Green intentions notwithstanding, Indian industries have a tough time looking up relevant information on environmental matters. Properly classified databases in matters related to the environment is sadly lacking in the country. To plug this lacunae, the United States Information Service (USIS) is providing a CD-ROM database on environment and backing it up with more complete information on microfiche.The Environment Abstracts CD-ROM (EAC) is a searchable database containing bibliographic records for published articles, papers or reports containing critical, current information on all aspects of the impact of humankind and technology on the environment, including air, water, and noise pollution; solid and toxic wastes; energy and natural resources management and conservation; radiological contamination; population growth and control; and geophysical and climatic changes.
Each record on the CD-ROM provides full bibliographic information for the abstracted article or report, including title, authors,authors' institutional affiliations, and source publication information. Each record also includes an abstract summarising the contents of the original article or report plus assigned subject terms.
The EAC includes three databases: environment (1975-current), energy (1975-1993) and acid rain (1984-1990). The environment database includes over 800 journal and periodical titles, which are systematically reviewed each month to select material for inclusion in EAC. Beginning 1994, 75 periodical titles that were previously covered in the printed Energy Information Abstracts and their corresponding energy databases on the CD-ROM are being included in the current environment database.
The database also covers all major English-language scientific journals publishing research and analyses of various aspects of environmental sciences, conditions and issues, including journals published in Third World countries. Nearly 40 per cent of the English-language journals screened for inclusion are non-US publications. Afew foreign-language journals are also included.
The coverage of these journals is limited to those that provide English-language translations or synopses with the articles. The current scope of coverage is based upon a thorough investigation of potential sources, guided on an ongoing basis by an editorial advisory board representing the knowledge and needs both of information specialists and environmental scientists and researchers. Coverage scope is augmented and modified by the comments and suggestions of users and librarians.
Beyond providing coverage of all scientific journals presenting substantive information related to such basic environmental topics as air and water pollution; solid and toxic wastes; radiological contamination and toxicological effects, EAC also focusses on identifying and including the following types of information:
Qualitative and quantitative scientific and environmental research conducted in laboratories, on site or through various research tools;
Substantivediscussion and analyses of US and international environmental programmes;
Technical reports on the effectiveness of remedial environmental technology;
Trend analysis and studies on existing and potential environmental issues;
Information on political, economic and social conditions impacting local, state, federal and international environmental issues;
Analyses of environmental law and policy development in the US and abroad.All of the functions within the CD-ROM are accessible via the pull-down menus listed on the menu bar. The EAC provides a browse index, a form search and search buttons to give you access to the three different modes of finding and accessing the information. The browse mode is especially useful when you want to review the collection scope or retrieve citations, such as titles, from a single index.
The browse index option provides the easiest way to look through the database. Each index is made up of all the terms (words and phrases) within a specificdatabase field. On the other hand, the form search provides an easy way to set up both simple and complex searches. For each search statement, you select the field to be searched and either type your search term or choose it from an index.
In form search, however, you cannot enter more than one term in a given Search For blank. If you want to find more than one term for a given field, use a separate search statement for each term. Or you can use search mode, which allows you to enter more than one term for a given field and automatically converts your search statement into separate queries.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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