NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION

Support for Processing of Scientific and Technical Information (STI) Records for Inclusion in the NASA STI Database
The mission of the NASA Scientific and Technical Information (STI) Program was to provide for the "widest practicable and appropriate dissemination" of information about NASA research and development activities. Fulfilling this mission involves acquiring formally published scientific and technical journals through subscription, and obtaining other scientific and technical information from NASA scientists, engineers, and headquarters managers, the thirteen NASA research/development and flight centers, NASA contractors, other U.S. Government agencies and their contractors, U.S. industry and academia, and the international aerospace community. NASA provides information to these sources as well.

All materials acquired were used to prepare records for the NASA STI Database, a central inventory and catalog. The database resides at the NASA Center for AeroSpace Information (CASI) in Linthicum, Maryland. The NASA STI Database provides bibliographic information including descriptive cataloging elements, abstracts, and index terms. The Database currently holds over three million records covering NASA and other Government technical reports, memoranda, and briefs; journal articles; conference proceedings; books; patents; nonstandard media such as audio/video tapes and multimedia documents; and informally published materials known as "gray literature," which includes contractor reports.

Conwal personnel provided (1) descriptive cataloging, abstracting, and indexing of journal literature; (2) descriptive cataloging, abstracting, and indexing of additional information items; (3) modification and indexing of already-prepared or partially prepared bibliographic records; (4) electronic transmission of completed records to the NASA CASI for input into the database; (5) quality review and training; (6) management; and (7) acquisitions of literature.