Beyond searching: Adding increased value to today's scientific databases

CINF 61

Michael Dennis, mdennis@cas.org, Planning & Development, Chemical Abstracts Service, P.O. Box 3012, Columbus, OH 43210
At the beginning of the twentieth century, secondary information sources such as Chemisches Zentralblatt and Chemical Abstracts helped scientists derive value from the published research of their colleagues. Even in the Internet era, search and retrieval of well indexed, timely comprehensive databases remains an important component of the research process. But information technology now affords new means of helping researchers and information professionals not only to identify relevant papers and patents and access the primary documents but also to recognize trends and patterns in the shifting infosphere that continues to grow in size and complexity. From the perspective of Chemical Abstracts Service's hundred years in the information industry, an overview of new directions in the visualization, analysis, and processing of data, text and substance information will be outlined. Technology has changed markedly, but the objective of helping scientists assimilate and apply the wealth of available information remains essential and can be achieved more effectively than ever before. Reliable, trusted, and well organized databases are an essential platform for further advances.