INTRODUCTIONDITMAS, E.M.R.
1955 Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives
doi: 10.1108/eb049547
The problem of translations is one that, sooner or later, besets most special librarians. For a small library, in particular, where no member of the staff can be spared to undertake the work even if qualified to do so, translations are expensive though often necessary. It is all the more frustrating, therefore, when it is later discovered that the article in question has already been translated elsewhere and would have been accessible. Hence the repeated demand, Cannot something be done to avoid this duplication of effort The problem of translations is, however, deceptive. It looks simple. Let there be a central index and ask anyone who makes a translation to register it then everyone else will know that a translation of that particular article has already been made. So runs the argument. But there are hidden difficulties. It was to describe some of these difficulties and to consider possible remedies that the London Winter Meeting of Aslib held on 17th January, 1955, was devoted to a discussion of the translation of scientific material, under the Chairmanship of Mr. E. B. Uvarov.
The TRANSLATION OF SCIENTIFIC MATERIALA SYMPOSIUMTHORNTON, H.; THOMPSON, ANTHONY; MACKIEWICZ, ELIZABETH; GORTON, V.J.
1955 Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives
doi: 10.1108/eb049548
The Chairman, Mr. E. B. Uvarov, Head of the Technical Information Bureau of Courtaulds, Ltd., Coventry, introduced the first speaker, Miss H. Thornton, of T.M.M. Research, Ltd. He said that she was a welcome newcomer to the ranks of Aslib speakers, but no stranger to the members of the Aslib Textile Group, who knew her as the Group's very efficient and persistent Secretary, who prodded them into activity with skill and tact, and with a great measure of success. One of the more valuable results of such activity was the Group's work on translations, which present rather special problems in the textile field. The Chairman then invited Miss Thornton to speak on this subject.
A NEW LOOK AT LIBRARY LITERATUREOR WHY WRITE ABOUT INFORMATION WORKBIRD, J.
1955 Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives
doi: 10.1108/eb049549
It is not the custom when reading a paper at an Aslib meeting, as it is in certain other institutions, to introduce one's subject by giving out a text and I hesitate to think what may be the reaction of my hearers if I do so. But the text I have in mind is so apposite, and forms so fitting a starting point to what I have to say, that I intend to brave the possible disapproval, and begin with it. It comes from the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter 12, verse 14 And further, by these, my son, be admonished of making many books there is no end and much study is a weariness of the flesh. Now it is a property of Holy Writ, as of all truly great literature, that because it is based on the deepest levels of human nature it illuminates situations and conditions widely different from those for which it was written, and this is no exception. I imagine that all down the ages many people connected with the written and printed wordauthors, students, teachers, publishers, librarians, journalists and literary hacks, perhaps even printers and booksellersmust have felt an echo in their own hearts when reading these rather bitter words. I think I first felt it when I took my first exam, but more recently I have seen it in a new light, and now when I read that text I cannot help feeling that the Preacher might have written it expressly for the abstractor. For it is the abstractor, above all, who is in a position to form an opinion of the value of current literature. There is nothing like the process of sitting down to write an abstract of a paper for finding out what an author has to say at the end you find you have either a good, wellordered statement of fact or opinion, or a welter of material, but so badly organized that it is impossible to make a coherent statement of it, or a thin trickle of material which only padding has made appear to be a contribution, and sometimes not even that, but pure wind and waffle of which the abstractor can make nothing. In every case you have an excellent appreciation of the value of the paper. For the past four years I have been applying this test to the writings of my colleagues in the library and information field all over the world, producing abstracts for the Quarterly Documentation Survey in the Journal of Documentation. I have also had the opportunity of applying to them the other acid test, that of practical application, in drawing on them in order to assist Aslib members with their daytoday problems. In both cases, I am afraid I often shake my head and echo the words of the Preacher Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher all is vanity. Out of some 200 journals which we scan regularly at Aslib, we abstract roughly seventyfive articles a quarter in the Documentation Survey, yet a large proportion of those we actually abstract are of doubtful value as aids to the reader, or else a repetition of what has been said before. We do everything we can to encourage our members to use the library literature, and our bibliographical services are provided to guide them to the most useful papers, but there are times when I must confess that I am not surprised that they do not use it more.
The NATIONAL RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONBARD, B.J.A.
1955 Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives
doi: 10.1108/eb049550
The National Research Development Corporation is a public Corporation set up by the Board of Trade under the Development of Inventions Act, 1948. This Act has now been amended by the Development of Inventions Act, 1954, which has somewhat broadened the Corporation's functions. The Acts are permissive the Corporation is free to operate as it thinks fit in order to carry out its functions, subject in certain circumstances to directions from the Board of Trade, and in some cases to approval of the Board of Trade and the Lord President of the Council. It has no compulsory powers of any kind. Its function is essentially to develop and exploit, in the public interest, inventions resulting from public research that is to say, research carried out by Government Departments and other public bodies, or any other research in respect of which financial assistance has been provided out of public funds. The Corporation may also consider inventions submitted to it from other sources, for example, private inventors, but, in general, the Corporation is likely to concern itself with private inventions only in cases where the invention is of primary importance to the public interest. The finance required for its operation is provided by the Treasury in the form of loans, the outstanding amount of which must not exceed 5 million at any one time.
PATENTS AND The PATENT OFFICE LIBRARYGRAVELL, F.W.
1955 Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives
doi: 10.1108/eb049551
I welcome this opportunity of speaking to you on the subject of patents. I do not suppose that I have any need, before this audience, to counter the view of patents, which is held in certain quarters, that inventions are crazy and that patent specifications are objects of mere curiosity. It may well be, however, that some of you regard the territory of patents as if you were confronted by that all too familiar warning Trespassers will be prosecuted. I should therefore like to stress at the very beginning that the Patent System works not only for the benefit of the inventor but also for the benefit of the public in general and for the benefit of industry in particular. The intention of the patent system is perhaps very well expressed in the constitution of the United States, where under Article I, Section 8, Congress is empowered to promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their respective writings and discoveries.
MEMBERS' FORUMBIRD, J.
1955 Aslib Proceedings: New Information Perspectives
doi: 10.1108/eb049554
Contrary to what might be expected from the rather pessimistic view of library literature taken in another paper in this issue, the production of this annual review of the literature intended for special librarians becomes progressively more difficult, owing to the growth in the volume of the material from which the selection must be made. The aim of this survey has always been to pick out from the literature generally available in Great Britain in the year in question those items likely to be of practical assistance to library and information workersparticularly those with little experience or training working in small libraries. It therefore lists important reference works and tools which the special librarian ought to know about, even if he doesn't possess them, but omits all articles of purely theoretical interest, and those which describe practice in large libraries, except where they are capable of application in small libraries. Much of the increase in the volume of literature is due to an increase in the number of works of reference, many produced under the encouragement of bodies such as Unesco, but there is also a definite tendency for a closer link between theory and practice in much of the writing on library work. In these circumstances, the selection of a list of a hundred items becomes more than ever a matter of personal judgment, on which no two persons could be expected to agree, but it is hoped that all items included will prove useful, and that all sections of the field are fairly represented.