ROLE OF THE CRIMINOLOGY LIBRARY (FROM SEMINAR FOR LIBRARIANS IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, 1978 - SEE NCJ-51053)

• NCJ Number: 51054
• Author(s): R G FOX
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

THE ROLE OF LIBRARIES IN THE AUSTRALIAN CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM--INCLUDING UNIVESITY LIBRARIES WITH SPECIALIZED HOLDINGS, LIBRARIES SERVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, AND LIBRARIES FOR PRISONERS--IS DISCUSSED.

Abstract

MOST PEOPLE THINK OF A CRIMINOLOGY LIBRARY AS A SPECIALIZED COLLECTION IN A UNIVERSITY SETTING. HOWEVER, THE TERM ALSO ENCOMPASSES NONUNIVERSITY COLLECTONS WHICH ARE ADJUNCTS OF RESEARCH OR TRAINING COMPONENTS OF GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, OR PARTS OF CENTERS SUCH AS THE AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY. ALTHOUGH FEW THINK OF LIBRARIES FOR PRISONERS AS CRIMINOLOGY LIBRARIES, LIBRARIANS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY INVOLVED IN PROVIDING SERVICES TO INMATES. THERE IS A PARTICULAR NEED FOR PRISON LIBRARIES TO OFFER BASIC REFERENCE MATERIALS TO WHICH INMATES MAY REFER IN DETERMINING THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS. THE PROBLEMS OF CRIMINOLOGY LIBRARIES CONCERN THE QUESTIONS OF WHAT IS TO BE COLLECTED AND HOW ACCESS TO CRIMINOLOGICAL INFORMATION IS TO BE ACHIEVED. IN LIGHT OF THE EXPLOSION OF INFORMATION IN THE FIELD OF CRIMINOLOGY, THERE IS A NEED TO RATIONALIZE CRIMINAL JUSTICE COLLECTIONS IN AUSTRALIA, PRIMARILY BY DEVELOPING AN EFFECTIVE INTERLIBRARY LOAN SYSTEM AND BY ESTABLISHING A UNION CATALOGUE OF CRIMINOLOGY HOLDINGS. THE COMMONWEALTH NEEDS MAJOR COLLECTIONS OF POLICE AND PRISON LITERATURE, AS WELL AS UP-TO-DATE INDEXES OF NEWSPAPER ARTICLES AND GOVERNMENT MATERIALS RELATED TO CRIME. A MAJOR CONTRIBUTION TO THE ADVANCEMENT OF CRIMINOLOGY IN AUSTRALIA WAS MADE BY THE INSTITUTE OF CRIMINOLOGY WHEN IT INTRODUCED ITS INFORMATION RETRIEVAL SERVICE. KNOWN AS CINCH (COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION FROM NATIONAL CRIMINOLOGICAL HOLDINGS), THE SERVICE IS COMPARABLE TO THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFERENCE SERVICE (NCJRS) IN THE UNITED STATES. AS IT MOVES INTO THE AREA OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION SHARING, THE INSTITUTE SHOULD EXAMINE THE NCJRS MODEL. CRIMINOLOGY LIBRARIES IN AUSTRALIA CAN EXPAND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF RESOURCE DIRECTORIES, ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES, AND RELATED MATERIALS. LIBRARIES MUST BE AWARE OF THEIR ROLE IN PROVIDING INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AS WELL AS TO THOSE PROFESSIONALLY ENGAGED IN CRIMINOLOGICAL STUDIES. (LKM)