Random Thoughts for March

It was very disappointing early this week when only 3 physic graduate students came to a seminar that I offered about using the resources of the library.  The professor who coordinated the meeting even ordered pizza and soft drinks, but nobody seemed to be interested.  My guess is that this was not the best time of the semester for such training.  I will try to do it early in the Fall semester when students are more receptive to learning new skills.

Yesterday a representative from Chemical Abstracts came to give demonstrations of Scifinder in the lobby of Tiernan Hall home of the Chemistry and Chemical Engineering departments.  A fair number of students and faculty passed by and were able to see a search question answered.  An adjunct member of the chemical engineering department stopped by and spoke to me about giving a lecture to her plant design class.  The assignment is to design a cyclohexane production plant from benzene hydrogenation.  I spent some time today preparing a lecture for next Monday.

Best news of the month. - Our paper was accepted in Science and Technology Libraries!

Bibliometric Analysis and Comparison of Two STEM LIS Journals: Science & Technology Libraries and Issues in Science & Technology Librarianship (2005-2014)

Bruce Slutsky New Jersey Institute of Technology Robert Van Houten Library Newark, NJ 07102 bruce.slutsky@njit.edu

Selenay Aytac Long Island University 720 Northern Blvd Brookville, NY 11548 selenay.aytac@liu.edu

We even got kudos from Tony Stankus, the editor.

Remembering Leon Goodman Professor of Chemistry at the University of Rhode Island

I was reading a recent issue of the Chemical & Engineering News and found out that Leon Goodman, Professor of Chemistry at the University of Rhode Island (URI) passed away last September at age 94.  When I was a graduate student of chemistry at URI (1972-74), he was Chair of the Department.  He was the second person I met there when I visited in December 1971 just before enrolling.  I fondly remember how he made me comfortable when I first arrived.  It was a big adjustment for me as I came from a big city to rural southern Rhode Island.  His door was always open to students and faculty who needed to talk to him.  He invited students and faculty to his home to socialize.

I kept in touch with him for several years after I graduated.  I last saw him in September 1978 when I told him I was going to pursue a career in chemical information.

He was blessed with a very long life.  My belated condolences to his family and friends.

Detailed obituary