Page 94 - DLIS006_INFORMATION SOURCES AND SERVICES

Unit 5: Alerting and Bibliographic Services

5.2 Evaluation of Alerting Services Notes

In the last years, alerting systems have gained strengthened attention. Several systems have
been implemented. For the evaluation and cooperation of these systems, the following problems
arise: The systems and their models are not compatible, and existing models are only appropriate
for a subset of conceivable application domains. Due to modelling differences, a simple
integration of different alerting systems is impossible.

5.2.1 Current Awareness Services (CAS)

Modem libraries and information centres offer a variety of new documentation and information
services to provide support to Research and Development, industrial productivity, management,
marketing and trade, all programmes of development of governments and institutions, etc.
There has been a tremendous increase in the volume and variety of publications coming out
from all corners of the world. This unprecedented growth of publications has posed serious
problems for those involved in these activities, to keep themselves abreast of current
developments. It has therefore, become necessary for libraries and information centres to design
and develop new and innovative information services.

Did u know? Two such services are Current Awareness Services and Selective Dissemination
of Information.

Definition

Current awareness means knowledge regarding recent developments relating to matters of
special interest to an individual user. It involves a knowledge of new theoretical ideas and
hypotheses; new problems to be solved; new methods and techniques for solving old and new
problems; new circumstances affecting what people do and how they may do it. Current
Awareness Services (CAS) means different things to different persons. CAS is concerned with
dissemination of information ‘that will keep its users well-informed and up-to-.date in their
fields of basic interest as well as in the related subjects.’

Need for CAS

Due to the tremendous growth of scientific and technical literature, scientists find it difficult to
cope up with galore of available literature. It is becoming more and more difficult for them to
keep themselves up-to-date and well-informed in the fields of their specialization. Thus CAS
attempts to serve the needs of the users.
A user may try to keep himself abreast of the recent developments on his own. But CAS offer
additional advantages to the users. Its coverage may be wider and hopefully it would come out
regularly which a user may not be of own able to do, as the user may not be able to scan
literature as widely and regularly as could be done by a CAS. Hence CAS can lead to the saving
of time. An individual or group of library/information centre professionals can scan sources of
information and notify the members of the institution or community served thus, saving their
valuable time. In case, each user scans literature individually then this will lead to unnecessary
duplication of efforts.
A user’s information need often depends upon the purpose for which he is seeking information.
The Problem of keeping abreast in the ones area of interest owing to rapid growth of published
scientific and technical information during this century. As a consequence of the growth in the

LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY 89