Current Awareness Service (CAS)
For any active researcher it is absolutely essential that he keeps himself up-to-date in the field of his work. In addition, he is also required to know the developments in other broader and peripheral areas which impinge on his field. This type of approach to information is known as current approach to information. Any service intended to meet this current approach is generally known as current awareness service. The most important characteristic of CAS, however, is the speed with which current information is made available to users. The service must necessarily be very fast. It should be mentioned that it is not the researchers alone who need current information, but there are other user groups too to whom current information is of great value e.g., policy-makers, professionals.