Let Your Librarian Look It Up RAYMOND R. DICKISON Pennsylvania State College, State College, Pennsylvania
L
ISTED below are some specific suggestions for malung . use of your chemical librarian which will save yon some time and trouble. Though primarily intended for the college or university faculty served by a departmental library, the list also contains many suggestions which industrial research men will find useful. If your librarian is unable to help you with any of the services listed because of insufficient chemical background, you will be surprised at how quickly he will learn by practice. He will also be very grateful for the opportunity to learn if you will give him the chance. Many chemists, of course, like to do their own literature work in order to keep up with their field and to get new ideas. With this in mind, the following list places relatively less emphasis on the literature survey work which is usually the chemical librarian's chief task. The list was compiled while revising and reclassifying our library reference files. WHAT THE LIBRARIAN WILL DO
For the Dean or Research Professor: 1. Supply background material for the introduction of speakers. 2. Furnish lists of names for award nominations, possible lecturers, society officers, etc., or give pertinent information on such men. 3. Check references for proposed publications. 4. Furnish a summary of previous work in the same field for a new research project. 5. Compile lists of facdty publications. 6. Locate addresses of society officers, chemical companies and their officials, manufacturers' addresses, and prices of chemicals, chemical equipment, etc. 7. Bring lecture courses up to date with a bibliography of recent work in that field. 8. Translate foreign language papers.
9. Look up correct chemical definitions, nomenclature, pronunciation, etc. 10. Track down information about formulas and properties of new compounds, such as drugs and insecticides. 11. Prepare abstracts of scientific papers. 12. Keep informed of the current literature in . you . your field. 13. Furnish literature surveys on specific reactions, methods of preparation, chemical and physical properties of compounds, etc. 14. Prepare tables of physical constants and charts of other data from the literature. 15. Order books for you and supply information about publishers, prices, etc. 16. Keep track of membership dues, subscriptions. rules, etc. 17. Conduct a course in cbemical literature for your students. 18. Obtain publications on interlibrary loan that your librarv does not have. 19. Select passages for foreign language examinations. 20. Handle requests from outside the college for information on chemical subiects. 21. Arrange for exhibits, displays, etc. 22. Prepare mimeographed bulletins, newsletters, etc. 23. Order and circulate books and otherwise maintain the departmental library. For the Graduate Assistant and the Instructor: 1. Assist in locating references, books, etc. 2. Help in making literature surveys. 3. Proofread theses and other publications. 4. Do any of the services listed for the Dean or Research Professor that may be required.
