ChemicalInformationSources:About

From ChemicalInformationSources

The Chemical Information Sources Wiki is meant to be a guide to the many sources of reference materials available for those with questions related to chemistry.

Each year between 1976 and 2004, I taught a one-semester-hour undergraduate course in the Indiana University Department of Chemistry entitled "Chemical Information Sources and Services." Around 1995, I began to put the lecture notes, handouts, and other materials for the C471 course on the Web. Since I plan to retire by October 1, 2007, I decided to place the notes into the Wiki format in the hope that others would use, help maintain, and update the resource.

The lecture notes were adapted from a textbook authored by me, Chemical Information Sources (McGraw-Hill, 1991). When that book went out of print, the copyright was re-assigned by McGraw-Hill to me. Although the CIS Wiki might be viewed as a "derivative work," it is not to be considered copyrighted. It is intended to be an open source work, to which anyone with the knowledge and desire to improve it can contribute.

There are several related tools that at this point are available on the Web.

• CRSD )Chemical Reference Sources Database) is a searchable database of books, databases, and other reference materials that might be found in or accessible through a chemistry or science library. Author/Editor, Title, or Keyword searches are possible.

• SIRCh (Selected Internet Resources for Chemistry) links to factual sources on the Internet where answers can be found to chemical questions. At the end of most CIS chapters there will be a link to a relevant SIRCh page.

• CCIIM (Clearinghouse for Chemical Information Instructional Materials) links to additional materials that are designed to instruct people in the use of chemical reference tools.

• CICOURSE Listserv provides a forum for discussion for those who are teaching chemical information courses.

I would like to express my thanks to my graduate student worker, Yan He, without whose assistance this project would not have been undertaken.

Gary Wiggins
School of Informatics
Indiana University
12 September 2006