introduction
The National Center for Science Information Systems (NACSIS) of the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan was inaugurated in April 1986. NACSIS is one of the Inter-University Research Institutes which serve all university researchers in Japan. Its function is to gather, organize and provide scholarly information and relevant systems. It has a staff strength of 135 persons including 8 visiting professors.
Scope of Science Information Systems
The Science Information System, a comprehensive nationwide information system in which NACSIS performs a vital role, provides access to scholarly information in all fields of natural sciences, social sciences and humanities. In order to fulfill its purpose, NACSIS is linked with university libraries, large-scale computer centers, information processing centers, inter-university research institutes, and research institutions outside universities and abroad through computers and telecommunication networks. Major functions and services of the system are as follows:
n To collect and provide all-inclusive academic journals published throughout the world
n To construct and provide access to online cataloging databases which may include 200 million books and 2.9 million journals held by about 600 universities libraries
n To construct and disseminate service of an electronic library which mainly consists of academic journals
n To construct and provide access to numeric, graphic and other types of information reflecting the research activities at universities and research institutions
n To promote research and development of computer hardware and software applications, database construction, information management, electronic library systems and so on, in order to disseminate scholarly information efficiently
n To provide access to creative and advances information resources produces in universities for researchers outside universities through links with other information systems
n To promote international access to achievements of Japanese researchers through links with foreign information networks
Science Information Network
In order to promote the flow and exchange of information among researchers of universities and research institutes all over Japan, NACSIS operates the Science Information Network with the purpose of interconnecting LANs, etc. to which the researcher’s terminals are connected. The network consisting of nodes, i.e., ATM switches or IP routers located at universities and are interconnected with high-speed digital links, forms an information communication network dedicated to the academic research activities. 735 universities and institutions are connected to the network as of May 31, 1998.
The information Retrieval Service and the Electronic Mail Service provided by NACSIS for the researchers are also available through the Science Information Network.
The network is interconnected with research networks in the U.S.A., Thailand and the U.K. to promote international exchange of information. To provide exchange of research information among the industry, government and academic sectors, the Science Information Network is also interconnected with the Inter-Ministry Research Information Network (IMnet) and other networks.
Further improvement of ATM switches and high-speed digital links is planned to manage the increasing data of multimedia communications.
Catalogue Information Service
NACSIS-CAT
NACSIS-CAT is union catalog database of academic documents(monographs and serials) held by university libraries, which can be accessed on-line to know where the necessary document exists and to support the activities covering the whole country. In order to efficiently construct databases, standard bibliographic databases are refered to and on-line shared cataloging works is adopted among the libraries.
NACSIS-ILL
NACSIS-ILL is offered as a system to support exchange of information for the inter-library loan service to provide academic documents to the researchers of universities, etc.
This system achieves labor saving of ILL and prompt document delivery service, utilizing the latest information of union catalog databases constructed by NACSIS-CAT. Requests may also be transferred to the National Diet Library and the British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC).
INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SERVICE
In the information retrieval service of NACSIS(NACSIS-IR), more than 78 million records of science information in all fields of humanities, social sciences and natural sciences have been accumulated for online supply to researchers. There are 57 kinds of databases available this year, and this number will be increased in future according to trends in scientific research and researcher’s needs. To improve user’s skill in information retrieval, a training/practice database is provided to every database. The details of these databases is available at http://www.nacsis. ac.jp/dblist_e.html.
Electronic Library Service
NACSIS-ELS is an information service that enables users to retrieve a page image databases containing academic journals and magazines along with bibliographic information via the Internet.
Researchers can search journal articles by titles, author names, or keywords at their computers, as well as obtaining necessary articles by checking the table of contents and browsing pages. High-quality printouts of pages are also possible at local printers.
Currently the database includes academic journals published by Japanese academic societies. Information coverage will be expanded with the increase of the number of participating academic societies.
Electronic Mail Service
The Inter-university Electronic Mail Network, SIMAIL based on MHS, an International standard protocol, is one of the services offered in cooperation with NACSIS and the Large-scale Computer Centers at the seven national universities. SIMAIL provides simple and speedy exchange of messages among researchers and librarians as well as other staff of universities in Japan. NACSIS-MAIL is one of mail-nodes of SIMAIL, and is a gateway for exchanging messages between SIMAIL and Internet. Through the interconnection between the Science Information Network, and Internet, NACSIS-MAIL promotes almost world-wide exchange of research information.
A user has to apply to NACSIS for using Electronic Mail Service. The use of domestic electronic email is free of charge, while a fee of 20 yen/KB has to be paid for the use of the international electronic mail service.
Career Information Service
Public advertisement of research posts in universities and other institutions was recommended in a report by the University Council as an effective system to increase the mobility of staff and to acquire excellent personnel with varied backgrounds and experience. In response to the reports, Career Information Service (NACSIS-CIS) was started in May 1997 to provide information on advertisement of posts collected universities via SINET (Internet).
Collection of information on advertisement
Information on advertisement of posts (assistants, lecturers, professors etc.) in Japanese universitities, junior colleges, colleges of technology, inter-university research institutions, etc. is sent from universities either by floopy disc, email or registration on homepage by URL information.
Provision of career information
The collected information is added to the database and released on http://www.nacsis.ac.jp
Two methods are available to obtain information on advertisement. One is using any words, and the other is searching by area or a name of institution.
International Operations of NACSIS Services
NACSIS-CAT
A pilot project with major British research libraries including the British Library which have Japanese materials to provide NACSIS-CAT service has been conducted between March 1991 and March 1995. Since the fiscal 1995, as authorized participating members, these organizations have been using NACSIS-CAT via the Internet. The following 7 research libraries have participated in NACSIS-CAT:
n The British Library
n Oriental and India Office Collections
n Cambridge University Library
n Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
n School of East Asian Studies Library, University of Sheffield
n Scottish Centre for Japanese Studies, University of of Stirling
n School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London
n The Japan Foundation London Language Centre
Also Japan Culture Center, Bangkok, the Japan Foundation have participated in since the fiscal 1997.
Consequently, it makes it possible to search books and serials held in these libraries.
NACSIS-ILL
From April 1994, NACSIS-ILL has been connected with ARTTel of the British Library Document Supply Centre (BLDSC). Accordingly, it makes it possible to apply remotely for the photocopying and renting of documents to BLDSC in the same way as for libraries in Japan.
NACSIS-IR
NACSIS has providing NACSIS-IR service for a fee since August 1993 to research & higher educational institutions in foreign counties, and to overseas governmental bodies promoting the development of academic research.
The databases provided to foreign countries are planned and formed by NACSIS or formed by other organizations and researchers.
NACSIS-IR is used by universities and libraries in the U.S.A., the U.K., Germany, Australia and South Korea.
Asian Information Survey
As a part of research survey program entitled "Asian Information on Asian Information Super Highway", Information about Thailand is collected. For the program, a grant-in-aid was awarded by the Asia Center of the Japan Foundation.
Research Activities
Characteristics of Research and Development
The purpose of the Science information system at NACSIS is to interconnect libraries and facilities related to information processing such as of universities all over Japan to make shared use of information resources in their possession and to provide networking service for exchange of research information among the researchers of participating organizations. NACSIS is engaged in R&D activities to provide science information databases as well as hardware and software for processing and transmitting them and applications for their efficient use.
Thus, the R&D at NACSIS has five characteristics.
n First, the Science Information System is very large and composed of diverse components, which must be made available to all researchers mainly in universities in Japan, irrespective of their fields.
n Second, since the Science Information System itself exhibits a remarkable progress, frontier R&D is required.
n Third, a concrete objective of constructing a practical system and operating it must be achieved.
n Fourth, since the system is a social system involving a man-machine interface, the R&D integrating approaches adopted not only in natural science and engineering but also in social science, must be interdisciplinary.
n Fifth, the R&D must be of an international nature, enabling contribution to exchange of science information between various countries around the world. R&D with these features involves, besides divisional researches, joint research with other research institutions and participation in education in post-graduate courses of the University of Tokyo and others.
Education & Training Program
In order to promote the exchange of science information, NACSIS carries out various education and training programs relating to relevant systems. Not only lectues and practical training about the serbices offered by NACSIS, but also various educational opportunities are provided for all the users of science infomation system. Furthermore, NACSIS is promoting research and deveropment for educational systems and materials such as the training system using hi-speed network environment, coursewears, videos and teaching materials.
NACSIS Symposium & Seminar
NACSIS Symposia are held at Tokyo and Kansai region in the average year to introduce the current developments of NACSIS's research activities and operating services.
NACSIS seminar provides opportunities to catch up recent and advanced technologies in high-degreed enviornment of science information systems for staffs dedicating to supprot academic researchers at universities and research institutes.
NACSIS-CAT Advanced Training Course
Advanced Training Course of three weeks have been established to teach leading staff in the cataloging section of participating libraries how to handle the entire operation of NACSIS-CAT in the local library. The attendees who completed the course will be instructors of Regional training courses.
NACSIS-CAT Training Course
NACSIS-CAT Training Courses offfer lectures and practical training in this service to catalogers in participating libraries. Regional training courses with the same curriculam are also offered using the dedicated terminals of several participating libraries, to broaden lecture opportunities.
Network Training Course
Network Training Courses, five days program provide opportunities to catch up recent and advanced network technology for staff who administer and operate network services among universities and research institutes.
NACSIS-ILL Training Course
NACSIS-ILL Training Courses offfer lectures and practical training in this service to staff in the inter-library loan sections of the participating libraries. Regional training courses are also offered to broaden lecture opportunities.
NACSIS-IR Training Course
NACSIS-IR Training Courses offfer lectures and practical training in this service to users and reference librarians in university libraries. Regional training courses are also offered to broaden lecture opportunities.
Support for User-Training Sponsored by Universities
In order to support the user-training sponsored by universities and academic socities, NACSIS offers some assist programs to lend user-IDs for NACSIS ssytems, to advice about curriculam and to send related texts or materials.
International Training
International Training Courses offer lectures and practial training in the NACSIS-IR, Webcat, etc. to the librarians who are serving the Japanese research material in foreign countries. This training course is carries out in cooperation with related organisations. The cooperation of three universities in the Bangkok city was received and the training was carried out in Thailand.
Teaching material video for training
The following videos are made as a teaching material for the training:
n Welcome to NACSIS-IR (1995.3)
n Introduction to NACSIS-IR (English, 1998.1)
n NACSIS-CAT Outline [Monographs] (1997.3)
n NACSIS-CAT Outline [Serias] (1998.1)
n NACSIS-CAT Standard of catalog information [Monographs] (1998.1)
n NACSIS-CAT Standard of catalog information [Serials] (1998.1)
n NACSIS-CAT Outline of retrieval [Monographs] (1998.3)
n NACSIS-CAT Outline of rerieval [Serials (1998.3)
n NACSIS-ILL Outline (1998.1)
n NACSIS-ILL Basic operation / Applied operation (1998.1)
n Basic technology of network managment (1998.3)
Public Information Activies
Guidance courses
A "How to Use "guidance course was held for further popularization of the Cataloging Information Service inviting unconnected prospective user organizations. Similar course was also held on the Information Retrieval Service targeting prospective users of national and public laboratories, research institutes and academic societies.
Exhibit and demonsration
NACSIS participated in a variety of exhibits to demonstrate the Electric Library Service and the Cataloging Information Service.
— Vimal Kumar Varun at vkv[at]nic[dot]in
