developed countries, then, one would expect to see the communication element of the management of R+D activities formalised in terms of In- formation Services. Other governments and industries and professions recog- nise the importance of this, and so, presumably, here as elsewhere they would eventually span the whole range of intellectual effort and activity from one-man collections for private use to government-scale agencies available for all. Information services should pri- marily:
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1. acquire all the information likely to be of interest to the user all sources being tapped or on tap by all means to ensure adequate coverage.
2. evaluate expertly material for input into the service.
3. Index input material for retrieval against specific or general enquiries, and disseminate information through profile-based current awareness ог selective services of various kinds and frequencies.
Experience has shown that such services are best located where active work in the subject is going on and the users should if possible be fully in- volved.
There is a widespread, understand able, but unfortunate belief that in- formation, like 'water' is something that should be available free. It should be clear from what I have just been saying however, that 'good' informa- tion is not cheap to produce. If you want to quantify this then you can judge the importance of information by establishing a value for user time saved through having it to hand. Then weight this according to salary and the supply conditions of the users' skills. It will then more closely reflect its true value, and its cost may be appreciated and accepted more readily. Curiously enough, Hong Kong's physical isolation is one characteristic that I suggest should make the development of In- formation Services more likely - and I and I would say here that I am NOT talking about Mass Media. For many rea- sons it could be inappropriate for Gov- ernment to have a literature acquisi- tion policy similar to that adopted by many other countries. Unlike others, it need not have the responsibility of en- suring that within Hong Kong there exists at least one accessible copy of every significant publication. What it should do however is to encourage In-
formation Service facilities, for its own and general use that can give quick access to such literature wherever it is. In this way we could ensure being kept abreast of the rest of the world.
For us as architects, together with those others of us in the building in- dustry here, our present position, in these terms, is weak. Granted, the extent of our need is unmeasured and the nature of a service to meet it there- fore unclear, but the fact that some need does and will increasingly exist is certain. Whether a Government-backed service such as the one being pro- posed by the Government Committee for Scientific Co-ordination is the right answer, or whether a kind of Building Centre for the analysis and dissemina- tion of specialised information is best, needs examining. Some of you with larger organisation have the beginnings of such a service, a library here, a part- time information officer there and so on. You perhaps can already see that something more than a collection of books or trade literature is required and will I am sure endorse my warning that for good information you need to invest. I hope too that you will sup- port me in saying that it is worth it.
If this stainless steel sink
doesn't fit
Diethelm has seven other sizes
With single drainers, double drainers, no drainers... for right or left hand fitting
twin sink units... and even a round sink for small units in kitchens, bath- rooms, surgeries, etc.
All Diethelm sinks are made of high DIETHELM ALUMINIUM
quality 18/8 stainless steel with polished or satin finish. Because they're locally de- signed and made, the price, is reasonable. You couldn't get better value anywhere. See Diethelm . . . they've made the sink to fit almost anywhere.
303 Alexandra Road, Singapore 3 Tel: 630111. Jalan University, Petaling Jaya, Malaysia Tel: 52675. Hong Kong Agents: W. A. Somerville & Co. Ltd., G.P.O. Box No. 15383 Tel: H239177-9. Bangkok Agents: Diethelm & Co.Ltd., 544/11 Ploenchit Road, Bangkok, Thailand. Tel: 54041-49 ext. 32.
Far East BUILDER, August 1971