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The Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) has dealt with bibliographic information for many years. References of publications, published observational data related to objects, data tables, nomenclature, have been homogenized and organized into information retrieval systems: SIMBAD, the reference database for the identification and bibliography of astronomical objects; the catalogue service and the VizieR catalogue Browser, for data tables; the Dictionary of Nomenclature of Astronomical objects, which is now maintained by the CDS. Evolution in recent years has brought the Data Centers closer to the publishing process. General standards for astronomy, for the description of references and of data tables, have been proposed and implemented. Data tables from papers are now directly published in electronic form, and distributed on-line by the Data Centers. The emergence of fully electronic publication paves the way to innovative new services, linking the journals to other sources of informations (data bases, tables, then images, data archives), and making use of new methods for information retrieval. This also has an effect on the publishing process, with the possibility to implement new checks and links from text to other kinds of information (from objects names, positions, etc.). The CDS will bring some of thekey features in the evolution towards a fully linked astronomy information system, in close collaboration with the journal editors, the ADS, the other Data Centers, and the data providers.

At the 2003 Sydney IAU meeting, Marion Schmitz (Caltech, USA) took over the chair of the Commission 5 Working Group Designations, succeeding Helene Dickel. The Working Group Designations of IAU Commission 5 clarifies existing astronomical nomenclature and helps astronomers avoid potential problems when designating their sources. The most important function of WG Designations during the period 2003-2005 was overseeing the IAU REGISTRY FOR ACRONYMS (for newly discovered astronomical sources of radiation: see the website ) which is sponsored by the WG and operated by the Centre de Données de Strasbourg (CDS). The Clearing House, a subgroup of the WG, screens the submissions for accuracy and conformity to the IAU Recommendations for Nomenclature (). From its beginning in 1997 through August 2006, there have been 132 submissions and 111 acceptances. Attempts to register asterisms, common star names, and suspected variable stars were rejected. The past three years saw 61 acronyms submitted with 50 of them being accepted. (GIRL - yes; WOMEN - no).