NEW DATABASE: SPECINFO
By Andrea Twiss-Brooks

The SpecInfo database is now available to the University of Chicago community. This database contains 660,000 mostly NMR (also has some mass spectra). The search interface requires installation of a java applet (swing.exe); a link to the download may be found on the SpecInfo welcome page. A login and password are currently required; the vendor is working to develop an IP restricted access. The login/password and instructions for accessing SpecInfo are found at: www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/chem/maroon/specinfo.html

The product also offers spectra similarity searches for all methods, substructure searches, name, MW and formula searches as well as precise NMR shift prediction for various nuclei. Search results can be compared with experimental spectra and printed out using a report generator.
Create a structure and predict NMR spectra for candidate structures, based on well-established rules. The predicted spectra of the new compounds will be compared with database signal assignments. The software allows MOL-file format suitable for the import of structures as well as spectrum/data import from JCAMP-DX format and ASCII peak tables.

NOTE: This product takes 3-5 minutes to initialize. After that, the searches are fairly fast. So be patient when logging on.

INTERLIBRARY LOANS
By Barbara Kern

The new interlibrary loan system, introduced in January 2004, has two features worth highlighting.

First, the addition of a user profile means that after you register once your information will be stored and you never again need to fill in contact information. This was a significant hindrance in the old system for users who were submitting several ILLs.

Second you can track and manage your ILL requests. For example if you select “Review Requests” you are presented with several options including “View/Modify Outstanding Requests”, “View Request History” and “View/Renew Check Out Items”.

If you need any assistance with the new system please give us a call or send an email.

UPGRADE YOUR SCIFINDER SCHOLAR
By Andrea Twiss-Brooks

As of April 1, 2004, any users of SciFinder Scholar (SFS) who are running version 2001 or earlier will NO LONGER be able to access the Chemical Abstracts databases available via SFS.

If you are running an old version on a PC compatible, please point your browser to:

www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/su/chem/sfintro2004.html

for instructions on downloading the 2004 version of the client. When installing, please choose to install over the previous version to retain the customized profile settings for University of Chicago installations.

Mac users should point to:

www.cas.org/SCIFINDER/SCHOLAR2004/

and use the following: Login ID  =   scholar2004 and Password =   highbury

Any users who are installing the SFS client for the first time must also obtain the local customized profile file (site.prf). This file can be copied from another machine already running ANY version of SFS. If you do not have access to a local source for the file, contact Andrea Twiss-Brooks (atbrooks@uchicago.edu).

FIND DATABASES BY SUBJECT
By Reed Lowrie

You may have noticed that the library has recently added a new mode of access to our scientific information resources. If you click on the “science databases” link from the Crerar home page, you are now taken to a page that lists the databases that are most appropriate for each subject area.

We hope that this is helpful both for the inexperienced researcher, who may not be sure where to start a search, or for people working in fields outside of their specialties.

In addition, we think that this is an easier way for experienced researchers to get to the databases they use frequently. The alphabetical list is still being maintained and is accessible by clicking the “All Databases (Alphabetical)” box at the top left of the page.

If you think a database is missing from a subject area, or have any questions or suggestions about the page, please contact Reed Lowrie (lowrie@uchicago.edu, 2-8552).

NEW COMPUTERS IN CRERAR

The public workstations in the John Crerar Library will be replaced with new flat screen computers running Windows XP. They will have USB ports and 3.5" floppy diskette drives.

The new computers should be in place by early April. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

ELECTRONIC JOURNALS A-Z LIST
By Barbara Kern

The Electronic Journals link on the John Crerar Library homepage is a favorite starting point when looking for e-journals.  The list provides easy and fast access to over 4500 electronic science journals. 

However, its use can be problematic for two reasons: First, urls often change. Changes in urls are recorded in the library catalog (the catalog is database generated). These same changes are not always automatically reflected in our A-Z list (the list is maintained manually and we are not necessarily notified of changes). If you use the A-Z list and cannot access a journal, try using the Library’s Online Catalog. Give us a call or send an email telling us which title is problematic.

Second, the list is not comprehensive. Often the library purchases electronic journal articles in packages. We are not always aware of all the specific resources available in a package and therefore some titles may not appear on the A-Z list. However all titles will be in the catalog. The best use of the A-Z list is when you know, for sure, that we have a subscription to a journal and you want quick access. Please never use the A-Z list to verify that we own a title.

We are currently in the process of reviewing options for the most effective and efficient way to provide an accurate and up-to-date A-Z list.  We appreciate your patience.

Brenda Rice maintains a separate and regularly updated list on the Eckhart Library web site. “Electronic Journals in Mathematics, Statistics, and Computer Science” can be found at: www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/eck/db/ej/

Similarly Andrea Twiss-Brooks has been regularly updating a “Chemistry Electronic Journals” list found at: www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/chem/db/ej/

We hope to create similar, specialized lists, for other subject areas in the Physical Sciences. We will keep you posted!

ENDNOTE


The library is pleased to offer consultation services to basic and advanced users of EndNote. Whether you are just starting to use this tool or you want to explore it’s more sophisticated features - we can be of service.

Hello, I’m Reed Lowrie, the new biomedical reference librarian at the John Crerar Library. I’m very pleased to have joined such an excellent staff working in a world class library.

I’m originally from Washington state, but have since lived in mainline Philadelphia, Memphis, and northern New Hampshire. In fact, this is a return to Hyde Park for me, as I spent several years here in the 1980’s both getting a masters degree in English at the University and working in a local restaurant while my wife finished her Ph.D. More recently, I spent ten years working at various positions in the Biomedical Libraries at Dartmouth College. I took a break from that to get a masters in library science from the University of Illinois in 2002.

I began here at Crerar last June in a temporary position and joined the staff permanently in January. My initial work has been to redesign some of the Crerar web pages, including a large rearrangement of the science databases (see www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/db/ ). I’ve also been putting together an exhibit at the Regenstein Library on the work of Dr. Bernard Fantus, the father of U.S. blood banking (see www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/curex.html#u ). My next project is to redesign the medicine and biology subject guide web pages. I also provide instruction and outreach services to the campus biomedical community.

Why might you want to contact me? Well, I can help you with MEDLINE searches, or searching other databases in biology or medicine; I can troubleshoot problems with accessing electronic resources; I can help you find print and digital resources for your students to use; I can help you with EndNote problems, or just show you how to use it; in fact, if there’s anything to do with any aspect of the library that you want to know about, I encourage you to contact me. If I don’t know the answer I’ll know where to find it: that’s something reference librarians are good at.

Reed Lowrie
Crerar 127 ; 2-8552 ; lowrie@uchicago.edu

Regina da Silva, Eckhart Library Supervisor since December 1999, left the Library to pursue a new career with the Archdiocese of Chicago. Prior to joining the Eckhart staff, Regina worked in Crerar Technical Processing and Interlibrary Loan. We will miss Regina, but wish her well in her new position. Issa Boulos, currently Public Services Assistant for Music in Regenstein, will become the new supervisor on Wednesday, April 7.

The Eckhart Library

The ERU (Electronic Resources Update) is written and produced by the Science Libraries at the University of Chicago. This quarterly publication is distributed in print, on the web and via email.

To receive this newsletter in print or via email contact Barbara Kern at 702-8717 or bkern@uchicago.edu.