Physics and
Astronomy
Library Handbook 2004
PDF
The University's collections of more than one million volumes in
pure and applied sciences and in the history of science and
medicine are housed in the John Crerar Library and two departmental
libraries. Some of the many subjects covered in the collection
include astronomy, physics, astrophysics, geophysics, chemistry and
cosmology. The John Crerar Library, which merged with the
University of Chicago Library in 1984, was originally an
independent scientific research library. The combined collections
make it one of the largest science libraries in the country and is
used by researchers internationally.
Welcome to the John Crerar
Library
If you would like to schedule an
appointment to discuss Library services, research instruction,
resources for physics and astronomy, please contact Andrea
Twiss-Brooks (Bibliographer for Chemistry, Physics, Geophysical
Sciences and Technology, 773-702-8777, atbrooks@uchicago.edu) or
Barbara Kern (Bibliographer for Astronomy and Astrophysics,
773-702-8717, bkern@uchicago.edu).
Hours | Contact Information | Finding
Information | Services | Facilities | Purchase
Recommendations | Feedback
Hours
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/using/hours/
Library Contact Information
Reference Desk
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/using/reference/
Phone: 773-702-7715
E-mail: crerar-reference@lib.uchicago.edu
Circulation and Course
Reserves
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/using/
Phone: 773-702-7409
E-mail: crerar-circulation@lib.uchicago.edu
Computer Search
Services
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/using/jclcomp.html
Phone: 773-702-8337
E-mail: akander@midway.uchicago.edu
Finding Information
Research Assistance
If you need
subject-specific research assistance involving library materials
please contact the subject librarian for that discipline. The
librarians are available to help individuals with sources, or to do
sessions for classrooms or labs on library tools which may be
helpful. Contact a librarian based on their subject specialty:
Finding
Books
Books in the physical sciences (Q-QE,
T-Z) that circulate are shelved by call number on the third floor and on the
lower level (in moveable compact shelving). All library materials
are now listed in the online catalog and may be found by searching
the catalog on the web. Do not hesitate to talk with a Reference
Librarian to determine what materials are owned by the library and
how to find them.
Finding
Journals
Recent journal issues shelve by title
on the first
floor of the library. Older physical science journal volumes
shelve by call number on the third floor or on the
lower level. Biological science journal volumes shelve by title on
the second floor.
Consult the online catalog to determine which journals the library
subscribes to.
The Science Libraries also subscribe to
over 3000 electronic journals. To determine what e-journals are
available consult the
online catalog and note the line for Web Access or visit the
science electronic journals
list.
Finding Journal
Articles
Select a database from the campus
network that covers the literature of your research field. Below
are some brief descriptions of databases used by researchers in
geophysical sciences. These can all be reached directly on the
Crerar home page:
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/crerar/
INSPEC:
based on Physics Abstracts for 1969 to current. Covered topics
include physics, astrophysics, cosmology, chemical physics, and
information technology. Includes journals, conferences, reports,
dissertations, books, and periodicals.
Compendex the internet of Engineering
Index. Covers 1990 to present. Subjects covered include
chemical, environmental, industrial, optical, electrical,
mechanical, nuclear, materials, metals, hydrology, biotechnology
and other related applied disciplines.
Web
of Knowledge/Science Citation Index: provides
access to the ISI citation databases, which includes Science
Citation Index Expanded. You can search for papers that have cited
important articles from the past to expand your literature
searching. Coverage is from 1947 to current.
GeoRef: covers the world's literature in geology
and the geosciences. GeoRef covers the geology of North America
since 1785 and the rest of the world since 1933. Covers over 3,000
journals, as well as books, maps, reports, most U.S. Geological
Survey publications, and U.S. and Canadian master's theses and
doctoral dissertations.
Current
Contents: lists tables of contents for over 6500
journals. Includes bibliographic data for each article, and
includes abstracts for about 85% of the articles. Search by journal
title, article title, authors, keywords, and corporate source.
SciFinder Scholar/Chemical
Abstracts: a client software which allows full
searching of Chemical Abstracts from 1907 to present. May be
searched by substance, structure, reaction, registry number,
author, and many others. Includes over 21 million substances and
covers journals, conferences, reports and patents. Ask at the
Reference Desk or check the link above for details about
downloading the client software.
Dissertation Abstracts:
includes citations for the first U.S. dissertation, accepted in
1861, to present; theses from 1980 forward also include 350-word
abstracts, written by the author. Citations for master's theses
from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts. Numerous current
dissertations are available full-text. Includes authors from over
1,000 North American graduate schools and European universities.
About 47,000 new dissertations and 12,000 new theses are added to
the database each year.
SFX: Once you've located
articles in a database, look for the SFX button or Full Text link. But, if you
don't find it online, don't forget to check the
Online Catalog to see if the library subscribes to the
journal.
Services
Can't find a Book or
Journal on the Shelf?
If you've looked for a
book or journal and don't locate it on the shelf, try these steps:
·
- If the book is checked out,
place a recall to have it returned. ·
- See if the journal is shelved by call number or by title (there
will be a note in the online catalog "Shelves by title in Sci
stacks" for the latter)
- Look in the re-shelving areas and on the book trucks parked at
the entrances from the stairwells on the second and third
floors
- Look in both photocopier rooms on each floor
- Check at the Reference Desk to be certain of your
information
- Stop at the Circulation Desk and fill out a
Search Form. (We'll do the looking from this point on.)
Interlibrary Loan
www.lib.uchicago.edu/h/ill
Phone: 773-702-8706
E-mail: Interlibrary-Loan@lib.uchicago.edu
Interlibrary Loan (ILL) services are available to obtain a
journal article or book not owned by The University of Chicago
Library. University of Chicago faculty, students and staff can use
ILL at no charge. Please make sure to check in the online catalog
before placing ILL requests. Requests can be submitted either
electronically via the web, by email, or at the Reference Desk.
Most article requests will be delivered electronically to you --
instructions will be provided in your email notification.
Facilities
Photocopiers
There are two
photocopier rooms available on each floor in the library. Copies
cost $0.15 if using cash or $0.12 if using a copy card or your
Chicago Card.
Copy Cards
There is a machine in
the first floor copy room which vends copy cards. These cards work
in photocopiers and computer printers in all of the University of
Chicago Libraries. Additional value may be added at any copier that
accepts BOTH cards and cash (such machines are located on the first
and second floors).
Computers
PCs, Macs, and Unix
machines are available for desktop software (Word, Excel, e-mail,
etc.) use in the
USITE/Crerar Computer Lab on the lower level of the library.
There are also many computers near the Reference Desk which are for
library-related research only -- no desktop software is available
at these machines.
Food and Drink Policy
Drinks in
covered containers may be consumed in the Crerar Library. Please do
not drink near electronic equipment (computers, copiers, etc.) or
while using library books and journals. Dispose of all containers
in a trash can. Food is not allowed in the library.
Purchase
Recommendations
A form for recommending titles you think should be in the UC
collections is available at:
www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/using/purchaserequest.html and in print
at the Reference Desk.
While we can't guarantee that your request will be purchased,
our subject bibliographers will give these requests careful
consideration and will do their best to fulfill your needs. You may
also feel free to contact a subject
librarian directly for more complex book recommendations.
Feedback
The John Crerar Library is here to serve researchers in the
sciences at the University. We hope that our efforts meet your
needs. If you have concerns about library policies, see a need for
library services which are not provided, or see a gap in our
collections, we'd like to know about it. There are several ways to
communicate with the Library.
|
