N E W S AND N O T E S CAS New Computer Services
Completion of yet another step in the computerization of information-handling a n d publishing operations for Chemical Abstracts will bring about some significant changes in t h e publications and services produced by the American Chemical Society’s Chemical Abstracts Service Division next year. Beginning in January 1972, abstracts in 17 of t h e 80 subject sections of CA will be processed and composed for printing by computer. At the same time, CAS will discontinue t h e printed editions of three of its pilot computer-based services, Chemical-Biological Activities, Polymer Science & Technology-Journals (POST-J), and Polymer Science & Technology-Patents (POST-P). T h e printed CBAC will be merged with t h e CA Biochemistry Sections, which will be reorganized so t h a t the first five sections in this grouping of sections correspond to the current subject coverage of CBAC. T h e title CBAC will continue to be used for a computer-readable service covering the content of these five CA sections. While current CBAC coverage is limited t o articles selected from 584 designated journals, t h e new computer-readable CBA C will include all CA abstracts in t h e appropriate subject areas. This will have the effect of increasing the number of abstracts in the computer-readable service by about 50% in 1972. The printed editions of P O S T - J and -P will be absorbed in t h e CA Macromolecular Sections, which will be converted in their entirety to computer-based production. T h e P O S T name will continue in t h e form of a single computer-readable service equivalent in subject content to those sections of CA Since the contents of P O S T - J and -P currently parallel those of five of t h e 12 sections included in the CA macromolecular grouping, the change will have t h e effect of adding abstracts from seven additional sections to t h e computer-readable P O S T service. The new computer-composed sections of CA will include a number of features pioneered in CBAC and POST, including typographical high-lighting of significant phrases and t h e names of chemical substances in t h e abstract text. CAS Registry Numbers for chemical substances also will be included in the text of abstracts. The computer system t h a t will process and compose t h e 17 sections of CA in 1972 is in itself a pilot operation. Some 65,000 abstracts will be processed through the system in 1972-about 200/0 of the abstracts t h a t will appear in CA during the year. CAS plans to convert additional CA sections t o computer-based production gradually over the next several years. All of t h e CA indexes now are produced through a computer system. Along with computerizing the handling of abstracts, CAS intends to combine t h e presently separate abstracting a n d indexing of documents into a single document analysis step, with t h e abstract and subject index entries for each paper or patent being recorded simultaneously in t h e computer file for processing. This telescoping of abstracting and indexing will make it possible to issue CA’s semiannual volume indexes within three months of the end of t h e period they cover. Presently, subject indexes follow the last issue of the corresponding volume of abstracts by about 11 months. Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data
Beginning in 1972. the major portion of t h e output of the National Standard Reference Data System will be presented in a quarterly journal jointly published by the American Institute of Physics (AIPj, the American Chemical Society 70
Journal of Chemical Documentation. Vol 12. No 1, 1972
(ACS) and the National Bureau of Standards. Entitled Journal of PhJsical a n d Chemical Reference Data, the periodical will carry the compilations and reviews of evaluated reference d a t a produced by the National Standard Reference Data System heretofore published through the United States Government Printing Office and sold by the Superintendent of Documents. The following subscriptions rates for the Journal have been established: Domestic Members of AIP and ACS, $20; Foreign Members of AIP and ACS, $23; Nonmembers, Domestic, $60; and Nonmembers, Foreign, $63. All subscriptions should be sent to the American Chemical Society, 1155 16th Street, N. w., Washington, D. C. 20036. Ei Microfilm Index
Engineering Index, Inc. (Ei) has announced t h e availability of the Subject Heading Index to the Microfilm Edition of the Ei Annual. The index covers the years 1969 and 1970 only. However, a ten-year index is in process of development and should be ready for distribution in the early part of 1972. Also contemplated is a yearly updating of this reference guide so that the user will always have a ten-year index starting with the most recently delivered year of the Microfilm Edition. Division of Chemical Literature Call for Membership
The Division of Chemical Literature (DCL) of the American Chemical Society (ACS) extends an invitation to all professional people concerned with the literature of chemistry to join its activities. The interests and scope of this Division cover the full range of library and information science activities, including such topics as the organization of chemical information (indexing, abstracting, classification, nomenclature); mechanized information storage and retrieval techniques; research on and evaluation of indexing and retrieval methods; foreign languages and their relation to chemical documentation; training in chemical literature; reproduction techniques, including production and use of microforms; library operation and bibliographic techniques; literature retrieval including current awareness methods; and commercial aspects of chemical literature, such as cost estimation, market analysis, advertising, and new product literature. ACS members are entitled to full membership in the DCL with annual dues of $2.00. Non-ACS members may join the Division as affiliates for $3.00. Application for either type of membership must be made in the name of an individual, not a corporation. Members, full or affiliate, are entitled to a free subscription to Chemical Literature, a semiannual publication containing news, notes, abstracts of papers to be presented to the Division at the next meeting, and, annually, t h e directory of DCL members. The divisional dues receipt card entitles full members to reduced rates on copies of the collected abstracts of each national ACS meeting. Full members are entitled to subscribe to the Journal of Chemical Documentation at $7.00 as against $21.00 for non-ACS members. Members are also entitled to subscribe at reduced rates to Information Science Abstracts, which is cosponsored by the DCL. (Note to Libraries: Subscriptions to Chemical Literature are also available for S3.00 per year.) Applications for membership or subscriptions to Chemical Literature should be sent to the Membership Chairman along with a check payable to Division of Chemical Literature, A.C.S. Miss Maragret K. Park. Membership Chairman, DCL, Computer Center, University of Georgia, Athens, Ga. 30601
