   
IFLA Universal Dataflow and Telecommunications Core Programme
Archive - Historical Material
1994 Annual Report
Introduction
The UDT Core Programme is the focal point within IFLA for the promotion of the internationl and national exchange of electronic data. UDT seeks to provide the library community with pragmatic appreaches to electronic communications and resource sharing. In 1994, activities have focused ont he use of the services and technologies available over the Internet to improve personal and professional communications between IFLA HQ and its membership and among members of the international library community.
Professional Activities
- IFLA and Electronic Communications (IFLANET)
Since 1993, the UDT Core Programme has provided IFLA Headquarters with consultative support on enhancing communications and information exchange among its membership using the services available on the Internet. This initiative to develop IFLANET, and Internet-based communications infrastructure for the IFLA community, was introduced by IFLA President Robert Wedgeworth during the 1994 IFLA Conference in Havana.
SilverPlatter Information Inc, as part of their patron sponsorship agreement with IFLA agreed to provide the facilities needed to operate an IFLA Discussion group (listserv) and document server. The UDT Core Programme has worked with staff at SilverPlatter Information Inc, (U.S.A. division) to establish and maintain the IFLA-L listserv and document server.
There are currently over 400 subscribers to the IFLA-L listserv (ifla-l@silverplatter.com) and a preliminary set of documents containing general information about the IFLA organization and general Internet information has been complied and was made available via anonymous ftp (ftp.silverplatter.com) in November 1994. An index of the IFLA documents has been posted to the IFLA-L listserv with instructions on how to access these documents. In compiling a document server to serve the IFLA community, it was recognized that the Internet connections available to some members may only support access to electronic mail. In order to provide these members with access to the materials, the documents are also available via SilverPlatter’s Automated Messaging System (SAMS). SAMS is a cc:mail based system setup by SilverPlatter to allow users to access documents vie email.
Efforts for 1995 will focus on investigating the use of World Wide Web (WWW) technologies to provide services to the IFLA community. Plans are underway to made general information about the IFLA, conference information and other publications available using WWW technology.
Effort is also required to incorporate the use of IFLANET into ongoing IFLA activities. The various components of the IFLA organization and SilverPlatter must work together to facilitate the successful development and use of this communications and information resource for the IFLA community. As in any collaborative effort, it is important to establish the role and areas of responsibilities for the various partners.
- Section on Document Delivery and Interlending
The UDT Core Programme has been asked to participate in a project initiated by the IFLA Section of Document Delivery and Interlending to improve interlibrary loan communications and document delivery in Africa. The UDT Core Programme will contribute to the networking aspects of the study which focus on the use of the Internet to support interlibrary loan communications and delivery of the documents. Other components of the project include organizing and financing training courses for library personnel in the designated regions of Africa. Participants in the project include the IFLA Universal Availability of Publications (UAP) Core Programme, the Advancement for Librarianship in the Third World (ALP) Core Programme and interested libraries from Denmark and Germany.
- Workshops/Conferences/Papers
In conjunction with the IFLA Section on Information Technology, the Section on Social Science Libraries and the Section on Science and Technology Libraries, the UDT Core Programme held a one-day workshop "Communication Options for the 90’s" which focused on Internet applications for libraries in Latin America and the Caribbean on Thursday, August 25, 1994. The workshop, attended by approximately 250 participants, included introductory information on the use of the Internet, information about telecommunications options and a panel discussion with participants from North America, the U.K. and Latin America. Participants were also provided with a diskette containing general Internet information and software tools. A review of the evaluation forms received from the workshop attendees indicated that the workshop was well-received and informative.
Paula Tallim presented a paper entitled Using the Internet to Support Interlending and Document Delivery in North America to the workshop sponsored by the Section on Document Delivery and Interlending entitled "Document Delivery via the Internet", August 25, 1994 in Havana, Cuba.
A paper entitled Overview of the Internet: Origins, Future and Issues by Leigh Swain and Gary Cleveland was published in IFLA Journal (Vo.. 20(1)) pp. 16-21.
Publications
- UDT Series on Data Communication Technologies and Standards for Libraries
A total of six reports in this series have been published and the UDT Office continues to receive orders for these publications from libraries and institutions worldwide. Two reports were added to the UDT Series on Data Communication Technologies and Standards for Libraries in 1994.
Models for Open System Protocol Development: A Technical Report: 1994 (Report #6)
Edited by Liv. A. Holm of Norway, this report is an excellent survey and description of the application protocol standards that have been developed for use by the library and information community and a discussion of technical various issues related to their use.
This report was prepared as a project of the IFLA Section on Information technology and includes contributions from members of ISO TC46/SC4/WG4 and other experts in the field.
Communications, Content Creation, and Dissemination of Information : Selected Internet Projects. 1994 (Report # 7).
Descriptive survey of the many different types of projects that have been and are continuing to be implemented throughout the Internet. The projects, digitization projects, document delivery projects and library projects though many have aspects of each category. The report is intended to provide readers with an overview of the activities taking place on the Internet related to libraries and information provision and perhaps stimulate participation in these types of initiatives.
Sales of UDT Report Series (1994 and Total)
Research Networks and Libraries: Applications and Issues for Global Information Environment (Report #1) - 25 Copies (Total sales - 217 copies)
Electronic Document Delivery: Converging Standards and Technologies (Report #2) - 44 copies (Total sales - 223 copies).
OSI For Libraries: From Standards to Services (Report #3) - 23 copies (Total sales - 123 copies)
Electronic Data Interchange: An Overview of EDI Standards for Libraries (Report #4) - 49 copies (Total sales - 96 copies).
Packet Radio: Applications for Libraries in Developing Countries. (Report #5) - 16 copies
Models for Open System Protocol Development: A Technical Report 1994 (Report #6) - 3 copies.
- UDT Newsletter/Bulletin de l’UDT/Boletin Informativo UDT
Three issues of the UDT Newsletter (#24, 25, 26) were published in 1994 in English, French and Spanish. We continue to receive requests for the Spanish version and have increased the print run to 350 copies.
Beginning with Issue #24, the UDT Newsletter is being published and distributed in Russian by colleagues at the Russian State Library, Department of International Relations.
Also beginning with Issue #23, the English version of the UDT Newsletter is available electronically by accessing the IFLANET document server (ftp.silverplatter.com).
Promotion
A general article on the activities of the UDT Core Programme appears in IFLA Journal (20) 3, 1994.
An article entitled The IFLA UDT Core Programme: Focus on Electronic Communications appeared in the November/December 1994 Issue of Feliciter (pp. 69-70.) published by the Canadian Library Association.
Visitors
Nancy Anderson, UDT Core Programme liaison to the IFLA Professional Board visited the UDT Office on March 24, 1994.
Dr. Yakov Shraiberg, member of the Standing Committee for the IFLA Section on Information Technology and his colleague Michael Goncharov from the Russia National Public Library for Science and Technology made a brief visit to the UDT Office on November 15, 1994. The focus of the visit was to discuss possible cooperative efforts between the Russian National Public Library for Science and Technology and the UDT Core Programme in an effort to promoted the use of library automation by Russian libraries.
Overview and Evaluation
The Internet is growing rapidly both in size and reach and the related technologies are growing very rapidly and are changing the way in which libraries and library professionals communicate and do business.
It is clear that the use of the Internet can strengthen the IFLA organization by improving communications and making IFLA information and publications more accessible to the world-wide IFLA community. The various components of the IFLA organization must work together to facilitate the successful development and use of this communication and information resource for the IFLA community.
(Prepared by: Paula Tallim, February 6, 1994)
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