Touruine, A. (Univ. de Paris I, FR). Len clauses
sociales dana one société dfpendante: In socirité
latinoansdncnine.
Revue Tiers Monde (1975( c.16(62) p.235-256.
Etudie l'application do concept de classe sociale', el rend comply de
son utilité duos l'analyse do changement oociat, y compnis In rOle joui
porte tracailleur migrant°.
XP CN 000009 Akhloe, S. (International Development Research
Centre, Ottawa, CA). Health core in the People's
Republic of Chins: a bibliography with abstracts. IDRC-038e.
ISBN 0-88936-044-8. Ottawa. IDRC. 1975, 182 p. (560.173 ref.)
0 Bibliography on the organization and planning of health oercicr
in China between 1949 and 1974 and their application to dionaoe control,
family planning, dentistry and nutrition. Also cosers education
and training of medical personnel.
A35 Existiog situations: sub-national
XL BR 000010 Muller, K.D. (Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, US).
Pianeer settlement in Sooth Brood: the case of
Toledo, Pars oh.
Publications of the research geoup for European migration problems.
v.19. ISBN 9024716918. The Hague. Nijhoff. 1974. 75p. maps, tables.
0 Describes the historical development of the Toledo region and the
oetttements that have arisen by internal migration- discusses particularly
the sigoificancc of farm size5.
STATISTICAL TABLES: farm size, labour force, population, settlement,
BR, 9401970.
XL PE 000011 Handelmas, H. (Unix. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, US)
Struggle in the Andes: peasant neobilizarion in Perti.
Latin American Monograph no.35. ISBN 029277S13X. Austin.
Univ. of Tesas Prnss. 1975. 3O3p. figares, tables.
O Deals wilh peaoant mocentent, land reform5, and political behaciour5
in Peru in thr (960's - discusses the causes and consequences
of economic and political mobilization, the conditions that brought
about rural unrest, and the correlates of peasant political activity.
Includes a model of peasant mobilization and the effects of government
policy on such activity in the future.
B PRESCRIPTIONS FOR DECISION-MAKING
BlO Prescriptions for denelopment policy or action: international
and national
XZ 000012 Hopper, W,D. (International Development Research
Centre, Ottawa, CA(, To conquer hunger:
opporlsnily and political will. IDRC-048e,
ISBN 0-88936-061-8. Ottawa. IDRC. 1975. lIp,
S agricultural deretoprnent5. food productions, technology tranofer.
XA RW 000013 Hanf, T., Dias, P.V., Morn, W., Wolff, its. (Arnold-
Brrgstraoswr.lnslilot, Freiburg i. Breisgau, DE(,
Education etddneloppemenlau Rwasda; prohlémes-apories-perspec-
Malerialien su Entwick)ang und Politik 7, ISBN 3.8039-0094-8.
Msenchen, We)tforum Vnrlag, 1974, 233p.
Analyse Ic système d'enseignement, son lire asec In développemnnt
écunomique, et propose de nouvnllns strategies pour Ia reforme dv
l'enseignement. comprenant l'uiuge d'auxiliaires audio cisuelt,

XA TO 000014 Westebbe, R., Nkodo T., Dostal, El., Aguch, F.
(tttternational Bank for Reconstruction and Dovelopmcnt,
Washington DC, US). Chad: development potential and
constraints.
Washington. DC. IBRD 1974. l33p.
S Describes economic structure and recent development patterns;
identifies decelopsnent potentIal5, particularly in tke agricultural
sector (lieeseock, coeeon) and constraints because of tack of human
reoourceo, need foe revised public finance and transport policies.
Reviews decelopsnent plans between 1966 and 1980, the peucess of
planning and plan implemeneaeion and the posoibitities of financing
through domestic and eoteeoal sources.
XL 000015 Direccihn General de Oeganizaciooes Rurales del
SINAMOS, Lima, PR. Tnecer encaentrn intensacional
do campesinos andinos TUPAC AMARU sobrr cnmnnidndes
camposinas y desaerollo nncional. Songos-PerU.'1012 dicirotbee 1974
Lima. SINAMOS. 1974. 93p.
S camblo social. comunidad rsiral, poblaciOn rural.
XL DO 000016 Oficioa lvternacional del Trabajo, Genève, CH.
Generncion tie empleo productivo p crecinsieaso
econa',mico. el caso tie Ia Repiablica Dominicana.
ISBN 92-2-301068-3. Genbve. OIT. 1975. 313p. cuadros, mspac.
Informe de ona mnsión inlerorganismos fioanciada pore! Programs de
las Naciones Unidas parse! Desanollo y oeganizada poe Ia Oficina
tnternacionat del Teabajo.
0 denempleo. mono de obra°, pobreza, poliflca del empleo5, subesnpleo.
XL VE 000017 Mrndez-Aeocka, A. (Univ. dv Paris I, FR).
Bases pain ann politica energritica nenezotana.
Coleccihn do ettudios económicos 2. Caracas. BuocoCentral do
Venezuela. 1975. 329p. Teaducido del original en frances.
0 energ(a. modelo economicoe. petrdleo°, pot/rica comercial.
B IS Prescriptions for development policy or action: subnational
XA TZ 000018 Caedetliui, 0. (Centre international de recheeche
sue l'vnoironnement et Ic dCveloppcmcot, Paris.
FR).
Elements dane strategic d'ecodévelnppemenl pour Ins nillnges
U;amaa de Taneunie.
Cahirrs de l'CcodCoeloppement no.3. Ceutre international deercherche
sue t'onvironnement etc dCveloppomest. Paris. 1974. 91p.
S développcmenl ,siral*, ecologic, Educalion, recherclse,re000urces,
prod oction alimentaire, Santo. source d'énergie. eillage.
OFFIC1AL POLICIES, PLANS, PROGRAMMES,
ARRANGEMENTS
c to Official statements of development policy
XZ 000019 totornational Bank for Reconslruction and
Development, Washington, DC', US. Housing:
sector policy poper.
Washington DC. IBRD. May 1975. 'l'lp.
0 Reviews housing needes of developing coantrios, development
aid av applied to housing, and the inoeolmenl policy5 of the IBRD5
advocates special altention to the needs of squatters ant other low'
incnmr families in the context of planned urban deoetopmenl and
the negantealson of realistic mortgage schemes.
STATISTICAL TABLES: dccelopmene aid, housing. XZ XL, to 1974;
population dynamics, housing, XZ, 1960-1970, housing, coot. family
budget, XZ. mostly 1970.
XZ 000020 International Bank for Reconsteuclion and
Development, Washington DC, US. Rural development:
sector policy paper.
Washiuglon DC. IBRD. 1975. 89p.
0/BAD°, invenemenr policye. modernization, rural decelopmenl,
rural planning.
XA AO 000021 MinistCeio do Economia, Luanda, AO. Economic
proganiss of Angola. (In Portuguese) Progrunsa
econbmico de Angola.
Luasda. 1975. 96p. illus.
0 development pollcye. n.aeional plan0.
XN CA 000022 Gerjn-Lajoie, P. (Canadian International Development
Agency, Oltawa, CA). Dilemmas and
choices of international developmenl cooperation, 1975.
Ottawa. CIDA. 1975. 22p.
O development aid*, development policy, international cooperutiorc
C IS Commentaries on official policies and ncgisities
XA CM 000023 Ndonglvo, W. lUniv. of YaoundC, CM). Development
bank lending: the Cameroon experience.
World Development (1975) v.3(6) p.42 1-425.
0 As asaiysts of the lending activilies of the Camrroon Development
Bunk° which was set up to promote industrial developmenl ' revests
that it has provided credit5s for many non-devetoposent purposes
and urges a concentration on industrial pro/eels that will utiliso
the country's agricultural eesourcrs.
XA NO 000024 Mabogunje, A.L (Univ. of tbadan, NO). Towards
ass urban policy in Nigeria.
Econ. and Soc. Slodies (1974) v.16)1) p.85.98.
0 Analyses rapid urbanization in Nigeria and the vantage role of the
new Federnl Ministry of Urban Affairs in coordinating urban deoelopmenl°-
preseols urban problems, the inadequacy of present policies
and suggests a set of objectives and features of a comprehensive urban
policy. Includes an ecaluation of thr implicalions of such policy
for overall development in the context of the Third National Development
Plan.
C 20 Developmens plans
XL PR 000025 Centro de Estudios dv Paeticipaciôs Popular
SINAMOS, Limo, PR. Lineamienlos del plan
nacional de desarrollo pam 1975-1978.
Lima. SINAMOS. 1974. 6)p. Version ofivial autorizada poe olInstttuto
Nactonal de PlanificaciOn.
0 plan navional5.
XA CC 000026 Anon. Premier programme triennal do dévrloppement
iconomiqoe, soviol el cultsirel de Ia Repablique
popalaire tin Congo 1975-1977.
Isdusirins et Travaus d'Dutremee (1975) v.23)257) p.307-3lO.
0 inveslinnement. modernisation. plan national5. oecteur pohltque.
C 30 Legal, adsninissratire and financial arrangements: mIce-
232

XZ 000027 Nations Unies, New York, US. Nouvelle
structure des Nations Unies pour Ic coopération
écunomiqae inlensatiossale. UN-E/AC62!9.
New York. Nations Untes. 1975.
S coop/ration ittternationale', GNU', rEforere admsn,nerative5.
XZ 000028 Uoited Nations, New York, US. A new United
Nations structure for global economic cooper,
lion. UN-EIAC,62/9.
Now York. United Natioos. 1975. I l2p.
0 Outlinos a strategy for enabling thr UN to deal with problems of
interoationat oconomic cooperation inacompeehensive manner. Deft
nes stops to strengthen and aaspenvn the methods of monk and
functioning of the central and secrorat institutions of the UN system.
adminintrariee reform', international cooperation', UN'.
XW XA 000029 Fonds arabn pour to développement économique
et social, Kuwait, KU. Accord portant creation
do Fonds arab, pour Ic développement economique rt social.
Kuwait. 974. 36p.
0 Textn do 'accord adopté par to Conscil économiqan de Ia Ligue
des Etats arabes In 16 mai 1968. accord ieslernaeionata portant sue
It f3nancemenl do pro/ceo de deneloppemenl'.
XW XA 000030 Industrial Developmnnt Center foe Arab States
Cairo, EG. The Centre's guide.
Cairo. tDCAS. 974. NIp. Lists IDCAS publications.
0 Arab countrien, regional agency', regional cooperation, industrial
deceloprnrenl', industrial inforreialion, industrial policy, industrial
C 35 Commentaries on international arrangements: legal,
financial and administrative
XZ 000031 Berezin, Vt. The Council for Matoal Economic
Assistance and the developing countries (economic
and technical cooperation). (In Russian) SEV i eazvivayushchiesya
struny (ekonomichrskoe i teknicheskoe sotrudnicheslvo).
Nurody Az6 i Afriki (19751 v.2 p.5-17. English summary.
0 COMECON, foreign policy', international cooperation.
C 40 legal, financial and administea tine arrangements:
national and soh-nalionat
XP PH 000032 Department of Labor, Manila, PH. Labor code
of the Philippines. Presidential Decree No.442.
As amended by PD. No.570-A, PD. No.626, PD. No.643.
Manila. Gnoornmeot Printing Office. 1975. I IlSp. illus.
0 employment policy', labour code', labour legislation.
C 45 Commentaries on national arrangements: legal, financial
and administrntive
tIP TN 000033 Sanguaoruang, S. (National taalitutc of Dccclopmnnt
Administration, Bangkok, TN. Develnpmeot
planning in Thailand: the rote of the university.
Singapore. Regional Institute of Higher Education and Development
973. 98p. tables.
S Discusses the role of lhc uaiceraitr a 5 national plansorig' in
Thailand - giues a brief dnscniplioa of the country's social change
and economic dovelopnient daring lhc last ten years, its Five Year
Deuolopment Plan, major planning problems, and )oglier education
development. Concludes Ihat sniversities hauc to function more in
the areas of planning, research, and consoliaocy.
D DEVELOPMENT ACTIONS: OPERATIONAL
EXPERIENCE
O tO Sludies for parlicnlur peujeetu
XA CM 000034 gab, A. )Groupe de conseillees en developpement
d'Afriquecentrale, Yanundé, CM.) Perspectives
de developpement des depaetemenls aulour de Ynounde: Ia farinalion
technique et professionneUe )L,,kie. Mbnm, Hante Sanaga et
nord de Ia P.6-fan).
Yaosindl. MinistSce da plan et de l'aménagement du lerrituire.
nov. 1974. 2s. 78 et 25p. Comprrnd one isle deludes déjà puruns
et S paruitre.
I Aualysr Ia vilualion actuelte danu 1ev domaines tie l'e,useignemenl
techniquea el de to formation prOfennionnelle* ci propose den reformes
sisant a amltiorer Ia forestation agricole'.
D 40 Operational experience )parlieolar projertsl
XZ 000035 International Development Research Centre,
Ottawa. CA. IDRC annual report 1974-1975.
Rapport annuet CRDI 1974-1975, IDRC-003/75e,f.
ISBN 0-88936-064-2. 011awu. IDRC. 1975. 4Op.
0 Research centrea, research policy', decelopmeot aid', agriculture,
health, population, information science, social sciences.
XL MX 000036 Centro Internaciunal de Mejoeaaniento de Majz
Teigo, El BOISe, MX. The Paebla Project:
seven years of evpeeience 1967-1973; analysis of u program 10
assist smaU subsistence farmers In increase crop production in a
ramPed area of Mexico.
El Batan. CIMMYT. 1974. I ISp.
S Describes on inlerdisciplinary rural decelopment' project with
objectives of developing a nlralegy for iacneauing yields of a basic
food crop (maize') and method of training technicians to implement
the ssrategy. Outlines programs of research in agronomy,
genetic improcemeve, technical assistance to farmrrn, organization
of the agrarian structure, project ecaluation procedures. Asvcsses
inspact on income, employment uod welfare.
O SO Operational esperience (general)
XZ 000037 Interns tional Statistical Institute, The Hague, NL.
The world ferlitity survey: the first three years,
January 1972-January 1975.
Thc Hague. 1975. hey.
S fertility'. methodotogs, population dynamics', research progrannitnea.
survey.
tIP PR 000038 Ministry of Food. Agriculture and Rural
Decelopment, tslamabad, PK. Agricallorat
devnlapmenl in relronpect and prospect.
Ivlamabad. 1971. ISp. tables.
I agricultural admimontration, agricultural decelopmenl', agricultural
pro(rct', production target'.
F CONSEQUENCES AND EVALUATION
F 10 hnpacl: internaliunal and national
XA Z81 ff70039 Harvey, C. (Univ. of Sunves, Brighton, 601.
Rural credit in Zambia: access and evil.
Development and Otange (1975) v.6(2) p.89-105.
S Discusses govern mess policy' on credit nystem's in rural arrans,
lhe changes and reforms made by the gocernment indicative of its
desire to shift more responsibility to Zambians in general, In small.
scale basincvvmen and farmers in parlicular. Endorses the conlivual
march for cnedil borrowers to create employment among Ihe rural
233

XE OR 000040 Deniozos, D. (Univ. des sciences sociales Ic
Grenoble, FR). L'inleoduction den innovations
technologiqaes dans an pays europrien en vole de dtivelnppemenl:
le ens de Ia Geice. Etssi d'appeoche munugenale.
These, Univ. des sciences sociales de Grenoble. 1975. lv. (various
pagsogs)
S Examine 24 cas coocrets d'implementation de technologies
ceramdes duos los derniCres 25 annles. Etudie los problOmes causes
pan Ic transfert des techniques*. au moyefl do l'jtude do cuss.
XE TR 000041 Krueger, A.O. (Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis,
US). Foreign trude regimes and economic development:
Turkey.
A special conference series on foreign Irade regimes and economic
devrlopmeol. v.1. ISBN 0870145266. New York. Nusional Bureau
of Economic Research. 1974. Dislribuled by Columbia Universily
EAnI Turkey's Irade and pa.ymenls regime and ils effects
upon Turkish economic growth- discusses balance of payments,
trade deeeloprrsent, trade policy0, and trade liberaliearion'.
E 20 Impacl: sab-natinnal
XP IN 000042 Bhalla, G.S. (Punjab Univ., Chandtgorh, Punjab,
IN). Changing ageurian steucture in India.
Delhi. Meenakshi Prukashan. 1974. I27 p. tables.
0 A field atudj,° of Ihe impact of lhe Green Revolulion in Ihe
agrarian structure' in Haryana, India - discusses aspects of the methodology,
income, oalpal and employmesi of callivalors; pallems
of consumption; fiord capital formation; and descnplions of rural
E 30 Enalaations
XZ 000043 Sanford, 1. (Library of Congress, Washinglon
DC, US). Developmenl theory and the multillateeal
develapment bunks: un assessment nf the effectiveness nf
stralegies used in inlernalinnat develnpment finance.
Am. 3. of Econ. and Sociol. (1975) v.34(2) p.175-195.
S aid financing, development bank n multilateral.
XZ 000044 Zeylstra, W.G. Aid or development; the relevance
of development aid In problems of
developing countries.
ISBN 90-286-01 IS-S. Leyden. Sijlhoff. 1975. 268p.
S A study on deeelopment aide ax viewed by donor countries
(foreign aid) and as il relates lv the ncedx and problrms of developing
coanlries - defines ineernaeional cooperation0 with regard to
aid and its ideological background, the concept of development and
cites examples of acculturation problems in Lalse America, Africa
and Asia.
XP LA 000045 Barbier, 1.-P. (Metra Inlernolionul, Paris, FR).
Objectifs et risullats de l'aide ticanamique au
Laos: any evaluation difficile.
Revue Tiers Monde ((975) v.16(621 p.333.352.
S Anal yse el endue ('influence do financement de l'aide° es do
l'assis lance technique5 cur (a oeruceure economique et Ia teructure
F RESOURCES AND TOOLS FOR DEVELOPMENT
F 30 Men, money and materials: international and nalionat
XZ 000046 Rallner, H. (Escota de Admioistracao do Empeesas
do Say Paulo, BR). Développement CI
emplai: Ia viabililti dane lechnaingie inteemédiaire.
Revue Tiers Monde (1975) v.16)62) p.295-310.
S Etudie len problemes causds par l'innoeaeionr technologique,
Ic tranofert des techniques° 01 dtmontre Irs avavtages dune technologie
intcrmldiairr.
XL 000047 Lessard, DR. )Dartmoulh College, Hanover, New
Hampshire, US). En defensu de ann nnión Latinounseeicanu
de inversiones.
El Trienestre Econfamico (1975) v.42(l) p.35-Sb. cuadros.
0 inceroion, modelo economicoe, potenciai de deearrolto'.
234
F 50 Models, methodologies, leohniqars and tunis
XZ 0000-48 Fedorenho, N.P. (ed.) )Akademiya Nauk SSSR,
Moskva, SU). Economic development and perspective
planning.
Moskna. Progress. 1975. 270p.
S Describes trends in Seviel perspecline planning methodology°s;
suggests inpuls required for long term economic planninge; outlines
how input output analysis can hr used for fining proportions and
growth rateo of sectors of the economy; defines project ecaluaeion
melhods and models of industrial growth, indicales sources of de- -
velopment financing and methodology for compilation of national
accoun to.
XZ 1510049 Fox, K.A. (Iowa State Univ., Ames, US). Sueial
indicutors and social thenry: etemenls of an operational
ayslrm.
ISBN 0-471-27060-I. Nrw York. Wiley. 1974. 328p.
S Discusses application of social indicaeoras to the measuremenl of
social change and social ptanning; attempts to develop methodology0
XZ 000050 Goslkosvski, Z. )Potska Akademia Nauk, Warsoawa.
PL). The evolution of development gaps between
rich and poor countries. 1955-65: u metlsudological pilot study.
let. Soc. Sci. 3. ((975) v.27(l) p.38-52.
S Describes a methodology for delerinining the development gaps
between rich and poor counlries bused on Ike use of gross national
product, energy consumption, mass media and seudent populations
as economic indicators or social indicator0s. Offers results for
Ofty coanlries foe 1955, 1960 and 1965.
XZ 000051 Ray, ES. (Ohio StaIr Univ., Columbus, US).
The optimum commodily tariff and tariff rules
in developed and less developed countries.
Rev. Econ. and Stat. ((974) v.56(3) p.369-377.
O industry0 mathemaeical analysis0, model, tariff policy5.
XZ 000052 Schneider, H. (OECD Devnlopmenl Centre, Paris,
FR) National objectives and project appraisal
in developing coantries.
ISBN 92-64-I l336-3. Paris. OECD. 197). l07p.
0 Describes the nature of nutiovul objectives and their interrelutionvhips.
Analyses the ways in which nalional objectives are reflected
in project appraisal melhods and investment laws. Develops
a new framework for project appraisal. Includes examples from Peru
and Thailand. ini'eeemeve, meehodotogyr, national planning,
project evaluation *

XZ 000053 Schwefel, D. (Kreditonstolt fuer Wiedrraofhau,
Frankfurt am Main, DE). Who benefits from
production and employment? Six criteria to measare the impact
of development projects on poverty and satisfaction of basic needs.
Occovroeal popery of the Geenloo Development tnstilote (GD!)
oo.29.Berlin. 1975. 89p.
S Formulates a method to facilitate the sociol control of investment
projects ttsroogls criteria which assess social implications in
terms of production and employment, employment, ivceoement,
methodolofy, pro/err ecaluatione, tonal implication. oocial
XP IL 000054 Fyshelson, C. (Untv. of Chicago, Illinois, US).
Relative shares of labor nod capital in ag.scnitore
a soband area Israel, 1952-1969.
Rev. Ecoe. and Slot. (1974) v.56(3) p.3'58-352.
S agrirottoral planning0, mathematical avolyoio°, model.
235

Administrative reform
XZ Noovelle structure des Nations Unies pour le
cooperation Sconomique internationale. 000027
XZ A now United Nations structure for global economic
cooperation, 000028
Agrarian structure
XE IN Chaogmg agrarian structure in India. 000042
Agricultural administratiun
XE PK Agricultural development in ertsospect and prospect.
000038
Agricultural development
XZ To conquer hunger oppoelunily and political will.
000012
XE PR Agricultural development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Agricultural planning
XE IL Relative shaees of laboe and capital in agriculture.
000054
Agricultural prices
XA MW Price responses of Malawi smallholdee faesnees. 000007
Agricultural project
XE PR Agricattaral development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Agricultural training
XA CM Perspectives do développement des dépaetrmrnls
aol000 do Yaoundé. 000034
Aid financing
XZ Development Iheory and Ike multilateral development
banks. 000043
XE LA Objeclifi et rdsultals do laide Cconomiqor au Laos.
000040
Audio visual aid
XA RW Education 01 dévotoppemenl au Rwanda. 000013
Balance uP payments
XE TR Foreign trudy regimes and economic development
Turkey. 000041
COMECON
XZ The Council for Mutual Economic Assistoncr and lhc
developing countries. 000031
Credit
XA CM Development bank lending: lhe Camneovn enperience.
000023
Credit system
XA ZM Rural credit in Zambia. 000039
Cuttinatinn practice
Xli MW Price eespovsos of Malawi smallholder farmers. 000007
Denelopmenl aid
XZ IDRC annual report 1974-1975. 000035
XZ Aid or development. 000044
XN CA Dilemmas and choices of intrreatioral devnlopmenl
coopeoalion, 1975. 000022
Deselnpment bank
XZ Deurlopmrnl theory and the multilateral drvolopmenl
banks. 000043
ILk CM Druelopmenl bank lending: the Comeroon rxperirece.
000023
Development plan
XA ID Chad development poleslial and consleaieis. 000014
XA NG Towards an urban policy in Nigeria. 000024
SUBJECT INDEX
236
Development pulley
XA AO Economic program of Angola. 000021
XN CA Dilemmas and choices of international cooperation, 1975.
000022
Devrlopmenl patented
XA TO Chud: drvrinpwenl potential and constraints. 000014
XL En defensa do una aniOn Latinoainericona do invorsiones,
000047
Development project
XW Accord portant cedation du Ponds orohe,000029
Ecunumic indicator
XZ The evolulion of development gaps belweee rich and poor
cuaslries, 1955-65. 000050
XW Key indicators of Arab coonleies. 000001
Economic model
XL En defensa do aua uniOn Lalinoamericana de invorsi000s,
000047
XL VE Bases paca ono poliiico oncogdlica venezol000. 000017
Economic planning
XZ Economic development and perspective planning. 000048
Ecunumic ulrucltire
XA TD Chad: development potential and constraisls.0000l4
Educnt'sunal refurns
XA RW Education 01 développemenl 00 Rwanda. 000013
Edocutinnal system
XA RW Educaliun 01 dfeelnppemrnl on Rvcanda. 000013
Empinyment policy
XL DO GenerociOn do empleo productive y ceoconienlo
oconhmico. 000016
XE PH Labor code of the Philippines. 000032
Energy
XZ Energy prospecls 10 1985. 000002
XL VE gases para usa polilira enorgdlicavenezolana. 000017
Energy econumics
XP IN India: the energy sectne. 000003
Energy snurce
XE IN India: Iho energy sector. 000003
Parse size
XL BR Pioneer nelllemeni in South Brazil. 000010
Fanner
XA MW Pricoonsposses of Maluwi smatlhuldee farmers. 000007
Fertility
XZ Tho world forlilily survey. 000037
Field study
XE IN Changing agrarian structure in India. 000042
Financing
XW Accord p001001 créaiion do Ponds arabo. 000029
Fund production
XZ To conquer hunger opportunity and political will.
000012
Forecast
XZ Energy peospecls to 985. 000002
Fureign policy
XZ The Council for Mulual Economic Assistance and Iho
developing counteios. 000031

Government
XZ An economic analysis of corropt government. 000006
Government policy
XA ZM Rural credO in Zambia. 000039
Health service
XZ Doctors and healers; 000004
XZ Mfdecine sans médneins. 000005
XP CN t-teolth care in the Peoples Repobtsc of China. 000009
Housing need
XZ Floosing: sector policy paper. 000019
IBRD
XZ Housing: snctor policy paper. 000019
XZ Rurot development- sector poticy poper. 000020
Industriat development
X.A CM Development bank lending: the Camrroon experience.
000023
XW The Cnnlre's guide. 000030
Inilostry
XZ The optimum commodity taeiff and tariff eaten in doceloped
and less developed c000teies. 000051
Innovation
XZ Ddveloppnment et emptoi. 000046
International cooperation
XZ Noavellr structure drs Nations Unies pour Ic coopéralion
econnmique internalionale. 000027
XZ A new United Nations slrnctore. 000028
XZ The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and the
drvrloping countries. 000031
XZ Aid or development. 000044
Investment
XA CG Premier programme triennal do ddveloppement dc000miqur,
social et culturet dr a Rdpoblique populaire do
Congo. 000026
XL En defensa de 000 unibn Latsnoamericana de inversiones.
000047
Investment policy
XZ Housing: sector policy paper. 000019
XZ Rural development vector policy paper. 000020
Labour code
XI' PH Labor code of the Phitsppines. 000032
Land reform
XL Pb Struggln in the Andes. 00001 I
Maize
XL MX The Pueblo Project. 000036
Manpower
XL DO Geneeacidn de empleo produclino y crecimlento econdmico.
000016
Mathematical analysis
XZ The optimum commodity tariff and tariff eatev in developed
and loss developed countries. 000051
Xi' IL Relation shares of tahoe and copilot in ogricutlure. .000054
Medical personnel
XZ Doctors and hoolers. 000004
XZ Mddecinr sans mSdecins. 000005
XI' CN Health corn in the People's Republic of China. 000009
Methodology
XZ Economic development and perspective planning. 000048
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
XZ The evolution of development gaps between nch and poor
countries, 1955-65. 000050
XZ Nationul oh1eclivos and project appraisal in developing
countries. 000052
XZ Who benefits from production and onsployment? 000053
Migrant worker
XL Les classes socrates dons nor sociétd dépendante.000008
Model
XP IL Relative shores of labor and capitol in agriculture. 000054
National plan
XA AO Economic progrom of Angelo. 000021
XA CO Premirr programme triennal de developpemevt dc000miqur,
social ot cultarel de to République populaire do
Congo. 000026
XL Pb Lineomientov del plan nacional de devarrollo para 1975-
1978. 000025
National planning
XZ Notional objectives and protect appraisal in developing
countries. 000052
XP TH Devolopment planning in Thailand. 000033
Natural resources
XA TZ Eldntrnts d'uee strategic d'dcoddveloppement. 000018
Peauant movement
XL PE Struggle in the Andes, 000011
Petroleum
XL yE 8ases pora una politico enorgiticaveneaolanu. 000017
Political behaviour
XL PE Struggle in the Andev, 000011
Population dynamics
XZ The world fertility survey. 000037
Power cansumplinn
XI' IN India: the energy sector. 000003
Project evaluation
XZ Notional objectives-and project appraisal in developing
Countries. 000052
XZ Who benefits from production and employment' 000053
Public administration
XZ An economic analysiv of corrupt government. 000006
Public sector
XA CG Premier programme trienoal de developpement é000eo
mique, social el coltorel de to Republique popolaire do
Congo. 000026
Regiaual agency
XW The Centre's guide. 000030
Research centre
XZ IDRC annual eeyert 1974-1975. 000035
Research policy
XZ IDRC onnoal report 1974-1975. 000035
Research programme
XZ The world fertility survey. 000037
237

Rural urea
XA ZM Rural credit in Zambia. 000039
Rural community
XL Tercer encuentro internacionat de carnpesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Rural development
XZ Karat development sector policy paper. 000020
XA TZ Elements dune strategic d'Ccodevetoppemrnt. 000018
XL MX The Puebta Project, 000036
Rural population
XL Tercer eocurntro intemacionat de campesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Settlement
XL BR Pioneer settlement in Sooth Brazil. 000010
Social change
XL Les classes sociales dans floe socidld dépendante. 000008
XL Tercer encuretro iotrrnacionat de caanpesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Social class
XL Les classes sociates dans une société dépendante. 000008
Social indicator
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
XZ The evolution of development gaps between rich and
poor countries, 955-65. 000000
XZ Who benefits from production and employment? 000053
XW Key indicators of Arab countries. 000001
Social planning
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
Statistical data
XW Key indicators of Arab countries. 000001
Turiff policy
XZ The optimum commodity tariff and taeiff rates in
developed and less developed countries. 000051
Technical assistance
XP LA Objectifs et résultats de 'aide economique au Laos.
000045
Technical education
XA CM Perspectives de développement des départemenls autour
dc YaoundC. 000034
Technology transfer
XZ To conquer hunger: opportunity and political will. 000012
XZ Ddvetoppemeot et emploi. 000046
XE DR L'inteoductioo des Innovations technulugiques dans on
pays eoropben en voin de dfveloppement. 000040
Trade liberalization
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development: Turkey.
000041
Trade policy
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development: Turkey.
000041
Training
XL MX The Puebla Project. 000036
UN
XZ Nouvelle structure des Nations Unies poor Ic cooperation
gconomti1ae internalionate. 000027
XZ A new United Nations structure for global economic
coopctatiov. 000028
Univetsity
Xl' TM Development plannsng in Thailand. 000033
Urbun development
XA NG Towards an urban policy in Nigeria. 000024
ViBuge
XA TZ Elements dune stratégir d'Ccodevetoppemeot. 000018
Vocational training
XA CM Perspectives dv devetuppement des ddparlemetrts autour
de Yaoundb. 000034
238

iNDEX DES MATIERES
Administration agriroic
XI' PR Agricultural development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Administration psbliqse
XZ An economic analysis of corrupt govnenmrnt. 000006
Agence regionale
XW The Centre's guide. 000030
Aide so dévetoppement
XZ IDRC annual report 1974-1975. 000035
XZ Aid or development. 000044
XN CA Dilemmas and choices of intrrnationat development
cooperation. 1975. 000022
Analyse mothematiqee
XZ The oplimam commodity tariff and tariff rates in
developed and less developed countriev.00005t
XI' IL Relative shares of labor and capital in agriculture. 000054
Assistance technique
XI' LA Objectsfs et résultats de l'aide bconnmique au Laos.
000045
Asisilisiec aedin vised
XA RW Education et dfvrloppement au Rwaeda. 0000t3
Balance des paiementt
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development. Turkey
000041
Banque de développement
XZ Development theory and 1kv maltilateral developmrnt
banks. 000043
XA CM Development bank lending: the Cameroonesperience.
000023
Besoin de togement
XZ Housing sector policy paper. 000019
BIRD
XZ Housing. sector policy paper. 000019
X.Z Rural development: sector policy paper. 000020
COMECON
XZ The Council foe Mutual Economic Assistance and the
developing countries. 000031
Centre de recherche
XZ IDRC annual report 1974-1975. 000033
Cliatsgemenl sociale
XL Lrs classes sociales dans one société dependante. 000008
XL Teccer encsentro internaciontl de campeninos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Clause sociale
XL Len classes sociates dans une sociSlb ddpendante. 000008
Conic du travail
XI' PH Labnr Code of the Philippines. 000032
Collectivité rs,rale
XL Tercee encoensea internacional de campesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Compoelemenl poBliqse
XL PE Struggle in the Andes. 000011
Consnmmation d'énergie
XI' IN India, the energy sector. 000003
Cooperatson internationole
XZ Nouvelle structure des Nations Unies pour Ia coopbnasloe
econumtque internationale. 000027
XZ A new United Nations structure for global economic
co-operalivn. 000028
XZ The Councit for Mutual Economic Assistance and the
developing countries. 000031
XZ Aid on development. 000044
Credit
XA CM Drvalopmeol bank tending' the Cameroon esperiesca.
000023
Coltivalear
XA MW Price responses of Malawi smaltholdee farmers. 000007
Devetoppcment agrioote
XZ To conquer hungre opportunity and pnlitical will.
000012
XI' PR Agricultural development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Devetoppement indsstnelle
La. CM Development bank lending, the Cameroon enpenience.
000023
XW The Centre's guide. 000030
Dévnloppement rorat
XZ Rural dovrlopmenl: sector policy paper. 000020
XA TZ Elfmeols dune strategic ddcoddvrtoppement.0000l8
XL MX The Puebla Project. 000036
DCretoppement arbain
XA NG Towards an arban policy in Nigeria. 000024
Dimension de Ia ferme
XL BR Psonree settlement in South Brazil. 000010
Donneesi statistiqsen
XW Key indicators of Arab coanleses. 000001
Dynamiqae de a pnpotstion
XZ The world fertility survey. 000037
Economic de t'énergie
XI' IN India: the energy seclor. 000003
Energie
XZ Energy prospects to 1985. 000002
XL VE Bases paca una politica energbtiva veneaolana. 000017
Enreig,sement tevhnique
XA CM Perspectives de dCvetoppemens des départensenls autour
de Yaounde 000034
Elntde so, Ic terrain
XI' IN Changing a gears an structure in India. 000042
Esalunlion de projet
XZ National objectives and prolecl appraisal in developing
countries. 000052
XZ Who benefits from production and employment? 000053
239

FOconditC
XZ The world fertility susvey. 000037
Financement
XW Accord portant creation du Foods arabe. 000029
Financnmenl Ic 'aide
XZ Douelopneenl theory and the multilateral development
banks. 000043
XP LA Objeclils ot résaltots do l'aide éc000toique au Loot.
000045
Formation
XL MX The Puebta Project. 000036
Formation agricole
XA CM Perspectives do dCveloppement des depaetements autour
do Yaoandd. 000034
Formation professionnelle
XA CM Perspectives do dCveloppement des dCpartements autour
do Yaounde. 000034
Goavernement
XZ An economic analysis of corrupt goveonmnnt. 000006
Implantation
XL BR Pionenr settlement in Sooth Brazil. 000010
Indicateor economique
XZ The evolation of development gaps between nch and
poor countries, 1955-1965. 000000
XW Key indicators 0f Arab countries. 00000!
Indicateor social
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
XZ The evolution of development gaps between rich and
poor countries, 1955-1965. 000050
XZ Who benefits from production and employment?
000053
XW Key indicators of Arab countries. 000001
Industeir
XZ The optimum commodity tariff and tariff rates in
developed and tess developed countries. 00005!
XZ Dévetoppement et emptoi. 000046
Investissement
XA CO Premier programme triennat de devetoppement hconomique,
social et collard de Ia Rdpobliqur populoirn da Congo.
000026
XL En dvfensa de ana anihn Latinoamrricana de inversiones.
040047
Liberalisalion des Cchanges
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development. Turkey.
040041
Main d'oeuvre
XL DO Generacihn de emptno productsvo y crecimiento
económico. 000016
Mais
XL MX The Poebla Project. 000036
Mrithodologie
XZ Economic development and persprctine planning. 000048
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
XZ The evolution 0f development gaps between rich and poor
countries, 1955-1963. 000030
XZ National objectives and proiect appraisal in developing
countries. 000052
XZ Who benefits from produclion and employment? 000053
Modèto
XP IL Relative shares of taboo aod capital in agriculture. 000054
Modète écnnomique
XL En defensa dr ova uniOn Latinoamericana de isversiones,
000047
XL VE Bases para una politica enorgétsca venezolana. 000017
Mousement paysan
XL PE Slruggle in the Andes. 000011
ONU
XZ Nouvetle structure des Nations Unins poor Ic cooperation
economique internationaln. 000027
XZ A new United Nations structure for global economic
cooperation. 000028
Personnel medical
XZ Doctors and heaters. 000004
XZ Medecine sans mCdevins. 000005
XP CN Health care in the People's Ropablic of China. 000009
PC Irate
XL yE Bases para ana politico errrgéttca cenezolana. 000017
Plan de dCveloppemrnt
XA TD Chad development potvntial and constraints. 000014
XA NO Towards an arban policy in Nigeria. 000024
Plan national
XA AO Economic program of Angola. 000021
XA CO Premier programme triennal de développement économique,
social et vulturel de Ia Republiqun populaire do Congo.
000026
XL PE Lineao,ientos del plan nacionol de desareollo para 1975.1978.
000025
Planifiration agrtcole
XP IL Relative shares of labor and capital in agriculture. 000054
Planifiralion ecnnnmiqne
XZ Economic development and perspective planning. 000048
Planifiralion nalionale
XZ National objectives and project appraisal in developing
countries. 000052
XP TM Development planning in Thailand. 000033
240

Planification sociale
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
Politiqae de déneloppemeut
XA AO Economic program of Angola. 00002!
XN CA Dilemmas and choices of international development
cooperation, 1975. 000022
Politique de l'emptoi
XL DO GeneraciOn dn empleo productivo y crecimienlo
econbmico. 000016
XP PH Labor code of the Philippines. 000032
Pulitique d'iuves!issemeut
XZ Housing. sector policy paper. 000019
XZ Rural development sector policy paper. 000020
Palitiqar de a rectterelse
XZ !DRC annual report 1974-1975. 000035
Politique da commerce intensatinnat
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development:
Turkey. 00004!
Putitiqar Ctrungère
XZ The Council for Mutual Economic Assist ance and
the developing countries. 00003!
Potitiqae gnavernementale
XA ZM Rural credit in Zambia. 000039
Politiqar tanifire
XZ The optimum commodity tariff and tariff eaten in
developed and less developed countries. 00005!
Population finale
XL Tercee eucaentro inleenacional de camposinos andinot
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Pnteutinl de denelappemertt
XA ID Chad development potential and constraints. 050t4
XL En defense de usa union Latinoamericana de inversiones.
000047
Pratiqae rultarate
XA MW Price mspnnscs of Malawi smallholdee farmers. 000007
Préeininn
XZ Energy prospects to 1905, 000002
Pnu agnoales
XA MW Price erspenses of Malawi smallholder farmers. 000007
Production alimentaire
XZ To conquer hunger: opportunity and political mill.
000012
Programme de recherrhe
XZ The wertd fertility survey. 000037
Prajet agricnle
XP PK Agricultural development in releospect and prospect.
000038
Prujet dénelnppement
XW Accnrd portant creation du Fonds arabe. 000029
241
Réforme adutiniutratise
XZ Nouvelle structure des Nations Unies pour Ic cooperation
Pconomique internationate. 000027
XZ A new United Nations structure fur global economic cooper
alien. 000028
Réforme de t'enneiguetnent
XA RW Education et dOceloppement au Rwanda. 000013
Réfoeme funciere
XL RE Struggle in the Andes. 0000!!
Ressoarees natare!!es
XA TZ Elrmrnts dune strategic d'Ccodevrloppcment. 000018
Sreteue pabtiqae
XA CO Premter programme triennal dr dEveloppement tconomique,
social et culturel de Ia Ripublique populairr du Congo,
000026
Service de sauté
XZ Doctors and healers. 000004
XZ Medecine sans médecins. 000005
XP Cr4 Health care in the People's Republic of China. 000009
Source d'ènergie
XI' IN India' the energy sector. 000003
Structure agraire
XP IN Changing agrarian structure in India. 000042
Structure èconumiqae
XA TD Chad development polential and constraints. 000014
Système dr credit
XA ZM Rural credit in Zambia. 000039
Système d'enseignement
XA RW Educatton el deseloppement au Rwanda. 000013
Transfent des techniques
XZ To conquer hanger opportunity and political Will.
000012
XZ Devetoppemenl et emplui. 000046
XE OR L'introduclion des i0005atiunn technologiques dons un
pays nuropCne en scic de dévetoppement. 000040
Tranaillear migrant
XL Len classes sociales dons yen sociOtd dCpendaule. 000008
Unireenité
XI' TH Development planning iv Thailand. 000033
ViItaOe
XA TZ Elements dune slratCgie d'hcodesrloppnment. 000018
Znne rarale
La. ZM Rural credit in Zambia. 000039

Adminixtencjón agnicolu
XP PK Agricultural development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Administrarihn phblica
XZ An economic analysis of corrupt government. 000006
Agnicnllor
XA MW Price responses of Malawi smaliholder farmers. 000007
Atsklisis matnmático
XZ The optimum commodity tariff and tariff rates in devvtoped
and less developed countries. 000001
XP IL Relative shares of labor and capital in agriculture.
000054
Auisletscia Iécnsru
XP LA Objrclifs rt résnitats de l'aide dconomique no Laos.
000040
Aynda al desarrollo
XZ IDRC annual report l974-t975. 000030
XZ Aid or development. 000044
XN CA Dilemmas and choices of international development
cooperation, 1975. 000022
Ayudn andinsivaal
XA RW Education et devetoppemenl an Rmasda. 000013
BIRF
XZ Noosing: sector policy pspvr. 000019
XZ Rural development, sector policy paper. 000020
Balanza do pagas
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and oconomsc development:
Turkey. 000041
Bancn de desarrnlln
XZ Developmrnt theory and the multilateral development
bunks. 000043
XA CM Development bask lending: the Cameroon enperience.
000023
CAEM
XZ The Council foe Mutual Economic Assistance and the
developing countries. 00003!
Cambia undo!
XL Let classes socialev danv one sociéré dépeedanle.
000008
XL Tencer eocuonlrv ivietvaciooul dv campesivos ondsnvs
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Capacitacion
XL MX The Puebla Project. 000036
Copacilación agricnla
XA CM Perspectives de ddveloppenient dvi départemeols
aatour de Yaoundé. 000034
Contra do invonligadibn
XZ IDRC annual report I 974-t975. 000035
Clone social
XL Les classes sociales dans ane socidtd ddpendante.
000008
INDICE POR MATERIAS
Códign dcl Irubajo
Xit PH Labor Code of Ike Philippines. 000032
Cnlnnieacibn
XL BR Pioneer settlement in South Brazit. 000010
Cnmpontamienta pnlilicn
XL PE Struggle in the Andes. 000011
Cnmnnidad rural
XL Tnrcvr evvurntro issteenucionol de campesinos undinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Cnnsumn do energia
XP IN India: the energy sector. 000003
Cnnperacikn internacional
XZ Nouvelle slnaclure des Nations Unirs pour te cooperation
ecoromiqur intrrnalionale. 000027
XZ A new United Nations structure for global economic
cooperation. 000028
XZ The Council for Malual Economic Assistance and the
developing coanlrirs. 000031
XZ Aid or development. 000044
Cniditn
X.A CM Development bank lending: the Cumeroan enpvrience.
000023
Datnn enladisticos
XW Key indicators of Asab c000tsinn. 000001
Desarrolla age(cola
XZ To conquer hunger: opportanity and political will. 000012
XP PK Agricultural development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Dexarralln indtrntnial
XA CM Development bank lending: the Cameroon experience.
000023
XW The Centre's guide. 000030
DesarraUo rural
XZ Rural development: sector policy paper. 000020
XA TZ Elements dane strategic d'ecodeurlopprmext. 000018
XL MX The Parbla Project. 000036
Desaneallo uebano
XA ND Towards an urban policy in Nigeria. 000024
Di námida do Ia poblocidan
XZ The world fertility vvnsvy. 000037
Economia eneegetica
XP IN India: the energy sector. 000003
Eneegia
XZ Energy prospects to 1995. 000002
XL yE Bases para una politica energélica venezolana. 000017
EnneOanra Iécnica
XA CM Perspectives dv developpemrnl des depuetements aotour
de Yaounde. 000034
Estraclura agraria
XI' IN Changing agrarian ttructurr in India. 000042
242

Estructura econismia
XA TV Chad: developreent potential and constraints. 000014
Euludio soirre ci terreno
XP IN Changing agrarian structure in tndia. 000042
Evaluacihn de proyectos
XZ National objectives and project appraisal in developing
coontries. 000052
XZ Who benefits from production and enoploynsenC 000053
FecUndidad
XZ The world fertility survey. 000037
Finanriamiento
XW Accord portant creation do Fonda arabo. 000029
Financiamienta tie Ia ayuda
XZ Development theory and the multilateral development
banks. 000043
XI' LA Objoctifs et rCnultats do aide ecenomique au Laos.
000045
Fnrmacihn profesinnal
XA CM Perspectives do développement des départements
autonr dn Yaoundb. 000034
Fuente de energia
XI' IN edna the energy sector. 000003
Gnbiernn
XZ A n economic analysis of corrupt government. 000006
Indicatnr ecanOmica
XZ The evolution of dennlopmeni gaps between rich and
poor countries. t955-t9b5, 000050
XW Key indicatorn of Arab cone tries. 000001
Indicator sncial
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
XZ The esolation of developmenr gaps betwnen rich and
poor countries. 195 5-65. 000050
XZ Who benefits from production and employment? 000053
XW Key tndtcators of Arab countries. 000001
Indaninia
XZ The optimum cornnsndity tariff and tariff rates in denelnped
and tess developed countries. 000051
XZ Denelappenrent rt emploi. 000046
XA CG Premier programme letennal de dtnelnppement Economtqno,
rocial et cutturel de to Rpnblique populaire do
Congo. 000026
XL En defnnna de ana union Lasinoamericona dr insorsiones.
000047
Libenalizaoibn dcl intercambin
XE TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development
Turkey. 000041
Main
XL MX The Puebla Projnct. 000036
Mann de nbra
XL DO C,enerociOn do empleo productive ycrecimionto hconomico.
000016
Mntadnlngia
XZ Economic development and peenpectine planning. 000048
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
XZ The evolution of development gaps between rich and poor
countries, 1955-65. 000050
XZ National objectives and project appraisal in developing
countries. 000052
XZ Who benefits from production and employment' 000053
Mndelo
XI' IL Relative shares of labor and capitol in agriculture. 000054
Modem ecnnomirn
XL En defenso de una uniOn Latinoamenicana dn insersiones.
000007
XL VP Basen para una politica encegttica venezolana. 000017
Mnnimientn campesina
XL PE Struggle in the Andes. 00001!
NU
XZ Nouvelle struclnro des Nations Unies poor Ic cooperation
ec000msque internationale. 000027
XZ A new UntIed Nations strnvture for globol evonomic
cooperation. 000028
Necesidad de ninienda
XZ Housing: sector policy paper. 000019
Organismo reginnal
XW The Centre's guide. 000030
Persanal medico
XZ Doctors and healers. 000004
XZ MCdecine sans mhdecinn. 000008
XP CN Hralrh care in the People's Republic of China. 000009
Petrnlen
XL yE Bases para nra politico eneegética senezolana. 000017
Plan de desarrolla
XA TEl Chad: development potential and coenfrainls. 000014
XA NG Towards an urban policy in Nigeria. 000024
Plan nacinnal
XA AO Economic peogeam of Angola. 00002!
XA CO Premier programme triennnt de dCsetoppemenl éeonnmique,
social et cslluret de Ia Rhpnblique popnlaire do
Congo. 000026
XL PP Lineamionton del plan nacional de desarenllo para 1975-
1978. 000025
PlattiFtcaciian agricnla
XI' IL Relative shares of labor and capital in agriculture. 000054
243

Plon.f.ene,ôis e000óm,n
XZ Economic development and perspective planning. 000048
Planiticaciôn nacional
X2 National objectives and protect appraisal in developing
countnins. 000052
XP TH Development planning in Thailand. 000033
Plamtieoeibn soniat
XZ Social indicators and social theory. 000049
Poblaribn rorat
XL Trrcenrncuentro internacional de cumpesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
Patitira arancelana
XZ The optimum commodity tariff and tariff rates in drvetoped
and thr toss developed countries. 00005!
Pot iOea do devarrollo
XA AO Economic program of Angola. 000021
XN CA Ditemmas and choices of international development
cooprratioo, 975. 000022
Poll tiea de inversiones
XZ lousing: teeter policy paper. 000019
2(2 Rurat development sector policy paper. 000020
PolItico do iosestigarihn
X2 IDRC annaal report 974-1975. 000035
Politico dot esnptoo
XL DO Generacihn dr empleo productive y crrcimiento econhmico.
000016
XI' PH Labor Code of tho Philippines. 000032
Politico exterior
XZ The Council for Mutual Economic Assistance and the
developing countries. 00003!
Politica gubomamonlal
XA ZM Rural credit so Zambia. 000039
Politic, snoreantil
XE IR Foreign trade regimes and economic drvelopmentv:
Turkey. 000041
Potential do desarrollo
XA TO Chad: development potential and constraints. 000014
XL En drfensa de era unidv Latinoameeicana de overnones.
000047
Praliva do raltivo
XA MW Price responses of Malawi smallholder farmers. 000007
Precios agricotan
XA MW Price responses of Matawi smatthotder farmert. 000007
Prediceisin
X2 Energy prospects to 1985. 000002
Produeeihn auimentania
XZ To conqoer hunger opportunity and political will. 000012
Programs do innestigaeión
XZ The world fertility vurvey. 000037
Proyecto agrieola
XP PR Agricultural development in retrospect and prospect.
000038
Prnyeeta do dexarrotlo
XW Accord portant creation du Ponds arabo. 000029
Poeblo
XA TZ Elements dove strategic d'ecoddvelopprmrnt. 000018
Recursos natoralen
XA TZ Elements dune steutegir d'Ccodevetoppemrnr. 000018
Reforma administralisa
2(2 Nouvelte structore den Nalioss Unies pour Ic cooperation
economique internationatr. 000027
XZ A new United Nations strnetore for global economic
cooperation. 000028
Refomsa do enseftanza
XA RW Edacation et devetoppement an Rwunda. 000013
Sector psilrtico
XA CO Premier programme triennat de dCveloppement économique,
social et cultuert dr Ia Rdpublique poputaire du
Congo. 000026
Soreicio do xaitidad
XZ Doctors and healers. 000004
XZ Médrcinr sans medecins. 000005
XI' CN Health care in the People's Republic of China. 000009
Sistema do crsidito
XA ZM Rural credit sn Zambia. 000039
Sistoma de onsettanza
XA RW Education et dCveloppement ou Ravunda. 000013
Tamafto do to oxplaloeión
XL BR Pioneer settlement in South Brazil. 000010
Refonna do Ia teneneia do Ia sierra
XL PE Struggle in the Andes. 0000!!
Tralsajador migrante
XL Let classes nodules dans une Societe dCpendante. 000008
Transferencia de ternotogias
244
2(1 To conquer hunger. opporsonity and political will. 000012
2(2 Développemenl et rmploi. 000046
XE OR L'introdoction des innovations technotogsques days un
pays eurupéen en vote do devetuppement. 000040
Univorsidad
XI' TH Devetopmenl planning in Thailand. 000033
Zona rural
XA ZM Rural credit in Zambia. 000039

GEOGRAPHIC INDEX
AO Economic program of Angola. 000021
AR En dnfensa de una union Latinoamrricana dn inversiones.
000047
BO Tercerencuentro internacional de campesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
BR Pionner settlement in Sooth Brazil. 000010
BR En defensa de una union Lalinoamericana de mversienes.
000047
CA Dilemmas and choices of international development cooperation,
1975. 000022
CG Premier programme teiennal de devetoppement économrqoe
social et crdtarel de Ia Rbpubliqoe popolaire dv Congo. 000026
CL En defeesa de una uniOn Latinoameeicana de inversiones.
000047
CM Development hank lending: the Cameeoon experience. 000023
CM Perspectives de déerlopprment des dfparlernents aotour de
YooundO. 000034
CN Health care in the People's Repoblic of China. 000009
CO Tercer cecaentro jnternacsonal de campeainos oxdsnov TUPAC
AMARU. 000015
CO En defensa de ova uniOn Lalsenamenicana de Inverslones.
000047
DO GeneraciOn de empleo produclivo y ceecimsento econOmico.
000016
EC Teecer encoenlro ieteenacronal de cumpesinos andinos
TUPAC AMARU. 000015
OR L'inlroduction des insovalloes technologiqoes dues un pays
eunopOen en vole de déceloppemcet. 000040
IL Relative shares of labor and capital in agricallssec, 000054
IN India: thy energy sector. 000003
IN Changing agrarian slroctorc in India. 000042
LA Objectifs et rfsoltats de l'zide Oconernique so Laos. 000045
MW Peicc responses of Malawi smallholder faemers. 000007
MX The Pucbla Project. 000036
NO Towards on orban policy in Nigeria. 000024
FE Struggle in the Andes. 000011
FE Tercerencucisrro internacional de campesinos andinos
TUPACAMARU. 000015
PE Liecaminnlns del plan nocional de dcvsrrollo pars 975. 1978.
000025
245
PH Labor code of the Philippines. 000032
PK Agricultural development in rrtrotprcl and prusprcl. 000038
RW Education et dOselopprmrnl aa Rwavda. 000013
TD Chad development polenliul and cossslrairts. 000014
TH Development planning in Thailand. 000033
TR Foreign trade regimes and economic development: Turkey.
000041
TZ Elements done strategic dOcodevetoppemenl. 000018
Vt Trecee encuenero inlernacional dr campesinos andinos
TUPACAMARU. 000015
Vt Bases para una politicu energCtica venerolana. 000017
ZM Rural credit in Zambia: access and evil. 000039

CORPORATE INDEX
AO Minintdnio da Economma, Laanda. 000021
BR Escola de Administracao de Empresan de Sao Paulo. 000046
CA Canadian lnternaljonal Developinenl Agency, Ottawa. 000022
CA Centre do recherchet pour In dbveloppement international,
Ottawa. 000005
(voir aunsi: International Developmenl Research Centre, Ottawa)
CA International Denelopment Research Centre, 011awa. 000004,
000009, 000012, 000035
(see also Centre de recherches pour Ic developpement international,
Ottawa)
CH Oficina Internacional del Trabujo, Genève. 000016
CM Groupe de conseilters en ddvetoppement d'Afrique centrate,
Yaoandd. 000034
CM Univ. of Yaonndé. 000023
DR Aenold-Bergutruenser-Inntitul, Frribarg i. Breingau. 000013
DR Keedilannlalt foer Wiederaulbaa, Frankfurt am Main. 000053
PG Industrial Development Centre for Arab Staten, Cairo. 000030
FR Centre intvrnational de recherche sue l'envieonnemnnt el Ic
dfvetoppement, Paris. 000018
FR Metra International, Paris. 000045
FR OECD Development Centre, Paeis. 000052
FR Oeganization foe Economic Co-operation and Development.
Paris. 000002
FR Univ. de Paeis I. 000008,000017
FR Univ. des sciences sociates de Geenoble. 000040
GB Univ. of Sussex, Brighton. 000039
IN Punjab Univ., Chandigaeh, Punjab. 000042
KU Funds arabe pour Ic dfveloppement dconomique et social,
Kuwait. 000029
KU Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, Kuwait. 000001
MW Univ. of Malawi, Zomba. 000007
MX Cvntrv Intarsacanal do Mejoeamiento de Maiz y Trigo, El Balbv.
000036
NG Umv. of Ibadan. 000024
NL International Statistical Institute, The Hague. 000037
PR Cvntro dv Estadios da Participaciin Popular SINAMOS, Lima.
000025
PR Dirvcciin General do Organizactones Ruralrs del SINAMOS.
Lima. 000015
PH Dvpartmcnt of Labor. Manila. 000032
PR Ministry 01 Food, Agriculture and Rural Developmvnl,
Ivlamabad. 000038
246
PL Polska Akudemia Nank, Waeszuwu. 000050
SU Akademipa Nauk SSSR, Moskva. 000048
TH National Inslitute of Development Administration, Bangkok.
000033
US Dartmouth College, Hanoser, New Hampshire. 000047
US International Bank for Reconstruction and Development,
Washington, DC. 000003, 000014, 000019, 000020
US International Monetary Fund, Washington, DC. 000006
US Iowa State Unin., Ames. 000049
US Library of Congress, Washington, DC. 000043
US Nations Unies, New York, 000027
(voir aussi: United Nations, New York)
US Ohio Slate Univ., Columbus. 000051
US United Nations, New York. 000028
(see also: Nations Union, New York)
US Univ. of Chicago, Illinain, 000054
US Univ. of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 000041
US Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. 000010, 000011

Agush, F. 000014
Akhtar, S. 000009
Alnrozaox, D. 00000!
Bah, A. 000034
Barbar, 2.-F, 000045
VI. 00003!
Bhallo, G.S. 000042
Cardettinu 0. 000015
Drotozos, D. 000040
Dias, P.V. 0000)3
Dorozyxrki, A. 000004, 000005
Dostal, H. 000014
Frdorrnko, NP. 000048
Fishr!soo, 0. 000054
Fox, K.A. 000049
Gdrio-Iajoo, P. 000022
Gostkowsks. Z. 000050
Handrlrnao, H. 0000!!
Hoof, T. 0000)3
Harvey, C. 000039
Hzndernon. FL). 000003
Hopper, W.D. 000012
Johnson, O.E.G. 000006
Krueger, A.O. 00004!
Losatrsl. D.R 000047
Mabogunjo, A.L. 000024
Mann, W. 000013
Mrndrz-Arocha, A. 000017
Mills, S.C. 000007
Muller, K.D 0000)0
Ndongko, W. 000023
Nkodo, T. 000014
Rattner, H. 000046
Roy, ES. 00005!
Sanford, ). 000043
Sangoznexanf, S. 000033
Sxhnedcr, H. 000052
Schwefel. 0. 000053
Toorasne, 4. 000008
Westcbbr, R. 0000)4
Wolff, ill. 000013
Zeylstra. W.G. 000044
AUTHOR INDEX
The production of thus on000 has been made possible through the kind
cooperation of the Processing Section of the LlbrarJ of the United Nations
at Geneva. The Study Teats would particularly like to thank Mr. M.Th. Dimitrov,
and Mrs. J. Bernard.
247