COMMENTS,(Classified) WORKING GROUP ON FOREIGN LANGUAGE DOCUMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP68-00069A000200010001-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: November 28, 1952
• Content Type: MEMO

Approved For Release 2001/08/15: CIA-RDP68-00068A000200010001-
28 November 1952
25X1A9a
Comments, Working Group on Foreign Language Documents
The final report of the Working Group recommends establishment by CIA,
under NSO directive, of an organization to perform certain common biblie-
graphic and translation services for TAO agencies; that coordination of TAC
activities in the fields of translation and bibliographic service be provided
through the establishment " by appropriate authority of "a Foreign Language
Board consisting of a representative of each lAC agency,,,,"..
a. Bibliographic service:
All six of the activities proposed for this Service are being for-
formed today in the lAC with varying degrees of effectiveness.
Questions of scope and coordination are under continuous discussion
and excellent overall p]axia eould'be pulled together. in relatively
short order. The attack has been and will remain piecemeal until
NSO settles the question of "chosen instrument" among I,AC members
or until CIA concludes that-it has sufficient authority to warrant
the financing of an operation which will be effective enough to
pull the rest of the TAG into its orbit. Two examplear
Recommendation (4.) would provide the basis for systematic collection
through briefing. What is needed is beefed-up field collection -
adequate staff with full language and intelligence training in each
major publishing area supported by plenty of vouchered and unvouchered
funds. This machinery could not only guarantee immediate response to
new intelligence requirements as well as perform proper "scouting" for
the IAC but it would, also, produce the accessions lists envisioned in
recommendation (1), eliminate the confusion that comes now. from
multiple briefing of multiple collettore and assure the union catalogers
(recommendation (3) full, coverage of receipts.
Recommendations (20 and (6) propose central bibliographic services.
CIA Library already provides limited service of this nature to other
lAC members. 02 Library would be willing to atop indexing of non-
Army documents immediately and to rely on CIA Reference, however,
for CIA to accept this traffic (and that of other IAC members subse-
quently if this proved effective) a substantial increase in library
staff would be essential.
b. Translation service: no comment except on the problem of coordination.
The logging. of translations and search of the log to prevent duplicaticna
would tie in closely with the "bibliographic services".
0. Foreign Language Board:
modifications: create an "lAC Documentation & Translation Board"
responsibility: planning, implementing and coordination. programs
in the fields. of document collection, indexing
and translation,
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functions: Collection
develop IAC channels
disseminate information of receipts
coordinate IAC briefing
reproduce scarce materials (microfilming programs
at collection or receiving points)
Documentation
central classification scheme for .subjeet .catalo
allocation of record responsibility
coordinate bibliographical services
provide for union cataloging,, loan and inter-library
loan of ~ublioations, enclosure materials
Translation
Index
Schedule now projects (reconcile priorities)
Disseminate product
Approved For Release 2001/08/15 : CIA-RDP68-00069AO00200010001-5