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High qualification in the field of agricultural information is one of the advantages in Slovakia what eases introduction and use of new information technologies. Disadvantage, however, is represented by insufficient equipment, such as lack of personal computers and Internet connections. Situation is aggravated by bad economic conditions in agriculture-related research institutions. All of this impacts staff structure of information departments, especially when staff is reduced bellow acceptable level. To prevent this from happening information specialists are assigned some other tasks thus reducing the quality of information services due to economic pressures. This results in skilled workers, especially younger ones, quitting their posts for better paid jobs, frequently after they have received special training for several years at the library. And then it is necessary to train new workers yet again. Sometimes even former retirees have to be employed for certain part-time jobs. This phenomenon is not new so the Department of Scientific and Technical Information has devised some methods in trying to ease the above problems with staff. In 1996 the Institute for Scientific and Technical Information for Agriculture in Nitra (ISTIA/UVTIP) was assigned a task of establishing and managing Integrated Information System in the Agricultural Sector. Virtual network of scientific and technical information departments was created. As a result of UVTIP initiative a common library system was set up in 22 institutions in order to simplify and unify information processing. The AGROCATALOGUE database, which is a product of this system, has been thus receiving input from all of the libraries and has become the national database of agricultural collections. It has also become accessible via the Internet. UVTIP provides methodology and consultations and monitors information activities and needs of all of the institution in the system. UVTIP has been facing problems with human resources stabilization. The main profession at UVTIP is an information specialist, what is not the case with other Slovak institutions in the field. Specialist training is quite expensive so new methods are sought to stabilize the staff. Young people like to use new information technologies and are able to master needed skills in a short time. Employees are also encouraged to attend workshops, meetings and conferences. Other ways of stabilizing work force are also considered. The government of the Slovak Republic initiated and consulted the project of Technical Program of Cooperation (TCO) with FAO in the period of 1997-1998 that was considered as a model for other Central and Eastern European countries (CEEC) of the subregion. One of the aims of the project was to mitigate some typical difficulties such as insufficient personal motivation in libraries and information centers due to low wages, insufficient technical equipment, and also lack of interest in continual education. The FAO's WAICENT was also involved. Slovak Republic proposed inclusion of TCP (project of the technical aid for development of scientific and technical information promotion) into the program for 1998-1999. This project can be a basis for support and strengthening of human resources in this field. Some tasks and future outlook of the Roundtable. The Roundtable should propose measures for maintaining and strengthening posts of the agricultural information specialists. It should promote education activities of CEEC experts within the FAO programs, and organize regional discussion meetings via the Internet in order to present the activities and results at the future conference in Dakar, Senegal. The library-information specialists from the CEEC region have been meeting at the Roundtables for quite some time and have had an opportunity to exchange not only professional but also personal experiences. Communication and cooperation skills were learned. This would never have been possible if it had not also been for the National Agricultural Library (NAL) of the United States Department of Agriculture. The NAL is author of the idea and has supported these meeting financially. Much was ha been learned at the Roundtables, however, travel and participation are quite costly and time consuming, and the number of participants is conditioned by organizing possibilities. It is nevertheless possible to pursue such contacts on the Internet, and thus to exploit the utility of the Information Highway. Full connectibility is merely a matter of time so regular tele-conferences, e.g. twice a year, could be organized by individual institution. Guests could also be invited by organizer institutions. A committee of volunteers, elected from members of the Roundtable family, would prepare such a conference in cooperation with the particular organizer taking into consideration his technical and other possibilities. |
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