CAS & SDI service

Current awareness service and Selective dissemination of information

1. Unit : 1
Information Services and
Organisation
Types of Information Services
CAS & SDI
Bhakti J Khatsuriya
Librarian
C.U.Shah Institute of Nursing
C.U.Shah University
Wadhwan City

2. Introduction
Disseminationofinformationthatwill
keepituserswell-informedandup-todate
intheirfieldsofbasicinterestaswell
asinrelatedsubjectsiscalledCurrent
AwarenessService.Itisasystemof
gettingknowledgeonrecent
developmentswhichrelatetothe
specialinterestofindividual

3. CAS is a device of the information system
through which the users of information can
be informed promptly, as soon as possible
after publications but before absorption
into the comprehensive secondary sources
of current literature on a broad subject field
or on a area in which a group of persons
are interested, and presented in a manner,
volume and rhythm intended to facilitate or
cultivate current approach to information.

4. Meaning and Definition
S.R.RanganathandefinesCASas
"Documentationperiodicallistingthe
documentsappearingduringtheperiod
covered,andwithoutbeingselectedto
suittherequirementsofaparticular
readerorofaspecifictopicunder
investigation.Itendeavorstokeepthe
clienteleinformedpromptlyofallthe
nascentthoughtcreatedintheirfieldsof
workandrelatedfields.

5. B.C. Vickery define “CASis more
frequently
and more adequately met by circulation
than by retrieval, current journals, newly
received book and report, abstract
bulletins
and the like being fed to and scanned by
users.
Basically, speaking, CASis a device for
alerting specialists towards latest
developments and new publications
acquired by the libraries/information
center

6. Types of Current Awareness
Service
Two kinds of Current awareness services may
be recognized
a. Those services, which are directed towards
individuals or group of users. These may include
communication of information to individuals or
groups through informal conversation or via
telephone, message sent on notification form,
SDI, selective of dissemination of documents,
routing of periodicals (or automatic loan ) and
other documents. In this field, information
supplied within the period of one week to one
month -

7. b.Thoseservices,whicharedirected
towardsallusersoftheservices,these
mayincludeaccessionlist(alistof
recentacquisitions),bibliography,
indexingandabstractingservices,
bibliographicsurveys,literaturesurveys,
tableofcontentsofperiodicalsreceived
inthelibrary,CurrentAwareness
bulletin,etc-

8. Aims of CAS
i.Toawarethescientists/userswithlatest
developmentsintheresubjectfields.
ii.Tokeeptheclientelewell-informed
andup-to-dateknowledgeoflatest
developmentintheirfieldsofresearch
iii.Tofulfillthecurrentdemandofthe
users.

9. Characteristics of CAS
i.Visualchannel:Thereisvisualchannelfor
usertoknowthecurrentdevelopments
through:
a.Informationobtainedorallyfromcolleagues.
b.Informationreceived/gatheredthrough
thereceiptofpre-prints,reprints.
c.Informationgatheredthroughattending
meetingandconferencesandgetting
informationinbothformalandinformalway.

10. ii.Literaturechannel:
a.Scanningofcurrentissuesofperiodicals.
b.Regularperusalofabstractingandindexing
periodicalsinone’ssubjectfields.
c.Insomecasesreviewsandmonographsare
alsoconsulted.
iii. Formal channel (Current channel):
a. Regular perusal of current issues of
periodicals.
b. Current issues of abstracting and individuals
periodicals.
c. Maintaining profiles (personal files of the
users).

11. iv.ACASisanannouncementmechanism
usuallyindocumentaryform.
v.Recordofanswerofanyspecificqueryas
currentapproachtoinformationlikea
panoramicviewofcurrentdevelopment.
vi.ACASismainlyaddressedtothose
workerswhocannotdependentirelyon
theirowninformalchannels.
vii.Speedandtimelinessistheessenceof
CAS.
viii.Duetotheverynatureofcurrent
approach,easeofscanninghastobe
ensuredinaCurrentAwarenessbulletin.

12. Factors Influencing on CAS
1.CurrentApproach:Itisnecessaryfor
everyinformatorytokeephimselfknownwith
thecurrentliteratureorthelatest
developmentofsubject.Hemustknowall
theimportantareasassoonaspublishedor
generated.
2.Continuousneed:CASisverymuch
requiredwherethereiscontinuousneedof
currentaffairsanddevelopmentsbythe
user.Morecontinuousneed,moreCurrent
Awarenessservice.

13. 3.Directdemand:Formanyissuesthe
usermaynotbeimmediatelyinterested
butsomeofthereferencemaybe
demandedbyhimatanymoment.For
suchneedssomeofthereferencesare
recordedinhisdiaryorpersonalfilekept
withthelibraryorinformator,sothat
whentoneedarisestheymaybesupplied
withlatestdevelopments.

14. Selective Dissemination of
Information
SDIisatypeofcurrentawarenessservice
meanttokeeptheuserabreastwiththelatest
developmentsinthefieldofhisinterest.Itisa
personalizedservicemeantfortheindividualor
agroupofusershavingidenticalinformation
needs.Itisaquickservicewhichprovidesthe
pinpointedandexhaustiveinformationtothe
users.SDIinvolvesthescreeningofthe
document and selectingtheinformation
accordingtothespecificinformationneedsof
eachuserorgroupofusers(homogeneous).
Themainobjectiveistokeeptheuserwellinformed
andup-to-dateinhisareaofinterest.

15. Meaning and Definition
SelectiveDisseminationofInformation(SDI)
isdefinedasthesysteminwhichselectively
andautomaticallycompiled information
aboutnewdocumentsisdisseminatedto
researchers,scientistsandotherswhoneed
thesedocuments/informationorsupplying
eachuserorgroupofuserswitha
referenceofdocuments orabstracts
relatingtotheirpredefinedareasofinterest.
Itinvolvesnotifyingthematerialthat
matches theinterestsoftheclient.

16. •Selective Dissemination of Information was a
concept first described by H.P. Luhn for the
scientist /engineers of IBM. According to him,
"The Selected Dissemination of Information is
the service within an organization which
concerns itself with the channeling of new
items of information, from whatever sources, to
those points within the organization where the
probability of usefulness in connection with
current work or interest in high. On the other
hand, the service endeavors to withhold such
information from the points where the
probability is low”

17. Objectives of SDI
To provide current information on a
predefined area of interest.
To receive, scan and provide the
literature / information to the right users at the
right time.
All the current information which is
relevant to the interest of the user must
be brought to the notice of the user notification

18. All the relevant information which is
published elsewhere in the world (in
English or other languages) should be
located through various sources.
To achieve current requirements through
the scan of current material such as
journals, current awareness bulletins and
other important resources.
To save the time of the user.
No irrelevant documents should be
brought to the notice of the user. Only
the selective and relevant documents
should be brought to the notice of the
user.

19. Characteristics of SDI
It is a computerized assisted service.
SDI is concerned with current published
information.
The source of current information may be available
both within the organization and outside it.
The new / current information should be
disseminated to the users such as researchers,
scientists, managers, etc. within the organization.

20. The channeling or directing of this
information depends upon the nature of
this interest.
One of the important things in SDI service
is that only current and selective
information which is highly relevant to
the user's interest is to be selected by the
computer for dissemination.

21. Difference Between CAS & SDI
SDI is a form of CAS. The objectives of both
services is to keep the users well-informed and
up-to-date in their field of research. CAS is the
awareness service. It makes the user aware of
the current developments that are taking
place in his area of interest. Whereas SDI deals
with providing the exact or pinpointed
information. It is not possible to state the exact
information in case of CAS, whereas it
necessary to state the exact information need
of the user in SDI. SDI is an advance type of
current awareness service which is directed
towards the individuals.

22. Both the services are based on availability of
current literature. SDI is a personalized service and
is directed towards the individuals or homogeneous
group, whereas CAS is awareness service which is
directed towards all the users who need it. CAS is
provided by
circulating the current list of periodicals among all
the users, whereas SDI service is based on
matching the user's profile with the document
profile. SDI is a selective service based on the exact
informationneed of the user, whereas in CAS all the
information is
circulated to the user on the given topic. CAS can be
provided without computer, whereas SDI is a
computerized service. Feedback is an important
step is providing SDI service, whereas that is not
required in CAS.

23. Conclusion
CAS and SDI are the very important
information sources for researchers and
other aspirants who want up-to-date
information due to the emergence of
Internet and other wed based
applications these two services are
providable through fingertips.