During 1998 FIZ Karlsruhe and its partners of the STN International Network – Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS), and the Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST),Tokyo – have concentrated their development activities heavily on the Internet and the World Wide Web.
“The Internet has become a significant means of distribution of information and is now used by the entire scientific community and a major part of industry”, comments Dr Bernward Jenschke, Managing Director of FIZ Karlsruhe. “The combination of new Web technology and STN International's longstanding experience in the set-up of online databases has proved to be highly successful, and as a result effective online searching for sci-tech information has never been easier.”
Over the last year the STN partners' development activities have seen the creation of two new online document supply services (ChemPort and FIZ AutoDoc), which are offered via the STN Web servers, as well as enhancements to both the Web-based service STN Easy, and to STN Express, the software for searching online databases on STN.
STN Easy, a graphical interface designed to retrieve information from databases available via the STN Web servers, has become an effective alternative to the classic method of searching databases. It combines easy handling, using simple point-and-click menu interfaces, with all the capabilities of a powerful database retrieval system. Drop down menus and buttons provide for simplified information searching and documents can be retrieved with a simple click of the mouse. A demonstration of the service can be accessed at http://stneasy.fiz-karlsruhe.de. STN Easy has been specially designed for users who only search databases occasionally and who are familiar with the Internet.
In addition, STN Express, the front-end software favoured by information professionals, has been enhanced with a number of new functions. The new version, STN Express 4.1 with Discover!, can now also be used to access the STN Web servers of STN International. New functions include the addition of search `wizards', which assist and advise users on finding relevant information, as well as helping them to create their own personalised current-awareness profiles (SDIs).
Information professionals have long requested faster access to full-text documents, including better links between database citations and their original publication. Now two new document supply services, ChemPort and FIZ AutoDoc, provide online, fax and e-mail delivery of the full text of original publications. Designed for the chemical sector, ChemPort provides direct links between literature references retrieved in the CAplus database and the original publication. Eight scientific information providers have already established linking relationships with ChemPort, both publishing companies and learned societies. These include ACS Pubs, a subsidiary publishing company of the American Chemical Society, the British Royal Society of Chemistry, The American Institute of Physics, the British Institute of Physics, The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Academic Press, Springer Verlag, and Chapman & Hall.
Retrieval of full-text documents from all STN databases, initially via STN Easy, is expected to be available during 1998, and will also include the full text of patent documents. With a simple click of the mouse users will be able to link from a literature reference to the full text which, for instance, may be stored at the Springer Verlag Web site. To ensure fast access the ChemPort document supply service operates via the Web server of the local STN partner most close to the user – which in the case of Europe is FIZ Karlsruhe. The Web server then automatically connects to the appropriate full-text suppliers. ChemPort can be accessed either at http://chemport.fiz-karlsruhe.de, or directly from STN Easy at http://stneasy.fiz-karlsruhe.de
FIZ Karlsruhe is a leading information centre for science and technology in Germany and provides various information services in printed and electronic form. In addition, FIZ Karlsruhe operates the European Service Centre of STN International, the Scientific & Technical Information Network, which offers worldwide access to bibliographic, factual and full-text databases in science and technology (approximately 200 at present), among them a comprehensive cluster of the world's largest and most important patent databases.
For further information please contact:
Mr. Rödiger Mack, STN Service Centre Europe, FIZ Karlsruhe, PO Box 2465, Karlsruhe, D-76012, Germany. Tel: (+49 7247) 808 513. Fax: (+49 7247) 808 131. E-mail:rm@fiz-karlsruhe.de URL:http://www.fiz-karlsruhe.de