NCJ Number
73619
Date Published
1977
Length
111 pages
Annotation
The development and initial operations of a special library at the Criminal Justice Training and Education Center (CJTEC) in Toledo, Ohio, are described by the graduate student responsible for the project.
Abstract
In addition to being a certified training academy for Ohio peace officers, the CJTEC offers consulting services and audiovisual training materials on police, courts, corrections, and community crime prevention to local criminal justice agencies. After the CJTEC was established in 1974, only sporadic efforts were made to organize and control its library materials. A project to improve the library was initiated in 1975. Arrangements were made with the University of Toledo to supply interns from its library science and information program in order to develop the library's systems. The systems analysis approach that was used to evaluate the library's requirements and design the new system are outlined. Principal sources of documents were the National Criminal Justice Reference Service and commercial publishers. The indexing of books and technical reports was given top priority, while brochures and pamphlets were placed in vertical files. A manual card index using natural language subject indexing and control by specialized accession numbers was implemented. Detailed descriptions of the following subsystems are presented: acquisitions, processing, circulation, periodicals, and reference. Alternative systems which were considered are also discussed, including computerized indexing, optical coincidence systems, edge-notched cards, and Uniterm. In 1977 the library was in full operation using most of the principles and procedures described in this report. The appendixes contain memoranda and notes issued during the development phase and the classification system used by a criminal justice reference center at the University of Wisconsin. A bibliography of over 50 references is provided.