CINF E-NEWS
Volume 3 Number 1
Fall 2001
Edited by Bruce Slutsky
Table of Contents
/ Editors Note/ Message from the Chair
/ CommitteeReports
/ Awards Committee
/ Publications Committee
Councilor's Report
/ Future Meetings/ Sixth International Conference on Chemical Structures
/ Trisociety Symposium
/ Second Conference on the History and Heritage of Scientific and Technical Information Systems
Chicago National ACS Meeting
/ 4th National Chemical Information Symposium (NCIS)/ Chemistry Site Seeing
/ CINF People in the News
/ Press Releases / / Chemical Abstracts Service
/ FIZ CHEMIE
/ ChemWeb
/ CambridgeSoft
Editors Note - By the time you receive this CINF E-News you will have read much of the details about the recent national tragedy. Almost everybody in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area must know of at least one family affected by this tragedy. The wife of the Dean of Students of my university perished in the catastrophe. I am sure that I speak for all CINF members when I offer my condolences to the families of the thousands of victims of the recent horrific events at the World Trade Center, Pentagon, and Pennsylvania. It is quite sad that in this day and age a tragedy like this can happen. We can only pray that an event like this will never happen again. Bruce Slutsky
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
Dear CINF colleagues --
The Chicago ACS National meeting has come and gone, and my year as chair of CINF is quickly coming to a close. In this final message to the membership, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the folks who helped make this year a great one. There are lots of hardworking volunteers in our division, and they truly made the all the various programs, workshops, publications, and other events successful. In particular, I would like to thank my fellow officers on the CINF executive committee, Division Councilors, committee chairs, symposia organizers, NCIS organizers, workshop instructors, committee members and everyone else who contributed in any way in CINF activities.
I hope you will all take some time to check out materials on the CINF website from the Chicago meeting, as well as from the 4th National Chemical Information Symposium (NCIS), held earlier this summer. We are planning some great programming for Orlando next spring, as well as some presence at a couple of ACS Regional meetings. More news about these events will be forthcoming over the winter.
With the beginning of a new year, there are opportunities for involvement in CINF activities. If you would like to serve on a
committee, I encourage you to contact Andy Berks (Chair in 2002) at , or the various committee chairs to see what openings are available. We are always looking for contributions to the Chemical Information Bulletin and to the CINF E-NEWS, so please consider writing an article. CINF is looking to expand its presence at Local Section events; if you are active in your Local Section, and have an idea for CINF involvement, please contact either Andy or myself.
I will always look back on this year with fond memories, and I look forward to serving CINF in other capacities in the future.
Andrea Twiss-Brooks
COMMITTEE REPORTS
AWARDS COMMITTEE
2002 Herman Skolnik Awardee will be Peter Norton
The 2002 Herman Skolnik Award will be presented to Peter Norton at the Fall ACS meeting in Boston. Peter is recognized for his pioneering work with patent information coding systems which facilitated searching for both specific and generic concepts and structures.. The majority of Peter s career was spent with Derwent Publications Ltd. Where he developed the Derwent CPI Manual Code, Chemical Fragmentation Code and the Plasdoc Polymer Code. Later he played a lead role in the creation of the Markush DARC topological indexing system. In addition to his work in developing the coding systems, Peter also developed training materials and personally trained both the indexing staff and hundreds of information scientists around the world.
Awards Committee Report
August 25, 2001 - submitted by JoAnne Witiak
The Skolnik Award jury met and chose Peter Norton as the 2002 awardee.
The 2002 award nomination deadlines will be:
Lucile Wert Student Scholarship - March 2002
CINF Division Meritorious Service Award March 2002
Herman Skolnik Award June 2002
See the CINF web page for details on submitting a nomination.
Updates to the procedures manual were passed on to Andrea Twiss-Brooks. Our procedures will continue to be refined and the changes will be reflected on the web pages.
The committee thanked Leo Clougherty, Erja Kajosalo, and Susanne Redalje for their service as their terms come to a close.
Publications Committee Report - Submitted by Bruce Slutsky
Minutes of the CINF Publications Committee Meeting
Chicago August 26, 2001
Present for all or part of the meeting:
Bruce Slutsky Chair
Carol Carr Co-Chair
Graham Douglas
Grace Baysinger
Mike O Hara
Svetlana Korelov
Barbara Hurwitz
Marge Matthews
Bill Town
Maggie Johnson
Alan Engel
Sylvia Lee
Membership Directory
There were only 95 names in the Membership Directory in the Fall 2001 CIB. 111 CINF members whose names were offered from the National ACS opted in since the original publication. Only 5 additional members sent opt-in forms to Ann Bolek.
There were not opt-in forms for members to submit at this Chicago meeting. Suggestions were made to include opt-in forms with ballots for ACS elections and with dues renewal. A simple, removable, Membership Directory opt-in form will be included on page 1 of the Spring 2002 CIB, for visibility. Text recommendation to follow. (E.g. 'FAX ME NOW!', 'Publish your name in the CINF Membership Directory', 'Communicate with Speakers and Colleagues'. Eventually there will be an electronic ACS membership directory from the web portal.
The committee decided not to publish a revised membership directory in the Spring 2002 CIB.
Color Advertisements in the CIB
The committee loved the issue and the color ads were a hit. Revenue of $5,900 and costs of about $5,800 are in line. We expect more color ad migration in the next issue.
There is a discrepancy in what we thought would be charged for color ads that the committee would like to clear up with the printer:
Is the $280 charge for color pages for 1 bulletin page (8 1/2 x 11), 1 side of a printed page (11 x 17) or both sides of a printed page (11 x 17 X 2)? Kerryn's email indicated that we were billed $1,680 for the color art work, 4 ads plus 2 pictures @ $280 each. At the last Pubs Committee meeting the cost was placed at $280 for 2 sides of a printed page (11 x 17 X 2). Four (4) printed page sides (11 x 17) have color art. What should the bill be for what?
Graham will check into this.
PDF Version of the CIB
Kerryn was able to have a PDF version of the Fall 2001 CIB, but it was one large file. The committee would like to provide a complete PDF version of each CIB, including ads and cover page, to the Archivist. We would need to know the cost the printer would charge? Perhaps the individual articles should be separate PDF files.
There should be 2 editions of the PDF version, one with ads, and the other without. The advertisements would be important for archival purposes. 20 years from now, someone may want to know what products were on the market. The PDF version would have to be uploaded.
Subscription Manager
This person needs to collect money from non-member subscribers who are libraries. Such copies were essentially given out for free for at least a few years. Approximately $700 in revenue has been lost.
Barbara Hurwitz volunteered to be Subscription Manager and will try to collect money for 2000-1 non-member subscribers.
Graham suggested using CHMINF-L to try to solicit more non-member subscriptions. New subscribers will contact Barbara who will give Kerryn the information so that he can send them the magazine.
The mailing charges is now $40 for foreign and $30 for domestic subscriptions. The Executive Committee already approved these rates.
Salary Survey
The 2001 salary survey is essentially complete. Carol Carr and Grace Baysinger would like to proofread a paper version of the salary, before it is released. We should give mid fall 2001 as a publication date.
The survey has already cost $1500 that must be recouped. Patricia Kirkwood e-mailed Bruce saying that 8 copies were already sold and that she expects to sell 40 copies. We felt that 50 copies of the survey should be printed. The costs of the survey were published in the Fall 2001 CIB. When Patricia receives the money, she turns it over to Marge Matthews, the Treasurer.
We questioned whether the salary survey should be a membership benefit. If so, how should the cost be recouped? Bill Town suggested that after a certain date, the survey should be put on the web and be available for members for free.
Patricia said that after December 31, 2001, she would leave the Publications Committee. Who will send out the surveys and collect the money after that date?
The Committee suggested that the Executive Board approve the front page of the survey. A letter should be sent to Patricia and her supervisor commending her for fine work done on the survey.
CINF E-News
Bruce asked that contributions be sent to him by September 15th with an expected publication date of October 1.
COUNCILOR'S REPORT
Report from the Council of the American Chemical Society held August 29, 2001 - submitted by Bonnie Lawlor
FUTURE MEETINGS OF INTEREST TO CINF MEMBERS
SIXTH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CHEMICAL STRUCTURES - submitted by Guenter Grethe
The sixth in the series of these very successful triennial conferences will be held from June 2 -6, 2002, at the beautiful Congress Center in Noordwijkerhout, The Netherlands. The conference is jointly organized by the Division of Chemical Information of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Chemical Structure Association (CSA), the Division of Chemical Information and Computer Sciences of the Chemical Society of Japan (CSJ), the Chemistry-Information-Computer Division of the Society of German Chemists (GDCh), the Royal Netherlands Chemical Society (KNCV), the Chemical Information Group, Royal Society of Chemistry, (RSC), and the Swiss Chemical Society (SCS).
As in preceding conferences, the most recent methodologies, applications and products in the area of chemical information will be discussed in plenary sessions, posters and during an exhibition. Topics will include molecular representation, combinatorial chemistry and molecular diversity, web-based technologies and electronic publishing, molecular similarity, molecular modeling, chemical synthesis, and selected topics from the field of bioinformatics. Reduced registration fees and a small number of bursaries are available to encourage students to attend this important conference and to present their research.
Attendees will have sufficient free time to interact with their colleagues, to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Center, and to take advantage of the vicinity of Amsterdam.
In the age of electronic communication we will not send out hardcopy announcements. A Call for Papers and more details about the conference will be published soon on the homepage of the Division of Chemical Information, American Chemical Society, and other websites during the next few months. These announcements will also be published on relevant listservers. Submitted papers will be evaluated by a Scientific Review Committee that includes Professsor Kimito Funatsu, Professor Johann Gasteiger, Dr. Gerald Maggiora, and Professor Peter Willett.
For more information contact:
Guenter Grethe
Conference Chairman
c/o MDL Information Systems, Inc.
14600 Catalina Street
San Leandro, CA 94577
510-895-1313, ext.1430 (voice)
510-614-3638 (fax)
TRISOCIETY SYMPOSIUM - submitted by Marilyn Dunnker
CALL FOR PAPERS
The 7th quadrennial Trisociety Symposium* will be held Sunday, June 9, 2002 during the Special Libraries Association Annual Conference in Los Angeles.
The theme for the symposium will be:
Electronic Chemistry Collections: Dealing with Chemistry Resources in Electronic Formats
Topics include:
Migration of chemistry references sources and journals from print to electronic; Digital library operations; Electronic resources -- presentation and instruction; Structure searching of WWW databases; User perception and acceptance of electronic resources Transitioning from print to digital library; References Service issues; Archival issues related to electronic materials -- years, decades or centuries. Researchers are invited to submit proposals for a paper to be presented at the Trisociety Symposium. Submit a 200-400 word abstract which includes the papers topic and scope by January 15,2002. Presenters will be notified by March 1, 2002
if their paper has been selected.
Abstracts, e-mail preferred, should be sent to :
Marilynn Dunker
The Procter & Gamble Company
6300 Center Hill Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45224
*The Trisociety Symposium is a joint venture of the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Information, Chemistry Division of the Special Libraries Association and the American Society for Information Science and Technology Special Interest Group on Scientific and Technical Information Systems. Its aim is to advance co-operation among the chemical
information professionals of the three participating societies by holding a joint one day symposium on a topic of mutual interest every four years. This will be the seventh symposium.
SECOND CONFERENCE ON THE HISTORY AND HERITAGE OF SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS - submitted by Josh McIlvain
Call for papers for the Second Conference on the History and Heritage of Scientific and Technical Information Systems due October 31, 2001
The Chemical Heritage Foundation (CHF) and the American Society for Information Science and Technology (ASIS&T) are pleased to announce the Second Conference on the History and Heritage of Scientific and Technical Information Systems, to be held November 5-17, 2002, at the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, immediately prior to the annual meeting
of ASIS&T.
Scholars from a range of disciplines, including library and information science, communications and history of science and technology, are encouraged to submit abstracts of 500-1000 words based on the themes listed on the website. Abstracts are due by October 31, 2001. Authors are requested to submit a full paper following evaluation of its abstract, must
have at least a completed draft available by 30 June 2002. Emphasis for this conference will be on the period from the Second World War up through the early 1990s, including the infrastructure created by digitization, the Internet, and the World Wide Web. Conference organizers are looking for in-depth historical analyses of these developments and how they have
affected the practice of science both nationally and internationally.
Contact: HHSTIS2 Program Committee
Chemical Heritage Foundation
315 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106
mailto:%
For more information on the conference and suggested topics, please visit:
or go to and click on "What's New"
CHICAGO NATIONAL ACS MEETING
Abstracts of papers with links to selected presentation materials in PDF format
A selection of photos from the CINF Welcoming Reception, technical session and Herman Skolnik Award presentation are available on the CINF Website. Point your browser to:
http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/cinf/222nm/photos.html
BOLTON SOCIETY SYMPOSIUM
submitted by Elizabeth Swan
On August 28th we enjoyed a successful half-day Bolton Society symposium entitled Notable Antiquarian Chemistry Book Collectors and Their Public Collections. Twenty-seven attendees listened to six presentations on this specialized subject, as a part of the Division of the History of Chemistry (HIST) programming at the ACS National Meeting in Chicago, IL:
Kathleen L. Neeley Frank Burnett Dains and his History of Chemistry Collection at the University of Kansas.
James (Jim) J. Bohning Chemistry, Coal, and Culture: The Library of Eckley Brinton Coxe.
David L. Adams Charles Anthony Goessman Book Collection.
Harold (Hal) H. Harris Ethan Allen Hitchcock Alchemy Collection in the Mercantile Library, University of Missouri - St. Louis.
David G. Hendricker Ohio University's Gem: The J. W. Morgan Collection.
Mary Ellen Bowden Edgar Fahs Smith: Old Chemistries and their Messages.
Each of the six speakers focused on the history of the collector and the criteria of their particular collecting interests, as well as the circumstances surrounding the collection's deposit. Attendees especially enjoyed the slides showing highlights from each book collection described, and pored over volumes that were brought to the Symposium by the presenters.
Founded in October 1999 the Bolton Society, an organization of chemical bibliophiles, exists "to encourage and promote the individual love for and collection of all types of published materials and unpublished material that illuminate and elucidate the history and development of the chemical and molecular sciences and their associated technologies." The society also
seeks to "advance the cause of the Donald F. and Mildred Topp Othmer Library of the Chemical Heritage Foundation."
Currently, the Bolton Society has a membership of forty-two, and is international in scope. Our members reflect a considerable diversity of geographic location, professional background, and collecting interests. We have representatives from two other continents; one member from South Africa, and two European members, one from Northern Ireland, and one from
Italy.
The majority of members describe their collection as "small" or "modest", while eleven members list their collection as comprising more than 1,000 volumes or items, with the largest book collection being over 10,000. The range of members' interests is extremely broad, although individual collections can be very narrowly focused. Collections cover more than books
and journals, as several members are stamp collectors, and a few members also collect instruments, manuscript materials or other formats such as stock certificates, prints, or ephemera. Some of the more specific areas of interest include alchemy, folk medicine, forensic chemistry, microscopy, and polio. While some collectors specialize in historical periods, others have
focused upon the works of notable individuals, such as Boyle, Black, Dalton, and Kirwan.