NRC-CISTI has one of North America's leading collections of scientific, technical, and medical information. It includes published information from around the world in all areas of physical and life sciences, engineering, technology, and health sciences. The collection is noted for its exceptional strength in serials and conference proceedings. The collection also includes numerous monographs and technical reports. NRC-CISTI's collection is the foundation for NRC-CISTI's internationally renowned document delivery service.

4.1 Main Collection

NRC-CISTI's main collection is located in Ottawa in building M-55 on the Montreal Road Campus. Journals, because they contain the most current research material, are the mainstay of this collection. As well, NRC-CISTI makes a special effort to locate, purchase and catalogue conference proceedings from around the world.

4.2 NRC Information Centre (NIC) Collections

NRC-CISTI's NIC collections are primarily subject-specific and mainly serve local NRC institutes, branches and programs. NICs are located in the following locations throughout Canada:

• Victoria and Penticton, BC (astronomy)
• Vancouver, BC (fuel cells and hydrogen technologies)
• Saskatoon, SK (plant biotechnology)
• Winnipeg, MB (biodiagnostics)
• London, ON (integrated manufacturing technologies)
• Ottawa, ON (reference collection in building M-55, construction in building M-20)
• Montreal, QC (biotechnology)
• Saguenay, QC (aluminium and industrial materials)
• Boucherville, QC (industrial materials)
• Fredericton, NB (information technology)
• Charlottetown, PEI (nutrisciences and health)
• Halifax, NS (marine biosciences)
• St. John's, NL (ocean technologies)

4.2.1 Reference Collection

NRC-CISTI had developed an extensive print reference collection in Ottawa at M-55, and this collection has evolved over the years to include an increasingly larger proportion of electronic content. The reference collection is used by NIS Information Specialists to serve the reference information needs of NRC institutes, branches and programs, and Canadian researchers and entrepreneurs in the academic, industrial, health and public sectors.

4.2.2 Electronic Collection

The NRC-CISTI Virtual Library provides NRC access to over 27,000 electronic resources, including over 4,800 electronic journals through licence agreements negotiated with publishers. Walk in clients at the main library or at the NICs can access the NRC-CISTI Virtual Library, although non-NRC clients cannot access all resources in the NRC-CISTI Virtual Library

NRC-CISTI currently locally loads over 3,000 full text electronic e-journals on high capacity digital storage at M-55.

4.3 Special Collections

4.3.1 NRC Publications

NRC publications represent an important contribution to Canada's research literature. Some examples are institute technical and research reports. In recognizing the importance of preserving NRC's history, NRC-CISTI endeavours to keep one copy of each NRC publication in the NRC Archives for permanent retention and safekeeping, and a second and third copy in its main collection. In addition, NRC-CISTI provides a second copy when possible to the NRC Archives for use with NRC Archives clients.

NRC Research Press publications, including 15 Canadian peer-reviewed journals, are integrated into the main collection.

NRC is subject to the legal deposit provisions of the Library and Archives Canada Act. More information is available at: http://www.collectionscanada.ca/6/25/s25-200-e.html

4.3.1.1 NRC Publications Databases

Some NRC institutes provide access to their publications metadata or full text through locally developed databases. While these databases represent valuable scientific collections, their content is managed by institutes and thus not covered by the NRC-CISTI Collection Development Policy. Clients are asked to contact the specific institutes regarding publications held or referred to in those databases.

4.3.2 NRC Archives

The primary responsibility of the NRC Archives is to act as a resource centre for NRC and other clients seeking information on NRC history. The NRC Archives, in collaboration with LAC, collects, catalogues, conserves and preserves records that document the history and activities of NRC for the benefit of the scientific community and the Canadian public.

The NRC Archives applies its own collection development practices. These practices are outlined in The NRC Archives Acquisitions Policy, which is available from NIS.

4.3.3 Rare Book Collection

NRC-CISTI's Rare Book Collection is maintained in a special area at M-55 for its protection and preservation. This collection supports the history of science, engineering and medicine. None of the items may be borrowed, but selected pages may be photocopied from some volumes. New acquisitions are donated or found from within the existing NRC-CISTI collection.

4.3.4 Depository of Unpublished Data

NRC-CISTI has maintained a Depository of Unpublished Data since 1964 to accommodate material that may be considered supplementary to journal articles. This system is for the use of Canadian authors and publishers (and others at the discretion of the Depository). Detailed calculations, numerical data on which graphs are based, detailed descriptions of methods, or extensive tabular material not essential to the text are examples of material suitable for deposit. NRC-CISTI accepts unpublished data sent by publishers and integrates this material into the collection

4.3.5 Scientific Translations

The special collection of the Canadian Index of Scientific Translations, which was officially put together in the late 1970s, consists of freelance and some published translations deposited with the Index. This collection has no longer been expanded since 1996 when the end of the Cold War saw a drastic reduction in funding of freelance translations of Eastern European and Russian scientific papers and articles.