University of California Universitywide Efforts.

Since the 1970s the University of California campuses have used bibliographic utilities such as OCLC and RLIN for cataloguing their materials. The University of California, encouraged by the State Legislature, has developed an on-line catalog of the holdings of the University of California called MELVYL This on-line system is a critical mechanism for collection development, as well as for reference. That is, it provides a mechanism for sharing the larger systems resources as well as identifying their locations. One major flaw within this system has been the exclusion of collections outside of the administrative jurisdiction of the University librarians, such as the Chicano libraries at Berkeley, UCLA, and Davis. In fact, the only Chicano collections represented within MELYVL are the Coleccion Tloque Nahuaque at UCSB and the Chicano serials at UC Berkeley. There is discussion of making the Chicano Studies Research Library's holding available on ORION and MELVYL For all practical purposes the collections of primary sources at the Chicano Research Library at UCLA and the Chicano Studies Library at Berkeley remain unknown to most faculty, students, staff and researchers at the various UC system sites. Another flaw is that the development of interactive on-line information services within the UC system such as MELVYL, ORION, and GLADIS have not included input from librarians charged with directing the development of Latino collections outside of the administrative jurisdiction of University librarians.

A uniform, systematic listing of materials by and about Latinos would encourage net-working within the UC system and an orderly development of library and information resources about and by Latinos. We recommend that formal channels of communication with Latino collections and librarians be established at the campus and universitywide levels within the UC system The model efforts of the CIMCC should be provided with appropriate resources and tapped for its expertise in this critical exercise.

Additionally, a systematic review of the organization of knowledge and information by and about Latinos in the UC system should be a major priority. Increased reliance on computer produced cataloguing from such shared cataloguing systems as OCLC and RUN has reproduced the inadequate intellectual access to these materials by relying on culturally inappropriate and insensitive subject headings and classification. Descriptors and classification choices would be facilitated if the appropriate subject expertise -from Latino librarians would be brought to bear on this critical process of knowledge organization. The development of the alternative classification system at Berkeley's Chicano Studies Library and the development of the Chicano Thesaurus for Indexing Chicano Materials are model efforts which are effective and unique approaches to knowledge and information by and about Latinos. While intended to be the infrastructure for a Latino database, they can also be utilized for the improvement of existing systems such as the Library of Congress classification system.

Specialized Databases within the University of California.

In order to effectively identify information specifically relating to Latinos the following types of specialized data bases are critically needed:

Bibliographic access to current journals and newspapers

Qualitative and Quantitative data sets

Bibliographic access to state and local government documents and reports

On-line access to monographic and graduate studies holdings in specialized Latino collections.

A review of the literature and consultation with experts in the field reveal that the following databases are major sources of information as they are currently being developed and augmented:

The Chicano Database

Established in 1976 at the Chicano Studies Library at UC Berkeley, this is the only bibliographic data base whose scope is the totality of the Chicano experience. While focusing on the Chicano experience, this database includes a substantial number of citations on other Latino groups. Most of the 35,000 citations in the database are journal articles published since 1967. The Chicano Periodical In<ie:r is the published version of the data base information and is issued every year. The work of the Chicano Periodical Indexing Panel (volunteer librarians) keeps the information current. On-line access by subject, author, and title is under development but is only available to a small number of test sites (members of the Chicano Information Management Consortium). This number will remain small as long as the data base remains on a mini-computer. Therefore Chicano Database should be loaded onto ORION as a mechanism for providing universitywide access to this important database.

UCLA Chicano Studies Research Library ORION Private File.

A joint cataloguing project undertaken by the California Spanish Language Database (later HISPANEX) and UCLA initiated the on-line cataloguing of the monographic holdings of the Chicano Studies Research Library at UCLA After the initial conversion the Library continued the cataloguing on ORION, UCLA's on-line information system

Latino Data Center.

The Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA is developing a Latino data center. The goal of the data center is to create a supportive environment in which under-graduates, graduates and junior faculty would learn the intricacies of rigorous data analysis for Latino policy research. The data center will provide the means to learn how to use computers generally, how to use statistical and interpretive analysis programs, and how to use different types of data. The ultimate goal of the Latino data center will be to enable its users to do their own research on whatever type of computers that is most appropriate for the task at hand. The new generation of microcomputers has surpassed some of the limitations of the older models in areas such as data processing capabilities. However both generations are excellent tools for instructional purposes. In summary, the Latino data center will provide both immediate access to data analysis capabilities and the means to acquire the skills necessary to do data analysis on mini-computers and mainframes.

International Guide to Research on Mexico/Guia Internacional de Investigaciones sobre Mexico

This publication is the result of the 1984 merger of the International Inventory of Cur-rent Mexico-Related Research and the Directorio General de Investigadores: Estudios Fronterizos Mexico-Estados Unidos. It contains abstracts of research projects being conducted on Mexico-related topics all over the world. This type of information could be very useful in identifying ongoing research and data sets so as to avoid duplication of efforts and to promote the efficient use of already created data sets. The Chicano section should be amplified and this source should be made available on-line.

Minority Linguistics Survey

The Minority Linguistic survey is a universitywide directory of research projects which focus on minority language studies. This Santa Barbara directory should be updated and made available on-line.

Other database projects which are largely duplicative or inactive include: BORDERUNE; Spanish Speaking Mental Health Research Center Database; California Spanish Language Database; and Bilingual Education Bibliographic Abstracts (BEBA). Stanford's Center for Chicano Research has developed three databases: the Urban Chicano Database, the Hispanic Health Database, and the Latino Data Directory. These are on the Stanford's SPWES system and are usable by anyone who has or obtains a Stanford computer account.

A general strategy for maximizing the access to the major specialized databases would be to subsidize and speed up their development. In this way, they can solidify their current efforts and extend their capabilities into other equally important areas which have not received adequate attention. For example, the Chicano Database includes full subject, author, and title access to journal and magazine articles published since 1967. With adequate support it could include newspaper coverage within its database. The UCLA ORION Chicano file could incorporate state government and local publications and reports. With adequate support the inventories at Santa Barbara and San Diego could form the basis for an on-line human resource directory. Finally the Latino Data Center could be the clearinghouse for Latino data sets within the UC system.