Changes since the last Roundtable

The principal change that occurred since the last roundtable in Tucson was an acquiring of a grant for arranging accessibility of library holdings on the Internet. In March 1998 the Central Agricultural and Forestry Library (CAFL) put forward the project proposal within the framework of INFRA II program introduced by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Physical Education of the Czech Republic. This Ministry ensures application of information technologies within the Czech Republic. The system is expected to be fully operational by the year 2000. Library holdings will be accessible via the Internet and interlibrary loan services will be provided.

Last year the 70th anniversary of the CAFL was celebrated. It was accompanied by a special conference. Former minister of Agriculture of the Czech Republic was present and so were rectors and deans of Czech agricultural universities, directors of agricultural research institutes and leading representatives of Czech librarianship. A bibliography „History of the Central Agricultural and Forestry Library in the light of literary sources" was published on this occasion.

A question of library holdings storage will soon be resolved with the new building of the Library depository. CAFL takes an active part in the CASLIN union catalogue that is created by the National Library of the Czech Republic, and comprises Czech published production as well as foreign titles available in the Czech Republic.

Due to the difficult financial situation in the country the CAFL has lately joined a program of cooperation in order to buy new documents. It is based on building a so-called "Technological centers" or "Service centers" which are supposed to cover information needs in the field (e.g. social sciences, technical sciences, etc.). The CAFL will provide for agricultural sources.

International cooperation

The CAFL currently exchanges publications with more than 800 partners from 45 countries. Annually 30 requests are met via the AGLINET. Collaboration with the Knowledge Initiative was established with its president Mr. Krammer, whose intention was to create a model information center for forestry in the Czech Republic. Central Agricultural and Forestry Library has applied for this project. Demand for FAO publications is likely to increase as FAO publications are being promoted. The CAFL participated at the conference of agricultural libraries of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe in Freising in 1998.

Problems of labor force stabilization

Labor force in the state sector was reduced without regard to the needs of individual institutions. Also, many workers themselves sought better paid jobs elsewhere. The break up of Czechoslovakia further reduced the workforce. The CAFL has also been afflicted. The workers are hard to replace due to very low wages. However, there has been some positive impact, too. Many employees who remain at the CAFL have become aware of the necessity of permanent increase of qualification.

New types of services, such as reference services, have been introduced. Special databases are being built. Paradoxically, nowadays the staff themselves pressure into direction of quicker automation because the Institute of Agricultural and Food Information was the last to install a complete automated library information system. The staff are aware that the user needs must be met lest the future of the Institute become uncertain. In the present some workers, that quit their jobs in the past, are willing to return due to economical problems in some private enterprises. However, at present, in the state sector, it is not possible to stabilize work force for more than a year. Hopefully the situation will improve.

Conclusion

During the last few years CAFL has continued to carry on its main purpose. The problems of library holdings storage will be solved soon. Collections and library databases will become accessible via the Internet. International cooperation including fulfilling the tasks concerning "Joint Program of Cooperation" has continued. One of the principal problems that still remain is the absence of a complete automated information system. The labor force problems depend on economical situation in the Czech Republic. In spite of difficulties the Central Agricultural and Forestry Library has moved forward in satisfying information needs of end-users and has promoted national and international cooperation between the agricultural libraries.