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Unit 12: Some Important Information Centers

Almost all the inputting centres send data though the ‘FIBRE’ (Friendly Inputting of Bibliographic Notes
Records), which is a PC based input preparation package especially designed for the purpose by
INIS. FIBRE is a tool that not only helps the INIS Centres to streamline their input preparation but
also ensures data of higher quality and consistency thereby reducing the costs through lower
correction efforts and results in improving processing time.
After the input reaches the INIS Secretariat, bibliographic description of records are processed
thoroughly by checking programs in order to identify the errors and omissions which are corrected
by specialists employed by the INIS Secretariat. The input is then converted with the help of computer
programs into an internal working format and is made ready for final processing.
Prior to final processing, the inputs are checked for the indexing and abstracting of records which
are subjected to a continuing quality control based on an Expert System. For this, the system identifies
records with a high probability of error for scrutiny by subject specialists of the INIS Secretariat.
Lastly, towards the end of each processing cycle, a final consolidated output file is created which
becomes the input to further programs that firstly create the INIS output files in the INIS exchange
format (ISO-2709) and eventually create the INIS Database for online and CD-ROM retrieval.
Besides the procedure discussed above, an important activity carried out at the INIS Secretariat is
the processing of Non-Conventional Literature (NCL) submitted by the INIS members. Here, the
full-text of such literature is received in electronic form or hard copy and is then processed for
distribution in the form of microfiche, CD-ROMs or electronic mail.
INIS Products and Services

INIS makes available different products and services which are available to the end users in various
INIS member countries. These vary from country to country and in each country, it is the
responsibility of the designated National Liaison Officer to make available detailed information
about available INIS products and services in that particular country.
The various products and services of INIS include the INIS Database and INIS Non-Conventional
Literature. Let us know some details of the available products and services of INIS.
1. INIS Database. The INIS database is one of the leading information sources for worldwide
published scientific literature on the peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology and
other related fields. It is available from the year 1970, to till date. In the database, over 2.5 million
scientific and technical bibliographic references have been indexed and abstracted in English as the
carrier language and all this is according to agreed rules and standards. The INIS Database also
includes the economic and environmental aspects of all non-nuclear energy sources published since
1992. The database not only contains validated and high quality references but also has
comprehensive international coverage.
2. INIS Non-Conventional Literature (NCL). Easy access to the full-text of the non-conventional
literature has remained one of the key features of INIS all these years. It is a well known fact that
the literature represented in the INIS Database belongs to two chief categories, that is, conventional
and non-conventional. The conventional literature is commercially available through normal
distribution channels, such as books and journals. On the other hand, the non-conventional literature
includes the scientific and technical reports, patent documents, conference papers and theses, which
are usually not readily available through commercial channels.
3. Reference Series. INIS Reference Series tells us the rules, standards, formats, codes and authority
lists on which the International Nuclear Information System is based. The various reference series
are in the form of manuals which are being published since 1969 and are an essential tool for users
of the system, which includes cataloguers, indexers, abstractors or searchers. These reference manuals
are being revised all the time on continuing basis and are available for purchase worldwide.

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