related data centers, including priorities. An inventory of marine informa- 

 tion services will be developed to : 



— define existing data sources (prime producers and data centers) ; 



— describe their holdings, services, data availability, and cost; 



— describe the procedures for obtaining data and other services from 

 these sources. 



Preparing for the Future 



The complex problems associated with the flow of marine sciences data 

 from acquisition to end-product are being approached by planning for data 

 handling over the next ten years. If not resolved, problems of poor service, 

 slow response time, and higher costs than necessary will intensify in the 

 future. The data study to be completed early in 1969 will indicate how data 

 functions and activities might logically evolve on a national scale to achieve 

 progress in providing the kinds and quality of services needed by all sectors 

 of the marine science afTairs community. 



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