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MIT's Schering-Plough Library Relocated

updated March 11, 2005 (original post: June 16, 2004)

MIT's Schering-Plough Library relocated its collection, services and staff from the Building E25 location to the Science Library in Building 14S at the end of the 2004 academic year.

The decision to close the branch library that had served Brain and Cognitive Sciences (BCS) and HST was primarily a cost-cutting measure aimed to lower MIT Libraries' operating expenses in accordance with Institute wide budget constraints. The decision was also influenced by the then-impending move of Schering-Plough's primary community to the new Brain and Cognitive Sciences Center, where space would not be available to accommodate the library.

Schering-Plough Life Sciences Librarian, Louisa Worthington (now Louisa Worthington Rogers) moved to the Science Library full-time to continue her work in support of the Departments of Biology, HST, Brain and Cognitive Sciences and related biomedical research centers. In addition, Worthington Rogers assumed an expanded role coordinating library programs in support of rapidly growing areas of research and teaching in biological sciences and engineering.

Schering-Plough Library Assistant, Remlee Green also moved to the Science Library where she took on a new role, filling a vacancy in the Science Processing Unit.

The Schering-Plough collection has been fully integrated into the Science Library. Users may take advantage of the extended hours and greater access to all science related materials.

If you have questions or comments, please contact Louisa Worthington Rogers directly, at elworthi@mit.edu .

IAPril Information Workshops

(posted March 2005: last updated April 25, 2005)

Every Friday in April, attend these hands-on workshops to learn more about finding and using information effectively. It’s like IAP, only warmer!

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center – DIRC)

WHEN: Every Friday in April, 12pm (noon) – 1pm

4/1  Find It!: Tips and Tricks for the (Almost) Virtual Library

Learn how to access electronic journals, databases, and other services for engineering and science disciplines from your home or office.

4/8  Keeping Current: Using RSS Feeds to Stay Ahead in Your Research

What is an RSS Feed? We’ll tell you, plus teach you how to use this new technology to keep up with information in your fields of interest.

4/15  EndNote Basics

EndNote helps you to create databases of bibliographic references that you can cite in your manuscripts. The session will be a hands-on practicum.

4/22  Company Research for Scientists and Engineers:
Getting to Know Your Prospective Partner or Employer

This session will introduce you to library-supported databases about companies and industries. We will use examples and hands-on exercises to demonstrate strategies for learning about prospective employers or partners.

4/29  Google, or Google Scholar: That is the Question!

Is Google the best tool to search for scholarly information?  Or is Google Scholar?  Are there other choices?  Search these databases and more to find out.  The results may surprise you!

Feel free to bring your lunch!
Drinks and dessert will be provided (first come, first served).

Sponsored by the Engineering and Science Libraries.
Contact the Science Library for more information.

Interdisciplinary Research: Tools for finding Biological Information

(Posted February 2005: last updated April 22, 2005)

Learn about the variety of resources you can use to find journal articles, conference papers, genetic sequencing information, and much more.

WHERE: 14N-132 (Digital Instruction Resource Center)

WHEN: 4-5pm, the fourth Tuesday of each month:

Feb 22 -- Resources for Life Sciences
Find medical, biological, neuroscience, and other life sciences information.

Mar 15 -- Biomaterials
Geared towards the engineer finding information in the life sciences field.

Apr 26 -- Bioinformatics
Learn how to use BLAST as an experimental tool. We will cover the use of filters as BLAST tools and contrast them with the use of PHI-BLAST.  We will learn about substitution matrices and how the PSSM relates to PSI-BLAST. We will discuss how to avoid doing a BLAST search and obtain more information than if you had done one.
Presented by David L. Osterbur, Ph.D., Librarian at the BioLabs Library, Harvard University.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Sponsored by the Engineering and Science Libraries. Contact the Science Library for more information.

Peter Murray-Rust Lectures on March 17 & 18 at Harvard and MIT

(Posted March 15, 2005 by Erja Kajosalo and Matt Sikorski)

Dr. Peter Murray-Rust is a professor at the Unilever Centre for Molecular Informatics in the Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge: www.ch.cam.ac.uk/CUCL/staff/pm.html.

He will give the following talks on March 17 and 18, 2005 (see abstracts below):

"Chemistry in the Global Electronic Age"

Thursday, March 17, 2005
3:30-4:30pm
Refreshments at 3pm
at Harvard in Science Center Hall E

Sponsored by the Harvard University Libraries: this will be taped and available to view later.

"Scientific Publication and the Semantic Web"

Friday March 18, 2005
12:30-1:30
Refreshments at 12:00
at MIT in the CSAIL Star Seminar Room, D463, Stata Center

Sponsored by MIT Libraries and John Wilbanks, Executive Director of Science Commons (science.creativecommons.org).

Abstracts of both talks:

(1) "Chemistry in the Global Electronic Age" (for Harvard)

Many chemical concepts are robust and stable and well suited for deployment on the Web as machine-understandable objects. In particular there is much agreement on the representation of compounds, reactions, analytical and physical data, computational chemistry and materials. We have been developing an XML-based approach - Chemical Markup Language - which is able to capture these ideas and formalise them as machine-processable objects.

Using modern Web technologies it is then possible to manage chemical information in a dynamic flexible manner. We shall show the high-throughput extraction of primary chemical information and automatic chemical computation of molecular properties. Recently we have shown that with the IUPAC InChI identifier we can use current Web search technology to search for molecules with high recall and precision.

I shall present demonstrations of this technology and argue that current Web technology provides many solutions for scientists using or managing chemical information. However established practice and conservative practices means that chemistry is in danger of lagging behind other sciences in its uptake of the possibilities of the Global Electronic Age.

2. "Scientific Publication and the Semantic Web" (for MIT)

The primary input to the Scientific Web is semantically enhanced data in machine-understandable and re-usable form. The uptake of the Semantic Web varies greatly between disciplines and in some cases the amount of useful resources is small. In some cases the vision is present, but resources are lacking, while in others there are strong established practices which militate against the development of the SW.

This presentation will review the contributions that various parties can make and suggest some cost effective approaches. I shall argue that Open Source code and Open publication of data are almost prerequisites for successful innovation and wide deployment. I shall stress the importance of publishing machine-understandable data as a critical component  Open Access by itself does not solve "Open Data" and I shall propose some simple practices for primary publications which, if widely adopted, would make it significantly easier to build a scientific Semantic Web. This will touch on the roles of (a) funders (b) authors (c) academic editors (d) publishers (e) libraries and institutional repositories (f) learned societies and (g) infrastructural projects (e.g. eScience, GRID).

Upgrade to SciFinder Scholar 2004

(October 10, 2004)

A new upgrade is now available for SciFinder Scholar. To upgrade now, see the MIT Libraries SciFinder Scholar Installation Guide. Here's what's new:

• Limit structure searches by substance classes (SSM only)
• New refine options for a set of substances
• Find relevant reaction information faster
• Get reactions from a substance answer set

For more information:

• Product overview on the upgrade
• Contact: Erja Kajosalo, Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Librarian, kajosalo@mit.edu

Upgrade SciFinder Scholar and Beilstein/Gmelin Clients

(November 1, 2002)

Both SciFinder Scholar and Crossfire Beilstein/Gmelin have released new client versions this fall, and here are some reasons why to upgrade the clients on your computers:

SciFinder Scholar 2002— here's what's new!

Go to
http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/cheatsheets/sci-finder/installation.html for installation instructions.

• You can include stereo bonds when you draw substructures.
  
• When you Explore by "Chemical Structure", SFS offers you a fast way to link the substances in your answers.
  
• Narrow your answers from the outset when you "Explore with Research Topic". Enter a topic of interest and click "Additional Options".
  
• Thousands of new reactions from documents published between 1907 and 1985 have been added to SFS, bringing the total number of reactions available > 6 million.
  
• One million experimental and calculated properties have been added for more than 825,000 substances including boiling point and melting points, density, optical rotary power and refractive index.
  
• See details at http://www.cas.org/SCIFINDER/SCHOLAR/newfeatures.html

CrossFire Commander v6 — here's what's new!

Go to http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/cheatsheets/crossfire/commander.html for installation instructions. (PC users -- install LitLink as well to access some electronic journal articles directly via CrossFire.)

• You may search Beilstein and Gmelin at the same time.
• If your search results zero hits, "Autosearch" will automatically vary the query and search again.
• New "text search" allows keyword searching instead of only specific field searching.
• Improved hitsets and search history management.
• Export results to citation management databases, e.g. EndNote.

ACS Journal Archive Online

(July 1, 2002)

Access all the back issues of the American Chemical Society's (ACS) journals from your desktop as easily as you access the current issues. This is made possible by MIT Libraries' subscription to ACS Journal Archives. You can find more details about the archives and how it was created at http://pubs.acs.org/archives/creation.html.

You are able to search the full text of all titles published by ACS, from the beginning of the "Journal of the American Chemical Society" in 1879 (http://pubs.acs.org/journals/jacsat/index.html) to the latest ASAP articles of the "Journal of Proteome Research" (http://pubs.acs.org/journals/jprobs/index.html), because of the seamless integration of searches done between the Archives and the current Web Editions. You can access the archives as you did before for any ACS journals -- via Vera (http://libraries.mit.edu/vera) or Barton (http://libraries.mit.edu/barton) journal records which include URLs for the products we subscribe to electronically. The ACS journal interfaces have changed slightly to accommodate all the archived journal issues.

Chemical Abstracts, 1981-present, in storage for summer

(May 2002)

Chemical Abstracts, the print volumes for the years 1981 to the present, have been moved to storage for the summer as of May 2, 2002, due to the Hayden entrance renovation project. Those volumes will be totally inaccessible during the renovation. The print volumes for 1980 and earlier will remain on the shelves in their original location.

Please go to the reference desk for help and/or use SciFinder Scholar (MIT Only) on the Science Library computers to search Chemical Abstracts online.

Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause you.

CrossFire Gmelin now available

(May 2002)

The MIT Libraries now subscribe to CrossFire Gmelin, giving electronic access to inorganic and organometallic compounds using the same interface as CrossFire Beilstein - a database of mostly organic compounds.

With Gmelin you are able to search structures, properties, and citations in inorganic and organometallic chemistry. Its coverage includes data from the Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry (1772-1975) and from major inorganic, organometallic, and material science journals abstracted since 1975. It contains 1.4 million compounds, including coordination compounds, alloys, solid solutions, glasses and ceramics, polymers and minerals.

If you already have Beilstein CrossFire installed on your desktop you can access Gmelin now by switching your database selection from Beilstein (BS0104AB) to Gmelin (GM0104SF). To install the required software or upgrade your current software to the 2000 version go to http://libraries.mit.edu/guides/cheatsheets/crossfire/index.html

Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology Online

(May 2002)

This is the 4th edition of this famous resource covering the entire chemical industry. It is updated regularly in response to changes and developments as they occur in the chemical industry. Just to mention a few examples of topics: Risk Management, Outsourcing Combinatorial Synthesis and Technology, Specialty Silicones. Genomics, Drug Discovery Strategies and Global Chemical Market Analysis.

Access at http://libraries.mit.edu/get/kirk or via Vera http://libraries.mit.edu/vera

Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology

(May 2002)

This online edition, also called the Mark Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Technology, is a complete revision and update of the 2nd edition and presents the state of the art in all areas of polymer science. It covers nanotechnology, new imaging and analytical techniques, new methods of controlled polymer architecture, biomimetics, and more. Content will be added regularly.

Access at http://libraries.mit.edu/get/mark or via Vera http://libraries.mit.edu/vera

knovel: Engineering & Scientific Online Handbooks

(February 2002)

The MIT Libraries now makes dozens of important handbooks in engineering and science available online to the MIT community through knovel. Some of the most popular titles are:

• Chemical Properties Handbook (McGraw-Hill)
• CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
• Lange's Handbook of Chemistry
• Machinery's Handbook
• Marks' Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers
• Perry's Chemical Engineer's Handbook
  

For a full list of titles see http://www.knovel.com/knovel/titlelist.html.

Handbooks available through knovel feature powerful functionality:

• Searchable by full text AND numeric property values
• Provided as PDF documents
• Ability to browse tables of contents
• Some handbooks include interactive, searchable tables, graphs, and equations

To access knovel: http://libraries.mit.edu/get/knovel

Links to all titles will soon be available through Barton, the Libraries' catalog. Additionally, links to knovel and the most popular titles will also be available through Vera, the Libraries' finding guide to important electronic resources.

For more information, contact Barker Engineering Library or the Science Library.

e-EROS: Encyclopedia of Reagants for Organic Synthesis

(February 2002)

This online version of the Encyclopedia of Reagants for Organic Synthesis contains a database of over 48000 reactions and around 3500 of the most frequently consulted reagents and is fully searchable by structure and substructure, reagent, reaction type, experimental conditions etc. and allows sophisticated full text searches. Each entry highlights the various uses and characteristics of each reagent, with illustrative examples of its use and is preceded by valuable information concerning physical data, solubility, form supplied in, purification, and where relevant, preparative methods and with literature references to key review articles and seminal papers.

To access e-EROS: Search Vera or go directly to http://libraries.mit.edu/get/eeros.

Also available in print: Science Library Reference Collection call number QD77.E53 1995

For more information or to ask questions about this product, contact Erja Kajosalo, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Librarian, at kajosalo@mit.edu.

Current Protocols in Molecular Biology available online

(February 2002)

*Note: you will see other Current Protocol titles when you view this title online. The MIT Libraries only provide access to Molecular Biology at this time. If you have questions regarding this product, contact Louisa Worthington, Head of the Schering-Plough Library and subject selector for Biology, at elworthi@mit.edu.

To access Current Protocols in Molecular Biology: Search Vera or go directly to http://libraries.mit.edu/get/cpmb.

Also available in print: Science Library Reference Collection call number QH506.C87 1988

Suggestion Board is back

(December 2001)

After a brief vacation, while the Science Library was being re-organized, the suggestion board has returned in a new location. You can now read our responses to your insightful comments and suggestions on the bulletin board just underneath the clock.

As always, we appreciate your feedback be it paper-based or electronic in nature (http://libraries.mit.edu/science/ask-science.html).

Available online: Encyclopedia of Materials: Science and Technology

(December 2001)

The Encyclopedia of Materials: Science and Technology is an authoritative reference source for the increasingly broad and multidisciplinary field of materials. Written by internationally recognized experts, each article provides a concise overview of a particular aspect of the field. Extensive bibliographies and indexes enhance the value of the articles and guide the user to related research within the available literature. Merton C. Flemings, the Toyota Professor Emeritus of Materials Processing and Director, Lemelson - MIT Program, is one of the editors-in-chief.

Available in print: Science Library reference area - TA402.E534 2001

Available on the web: Search Vera or Barton or go directly to http://www.elsevier.com/mrwclus/15/show/Main.htt

New Layout for Science Collections

(August 2001)

The Science Library has changed the arrangement of its collections:

• All bound journals have been shifted to the Basement.
• All unbound journals, including current issues, are in new display shelving in the central area of the first floor reading room. There is no longer a separate display of the current issues.
• Books in the call number ranges QE - QZ have been moved to the first floor from the Basement.
• The Reference Books, Indexes, and New Books & Pre-Cat shelves have new locations on the first floor.
• Theses have been shifted to the Basement.

Floor plan of the Science Library, the first floor of Hayden:

libraries.mit.edu/science/sciencemap.pdf

Floor plan of the Hayden Basement:

libraries.mit.edu/science/bsmtmap.pdf

Why have we re-arranged everything?: The new arrangement of the collections is easier to understand and use. It is also easier to maintain in proper order and allows for growth. This project is part of an ongoing effort to improve the Hayden Libraries.