International Polar Year (IPY) - History of the IPY

The Arctic and Antarctic are the centerpieces for global change research and will be the areas of most dramatic impact. Every fifty years, the science community has taken an in-depth study of these polar regions. The fourth of these International Polar Years will be coming up in 2007-2008 with global change as one of its focal points.

Atmospheric science librarians will be concerned about retrieving historical information for comparison studies as well as current information on changing patterns in the Arctic and Antarctic. The librarians' challenge will be to locate previous scientific studies as well as to collect and preserve current research for the fifth and future IPY programs. To accomplish this overview, the paper will be divided into three parts: (1) historical review of the publications and bibliographies of the previous International Polar Years 1882-83, 1932-33, 1956-57 (International Geophysical Year); (2) the current status of IPY organizations and projects for 2007-2008; and (3) the development of international bibliographic products which will index both electronic and print publications resulting from IPY research projects.