This publication summarizes the main features of the 25 year evolution of the Lib-rary since the January 1961 resolution of the Presidium of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and served also as background material to the debate and resolution of the Presidium's April 1,1986 session on the position of the Library. The appendix describes the Library's publishing activity between 1976 and 1985, providing data about all series and periodicals, numbers of printed folios of publications and periodicals, and figures concerning publications by staff members of the Library between 1980 and 1984. Its chapters are:
1. Basic approach: from requirements to needs 2. Reconstruction, expansion
3. Architectural description
4. What is the future based on? Within this chapter
— history of culture and specialized information
— collection
— utilization
— information services
— creative workshop
5. New technology — a computerized programme?
The initial idea of the paper is that a large scientific organization, like a big library - fundamentally has t o be managed like a pro fit-oriented enterprise. While in the case of the latter the profit is measurable and direct, in the case of a library the „profit" ap-pears indirectly, in the form of increased efficiency of research. The study sketches the future image of the Library in connection with the Conversion to a library of the block of flats built together with the palace of the Academy, and the reconstruction of the library. This future image is formed by linking tradition and modernity. After a 10 to 12 years' stagnation the reconstruction has brought the final housing of the Library to its stage of realization. After unsuccessful attempts over several decades, the recon-struction is in view and it is apt to ensure the development of the Library even if this solution involves several kinds of compromises. The compromise is necessitated by the fact that the area obtained through the reconstruction is insufficient for housing all parts of the Library; the 24 shelve-kilometres supplementary store will remain near Budapest, as will the detached technical plants (book-bindery, printing office and the most valuable special collections, the Department of Manuscripts and Old Books, as well as the Oriental Collection in the palace of the Academy). It is, on the other hand, a great advantage of the reconstruction that the historically evolved cohabitation of the Academy and the Library will continue, as there will be several passages between the two institutions in one and the same building compound. The study provides detailed
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data of the reconstruction, including the area on balance (the extension of the area is 6000 m2, an approximately 100 percent growth compared to the present, and within this figure accomodation will grow by more than 200 percent). The architectural de-scription is supplemented by a general lay-out and two sectional plans (the building will have 8 floors, 27 thousand cubic metres, the gross floor area being over 9 thousand square metres). The data on the collections detail the breakdown by subjects, the quali-tative composition of the holdings consisting of 3.2 million bibliographic units (includ-ing 1.7 million in the central library). 50 % of the foreign periodicals to be found in Hungary are available in the Academy network. The utilization of collections analyses the intensive circulation which is characteristic of a research library. The information activity covers both the direct services of the Library and the representation of the Aca-demy in international professional programmes as well as its nationwide organizational activity. The most important development in respect of information has been in recent years the introduction and adaption of computerized science information services (Sci-ence Citation Index) and scientometric researches linked to them. In 1985 the Library ran 1320 search profiles for 686 users based on the magnetic tapes of the Science Cita-tion Index. A considerable number of subscribers came from the bio-medical area. The income of the Library from its services was around 7 million forints. Subscription is not only important for monetary reasons, but an effective demand is the best yardstick for the measurement of the utility of some service. In the course of development, the ser-vices of the Library will continue to appear in three aspects in the future:
— as the services of a large scientific library,
— as the central institution of the Academy network,
— due to its nationwide organizational tasks.
Preparations have been made for the complex computerization of Library and in-formation. Based on separate financing, the transfer of the 1.2 million alphabetic ca-talogue cards of the Library to microfiche has begun. The Library also plans so the im-provement of document supply by developing both the intellectual means and technical instruments.
The text of resolution No. 12/1986 of the Presidium of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences on as follows: „The position and the development of the Library of the Hun-garian Academy of Sciences".
The submission by the Director General of the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences provides an illustrated survey of the progress of the Library between 1961 and 1986, outlines the plans of development, and finally formulates proposals concern-ing further tasks.
Comments contributed spoke appreciatively of the activity of the Library, and the Presidium unanimously adopted the draft resolution.
Resolution No. 12/1986 of the Presidium
1. The Presidium - expressing its appreciation and thanks - adopts the motion; it states that the Library has implemented the Presidium's 1961 resolution and that the results achieved thereby provide a foundation for further progress;
2. It considers necessary
a) that the traditional collecting, preserving and servicing functions should continue to be linked harmoniously to the programs of modernization in the course of further development;
b) the conclusion of the reconstruction of the Library within the planned time limit and budget, and the introduction of new technologies (library mechanization, online link with foreign data bases);
c) the intensive joining of the Academy library network in the computerization pro-gram, the building up of the Academy scientific information system.
3. The Library should take an active part in the information supply for basic re-search and social sciences rere-search programmes of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences by laying the foundation of computer searches of specialized literatures via data bases and the eventual extension of these services. It should take an active part in the building up of the information infrastructure of basic research and of social sciences; as well as in the development of international scientific information relations.
4. After the completion of reconstruction the Presidium will again survey the situ-ation of the Library.
Megjelent: Tudományos és Műszaki Tájékoztatás, 32.1985.11. 503—522.p.
AZ MTA KÖNYVTÁR SZEREPE A TÁRSADALOMTUDOMÁNYI INFORMÁCIÓ