This paper has been written to satisfy a number of needs: first, as a means of informing potential users of the existence of the information retrieval facility and its capabilities; second, to describe the system and its history for the benefit of operating personnel as well as users; and third, to indicate to these users the means by which they may obtain information. It would be ideal if there existed a central information retrieval center, all-encompassing yet minute in detail, available to all comers. The agency most closely approaching this ideal is the Defense Documentation Center which limits itself to Government reports. Since the ideal center does not exist, preliminary literature surveys on scientific work are not always complete or accurate and in some cases are nearly unobtainable. The result of this in many cases is duplication of effort, a waste of time, money, and manpower. The importance of availability of information has been emphasized in a report of The President's Science Advisory Committee, wherein the effectiveness of scientific and technical effort and efficiency of Government management of research and development lies in our ability to communicate information about current research efforts and the results of past efforts. Considering the growing importance of Nondestructive Testing and the lack of an adequate central file of information, it was merely a matter of time until an information retrieval system in the nondestructive testing field came into being.