THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL DOCUMENT SUPPLY SYSTEM IN CHINA: SOME PRELIMINARY THOUGHTS

China has two separate systems engaged in library and information work. They have their own organizations, functions and tasks under their respective government departments. In China one of the major problems is that documents are not widely available. There is an obvious gap between the demands of users and their satisfaction. In view of China's present situation, interlending activities alone cannot cope completely with the problem of Chinese information needs. In the new situation following China's economic reformation, the structure of Chinese information users has greatly changed. To meet the increasing needs of the Chinese people, library and information systems must improve their methods of service and augment the scope of their service. Viewed as a whole, China needs to set up a nationwide document supply system in order to promote the supply of literature and the dissemination of information. The system may take a hierarchical form in which a number of regional systems are involved. Under the leadership of a central system, services would be provided not only to major scientific research and production and construction projects, but also to the general public at all levels of the country.