The purpose of the National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering (NISEE) is to disseminate information on earthquake engineering and related fields to practicing engineers, researchers, government agencies, and the general public. In addition to the component of NISEE at the University of California, Berkeley, there is also a unit of NISEE at the California Instutute of Technology. The NISEE program at the University of California, Berkeley, includes three main activities: operations of a reference and lending library, publication of the Abstract Journal in Earthquake Engineering, and distribution of computer programs for use in earthquake research and design. The library consists of such items as research reports, monographs, technical journals, and films. The Abstract Journal provides a survey of world literature in the field. The computer programs have assisted professional engineers by enabling them to apply current research to solve design problems. NISEE intends to take advantage of new information technologies to increase the efficiency of current operations, broaden the spectrum of services provided, and expand the audience served.
