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Supporting Chemical Information Needs at Stanford University
Grace BaysingerStanford University
Head Librarian and BibliographerSwain Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Library
Head, Science & Engineering Libraries Resource [email protected]
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Swain’s MissionProvide the most effective, responsive, and up-to-date information services possible in support of research and educational programs. This mission includes parallel goals:
Maintain continued excellence of print-based collections.
Develop and maintain excellence as a source of digital information resources and services.
Remain a leader among chemistry libraries.
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Mission - Print Based CollectionsAcquire and organize appropriate collections of published materials and provide effective means to access information in the collections
Provide and maintain facilities conducive to the study and use of library collections and services.
Provide reference, consulting, and training services to aid users in meeting their information needs.
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Mission - Digital Information Resources and Services
Provide broad access to digital scientific information resources, including digital versions of traditional publications, newer forms of online publications, online databases and information services, as they become available.
Provide training modules and handouts, instruction, consulting, and problem solving services to support users in accessing and making optimal use of online information resources.
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Mission - Digital Information Resources and Services
Provide and maintain well-equipped networking and computing facilities conducive to study, to the use of the digital library collections and services, and to teaching.
Facilitate the integrated use of digital information access and management services directly in the workplace for research and education.
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Mission - Digital Information Resources and Services
Ensure durable archival access to collected digital information resources, independent of changes in technologies affecting network communications, storage media, and computer software environments.
Work to make important parts of the traditional print collection and historical materials available online for broader access and long term preservation.
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Mission - Staffing Resources
Work with the Library Administration to insure that library operations are staffed adequately to meet the research and educational needs of our primary clientele. Attract and retain an excellent staff.Provide a work environment that enables staff to work effectively, efficiently, and safely.Secure support for staff training and development so that staff have expertise needed to assist users.
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Mission - Leadership
Make tangible, long-term contributions by consulting and collaborating with users, colleagues, and producers/distributors to help insure that products and services, viable conditions of access, and affordable pricing models are available for academic research universities.
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Swain’s Primary ClienteleChemistry and Chemical Engineering Departments
39 Faculty253 Graduate Students66 Undergraduate Majors148 Postdoctoral Students & Visiting Scholars
Users from Biology, Engineering, Geology, and Medicine
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Chemistry Faculty Research Areas
PhysicalOrganicInorganicBiophysicalBioinorganicBioorganicOrganometallicAnalyticalBiological ChemistryMolecular ImmunologyPolymer Structural
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About the Swain Library
Stanford’s Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Library
1 of 7 science & engineering branch libraries
Sited in close proximity to primary clientele
“Temporary” facility that is 5,100 square feet
9,000 linear feet of shelving (60% compact shelving)
60,000 total volumes (+ 10,000 volumes in storage)
600 active serial subscriptions (450 journals) (about 50% online)
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High Journal Use at SwainBecause chemists are so information-intensive, Swain is one of the busiest branches on campus
Annual use: 78,000 in-house use, 15,000 items checked outElectronic journals used at least 4x more than print versionsOverall use of print journals has not decreased in the past decade even though many titles are now available online!
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Swain Floor Plan
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Staffing Resources at SwainSwain Staff
1.00 FTE Librarian1.00 FTE Operations Manager1.00 FTE Library Specialist0.50 FTE Computer Resource Specialist1.50 FTE Student Assistants
Additional Staff During Fall to support Chemistry 130/132
0.25 FTE Librarian0.63 FTE Teaching Assistants from Class0.25 FTE Undergraduate Assistants
Swain Library VolunteersTwo Retired PhD. Chemists (Occasional Help)
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Swain Library ServicesCirculation and reserves
ReferenceTraining and consultation
Online searching
Current awareness searches
Document delivery and interlibrary loan24-hour access to graduate students, postdoctoral students, faculty and visiting scholars
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Sample Reference Questions
Where can I buy a sample of N-myristoylethanolamine?I’m unable to find supporting information on the web site for Angewandte Chemie Intl. Edition. Where is it located?Is permission needed from ACS by an author before using some figures published in a JACS article?Can you show me how to identify the most cited chemists within a particular subset (such as US, Europe or a given institution)?I want to find out about oxidation of nitrile butyl rubber, also known as NBR. In particular I am interested in the catalysis of oxidation reactions by metals like Cu and Fe.
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Sample Reference QuestionsDo any compounds exist that consists of twoporphyrins with a metal at their center instead of iron and that are bridged together by a halogen?How do I download Crossfire? SciFinder?I’m having difficulty accessing e-journals remotely. Can you help?I want help understanding how and when to useSciFinder vs. SciSearch and how best to set up ongoing current awareness searches and how best to handle the results in Endnote.Can you help me locate images of fine art paintings that have soap bubbles in them?
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Édouard Manet Boy Blowing Bubbles1867Oil on canvas
Pierre MignardGirl Blowing Soap Bubbles 1674 Oil on canvas
Maxfield Parrish Air Castles 1904 Oil on board
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Infrastructure IssuesServer/Internet is Down (24/7 Service Now Expected)Workstation is Too Old for Latest ProductsURL Has ChangedPlug-In Needed That is Not LoadedPrinting ProblemsAuthentication Incompatibilities
Campus and ProviderUser and Campus
Insufficient Number of Library Systems StaffSet Up Access for New ProductRepair Broken or Viral Infected WorkstationsImplement Features Such As Full-Text Links
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Swain PublicationsMonthly new book list
Library newsletter
Web pages
Handouts and guides
Articles in library-wide publications
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Swain Library Home Page
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Swain Newsletter
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Web Guides Chemical Lab Safety
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Web Guide for Polymer Chemistry Resources - ROI
“This is fantastic! I have already alerted the class that I am currently teaching. I knew of several of the polymer web sites, but you have included others. Moreover, the literature references are incredible. This is just a really great resource. Thanks to you from the polymer community at Stanford.”
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Producing Web GuidesWeb pages for guides are produced manually now.
Want to create web guides from a database.Action plan:
Use DreamWeaver to create template for top level page.Put bibliographic records for Swain’s reference collection into EndNote.Use MARC-it software to capture brief information for web resources that can then be put into EndNote. Enhance bibliographic information as needed.Add thesaurus terms to all records.Create “webliographies” from EndNote libraries.
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Sophomore Organic Chemistry Class
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Lib. Resources for Chemistry 130/132
ACD’s Interactive Web Laboratory
Beilstein Crossfire
Combined Chemical Dictionary
Merck Index
Properties of Organic Compounds
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Lib. Resources for Chemistry 130/132
Plans underway:
Use Camtasia to demonstrate sample searches
Add audio to PowerPoint presentations
Explore digital video-streaming of lectures
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Being a Chemistry Librarian is both Fun and Challenging
Chemistry has the largest and most complex databases
Chemists, especially organic chemists, are among the most information-intensive user populations
Chemistry resources are expensive
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Stanford Library Resources for Chemical Research
Major Databases:Biosis via LANLCrossfire - Beilstein, EcoPharm, GmelinDerwent Innovations IndexInspec via LANLPubMedSciFinder ScholarSciSearch via LANLSite-Licensed Software:AutoNom, CaChe, Chime Pro, Excel for XFire
Ready Reference:ACD’s I-LabACS Dir. of Grad. Research Combined Chem. DictionaryCRC Hndbk. Chem. & PhysicsDict. Substances & their Effects Material Safety Data SheetsMethodsFinderPolymers- A Prop. DatabaseProp. of Organic CompoundsScience's Next Wave
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Stanford Library Resources for Chemical Research
Bioactivity: Biocatalysis, BIOSTER, MDL-Drug Data Report-3D, National Cancer Institute Database-3DMetabolism: Metabolism, MetaboliteSuppliers: Available Chemicals Directory-3D, Chem Sources Online
Synthesis & Reaction:Beilstein/EcoPharm/GmelinCAS Registry/CASREACTChemInform Reaction Library
Comprehensive Asymmetric Catalysis on CD-ROMComprehensive HeterocyclicChemistry Derwent J. Synthetic MethodsMethods in Organic SynthesisNatural Products Update Organic Syntheses Protecting GroupsReference Library of Synthetic MethodologySolid-Phase SynthesisSPRESI: InfoChem Structure and Reaction Databases
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Searching Chemical ResourcesSearch interfaces are increasingly intuitive but there are many different interfaces and they are revised often.
In order for users to make effective use of these resources, they need to know:
Scope of file, sources covered, update frequency, search options, indexes and indexing policy, display formats, post-search processing options, exporting and managing results, and alerts.
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Searching Chemical Resources: The Current Paradigm
Users search online sources themselves
Librarians train, consult, and do complex searches
Many users lack advanced information literacy skillsSome only budget enough time to consult digital resources
More promotion kits and training materials needed from producers
More web guides and e-seminars need to be developed by all
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Boxmind – Sample e-Lecture
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Chemistry Librarians Helping to Build the Future
Lobby for digital contentWork to influence copyright lawsTest interfaces and recommend changesNegotiate contracts, recommend access and pricing modelsWork to develop effective and efficient methods for acquiring, processing, delivering, and archiving digital resources Develop guides to resources, services, and facilities for primary clienteleFoster information literacy
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User Expectations: The Future
Digital library access 24/7 from anywhereIntelligent search interfaces and personal information agentsMulti-media training for advanced search techniquesVisualization of results and live data for further manipulation Evolution of web sites to portals
…The REAL challenge will be to build seamless interfaces to deal with many different types of resources