VOLUME 33, NO. 12, DECEMBER. 1956
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THE ROLE OF A SCIENCE INFORMATION DEPARTMENT IN INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH A N D DEVELOPMENT' HENRY C. LONGNECKER Smith,Kline and French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A~~IMILATION of the great volume and variety of scientific information available t o the research worker has been a matter of concern for some time. It has been pointed out that specialization once afforded some relief but that the need now is for contact between the specialist^.^ One solution to this problem of handling and communicating information lies in the establishment of a science information group. There have been a number of papers in recent years on the role of technical information officers and the organization of technical information services.& 4 . 5 . 6 On theoretical gronnds, the concept is a sound one of selecting competent scientists whose prime function is to digest the large volume of technical data and select therefrom the pertinent material. The difficulty is to put this concept into actual practice. A t Smith, Kline and French Laboratories, a pharmaceutiral manufacturer, we feel we have found a working approach t o the problem. The following will explain how our science information department operates. The origin of this department goes back a little more than a decade, a t which time the nucleus of the present Presented a t the 129th Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Ddl.llas, April, 1956. FARRADANE, J. E. L., Research, 6,327 (1953). ' FARRADANE, J. E. L., J. ROY.Inst. Chem., 78,299 (1954). EGERTON, A., AslibProc., 4, 113 (1952). Nature, 169, 595 (1952). ANONYMOUS, 1. R . E., 40, 664 (1952). "cCANDLE~S, J. B., PTOC.
group was assembled. As the accompanying chart indicates, this department is one of four in our research and development division. Research and Development Division Smith, Kline and French Laboratories
, Division Mad
Msdicd
Scimca
Mminidrlma
mohlen,
Monopar
Docmantofi~ ssction
physical
sciencas section
siologieo~ science. Ssclion
srnfisn~~ sacfion
PARTICIPATION IN PROJECT TEAM ACTIVITIES
I n both our research and development activities, we believe in the team approach. Thus, a typical project team consists of a representative from each of the four departments, though i t is not unusual for the laboratories department to have two or three representatives. Each team member is responsible for drawing on the facilities of his department. By virtue of the particular organization of our science information department, we believe that here the literature scientist is in a strategic position to play a
634
major part in the project team functions. Certainly this concept of a literature scientist as a member of a project team is not unique with us, hut we believe that the degree t o which the science information department members participate in such functions is one of the outstanding features of our operation. This high level of activity is due to the centralization of scientific information in the department and the qualifications of the individuals responsible for processing the data. All of the technical information (experimental and clinical) accumulated on a given project is passed along to the science information department representative on the project team. I n addition, he draws upon an unusually broad source of published information, some of which is directly related t o the project a t hand, but much of which may be only peripherally related. This means that the science information department member has a t his fingertips more data than anyone else on the project. He is therefore in a most favorable position to contribute information of importance that might otherwise he overlooked. Incidentally, most of these contributions are made in the course of his informal, day-to-day association with his fellow team members. Project functions such as the preparation of background reviews and product submissions are on a more formalized basis.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR CREATIVE RESEARCH
A fairly large portion of the literature scientist's work is a t the service level where he soon develops the know-how for both literature searching and analyzing data. As a result, he perhaps is able to do more economically what would otherwise have to be done by his lahoratory and clinical colleagues. This skill is now generally recognized throughout the research and development division, and the assistance of the science information department representative is sought to an increasing extent. Beyond this, the literature scientist has an excellent opportunity to come up with new ideas. As compared to the bench man whose reading interests may he rather specific, the literature scientist is exposed to a wide spectrum of information. Thus, with a realization that the key to the solution of many problems may lie buried in the literature, he is in a most advantageous position to secure these new ideas. It is therefore not surprising that in the past few years our science information department has produced a fairly steady flow of ideas on new products and improvements in methods for research and development screening. Constant and critical evaluation of pharmacological methodology in the literature is carried out in order to improve presently used techniques. QUALIFICATIONS FOR SCIENCE INFORMATION Science information department members receive PERSONNEL communications from every part of the company. It has been pointed out that special librarians may Consequently they are often more aware of what is lack necessary scientific training.7 What we want, going on thau the laboratory worker. This hroad exprimarily, are research scientists who have some post- posure gives our literature scientists a unique position doctoral laboratory experience but are not "wedded" within the division. Our experience has confirmed the to the bench; who have as broad a scientific training postulate of Farradane3 that the science information and background as possible; who are interested in a profession would eventually prove as good a steppingwide range of subjects; who have a flair for writing and stone as any other for promotion to higher positions generally have the gift of clear expression; and who of a scientific-administrative nature. Another rather wish to work with literature and not in a lahoratory, attractive opportunity is the coverage of scientific but on equal terms with their lahoratory and clinical meetings, both here and abroad. Finally, we realize associates. I n short, our science information depart- that publications are a source of prestige and a recogment representatives are not laboratory chemists who, nition of scientific status, and we therefore encourage out of frustration, have quit the bench, but are well publication by our members. trained scientists who work with literature by preferDEPARTMENTAL ORGANIZATION ence. While on the subject of qualifications, one more point I n the past four years the science information deneeds to be made. I n our experience the impact our partment has more thau tripled in size so that it now literature scientists make on research and development has over 60 members. When we had once assembled activities largely depends upon how strong their lines a nucleus of individuals who were well accepted by of communication are with the rest of the division and their lahoratory and medical colleagues, we were able other appropriate parts of the company. We are in to break down traditional barriers and open up lines hearty agreement with the statement that there is no of communication t o every part of the division. I n substitute for personal contact and the resulting cross- this way the science information department reprefertilization of minds. Therefore, in screening candi- sentatives became the alter egos of both the men at the dates we put even greater emphasis than in the lahora- bench and the clinical staff. Here it should be emtory on selecting persons who can get along well with phasized that we are aware of the importance of the other scientists and are adept in securing cooperation bench man doing his own reading. The activities of between individuals. science information department representatives are meant to supplement, never to replace, this important 7 FAREADANE, J. B. L., Lab. Practice, 2,322 (1953).
VOLUME 33, NO. 12, DECEMBER, 1956
aspect of the individual laboratory investigator's routine. The sectional organization of the department is shown in the preceding chart. The seniors restrict their efforts t o project team and other activities calling for a Ph.D. background: the juniors do much of the actual literature searching where some technical background (usually a Master's degree or equivalent) is required. The "port of entry" for the department is the documentation sectim. This section, more than the others, is primarily concerned with the usual routines of handling information and, as such, is the storehouse for all data collected within the department. Unlike the other three sections, the members of this group are not directly involved in research and development project activities. The section is headed by a chemist with considerable biological orientation who has a practical howledge of the information requirements throughout the company. The organization is shown in the following chart. The section is divided into three units: Science Information Department Research and Development Division Smith, Kline and French Laboratories DoCUmentOtion section
Infarmotion
I
I
Documentation Service
File.
Library
1 Senior Juniors
/
Librolion Library
1 1
Cle,ks
Arrirtontr
Clerks
the information unit, which serves as a clearing house for miscellaneous technical queries; the documentation service unit, headed by the librarian; and the document analysis unit, which centralizes the indexing and does abstracting. The juniors in this last-mentioned unit are trained primarily as documentalists rather than scientists. When documents arrive in the department, their importance is evaluated by the seniors in the other sections, and pertinent material is passed along to this unit for indexing and abstracting. Thus 250 journals are screened each month a t a senior level and then coded and abstracted a t a junior level. A biweekly Literature Information Bulletin and a biweekly Patent Abstracts Bulletin are issued. This unit uses machine methods to process data that are either too extensive or too complex t o be handled effectively manually, such as: clinical case reports, stability data, structure-function data.
The physical sciences section is staffed by four Ph.D.'s in organic chemistry, assisted by juniors. Within this section, one senior is in charge of a foreign information services group. This group provides the medicinal chemistry and patent sections with pertinent information and also supplies research management with background data and intelligence items on foreign industrial concerns and products. They also assist those who are responsible for acquiring and maintaining scientific contacts abroad. All translations for the division are handled in this group. A second senior member of this section is responsible for liaison with the medicinal chemistry laboratory section. A third senior is in charce - of a structure-function correlation unit. The predominant function of the eight seniors of the bioloeical sciences section is to serve as members of the research program and development project teams. These individuals are biochemists, physiologists, or microbiologists and possess particular training or experience in a given field such as endocrinology, nutrition, and neurology. Generally speaking, they maintain close liaison with their colleagues in associated disciplines in the laboratories and are assigned to project teams for which their backgrounds best suit them. More than anywhere else in the department, seniors in this group best typify the role of the literature scientist in project team activities. The section most recently established is the statistics section which has gained company-wide acceptance of its services in less than two years. Part of this success can be attributed to the close association of the senior statisticians with the department representatives on the project teams. The statistics group also works closely with the medical department. For example, case report forms used in clinical investigations are designed by a psychologist in this section. Finally, this group provides a computing service for the division and company.
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ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
The department just described offers an excellent means of coping with the present flood of technical data. Companies find themselves in an increasingly competitive research situation a t a time of serious shortage of technical manpower. The research manager must get more research results per professional re~ e a r c h e r .The ~ department I have just described helps t o solve this problem. Such a group makes it possible for the bench scientist to operate a t peak efficiency. Furthermore, by using the available technical information as a tool, a science information group can contribute more quickly and a t far less expense to the research and development effort. KASTENS, M. L., Chem. Eng. N m s , 32, 302 (1954).
