TMT 60 years, what's next?
Fonyó Istvánné
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BME OMIKK
TMT (Scientific and Technical Information) is 60 years old. Considerations about the future
Topics:
History of the periodical from 1954 on
Electronic version since 2002
Present situation, columns, imprint
Future considerations
Abstract:
Starting period, title changes, frequency, editors
The history of TMT starts with the publication of MKT (Information for Librarians in Technical Libraries) in 1954. Lajos Jánszky, the first editor of the periodical was assisted by an editorial board.
The frequency of the publication changed several times. It was five in 1955, six in 1956, four in 1957, and six after 1960. The periodical changed its title to Scientific and Technical Information in 1963.
Editors following Lajos Jánszky, were: Péter Lázár from 1966, Mrs Tamás Lévai from 1969, Péter Lázár again from 1974, Tibor Futala from 1980, Péter Szántó from 1983, and Mrs István Fonyó from 2013.
The periodical has been published monthly since 1967 and in an A/4 format following the old A/5 one since 1976.
Electronic version since 2002
TMT has been the first periodical published by a library in Hungary to have an electronic version. After the first experiments, this Hungarian journal specializing in library and information science, has also become available on the internet with issues starting from its volume 49.
Although the electronic version is basically built on the printed one, we would like to provide it with extra services regarding both its content and its form. The electronic version contains the articles and a significant part of the information columns, but it enables the publication of the newsitems and notices received after the closing time of the printed version as well. The online version is also convenient for searching it with the computer, for hypertext organization and the establishment of a more direct connection with the users.
Present situation
The most important strenghts and merits of the periodical are the presentation of up-to-date information services and technologies (computerization, online services etc.), the description of the main professional programmes abroad and making known topical foreign and Hungarian novelties.
The periodical has also been able to preserve its truly professional character during the past few years. It is a high-level, standard setting and opinion forming organ of our profession, a periodical in which it is an honour to publish.
Fix columns of the periodical:
Recommendations: recommendations for certain authors or by the editor
Articles: two or three pieces of writings on up-to-date topics*
Reports, reviews and accounts.
*In subject-related issues a particular library is introduced with several contributions by different authors
Future considerations:
Our goal:
more information, cooperation and exchange of ideas
we would like to get closer to the reader
the periodical should promote exchange in experience. A mailing list (e.g. life.tmt.@omikk.bme.hu) should enable users, subscription holders and interested readers to convey their demands and feedback to us: what they would or would not like to read about in the current days’ periodical, what they would like to read more about, what their reading habits are.
technical development: applying QR codes for each article if necessary
It is a hopeless idea to make a library journal self-sufficient. It is difficult to find advertisers and sponsors who wish to be present and publish advertisements in the library world. The price of the periodical cannot be raised infinitely either and even a price rise corresponding to the inflation rate should be considered carefully as it may result in losing customers and readers.
We are counting on the further support of the National Cultural Fund and also on the support of the publishing library.