Introduction

Library of Congress Classification

Materials in Reference Collection

Indexes and Databases

Internet Resources

Citing Sources

Introduction

Chemistry is the science of the fundamental structure of matter, the science of substances, their properties, structures, compositions, synthesis, reactions and interactions. The literature in this area, whether print or electronic, is extensive. The following information serves as a basic introduction to chemistry sources.

Library Of Congress Classification

Library materials are organized by a system created by the Library of Congress that groups materials based on what they are about. This LC system uses letters and numbers to determine the call number of a book, which serves as that book’s address within the collection. The advantage of this system is that books about the same subject, say the French Revolution, should be in the same area. Find a good book on your subject and you should be able to find others in the same area.

The Library of Congress system places all books on chemistry in class QD. This class is further broken down into subclasses that define more specific subjects. Some important subclasses are listed below. Click here for a more complete look at the Library of Congress Class Q.

Specific books and other library materials can be found by searching the Online Catalog. This is a catalog that not only lists the collection of the Rockhurst University Greenlease Library, but can also be used to see the collections of the other MOBIUS libraries. For more information about the MOBIUS consortium, visit their website at https://mco.mobius.umsystem.edu/. One can search by title, author, subject and keyword to find books owned by the library. A good research strategy is called subject heading tracing. This strategy involves first doing a keyword search to find books relevant to a topic. Once a ‘good’ book is found, look at its subject headings. Then do a subject search and type in that subject heading. You should find other books on your topic this way.

Materials In Reference Collection

The library’s reference collection contains materials that are quite useful to students in chemistry, including dictionaries, encyclopedias and other sources. These reference items include:

Chemistry: foundations and applications
Ref. QD 4 C48 2004
This multi-volume set covers chemistry, its laws, processes, applications and sub-disciplines.  It also reviews the history of the field, up to modern research and practical applications.

CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
Ref. QD65 C73 1994

Encyclopedia of energy
Ref. TJ 163.28 E53 2004
Comprised of 380 articles,  this multi-volume set provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of energy.  It addresses the expected scientific and technological areas such as engineering, physics, geology, and environmental science, but it also includes a strong social science component with history, economics, public policy, and sociology.

Macmillan Encyclopedia of Chemistry
Ref. QD4 M33 1997

McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
Ref. Q121 M3 1997

Notable Twentieth Century Scientists
Ref. Q141 N73 1995

Organic Chemist's Desk Reference
Ref. QD291 R56 1995

Linda Hall Science and Technology Library

This privately-funded research library is known world-wide as one of the best independent libraries with collections in science, engineering and technology. Most of the collection is made up of current journals and research monographs which cannot be checked out.

However, some of the general book collection can be checked out through a special checkout agreement between Linda Hall Library and the Greenlease Library. The student must be in good standing with the Rockhurst Library and have no outstanding materials or fines from the Rockhurst Library. The Linda Hall Library librarians will determine on an individual basis the checkout period for each item, generally this is one week. For information about a card please speak with a librarian Monday through Friday at the Rockhurst University Greenlease Library.

LEONARDO is the name of the computer catalog containing the holdings of the Linda Hall Library, as well as the Spencer Art Library of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Fine Arts. LEONARDOcan be accessed at http://leonardo.lindahall.org/.

Indexes And Databases

Indexes and databases are tools used to find journal articles about a particular topic. Some are used primarily for academic research, while others can be used to find popular articles to practice one’s reading skills. Some are available only in print, while others will be electronic and may even contain the full-text of the article. See our Electronic Resources page for a complete list of electronic indexes and databases.

American Chemical Society Journals Online
This is a collection of current and archived web editions of selected publications from the American Chemical Society. Articles are available in HTML and PDF formats.

Connect to the American Chemical Society Journals Online

General Science Index (INDEX AREA Ref AI3 C4 S3)
This index is a cumulative index to general science periodicals in the English language. Online version is General Science Abstracts.

Connect to General Science Abstracts via WilsonWeb

Chemical Abstracts
This index has an international reputation for comprehensive coverage of literature in the field of chemistry. Abstracts are prepared from publications in more than fifty languages. Contact Laurie Hathman for access to this index.

FirstSearch
FirstSearch is actually a cluster of almost 40 databases and requires a training session to access. But the training session is well worth it! Some of the databases useful to researchers of chemistry include:

AGRICOLA
Basic BIOSIS
Biology Digest
Clase and Periodica
Environment
GEOBASE
WorldCat

MathSciNet
MathSciNet is the searchable Web database providing access to the journals Mathematical Reviews and Current Mathematical Publications (from 1940 to the present). These journals provide reviews of the mathematical literature.

Connect now to MathSciNet

EBSCOhost
This is a online service that includes several databases that offer full text articles from scholarly and popular periodicals in the social sciences, humanities, general science and more.

Connect to Connect now to EBSCOhost

Applied Science and Technology Full Text
International and English-language periodicals, covering industries, engineering, mathematics, physics, and technology. Includes articles, interviews, meetings, conferences, exhibitions, new product reviews/announcements, and more. Indexing from 1983 - present; full text from 1997 - present.

Connect to Applied Science & Technology Full Text via WilsonWeb

Internet Resources

For those with internet access, the web is a great way to find resources. From online dictionaries and magazines to recipes and music, the web has it.

Academic Info: Chemistry
http://www.academicinfo.net/chem.html
This page contains a directory of Web sites devoted to the field of chemistry. It includes links to databases, reference works and library resources.

ChemCenter: The American Chemical Society Online
http://www.chemcenter.org/
ChemCenter is an informative resource for the chemistry community from the American Chemistry Society. It contains extensive information including such topics and professional development, graduate schools, meetings and publications.

ChemWeb
http://www.chemweb.com
ChemWeb features searchable chemistry journals and databases, jobs, chemical books, software and products and details of conferences

ChemFinder
http://www.chemfinder.com
Search for chemical compounds on the web.

Highwire Press
http://highwire.stanford.edu/lists/freeart.dtl
Selected full-text articles from journals published by Highwire Press in the areas of life sciences, medicine (including psychology and psychiatry), physical sciences, and social sciences.

Citing Sources

For information on citing resources in a research paper, see Citing Print and Electronic Resources in Research Papers.