The Center is responsible for providing training for Federal judges and court employees, conducting and promoting research on Federal courts, recommending improvements in court operations, and providing information to foreign judicial and legal personnel. In 1996 the Center provided 1,500 educational programs for more than 38,000 Federal judge and court participants; completed 27 research or planning projects and continued work on 70 others; and responded to more than 170 informal requests for research assistance from courts, Judicial Conference committees, and others. It also published or updated 6 manuals, monographs, or similar reference books; published 2 reports; produced 2 satellite seminars and 1 educational videoconference; produced or updated 14 media programs; and completed 10 curriculum packages or training guides. It also distributed more than 97,500 publications, answered nearly 2,000 information requests, and was host to 438 visitors from foreign judicial systems in 89 countries. Tables, figure, and lists of members of advisory committees