FUNCTIONS OF DOCUMENTATION AND  INFORMATION CENTRES:

In general, a documentation or an, information centre brings to the attention of specialist users the current as well as retrospective literature/information of value to them; sieves through the information sources and indicates with a high degree of precision the right kind of information, makes exhaustive searches of literature so as not to miss any worthwhile information and provides documentation and information services on demand and in anticipation. However, the functions that are assigned to it would vary from one documentation centre to another. For example, a local documentation/information centre has the sole function of providing information services for supporting the programmes and activities of its own institution. It would collect and provide information in so far as it is concerned with the actual work in progress in the institution. Towards this end, the local documentation/ information centre may select and acquire worthwhile materials, organise them for use and serve them to the users both in anticipation of and against specific requests. A national documentation centre, on the other hand, may assume the responsibility for those activities which are beyond the means of local documentation/information centres. The national documentation centre offers service at the national level to all the users in a country. To sum up, a documentation/information centre performs major functions such as collection, processing, storage, retrieval, publication or reproduction and dissemination of information.