Cheryl LaGuardia

Synthesizing Engineering and Computer Science Concepts
February 19, 2008

Any of you who’ve been in the reference librarianship biz for any length of time are probably familiar with the phenomenon of: “Rats! I wish I’d had access to that when I was…X!” (for X read whatever period in your professional life when something new and useful didn't yet exist, combined with demanding researchers who would’ve killed to get at whatever product it is you’re “ratsing” about now). Well, this product brought forth both a Rats! and an Egads! from me – simultaneously, if that’s possible.

The product is the Synthesis Digital Library of Engineering and Computer Science, and it’s produced by Morgan & Claypool Publishers. It’s an online research tool that brings to the web searchable 50- to 100-page born-electronic books (called “Lectures”) written by experts in their various fields, “synthesiz[ing] an important research or development topic” for use by students, researchers, and developers. The system is organized into 30 different Series at present, ranging from Algorithms and Software in Engineering to Computational Electromagnetics, Computer Architecture, Control and Mechatronics, Energy & the Environment: Technology, Science, & Society, Human Language Technologies, Information Security, Privacy, & Trust, and Web Engineering, among others. And it’s a one-time purchase product, rather than a subscription item.

Would that I’d had access to this when I was a reference librarian at Union College, in Schenectady, New York, where we served many undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty, in different branches of engineering and computer science. Rats! for then (back when it didn’t exist), Great! for now (when it does). If you serve similar kinds of researchers, you’re going to want to take a look at this. To take that look, get in touch with the Sales and Marketing Department at Morgan Claypool.

More as it happens,

Cheryl

Posted by Cheryl LaGuardia on February 19, 2008 | Comments (0)