Jolan Hercsel
Central Library of Semmelweis University
Budapest VIII - Üllõi út 26 H-1085
jhercsel@lib.sote.hu

The academic libraries are institutions of collecting and disseminating scientific information. The librarians role is to make them accessible for the users so they may be called gatekeepers of information.

Incoming information, and information sources

At our Central library separate expert groups of librarians and respective other professionals deal with the acquisition of every type of information sources (books, periodicals other hard copy documents, electronic sources of information: databases, CD ROMs, other software). Based on needs and funds, this group has to select the information sources to be purchased or subscribed, not only for the central library, but for the attached departmental libraries as well.

The second step is the main gatekeeper role of the qualified librarians: to make the information and information sources available for the readers, that means cataloguing and the specialised classification of the documents as sources of information. In information service the list and content by any type of information is revealed by traditional and electronic catalogues. The integration of universities made the establishment of common catalogues and consortia necessary.

Outgoing information

The direct contact with the readers and users is the duty of a graduated reference librarian at the help desk.. Under the Hungarian laws the university libraries are open for the public and may be used not only by professional readers. The reference librarians should be able to decide on the scientific information given out to the different classes of visitors. This is a critical gatekeeper task, that needs tact and skill.

To manage the lending of documents is a common gatekeepers' task but the quick and correct administration is highly important.

The cyberspace offers great possibilities in gaining , changing and disseminating scientific information. In our library the "Internet librarian" has to handle the electronic means of information at users level, to browse on the Internet for new ( possibly free) sources of scientific information and to train the readers, how to use the new databases and software. The librarian's work is supported by the system administrator.

On the Homepage of the Central library of Semmelweis University, the scientific results of our scientists can be disseminated among the professional circles all over the world. Because the homepage is edited by librarians, , they do an important gatekeepers' work by that activity.

Upon requests we make scientometric analyses for different institutions and researchers. It is an important information about a scientific output, and the objective evaluation is a great driving force in science.

Possible future perspectives

In most countries private researchers may public their real or presumable scientific results on E-print channels and archives without the troublesome way of publication in scientific journals. The quick publication is essential in priority of authorship of a new scientific result. The gatekeeper role of the librarians may be very important in case of accepting for publication a "private" result without professional control in the future as they are forced to put up for the lacking peer review to some extent.

In the end we have to remark that the gatekeeper role of librarians may change time and again but never could be abandoned.