György Rózsa: Information: from claims to needs (Joint edition published by the Library of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the Kultura Hungarian Foreign Trading Company. Budapest, 1988)
Foreword by Prof. Béla Köpeczi, Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
4 I think that under the circumstances we no longer speak of some sort of an intellectual claim that comprises the choice, the flow, the betterment of information but an important economic and social necessity which makes it possible for us to use the results of this branch of science in creating modernisation, transformation and reform. The author emphasizes the economic significance of an information policy which should gain general approval since information is an important factor of economic efficiency. Yet to form the whole picture we need to look beyond the economy towards man himself who stands in the centre of the production process as "humanisation" is an important task of the future. Despite of different social systems mankind has such global problems which are tied to keeping the peace, the environment, fighting against backwardness and barbarism in human and worldly attitudes and preserving the best in culture. When talking about evolution we ought to think about the needs in relation to information-economics. This is the author's own view, particularly in relation to the social sciences, which is laudable more than most, as it contains his faith in a widely based culture. Information-economics needs a national framework; here international cooperation is vital and the author (who was the director of the UN Library in Geneva and is an organiser and participant of a European system of social science information) is a promoter of these issues. His studies and essays convince us that the modes of cooperation need to be worked out together with their technical possibilities. He examines both the advanced and the developing countries from the point of view of their information systems. This provides a contrast which shows not just the advantages and disadvantages of international cooperation but that of the information-flow and of the uncertainty of choice. He studied the problem on missions sent to developing countries and with his rational approach he endeavours to demystify the role of information systems in general and in these countries in particular. Researcher and librarian, György Rózsa is an expert of information studies, someone who understands the possibilities and limits of information-economy because he knows that information is but the means for the creative spirit of man that moves the world forward. With the reaffirmation of these thoughts I recommend this volume of collected studies by the Director General of the HAS to the reader. I, as minister of culture, am responsible for the cause of libraries, but beyond that, I, as researcher, am also involved with the question of information economy and information policy. My recommendation is reaffirmed by the experience of having worked together with the author at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Budapest, 22 July 1987 Béla Köpeczi Member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
