Review of Library Resources and Information Literacy
For CHEM 113: Analytical Chemistry
Linda Wobbe, March 2015
Analytical Chemistry is a new course that incorporates the development of a chemical analysis
proposal as a writing assignment.
I.
Required resources. The instructor and subject selector librarian have worked together
to ensure that required and suggested materials are included in the library collection, with
most of the materials placed on reserve or in the library’s non-circulating Reference
Collection for the course. This includes the ACS Style Guide, and a selection of texts and
reference sources on analytical chemistry, such as Dean’s Analytical Chemistry
Handbook and Vogel’s Quantitative Chemical Analysis.
II.
Reference Collection. The Library also holds several specialized analytical chemistry
resources, such as the recently updated Association of Official Analytical Chemist’s
Official methods of analysis of AOAC International and Wiley’s entire Techniques of
Chemistry, an annual series which began in 1971. The Library recently purchased
Wiley’s Handbook of green analytical chemistry. The Library’s Subject Guide for
Chemistry links to these resources, and the Sigma-Aldrich catalog to facilitate research
and purchase of compounds for sale.
III.
Books. The Library’s collection includes about 30 advanced analytical chemistry texts
from reputable publishers such as McGraw-Hill, Wiley and Elsevier and an equal number
of specialized works on specific areas of analysis. Examples: Basics of analytical
chemistry and chemical equilibria (Wiley, 2013); Mathematical methods for physical and
analytical chemistry (Wiley, 2011); Quality assurance for the analytical chemistry
laboratory (Oxford, 2007); Sample preparation techniques in analytical chemistry
(Wiley, 2003); Analytical measurements in aquatic environments(CRC Press, 2010);
Chemical analysis of contaminated land (CRC Press, 2003).
IV.
Journals & Databases. The Library subscribes to the core analytical chemistry journals,
both backfile and current subscriptions through the American Chemical Society’s ACS
Online. The Library subscribes to 60 peer-reviewed analytical chemistry journals, mostly
current 1997+ through publisher packages such as Wiley Online, SpringerLink, Oxford
Journals Online, and Elsevier’s ScienceDirect. All of this content may be searched
through Multisearch (EBSCO Discovery Service) or through SciFinder. SciFinder
training is conducted in the lower-division Chem 089: Chemical Literature course.
Sample journals include: Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry (Springer); Analytical
chemistry (ACS); Journal of analytical chemistry (Springer); Journal of separation
science (Wiley). Analytical chemistry articles are published in general chemistry
journals, and the Library subscribes to a wide selection of those, as well.
V.
Information Literacy & Writing: The course syllabus includes a writing assignment of
a sample bid for performing analytical services. Resources for these assignments might
include the recommended analytical handbooks and advanced textbooks, and the SigmaAldrich catalog. SciFinder also incorporates vendor catalogs for purchase of compounds.
VI.
Librarian Recommendations.
Collection. While the collection is adequate to meet the needs of the class in general, as a
result of this review, a new edition of the AOAC methods of analysis was purchased. In
addition, the subject librarian will continue to work with the instructor and faculty library
liaison to purchase additional approachable texts on various analytical chemistry topics.
Information Literacy / Instruction. The subject librarian and instructor will work together
to make sure the appropriate resources for the writing assignment are included in the
Library’s Chemistry Subject Guide. The subject librarian is willing to make a brief
presentation to class about using SciFinder and the Subject Guide as tools for the writing
assignment.