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Volunteer firefighters are an established institution in many rural areas across Europe. In spite of this ubiquity, many volunteer brigades have been increasingly facing challenges in discharging their functions. Issues such as undertaking necessary investments, and ensuring daytime availability have become particularly critical against the backdrop of an increase in the number of interventions. Many of the measures intended to futureproof volunteer firefighting are based on transferring responsibility to different actors. To this end developing and expanding the reach of fire safety education functions to enhance the public's prevention and self-protection skills. The aim of this paper is to explore the process of institutional change induced by innovative initiatives, which aim to advance fire safety education. For the study, we draw on empirical research, which follows the development and mainstreaming of two projects in Austria and Germany. These initiatives aim to standardise disparate approaches and are underpinned by new forms of multi-level cooperation. Our inductive analysis identifies five key steps which define the successful long-term implementation of projects in coproduced services of general interest. We conclude with observations on the redistribution of responsibility for fire services and hazard prevention in contemporary societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The e-prescription was introduced in Austria in 2022 and digitizes the prescription process in the healthcare system. The introduction of the e-prescription poses special challenges and risks, which are examined in the article from various perspectives. The e-prescription replaces the previous paper prescription and is intended to increase efficiency and improve data quality. The prescription process is carried out electronically from the prescription to the billing, with the relevant information being stored in the administrative system. The e-prescription can be redeemed using an e-card or QR code, and reimbursement is done exclusively electronically. The e-prescription enables the electronic prescribing of medications in Austria. The pharmacy electronically records the data and forwards it to the social insurance companies on a daily basis. However, there are certain areas where the e-prescription cannot be used, such as for long-term anesthetics. The system currently only applies to medications reimbursed by the social insurance companies. Data protection plays an important role in the digitization of the healthcare system, and appropriate technical and organizational measures must be taken to ensure an adequate level of protection. A risk analysis shows that the electronic prescription (e-prescription) provides effective security measures against dangers such as unauthorized access or forgery. As part of the Health Telematics Act, a closed network has been established to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of personal data. The e-prescription is considered more forgery-proof than the traditional paper prescription and can only be redeemed once. To prevent abuse, information about the patient and the issuer must be included, and the prescription must be electronically signed. Although there were initially difficulties, around 1.2 million e-prescriptions have already been issued and the system is largely implemented. The e-prescription is an important step towards digital health management, but further modernizations are still required. The Vienna Medical Chamber provides information on the topic of e-prescriptions on its website. There is also an FAQ document that answers questions about the e-prescription. There is excitement about the new e-prescription, as reported on orf.at. The electronic health record ELGA also provides information on digitization in healthcare. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: This paper critically reflects on the current situation of students with neurocognitive deficiencies regarding their participation in the academic setting. After providing a brief summary of the relevant judicial frameworks implemented at universities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, we (1) present single-case histories to delineate characteristic difficulties encountered by students with attention and/or specific learning disorders; and (2) formulate a desirable target state regarding successful participation and equal opportunities for students with neurocognitive deficiencies. We suggest a tentative model targeted at fostering students' participation and discuss the necessity to provide effective basic parameters at different levels both within and outside the academic setting which go beyond the currently offered disadvantage compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education for academic librarians in Austria is organised by several universities based on a continuing education programme on Library and Information Studies. Current changes on the legal regulations of this programme interfere with the difficult general situation in present times of crisis. The paper shows how effects can be tackled and discusses several approaches for an adapted curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper critically reflects on the current situation of students with neurocognitive deficiencies regarding their participation in the academic setting. After providing a brief summary of the relevant judicial frameworks implemented at universities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, we (1) present single-case histories to delineate characteristic difficulties encountered by students with attention and/or specific learning disorders; and (2) formulate a desirable target state regarding successful participation and equal opportunities for students with neurocognitive deficiencies. We suggest a tentative model targeted at fostering students' participation and discuss the necessity to provide effective basic parameters at different levels both within and outside the academic setting which go beyond the currently offered disadvantage compensation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demographic change is very complex and difficult challenge for our society. Demographic change has become a crucial problem for many regions within in Austria. We expect a strong impact and pressure on the current social infrastructure across the country depending on the population change as householders are becoming more heterogeneous because of international migration, low birth rates, and ageing. However, the impact might be different for the regions as some regions might gain, some others might lose from this future development. This paper analyzes the effects and linkages of demographic change on flood risk management. The paper selected 17 experts from the health and care sector across the country with the aim to analyze their awareness, perspective and understanding of the interlinkages between demographic change, flood risk management and their influence on the current social infrastructure. The results show that there exists a high awareness of the problem, but on a very superficially touch upon. The main reason is the current lack of policy integration and co-operation between the various disciplines, which in turn means that the goal of "health-in-all policies" is at risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental awareness is affected by fluctuations, which occur when other social events are prioritized. This paper investigates how environmental awareness of persons between the age of 20 and 30 living in Austria has changed during the period of the Covid-19 crisis compared to the period directly before. To answer this question a literature review and a quantitative survey (n = 210) on the affective and cognitive component of environmental awareness have been conducted. The results show a slight increase in the affective/cognitive component. This correlates with some socio-demographic characteristics and the change in certain behaviors but not with the impact of the Covid-19 crisis on one's life. However, the high topicality of the Covid-19 crisis, as well as the dynamic of the crisis, should be highlighted. Therefore, no assessment of the long-term development of environmental awareness can be made and further research is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic and the policy measures imposed to contain the virus affected people's health and lifestyles. Based on data available to the Federal Agency "Statistics Austria", this paper asks about the impact of the pandemic years 2020 and 2021 (and partly beyond) on the Austrian demographics and population. It shows that mortality in creased significantly during this period but varied by waves of infection also with the introduction of different policy measures (e.g., lockdowns). There are also changes in the number of births over the course of the pandemic, which can be interpreted through insecurities related to lockdowns and vaccinations. People who wanted to marry or get divorced during the pandemic years were confronted with closed offices and restrictions on holding celebrations, which is why there were significantly fewer marriages and divorces. International migration dropped significantly, especially in the spring of 2020, when European and global mobility was severely restricted, with differences between people of different nationalities. This was also reflected in the number of asylum applications filed in Austria. Migrations within Austria were strongly reduced during the first lockdown in 2020, all further lockdowns had less influence on them. However, in 2020 and 2021 there were several phases in which more people moved from urban to rural areas than before the pandemic. The number of registered secondary residences - which took on new relevance in the context of mobility restrictions and the use of home offices - also changed: overall, their number increased during the pandemic, but in many municipalities, deregistrations of seasonal workers were also noticeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1940s to 1960s, the German Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) had a relatively high proportion of former Nazis among its employees. Reasons were a system of uncontrolled chain recruitment and the initially high esteem of "expertise" acquired in wartime. By taking over personnel from various agencies of the Third Reich, the BND acquired various inherent dangers for the institution and its public perception. This biographical micro-study explores, how a Nazi past was assessed within the BND during the Cold War. The process of evaluating individual incriminations allows conclusions about the BND's general perception of staff continuities between the Third Reich and the Federal Republic. Herbert Kukuk was an enthusiastic Nazi who made his career in central institutions of the NSDAP. The BND accepted that the 1947 hired employee provided only scanty information about his past and also tolerated obvious contradictions. This was typical for dealing with the Nazi past and did not change when perceptions in society regarding the recent past and the integration of former Nazis changed in the 1960s. Although Kukuk's pre-1945 occupations were known, he was consistently well evaluated and promoted. The Kukuk case makes clear that in the BND, awareness of the Nazi burden set in much later than in West German society, and the learning process, which the BND authorities followed hesitantly, dragged on until the 1980s. Methodologically, this paper emphasizes that biographical micro-studies can provide information about the evaluation criteria state authorities in West Germany and Austria after 1945 applied to an occupational biography during the Third Reich, and thus about changing perceptions regarding the integration of the Nazi functional elites in post-war societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chaîne opératoire of Neolithic Korenovo ceramics is poorly known, as hitherto potsherds from only three sites, Malo Korenovo, Tomašica in central Croatia, and Becsehely–Bukkaljai dűlő in Hungary have been analysed archaeometrically. Korenovo is considered the southernmost aspect of the Linearbandkeramik (LBK). In this paper, the ceramic assemblage from Kapelica-Solarevac and Kaniška Iva (Central Croatia) will be discussed. Kapelica-Solarevac and Kaniška Iva are the only two sites in which Starčevo and Korenovo ceramics have been found together in closed contexts. Twenty potsherds from the Kapelica-Solarevac and Kaniška Iva assemblages were analysed using polarised microscopy and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDX). In combination with equivalent data from 49 Korenovo ceramics from Tomašica and Malo Korenovo, the results offer an insight into the practices of Korenovo potters and show the lack of exchange of technological knowledge between Korenovo and LBK potters in Austria and central Transdanubia (Hungary). On the other hand, Korenovo potters seem to closely follow ceramic recipes typical of the neighbouring Vinča potters, suggesting Korenovo to be a hybrid group between the Vinča and the LBK pottery communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pasture based cattle production systems stocking rate and sward surface height significantly influences animal performance and productivity per unit pasture area. With increasing stocking rate, a decline in individual animal performance but an increase in utilization of pasture and productivity per unit pasture area can be expected. In this paper, the influence of pasture height in a continuously grazed pasture system on fattening performance and area productivity will be presented. In a second paper (Steinwidder et al., 2019b) the slaughter performance, meat quality and economic parameters will be evaluated. In the experiment a concentrate-free feeding system with Simmental steers from 225 to 700 kg live weight was carried out in mountainous region of Austria. The trial was carried out in two replications with a total of 24 steers, divided into 3 experimental groups per year. In experimental group "kurz", a target pasture growth height of 5.0 cm, in group "mittel" of 6.5 cm and in group "lang" of 8.0 cm was used. The growth height of each permanent grassland area was recorded weekly with the Rising Plate Pasture Meter and the size of the pasture area was increased during the vegetation period. After the first grazing period the steer groups were kept in stable and fed with grass silage. In the next vegetation period the steers grazed on pasture again. With the exception of four animals in group "kurz", which had to be finished in stable in autumn, all steers were slaughtered during the grazing period. The nutrient content of the pasture samples out of the three pasture groups did not differ substantially, the average crude protein content was 20% and the average energy concentration was 10.7 MJ ME/kg DM. However, as the pasture growth height increased, the feed losses increased and pasture maintenance became increasingly necessary. The average slaughter age of the animals was 26.4 (kurz), 24.8 (mittel) and 24.2 (lang) months, respectively. Group differences at the significance limit (P-values 0.06 and 0.07 respectively) were found for the duration of the experiment and the daily gains. The daily gains of group "kurz" (864 g) tended (p-value 0.06) to be below those of the groups "mittel" (950 g) and "lang" (935 g). The total forage area required per animal was significantly higher in group "lang" than in group "kurz" and group "mittel". The forage area productivity (live weight gain/ha) was significantly lower in group "lang" compared to group "kurz" and "mittel" with 612 kg and 606 kg/ha respectively. Those experimental groups, which achieved the highest daily gains, did not achieve the highest area performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last ten years, a national IT infrastructure with an electronic health record (ELGA) has been established in Austria. In 2016, e-medication was successfully put into operation as an ELGA service. This paper summarizes the most important steps in the development of the project and presents essential results and lessons learned. The main challenges were the overlapping planning, testing, usability of the software products, and the coordination of the rollout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on how the Austrian National Library in Vienna, Austria is working on converting historical documents into digital documents, so that they can be published on the internet. The project is focusing on the daily newspapers that were published in the constituent lands of the Austrian Empire during the reign of the House of Habsburg, an Austrian royal ruling family, and is being financed by the ERSTE Stiftung, a foundation of the Erste Bank financial institution.

This article deals with the history of the Institute of Geography and Regional Science at the University of Graz. Its beginning is set with the appointment of a first professor of geography in 1871. The article first outlines the historical development in three phases according personnel, research areas, study programmes and number of students. Until 2021, 18 professors have been appointed for the discipline, the first female professor not before 2018. The following section of the paper presents the results of two empirical studies addressing German nationalism in publications of Graz geographers and the disciplinary orientation of ca. 2400 theses, respectively. A short report on the anniversary event on November 11, 2021 leads to the conclusion. Overall, the developments of Graz Geography are similar to those at other locations in Austria. Future challenges include gender equality, the tension between regional responsibility and internationalisation as well as the continuation of the focus on integrative geographic approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When the Tambora volcano erupted in Indonesia in 1815 with the highest intensity ever measured in Modern Times, this had consequences for the whole world. This paper will not deal with the negative consequences such as climate deterioration or crop failures, but with a positive side effect: the increased atmospheric opacity caused by the volcanic eruption made observations of sunspots easier. At that time, the now confirmed assumption that there is a connection between sunspot activity and climate was discussed. Regular observations were required for confirming this hypothesis. At the Benedictine monastery in Admont (Styria) the first meteorological measurements were carried out by the monk and physicist Gotthard Wisiak in the years 1814-1818. During his recordings, which were carried out three times a day, Wisiak noted various climatic elements and sunspot phenomena. The latter form the focus of this contribution. Although Wisiak's observations fall within the so-called "Dalton Minimum" (ca. 1790--1820), a period of low sunspot activity, the year 1816 was well suited for such observations because the maximum of solar cycle 6 was in that year. Wisiak mentioned the term sunspot 64 times in his records, including 9 times of explicit absence and 55 times of sightings of them. The recorded number of sunspots varied between 1 and 30. Also sunspot formations like an "army" (meaning a rather large group of sunspots) were mentioned. According to Wisiak's meteorological data, the observations of sunspots were in most cases carried out at conditions with high air humidity causing additional opacity. Quantitative comparisons with contemporary sunspot studies by Augustin Stark (Augsburg, Germany) and Thaddäus Derfflinger (Kremsmünster, Upper Austria) show overall consistency with the Admont observations especially for the period July to October 1816, despite different sophisticated instruments, topographical constraints at Admont, and the difference between primary (focus on astronomical monitoring) and secondary (focus on meteorological monitoring) sunspot observation activities. This contribution thus also gives new hints on the evaluability of historical sunspot observations in Austria based on primarily meteorologically oriented archive records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our paper examines the network-related strategies that the social groups apply in the course of establishing and embedding so-called "housing commons" and discusses related potentials and limitations. To this end, we focus on the Austrian umbrella organization "habiTAT" and the first two "habiTAT" projects in Vienna "SchloR" and "Bikes and Rails". The social capital approach provides together with spatiality related elements of social movements the conceptual embedding. The results of the analysis show that the housing projects have made explicit use of translocal networks in order to collectivise housing successfully. On this basis, the projects contribute -- far beyond their own needs -- to the establishment of a (trans-)local knowledge and expert network across commons, and the commoners provide thought-provoking impulses for the repoliticisation of non-profit social housing policy in Vienna and Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The present guidelines ( http://leitlinien.net ) focus exclusively on cardiogenic shock due to myocardial infarction (infarction-related cardiogenic shock, ICS). The cardiological/cardiac surgical and the intensive care medicine strategies dealt with in these guidelines are essential to the successful treatment and survival of patients with ICS; however, both European and American guidelines on myocardial infarction and heart failure and also position papers on cardiogenic shock focused mainly on cardiological aspects.Methods: Evidence on the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of ICS was collected and recommendations compiled in a nominal group process by delegates of the German Cardiac Society (DGK), the German Society for Medical Intensive Care Medicine and Emergency Medicine (DGIIN), the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG), the German Society for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (DGAI), the Austrian Society for Internal and General Intensive Care Medicine (ÖGIAIM), the Austrian Cardiology Society (ÖKG), the German Society for Prevention and Rehabilitation of Cardiovascular Diseases (DGPR) and the German Interdisciplinary Association for Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (DIVI), under the auspices of the Working Group of the Association of Medical Scientific Societies in Germany (AWMF). If only poor evidence on ICS was available, general study results on intensive care patients were inspected and presented in order to enable analogue conclusions.Results: A total of 95 recommendations, including 2 statements were compiled and based on these 7 algorithms with defined instructions on the course of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the paper is to define cameralism and political sciences in the context of the second half of the 18th century in the Habsburg Monarchy considering in particular the lands of the Bohemian Crown, to characterise enlightened absolutism and to describe the ideational background and the formation of the scientific basis at the universities of Vienna and Prague. The paper shows that the basic thesis of cameralism that the welfare of the state depends on good and complete legislation, precise compliance with laws and educated civil service in combination with the enlightened philosophy formed the foundation of the modern codification efforts, the formation of tertiary education in economics and administration, legislative regulation necessary for economic welfare of the state, populationism and agricultural reforms. The political sciences, reflecting in terms of content and form the enlightened absolutism, became the theoretical foundation of the reforms of Austrian monarchs Maria Theresa and Joseph II. The paper introduces in more detail the professor and Hofrat, Joseph Sonnenfels (1733-1817) from Vienna, Joseph Ignatz Butschek (1741- 1821) from the Prague University, and some of their economic ideas which reflected in the reforms and measures of Maria Theresa and Joseph II. The paper focuses on agriculture and the proposals for dividing land into lots, the so called Raabschen System, and the formation of Grain contributory fund. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reviews the activities and results of subproject 3 of the "Austrian Transition to Open Access" (AT2OA) project. The aim of the subproject was to provide financial, conceptual and organizational support for the establishment and operation of Open Access publication funds at Austrian universities. Against this background, the article summarizes the development and current status of publication funds in Austria. It describes the activities of the working group and presents the results of the subproject (working papers and recommendations). Short reports from 13 universities illustrate the evolution of publication funds at AT2OA partner institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the "Orientations towards the first Strategic Plan for Horizin Europe1", the strategy paper of the EU-Commission on the 9th EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the following sentence can be found on the importance of Open Science: "Open science practices will be mainstreamed as the new modus operandi for EU research and innovation." Open Science will be the specification of how research should be carried out in the future with the help of digital tools and networks. Although the EU-Commission is a pioneer in this area, local funding bodies are already following suit. For research institutions, this means that the institutional research infrastructure must be further developed to meet these requirements. In the project "e-Infrastructures Austria Plus", seven work packages have begun to build up the know-how and technical infrastructures required for this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In pasture based cattle production systems stocking rate and sward surface height significantly influences animal performance and productivity per unit pasture area. Steinwidder et al (2019) investigated the influence of pasture height in a continuously grazed pasture system on fattening performance and area productivity. In this paper the influence of pasture height on slaughter performance, meat quality and economic parameters were evaluated. Therefore, a concentrate-free feeding system with Simmental steers from 225 to 700 kg live weight was carried out in mountainous region of Austria. The experiment was carried out in two replications with a total of 24 steers, divided into 3 experimental groups per year. In experimental group "kurz", a target pasture growth height of 5.0 cm, in group "mittel" of 6.5 cm and in group "lang" of 8.0 cm was used. After the first grazing period the steer groups were kept in stable and fed with grass silage. In the next vegetation period the steers grazed on pasture again. With the exception of four animals in group "kurz", which had to be finished in stable in autumn, all steers were slaughtered during the grazing period. The average slaughter age of the animals was 26.4 (kurz), 24.8 (mittel) and 24.2 (lang) months, respectively. The carcass and meat quality did not differ between the experimental groups and was at a good level on average. In pasture-based cattle fattening, however, a slightly darker meat colour and a more yellow fat colour must be expected, while the proportion of nutritionally desirable fatty acids is higher. From an economic point of view, the group "mittel" achieved the most favourable result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the Open Science Network Austria (OANA). It describes its history, development and structure before it defines Open Science as a general concept on the one hand, and in OANA's understanding on the other. The context and partners of OANA are presented and the most important programmatic accomplishments outlined. Finally, the current working groups of OANA and especially the work of the WG "Legal Aspects of Open Science" are explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apart from SC Hakoah and the Amateure (later Austria) no other Viennese football club of the first division had more Jewish members (sportsmen/sportswomen and officials) than the »First Vienna Football Club 1894«. In the period between the foundation of the club in 1894 and the National Socialist assumption of power in Austria in 1938, one third of the officials and many of the football players of the First Vienna Football Club - who were the pioneers of Austrian football - were Jews or Jewish converts. Jews especially dominated in the Club's leading positions and important functions. The First Vienna Football Club has not yet been researched in detail, which means that most academics remain unaware of the high level of Jewish participation in it. My paper aims at closing this knowledge gap and looks at the reasons for the substantial participation of Jews in the football club. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All the works, dealing with the nationality problem fundamentally, need a kind of generally applicable basis in the form of a consensus in connection with the usage of theoretical concepts like people and nation. In the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy primarily the complexity of factors and the lack of unity meant a problem that also characterised the particular Austrian nationality question. So, in the contemporary Austria, three radically different elements were against each other. Various ethnic groups, as well as the historical units of kingdoms and provinces were opposing the central power whilst the demands of the ethnic groups in comparison with the demands of the other two groups became more and more significant and radical. Nation and nationality are the products of social development, thus cannot be defined without the consideration of the geographical and chronological scope in question; in other words, in the Habsburg Monarchy of the 19th century, one way to define nation and nationality led through the contemporary theories of these concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article introduces this issue of the journal, which documents papers presented at the ODOK (Österreiches Online-Informationstreffen and Österreichischer Dokumentartag/Austrian Online Information Resources Conference and Austrian Documentation Conference) meetings in Wels, Austria, in 2012 and in Leoben, Austria, in 2010.

This paper presents a scientometric analysis of articles from journals indexed in Web of Science (WoS), subject category 'Information Science & Library Science'. The results confirm the Anglo-American dominance in the library and information science literature (included in WoS) which is even stronger if only information science journals are considered. The two major exceptions are the Scandinavian countries and the field of scientometrics. The visibility of Germany and Austria turned out to be relatively low.

The article presents a report of the ODOK 2012 conference (Österreichisches Online-Informationstreffen und Österreichischer DOKumentartag), held on September 14-14, 2012 in Wels, Austria. The report focuses on several papers discussed during the conference, which includes the value of knowledge organization, information science, and the importance of knowledge management.

The EU funded Study of Open Access Publishing (SOAP) run from March 2009 to February 2011. More than 53.000 people worldwide participated in this online-survey on the Golden Road to Open Access, among them about 46.000 scholars. The paper will put a spotlight on the input of the 462 Austrian scientists who took part in this survey. It analyses their answers to 9 selected questions out of the survey's original total of 23 questions. A focus is put on significant differences in these answers between scientists from Austria and Germany. The financial supporting structure for Open Access in Austria is quite dissimilar from Germany hence differences should be expected. Even so 89% of scientists in both countries agree that Open Access is helpful in their own field of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper shows the specific features of mortality in Vienna city in the 19th century. As a data source 5 parish registers were used. A detailed analysis of the causes of death reveals the reasons for the „epidemiological change" from the transition period of proto-industrialisation to the end of industrialisation. The mortality and their development is a useful indicator to describe changes of the urban health conditions when it is differentiated by age and cause of death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The huge minerals demand of China led to tremendous problems in the supply with mineral raw materials worldwide. The paper deals with the main reasons and the problems arising. The situation of minerals supply of the European Union and Austria are discussed in detail. The Austrian Mineral Resources Plan is an important tool to solve the problems regarding minerals supply with special emphasis to construction materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports selected results of an empirical study where library executives from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, as well as from Great Britain and the USA, were consulted with respect to the future of the library system. The latter two countries were selected since they are frequently considered in international comparisons because of their model fonction. Apart from the evaluation of the current country-specific situation, the judgment of alternative future scenarios regarding their probability of occurrence constituted the main focus of this questioning. The concurrences and differences resulting from the individual estimates can be helpful when carrying out strategic planning in the German library system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]