Database ROI Tip: Usage Monitoring

“Every man with an idea has at least two or three followers” -- Brooks Atkinson (American Journalist and Critic, 1894-1984)

Both ScienceDirect (http://www.sciencedirect.com/) and EbscoHost offer massive numbers of technical articles that will help the engineers and scientists in your organization do their work.  Taking biodesulfurization as an example, here are selections from both databases.

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ScienceDirect

Mixtures of Pseudomonas putida CECT 5279 cells of different ages: Optimization as biodesulfurization catalyst  Process Biochemistry, Volume 46, Issue 6, June 2011, Pages 1323-1328

J. Calzada, A. Alcon, V.E. Santos, F. Garcia-Ochoa

EbscoHost

Enhanced biodesulfurization by expression of dibenzothiophene uptake genes in Rhodococcus erythropolis

Ze-long Wang; Dan Wang; Qiang Li; Wang-liang Li; Huang Tang; Jian-min Xing

World Journal of Microbiology & Biotechnology, Sep2011, Vol. 27 Issue 9, p1965-1970, 6p

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Your technical talent can use these databases to help them help you create value for your organization.

But, here’s the problem … are your people actually using the resources you provide?  The only way to know for sure is to monitor use statistics for each subscribed service.

Usage monitoring provides three important insights …

1 Are you subscribing to the right services for your particular needs?

2 If so, are your people using the subscriptions to their maximum potential?

3 If they are not, think about ways to encourage them to do so

Both ScienceDirect (http://usagereports.elsevier.com/asp/main.aspx) and EbscoHost (www.ebscohost.com/academic/ebscohost) provide usage monitoring tools as a part of their service.  If you are not using the monitoring service, ask your vendor representative how to do so.

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And, if you are considering subscribing to any of the other technical databases available on the Web, ask about usage monitoring before you sign your agreement.

By the way, you can monitor time saving tips and tricks for effective online research by following the Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/).  Better yet, add an RSS feed of the Blog to your Intranet.  It will help you educate your people on the best way to use your subscribed databases.

Sourcing Checklist for Desulfurization

“For light I go directly to the Source of light, not to any of the reflections.” -- Peace Pilgrim (American Teacher and Spiritual leader and Peace Prophet, 1908-1981)

Searching for and finding what you want on the Web is great … sourcing the full text of what you find is greater.  Let’s say you find the following article and you want to read the full text …

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Journal of Catalysis, Volume 279, Issue 2, 25 April 2011, Pages 269-275

Oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene and diesel over [Bmim]3PMo12O40

Jian Zhang, Anjie Wang, Xiang Li and Xuehu Ma

Abstract

A hybrid material ([Bmim]3PMo12O40) was synthesized by reacting H3PMo12O40 with the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium bromide. SiO2-supported [Bmim]3PMo12O40 showed a high catalytic activity in the oxidation of dibenzothiophene (DBT) with 29% H2O2 aqueous solution as the oxidant. Maximum activity was observed at a loading of 20 wt.% [Bmim]3PMo12O40 on SiO2, and 100% DBT conversion was achieved at 60 °C, atmospheric pressure, and an oxygen to sulfur (O/S) molar ratio of 3.0 in 100 min. The high performance of [Bmim]3PMo12O40/SiO2 might be attributable to its amphiphilicity, which enhances adsorption of both H2O2 and sulfur-containing compounds. [Bmim]3PMo12O40/SiO2 could be easily separated by centrifugation and reused without deactivation after seven runs. Quinoline and carbazole had slightly positive effects on DBT oxidation, whereas indole had a negative effect. The high performance of [Bmim]3PMo12O40 was verified in the sulfur removal from a real diesel by means of oxidation followed by dimethylformamide extraction.

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How do you get the full text?  Here is a checklist that may help …

·         Your organization’s librarian …  Your librarian is well versed in sourcing full text

·         Subscribed databases like ScienceDirect (www.sciencedirect.com) … Many organizations, even those that choose not to fund a library, subscribe to one or more databases like ScienceDirect and EbscoHost Academic.  Subscription terms vary, but many times you can find the full text of an article of interest in your subscribed database(s)

·         Google® the title … For recent articles this will provide a source where you can purchase a copy for download.  Once in a while, you can even find a free copy.

·         Document delivery specialists like Ingenta (http://www.ingentaconnect.com) or Linda Hall Library (http://www.lindahall.org/services/document_delivery/index.shtml) … for when you can’t find a source on the Web

When it comes to sourcing online research tips and tricks in bite size chunks, I humbly suggest the Desulfurization Blog (www.desulf.blogspot.com) … tell your colleagues about it.  They’ll appreciate the favor.

Remote access to subscribed databases

“Perhaps I'm old and tired, but I always think that the chances of finding out what really is going on are so absurdly remote that the only thing to do is to say hang the sense of it and just keep yourself occupied.” -- Douglas Adams (British comic Writer, 1952-2001)

Most organizations of any size these days subscribe to one or more online databases like ScienceDirect (www.sciencedirect.com) and EbscoHost Academic. 

Most organizations also enable remote access to the corporate network.  This is important.  You need to be able to access the network when you are on the road.

If you have remote access, and if your organization subscribes, remember that you also have remote access to the subscribed databases.

Today’s tip … when on travel and in search of technical information, go beyond Google … go to your subscribed databases.

Then you will be able to find items like the following on your handheld …

Fuel Processing Technology, Volume 91, Issue 11, November 2010, Pages 1731-1735

The performance of solid phosphoric acid catalysts and macroporous sulfonic resins on gasoline alkylation desulfurization

Benshuai Guo (a), Rong Wang (a) and Yonghong Li (a), (b)

yhli@tju.edu.cn

a Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Technology, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China

b National Engineering Research Center for Distillation Technology, Tianjin 300072, China

Abstract

Sulfur removal has received increasing attention in recent years primarily for environmental protection purpose. As an attractive technology in the case of gasoline, OATS (olefinic alkylation of thiophenic sulfur) proposed to separate sulfur compounds by distillation after being weighed down by alkylation with olefins in the feed. In this paper, alkylation reactions of thiophenic compounds were studied over solid phosphoric acid catalysts (SPAM and SPAS using MCM-41 and Silicalite-1 zeolite as supporters respectively) and macroporous sulfonic resins (including NKC-9, D005-2 and Amberlyst 35) with model gasoline and FCC (fluid catalytic cracking) gasoline. Results showed that macroporous sulfonic resins showed better performance than solid phosphoric acid catalysts under milder conditions in both feeds. Among the resins, Amberlyst 35 was the most suitable catalyst for the application of catalytic distillation for its good performance at the temperature range of 353–413 K in FCC gasoline. However, the selectivity of isoamylene dimerization over Amberlyst 35 decreased with the temperature, which was harmful to the product yield and catalyst stability. Besides, different activity orders of solid phosphoric acid catalysts in model gasoline and FCC gasoline were explained by combining the acidic properties of the catalysts with the species of olefins in two feeds.

source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382010002468

Another tip … if you need help accessing your subscribed databases, talk to your librarian, or whoever is in charge of that resource in your organization.

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These Desulfurization Technology (www.desulf.blogspot.com) tips can apply to any technology of interest to you … follow the blog, and tell your friends about it.  Better yet, add it as a feed to your organization’s Intranet.

Fine-tune your EbscoHost Search Technique

“The most perfect technique is that which is not noticed at all.” -- Pablo Casals (Spanish Cellist and Conductor, 1876-1973)

Many organizations subscribe to one or more online research services.  They all have simple, easy to use search interfaces.  They also have advanced search features.  Mastering the advanced features can save you time by focusing the results of your search on highly relevant sections of the database.

Today’s tip … focus your search by selecting the journals that are most likely to contain the kind of article pertinent to your area of interest.

Case study … Search for “sulfur” in petroleum related journals in EbscoHost Academic

Step 1: Click “Publications”

Step 2: In the Publications Browse box type: hydrocarbon oil petroleum

Step 3: Select “Match Any Words” and click Search

Step 4: Browse the resulting list and Check the box next to each journal you want to include

Step 5: Click Add

Step 6: In the resulting window, click Search

Step 7: The next window provides the option to add search terms.  For this example, type “Sulfur”

Step 8: Click Search

Step 9: You’re done!  Browse the results.

Screen shots illustrating the above appear below.

Final tip … Every online database has its own peculiar way of going beyond simple searches.  Ask your librarian for guidance on advanced search techniques for your organization’s subscribed databases.

Your organization doesn’t employ a librarian?  You can ask your management to hire one … or you can use the services of an Independent Information Professional.  Visit AIIP-Association of Independent Information Professionals (www.aiip.org) to find one that fits your needs.

One more tip … add a Desulfurization Blog (www.desulf.blogspot.com) feed to your organization’s Intranet.

Just Because: Maximize ROI on Your Online Subscriptions

"Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me." -- Humorous Saying

Just because your organization subscribes to online databases like EbscoHost Academic and ScienceDirect doesn’t mean that your employees and colleagues use them. If they don’t, what’s the point?

One thing you can do to maximize ROI on the online database subscriptions is to make them high profile within your organization. This takes some effort. But the alternative is to continue throwing money at the problem in the hopes that some of it sticks.

Here are two (2) steps to take to ensure that your online subscriptions are not underutilized …

1.  Monitor usage of the online databases. The vendor often will supply this information. Ask your friendly sales rep to make this happen. If the vendor can’t or won’t, talk to your IT people. They keep logs on EVERYTHING. They should be able to set up a log to meet your requirements. Note that this is not about monitoring individuals. It is about collecting statistical data that can help you determine if the resources are being used, and if so, to what extent. After reviewing three months of statistics, you may decide to raise the priority level on Step 2
2. Make your employees and colleagues (and your CEO) aware of the existence of the resource. Make them aware repeatedly. You know how busy everyone is. If they are not reminded several times, they will forget about the resource.

 This takes time, of course. If your organization supports a library, ask the librarian for help. If your organization does not support a library (seriously?) find someone within your organization who can handle the monitoring task. I suggest you don’t ask IT to take care of it. It will be very low on their list of priorities.

Finally, if you can’t find someone who can and will take on the task, consider using an outside Independent Information Professional to do this for you.

If none of these options works for you, you might as well cancel your subscriptions. You’ll save a lot of money, but you will lose your competitive edge … so you’ll make less money and … well, need I go on?

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While you’re in the considering mode, consider following the Desulfurization Blog (http://www.desulf.blogspot.com/). Better yet, consider adding the Desulfurization blog as an RSS Feed on your Intranet.