Statement of Need for a National Chemical Database Service

The EPSRC has recently initiated a review of its current 'Mid Range facilities'. The Chemical Database Service (CDS) at Daresbury, which provides free at the point of access for all UK academics to important databases, is one of these facilities.

The CDS is a National service providing on-line access to up-to-date, comprehensive, high quality chemical databases and ancillary facilities. These databases provide the three dimensional structure, spectroscopic data and physical properties of molecules which are crucial to the understanding, enhancement and production of new materials and processes. The communities served by the CDS are very far reaching and include users from not only chemistry disciplines but also material science, physics, engineering and biological sciences, etc.

As part of the overall review process, the EPSRC has asked all relevant communities to prepare and submit a Statement of Need (SoN) drawing from the communities served by Mid Range Facilities rather than the organisations currently providing these services. In response, members of the chemistry community have put in place an electronic 'iPetition'. The purpose of this petition is to provide a mechanism for the UK academic community to register its support for continued access to the kind of database facilities currently provided by the CDS. It can be found at:- http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/ChemicalDatabaseService/

Wolfram Alpha: a new search engine for factual answers

Wolfram Alpha is a new search engine which aims to answer specific questions with clear factual answers, rather than just a list of other websites such as Google might provide. I tried a few searches, some of which were not recognised but I did get answers to the number of cells in the human body and human average height. The latter gave me data in feet and inches, metres and even fathoms, plus a chart of height ranges.
The site was the idea of Stephen Wolfram who created the Mathematica computer program and it is expected to improve with use. So why not give it a go and help with the development of the database?
You may also be interested in the reference websites we have catalogued on the eLibrary Gateway under Science Reference. If you know of other useful sites in this category please share them with us through this blog.

New guide to Internet resources on Genetics and Evolution

Intute: Health and Life Sciences has just produced a booklet of Internet resources on Genetics and Evolution, which can be viewed at http://www.intute.ac.uk/supportdocs/geneticsbooklet.pdf Printed copies will be available in the George Green Library. This is the latest in a series of guides produce by Intute: Health and Life Sciences which offer a sample of the kind and range of resources held in their recently-enhanced online database of evaluated Internet resources biological sciences.

Free two month access to selected Sage materials science and engineering journals

Two months free access to a selection of materials science and engineering journals is currently being offered by Sage. Titles not currently included in our collections include:

·Adaptive Behaviour
·Food Science and Technology
·High Performance Polymers
·Indoor and Built Environment
·International Journal of Damage Mechanics
·International Journal of Robotics Research
·International Journal of High Performance Comp Applications
·Journal of Bioactive and Compatible Polymers
·Journal of Biomaterials Applications
·Journal of Building Physics
·Journal of Cellular Plastics
·Journal of Elastonomers and Plastics
·Journal of Fire Protection Engineering
·Journal of Fire Sciences
·Journal of Industrial Textiles
·Journal of Intelligent and Materials Systems & Structures
·Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting
·Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites
·Journal of Sandwich Structures and Materials
·Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials
·Journal of Vibration & Control
·Textile Research Journal
·The International Journal of Structural Health Monitoring
·Waste Management and Research

By registering for this free trial, you will gain access to SAGE Materials Science & Engineering Journals until June 30, 2009.

Thanks to Susan Heaster in the Halward Library for flagging this.

SCOPUS now available + training

Information Services now has a subscription to SCOPUS, one of the largest abstract and citation databases of research literature, including over 16,000 peer-reviewed journals as well as details of conference proceedings, trade publications, book series and patents.

Coverage includes the scientific, technical, medical and social sciences literature.

SCOPUS also provides tools to track and analyse research, of particular importance for the proposed requirements of the REF. The h-index within SCOPUS provides details of the most highly cited articles and authors and the citation tracker allows you to see research trends.

SCOPUS is now available via the eLibrary Gateway and the promotional site provides links to further information and tutorials.

A training event to introduce you to the database has been arranged for University of Nottingham staff and students on 27th May, 11-12, Room C15 Pope Building.
For room requirements, please could you email: Jenny.Coombs@nottingham.ac.uk if you are planning on attending the event.

Further help and support will also be available from your subject librarian.

April New Book Arrivals

A listing of all new book arrivals for April is now available. It now includes titles for both Engineering and Science. To view click on the link "New Book Arrivals" on the right hand menu.