Chemistry Data Collections  

• Dictionaries
These include both classical lists of definitions of terms, and "chemical dictionaries" which have alphabetical lists of compounds, with various kinds of data.

• Encyclopedias
Encyclopedias have substantial articles on relevant topics, usually in alphabetical order, usually with a significant bibliography of the source literature.

• Physical Data Collections (including spectra collections)
Physical data collections can take many different forms, depending on the objective of the editor. Some are ordered by compound name or formula, others by the value of the property in question.

• Reaction and Synthesis Guides
Collections preparations of individual compounds, applications of individual reagents, or general methods, grouped by type of reaction, type of starting material or type of product.

• Analytical Methods Guides
These may deal with specific or general techniques, grouped by analyte, matrix, or method.

• Comprehensive Works
These are usually ongoing series, attempting to summarize all of a given area of chemistry. Good examples include the Beilstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry and the Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry. These are best available online through REAXYS (www.reaxys.com).

• Compendia and Indexs
These are collections of bibliographies that describe the primary literature.
   o These include Chemical Abstracts index available online through the STN database or the SciFinder program.
   o Also the Science Citation Index (Web of Science) available online through Helmke Library.

These are considered secondary sources in the chemical literature class, CHM-280.

• Grouping by data vs. grouping by substance
  
  
• If by substance, then by name, formula, or other scheme?
  
  
• What is the chronological range, and how is it updated?
  
  
• For additional access points, are there indexes to the data? For sources organized by compound name, synonym indexes and molecular formula and/or Registry Number indexes are popular, for example.

Chemistry Undergraduates should -

• Understand the nature and purpose of scientific literature and be able to use library tools and services to obtain needed information.
• understand library organization, tools, and services
• understand the purpose and characteristics of different info-finding tools such as indexes and databases, search engines, and guides
• be able to request help from faculty and librarians when needed
• Understand the scope and nature of scientific literature.
• understand the flow of scientific information and how it is communicated - Suggested Reading: The Scientific Publishing Cycle
• understand the nature and purpose of different types of scientific literature including journals, patents, encyclopedias, ect.
• be able to read and interpret citations for different types of literature - Suggested Reading: ACS Style Guide, chapter 14
• understand the general nature of peer review - Suggested Reading: Peer Review Education Resource
• understand scientific ethics and accountability and be aware of intellectual property issues - Suggested Reading: ACS Ethical Guidelines
• Know how to find and obtain chemistry-specific sources of background information from a variety of information sources.
• Be able to locate patents by number or topic and be able to identify different types and parts of a patent.
• Be able to search property information for both known and unknown compounds.
• Be able to locate spectra using library and webbased information sources.
• Be able to locate crystallographic data.

Taken from: Information Competencies for Chemistry Undergraduates: the elements of information literacy. Special Libraries Association, Chemistry Division and American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Information. 2nd ed. May 2011. http://units.sla.org/division/dche/il/cheminfolit.pdf