Introduction to library resources in Chemistry

For basic information on Baldwin Library policies and procedures, see the brochure “Introduction to Baldwin Library.” Or call the library main desk at 1-229-391-4990. Or e-mail us at asklib@abac.edu.

The Library of Congress uses the letters QD for general chemistry resources.

Books
There are a number of general chemical encyclopedias in the reference section.  Use these to
                a)           find definitions of chemical terms
                b)           read overviews of particular areas of chemistry, chemical processes or issues
                c)           get ideas of what to read next in the bibliographies of the articles
Some of these resources are OLD!  Be aware of what you are reading and how knowledge may have changed between the time the book was published and now.

There may not be a book that is completely devoted to your topic.  Think outside the box!  If you are interested in the production of antibiotics, you may find something in books about drug manufacturing.  Sit down and make a list of all the terms you can think of that might describe your topic – this is where reading something from your textbook or an article or two from a general resource can be very helpful.  Then, use these “keywords” to search the on-line catalog and the journal databases for material you can use.  Carefully examine records’ SUBJECT HEADINGS to see what the Library of Congress (or database manufacturer) uses to describe what the resource is about.  These subject headings are live – which means if you find one item that interests you, you can find the other items in the database with the same subject heading assigned to it by just clicking on the link.

Journals
Most people use the on-line journal databases to find journal articles. Although you will use the internet to access these products, what you will be looking at is NOT a web page.  Georgia students are privileged to have GALILEO, an initiative of the University System of Georgia, which gives them access to thousands of publications from all areas of study.  Almost all of this material has appeared in print before it goes into the database, so has undergone the review and editing process that is vital to ensure the integrity of the scientific process.

The databases you should start with are

Academic Search Complete                           Research Library at ProQuest

Then, you may want to use the Science and Technology tab at the top of the GALILEO home page and choose Chemistry and Physics from the drop down menu.  Most of these databases are NOT full text and you will have to request the articles you locate through these databases from one of the librarians.

Internet
Be careful with Internet sources!  Be aware of

1. how old is this information?; is it really correct?
2. where did it come from and what is the motivation of the organization putting this on the web?
3. who is the information meant for

You can't go wrong with INFOMINE! The cream of the web, chosen by academic librarians for use by students, faculty and staff of academic institutions.

Look for professional organizations and research sites affiliated with government agencies and universities.                                                                                                                                                                     V. Horst 8/07