Future programs at the National Library of Medicine

The future of the National Library of Medicine will be shaped by a number of scientific, technical, and social influences. Among these are the continuing rapid development of computer technology and storage systems. Artificial intelligence techniques, factual databases, the emergence of medical informatics as a formal discipline, and the development of Integrated Academic Information Management Systems (IAIMS) are also important influences on the direction of the library. Public policy issues will influence the future of NLM--among them, sharing of scientific information between nations and the role of federal agencies in dissemination of information domestically. The formal, long-range plan now being prepared for the library by panels of expert advisers will be a guide for future programs and goals.