Library and Information Science

Through the experience of observing and making search of some sort in the field of information storage and retrieval, particularly of patent literature, this article was prepared and submitted to Japan Library School as a senior thesis.

In accordance with the rapid growth of industry and the ever increasing complication of industrial structure, more and more attention has been paid to the valuation, organization and utilization of information. In enterprises and business concerns, information activities have great significance to their research, development and production.

Among the activities carried out, the writer felt special zeal for investigating patent information that requires accurate and highly technical handling.

Though there are some descriptions of patent system, patent literature and searching and use of it in general, main emphasis is laid upon its storage and retrieval. Investigation is first made into the problem related to the existing classification scheme of patent and, secondly, into a desirable indexing system.

The writer tried to cover various conditions required for subject indexing to patent literature and made some comparative study of a few different systems employed elsewhere. As the consequence, he found it feasible to consider the adoption of co-ordinate indexing system for the purpose.

At the final stage, possibility of employing co-ordinate indexing system using uniterms is thoroughly examined against existing requirements, and the necessity of examining problems of language and terminology to make subject control possible is stressed in the conclusion.