The National Information Service for Earthquake Engineering (NISEE) was established to facilitate the collection, organization, and dissemination of information related to earthquake engineering to various user groups including researchers, practicing engineers, educators, public officials, and the general public. There are presently two branches of NISEE; one located at Caltech and one located at U.C. Berkeley. In addition to its national role, the Caltech Branch is a resource for the large and active community of earthquake engineering and seismic safety related specialists in the Southern California region. The Branch has undertaken an initiative in the area of strong-motion studies. A special Strong-Motion Center has been established to meet the growing needs of individuals involved in strong-motion data acquisition and analysis and those in such fields as risk assessment, seismic hazard determination, structural performance analysis, and code development. The Caltech Branch also has a library collection and resources that are useful to those in the areas of public policy and earthquake preparedness.
