ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Withdrawals with interest: creating a new chemical information instruction depository Grace Baysinger, Stanford University Sue Cardinal, University of Rochester Bartow Culp, Purdue University

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 The first question: Is chemical information instruction (CII) really needed?

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 “Yes”, according to the ACS: “ Proficiency in chemical information retrieval should be acquired through formal instruction…Information [competence] is too complicated to leave to self-learning” -from ACS/CPT Guidelines ‘Ja’, according to the GDCh-CIC: “Forderung der Chemie-Information als Unterrichts- und Forschungsbestandteil an den (deutschen) Hochschulen”* -from “Aufgaben und Ziele der GDCh-Fachgruppe Chemie-Information” *”[a goal is] promotion of chemical information as a component of teaching and research in German academic institutions”

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 The second question: Is it being taught? – Wel-l-l-l-l…maybe.

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Chemical information (CI) instruction in the USA – present status: (Results of a national survey in 2005) –82% of the 640 ACS-accredited institutions now teach CI, either as a separate or a combined course –Librarians teach with faculty in 33% of all institutions

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 A closer look Only 37% of CI is taught in a separate course, so most is taught “in context”. (Probable case scenario: It’s not being taught) 87% of CI instructors keep current by teaching themselves? (PCS: If it is being taught, it’s being done badly) General conclusion: More can ( and should) be done to increase the competent teaching of CI in American institutions of higher learning.

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 What is the level of CII in German universities? Very little formal instruction (10%?)* … but there are some exceptions; formal CII courses are being taught at: –Technical University of Hamburg (T. Hapke) –Münster (H. Seidel, et al.) –Konstanz (Dr. Johanna Dammeier) *(No comparable survey to USA results – anecdotal evidence only)

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Reasons for German students’ low information competence (Results of a German national study in 2001) A majority of students (79.6%) obtained their knowledge by “trial- and-error” A minority (15.7%) had help from the library staff. Only 10% obtained information literacy in regular courses.

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Assuming that CI should be taught, what resources do we have to teach it? Native intellect ( insuffient ) Textbooks ( outdated and insufficient ) Google, et al. ( No, no, no! ) The CCIIM (What’s that last one???)

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 CCIIM, the Clearinghouse for Chemical Information Instruction Materials Started in 1985 Joint sponsorship by ACS-CINF and SLA Chemistry Division (1987) Part of IU “ChemSources” Website ( present)

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 CCIIM – current status No remaining paper component Currency is sporadic –Few recent updates –Dead/broken links Unfriendly classification system Questions: Does anyone know about it? Does anyone use it?

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Two goals of the CIC-CINF group: To enhance [chemical] information literacy To increase the perception of its importance –and a specific task: to “assemble and generate an inventory of existing educational materials in the field of chemical information”

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Working name for CCIIM’s replacement: Chemical Information Resource Center for Instructors (CIRCI)

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 CIRCI: challenges/problems Audience Content Structure Control/maintenance Home Visibility/Sponsorship

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Audience –Instructors (college & h.s.) –Industry trainers –Librarians (academic & industry) –Students (beginning & continuing) (And not just for chemists – Chemistry is “The Central Science”, you know!)

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Content Standards Pedagogics –Syllabuses –Tutorials & lectures –Sample problems & search examples –Bibliographies “How to find it/use it” guides –Databases –Fact sheets –Knowledge management tools

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Content, continued Calendar of events Directories –Liaisons & mentors –CI providers –Registered members of the site

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Structure Browsing & searching capabilities Content metadata Community space (Chat, blogs,”wiki-structures”, etc.) Personalization features (“My CIRCI”?) Alerts, RSS feeds All of the above?

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Control/maintenance Editorial board IT and administrative support User-driven

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Possible home(s) ACS FIZ Chemie Berlin –Model: NSDL (National Science Digital Library) – Model: DLESE, the Digital Library of Earth Science Education –

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Won’t they?

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Visibility L.O.S.G.I.N. (Lots Of Sponsors Get It Noticed)

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Potential sponsors/backers In the USA: –ACS CINF CHED CPT –SLA Chemistry Division –ALA Sci-Tech Division –American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) –CI suppliers

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Potential sponsors/backers In Germany: –GDCh-CIC –FIZ Chemie Berlin –Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Fachreferate in Naturwissenschaft (AGFN) –Beilstein Institut –Deutsche Bibliothekverein (DBV)? –Others?

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 CIRCE (Chemical Information Resource Center for Everyone ) Doesn’t get old Attractive and approachable …and:

ACS National Meeting San Francisco, 2006 Many thanks to: ACS CINF Chem Ed Committee Bruce Slutsky Carol Carr Gary Wiggins … and anyone else who wishes to help build this valuable and usable resource