The Evolution of Indexing and Abstracting Services: A Historical Overview

The speaker is facing challenges in finding materials on the rise of indexing and abstracting services despite having sources on the background of indexing and abstracting and indexing in the 20th century. They express frustration at not being able to locate relevant information in the old pack.

The speaker is informed by the assistant that there are resources available regarding their information need on the rise of indexing and abstracting services. The speaker expresses relief and agrees to follow the assistant to access these resources.

The assistant introduces the concept of the rise of indexing and abstracting services, highlighting their continued relevance in the era of information explosion. They emphasize that despite the abundance of information, these services play a crucial role in bibliographic control in libraries.

Indexing and abstracting services are described as essential secondary tools in modern libraries, providing access to thousands of databases and facilitating rapid information retrieval. They are crucial for bibliographic control and are distinct from primary sources.

The origins of indexing and abstracting services can be traced back to five general sections of society: business and industry, learned societies and professional organizations, institutional establishments, government, and commercial organizations. Each sector contributes to the development and utilization of these services.

Indexing and abstracting services primarily focus on journal literature, covering a wide range of topics from general to specialized areas. They also include books, reports, newspapers, government documents, and materials like plays and poems. The main goal is to provide efficient and effective access to validated and reliable information, making them essential for information professionals.

The learner expresses curiosity and interest in delving deeper into historical examples of indexes and abstracts, particularly focusing on works from the middle ages. They seek to explore the evolution and significance of indexing and abstracting throughout history.

The instructor assures the learner of having historical examples of indexes and abstracts ready for exploration. The learner expresses gratitude for the comprehensive resources available to support their studies, highlighting the importance of having access to such valuable information.

Several historically significant indexes and abstracts exist from antiquity to the present day, representing milestones in the field. Examples include the Amduat, Arts and Humanities Citation Index, Chemical Abstracts, and Prudence Concordance, each playing a crucial role in organizing and accessing information in various disciplines.

The Surgeon General's Office Library initiated systematic indexing of medical literature in the 1870s, creating the Index Medicus and the Index Catalog. This laid the foundation for Medline and the National Library of Medicine, a global leader in medical literature indexing. The NLM's dedication to bibliographic access has paved the way for modern health sciences databases, shaping the landscape of medical research.

Led the creation of the Index Medicus, a subject and author guide to medical literature first published in 1879. This significant undertaking was accomplished through human labor without computers. The Index Medicus evolved into Medline and subsequent databases and indexes, with the National Library of Medicine also publishing the Index Medicus, Cumulated Index Medicus, and Abridged Index Medicus from 1970 to 1997.

Library Literature and Information Science Full Text provides access to articles from over 155 journals dating back to 1997, offering a comprehensive resource for researchers and scholars in the field.

The Journal Discover, established by Denise Desalio, is the earliest academic journal published in Europe, contributing significantly to the academic discourse and knowledge dissemination in the region.

The first German abstract journal was published in 1703, marking a significant milestone in the dissemination of scholarly information and research in Germany.

Poole's Index, the first systematic article-level index of 19th-century periodicals, was initiated in 1848 by Yale student William Frederick Poole. By 1908, the index covered 482,000 articles and 378,000 subjects, showcasing a comprehensive resource for accessing periodical literature.

William Frederick Poole's Reader's Guide to Practical Literature, published in the early 1800s, revolutionized access to journal literature by indexing the contents of numerous journals in a single index. This practice laid the foundation for modern indexing and information retrieval methods.

The New York Times Index, established in 1851, served as a pivotal model for newspaper indexes, setting a standard for organizing and accessing information within the newspaper industry.

A Citation Index, such as Shepard's Citations, provides a unique approach to indexing by listing articles and subsequent papers that cite them. This tool is essential for legal professionals to track legal precedents and is increasingly valuable as a general reference tool.