| International Nuclear Lirbary Network (INLN) | |
|---|---|
INLN moto |
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| Abbreviation | INLN |
| Formation | 2005 |
| Type | Internet-based Nuclear Library Network |
| Legal status | Active |
| Location | Vienna, Austria (IAEA Library) |
| Region served | Worldwide |
| Membership | Nuclear Libraries |
| Parent organization | IAEA |
| Website | http://inln.iaea.org |
The International Nuclear Library Network (INLN), coordinated by the IAEA Library, i.e. the Library of the International Atomic Energy Agency, seeks to further promote the exchange of nuclear information and to strengthen strategic partnerships amongst members. The underlying strategy is twofold: first, whenever a new partner joins the network, the shared information base is enlarged; and second, the larger the information base becomes, the more attractive the network is. The 35 nuclear libraries participating in this network (January 2011) have managed to enhance their information pool and extend their services to cover information needs of a world clientele.
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The International Nuclear Library Network was founded in 2005 by the IAEA Library and the Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) Library. In its initial years, it counted a total of five members (in addition to the initiators, the National Atomic Energy Commission of Argentina, the Turkish Atomic Energy Agency and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of Uzbekistan Academy of Science. In 2006, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) also joined the network. In 2007 ,the INLN welcomed four new members: the China Nuclear Information Centre, the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority, the Obninsk State Technical University for Nuclear Power Engineering in the Russian Federation, and the Russian Association of Nuclear Science and Education (RANSE), thus increasing the membership to ten participants. In 2008, at the meeting of INLN Members and prospective members, during the 34th International Nuclear Information System (INIS) Liaison Officers Meeting in Vienna, a large number of nuclear libraries from around the world expressed their interest and subsequently joined the INLN: the Belarus INIS Center, Chair of Ecological Information Systems, the Nuclear Research Institute Rez plc of Czech Republic, the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA), the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission Library, the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) of India, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland, the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA), the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ), Centro de Información y Documentación Nuclear (CIDN) of Mexico, the Centre National de l' Energie des Sciences et des Techniques Nucléaires (CNESTEN) of Morocco, the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) at the University of Science and Technology (South Korea), the Vinca Nuclear Institute of Serbia, the Centre National des Sciences et Technologies Nucléaires (CNSTN) of Tunisia. In November of the same year, the Library Network of the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission (Comissão Nacional de Energia Nuclear – CNEN), consisting of seven nuclear libraries, became an INLN official member. In January 2009, the Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique (CEA) - Centre de Saclay - Centre de Ressources Documentaires (STI/SVI/CRD) became the latest addition to the team, thus raising the total number of participating libraries to 30. Currently, 5 more libraries have been added, thus raising the total to 35.
The International Nuclear Library Network (INLN) represents a coalition of nuclear libraries. It is designed to be an Internet-based library and information system. Its information portal is hosted by the IAEA Library and it is supported by nuclear libraries worldwide; it is developed and maintained in a decentralized manner, in accordance with agreed standards. It links not only bibliographic information to full-text and audiovisual information, but also links librarians, library clients and researchers to the information which is its core value. Moreover, the network links nuclear information workers to each other, forming a strong community of practice, sharing knowledge, best practices and lessons learned. Among the services that INLN members provide to each other are: research services, interlibrary loans (where applicable), document delivery, current awareness services and any other services participating libraries wish to provide other libraries. Recently, a common access point to online library catalogues has been added, allowing for the user to search participating libraries’ catalogues. The success of INLN is based on its democratic structure: all participating libraries are equal partners, valued according to what they bring as practitioners in terms of information and their willingness to share, rather than on predetermined hierarchical or status levels. The work of the network focuses on concrete actions, bringing the right information in the right format at the right time to the right place.
Membership in INLN is open to States who are Members of the IAEA and to UN organizations. Other interested international, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations may also join, subject to agreement of the INLN Members. To apply for INLN membership, an official request is to be made by the appropriate library to the INLN coordinating library, i.e. the IAEA Library. If the requesting library is located in an IAEA Member State or belongs to an UN organization, the INLN coordinating library will make modifications to the INLN and inform other participants about a new member. For other interested libraries, the INLN coordinating library will seek approval from all other member libraries. The Coordinator will inform other member libraries about the application and the result of the approval process, and will update the INLN Home Page if necessary. Each INLN Member has the same rights and responsibilities.