INIS FAQs

What is INIS Repository and what topics does it cover?

The IAEA’s International Nuclear Information System (INIS) Repository is the world’s largest online nuclear collection of more than 4.8 million bibliographic records and over 634 000 full-text knowledge products by the year 2024. The collection covers all areas of the IAEA’s activities, for instance, applications of nuclear and isotope techniques, safeguards, nuclear safety and radiation protection, artificial intelligence in nuclear science, legal and economic aspects of nuclear and other nuclear related technologies.

Do I have to register or pay to use the Repository?

Neither registration nor subscription is required. INIS is an open repository that provides access to reliable sources of information to the public. However, if you want to have a personalized account with your search history, saved shortcuts, alerts, etc., you might find it useful to register with NUCLEUS – a system, which allows registered and authorized users to securely access a variety of IAEA information resources and databases with a single username and password.

How to search the INIS Repository?

Access the INIS Repository search here. Enter an author, title or keywords in the search bar and click “Search”. The system will provide you with search results. Use filters on the left side of the page to sort the results - “publication year”, “literature type”, etc. For a more detailed search, use an Advanced Search.

Can I search in another language other than English?

Yes, you can. The search interface is available in 8 languages: French, Arabic, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, German, and English. A query in any language will bring up all matching knowledge products in that language. Note, that the record title (and abstract, if available) will still appear in English.

Can I find full text results?

Yes, but not all the results in the INIS Repository are available in full text. Limit your search results to full texts by selecting “Limit to results with full text”. Please note that access to full texts depends on the provider, and not the IAEA.

I wrote a scientific paper and want it to be included in the Repository. What should I do?

Please contact the INIS Liaison Officer of your country or organization, or send your queries to inis.feedback@iaea.org.

What are INIS Liaison Officers and what are their responsibilities?

INIS Liaison Officers are responsible for organizing the collection of literature and the preparation of input to the INIS repository on a national level, disseminating information contained in INIS, and promoting INIS within national boundaries. Communication between the INIS Secretariat and INIS Liaison Officers takes place through regular correspondence and biennial consultative meetings. You can use the lists of INIS Members by country and by organization to find the contact details of a required active Liaison Officer.

What is the INIS multilingual Thesaurus?

The INIS Thesaurus is a controlled vocabulary used for indexing all information within the subject scope of the IAEA activities. The INIS Thesaurus contains over 31 000 terms in English. The multilingual versions are available in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish, German, and Japanese. The INIS Thesaurus is intended for use in subject descriptions for input or retrieval of information in INIS, as well as in other information management systems; the list of terms is kept continuously updated due to collaborative efforts of the INIS Secretariat and the Member States.

Who is eligible for INIS Membership and how to get it?

Membership in INIS is open to IAEA Member States, United Nations organizations, and international or intergovernmental organizations with which the IAEA has relations. The lists of active INIS Members by country and organization can be found on the INIS Membership page.

What are the benefits of being INIS Member?

INIS helps to gather and curate a Member State’s national nuclear literature. INIS assists its members in building and improving national information management capacities through technology transfer and know-how. INIS helps Members disseminate information contained in INIS products, promoting the exchange of knowledge within the nuclear community. Jointly, INIS Members shape the way INIS collects, organizes, and shares nuclear information through participation in its biennial INIS Liaison Officers’ Meetings.

What is Online Advisory Forum and who can get access?

This online forum was created to discuss and evaluate proposals for new descriptors, revision of existing terms, and to make suggestions for maintenance and updates of the INIS Thesaurus, as well as to review other related topics. Experts with scientific or technical background nominated by the International Liaison Officer and approved by the INIS Secretariat can join the Advisory Forum.

Where can I find requirements and editorial guidelines on how to upload the records?

If you are an INIS Member, you can find the guide and samples of bibliographic description, instructions for submitting abstract and other useful materials in the Members area in Related resources on the main INIS page.

What is the difference between INIS Repository and IAEA Library?

The IAEA Lise Meitner Library provides traditional and modern library and information services. It houses a specialized collection, and provides research support to the IAEA, as well as inter-library loan services.

INIS is a global initiative to collect, preserve, and provide a comprehensive set of bibliographic and full-text knowledge products in all areas of nuclear science and technology.