crc handbook of chemistry and physics

CRC HANDBOOK OF
CHEMISTRY AND
PHYSICS:
90 EDITIONS AND STILL GOING
STRONG
Fiona Macdonald, Taylor and Francis
Outline
Early beginnings
  Archive highlights
  Growth of the Handbook
  The Handbook Editors
  Notable contributors
  A family affair – the Starkoff years
  What the future holds
 
Early beginnings
ca.1903
Company founded by
Arthur Friedman +
brothers Leo and
Emanuel
  28 April 1913
First edition of
Handbook of Chemistry
and Physics published
 
Growth of the Handbook
 
1913, 1st edition
 
 
1924, 10th edition
 
 
1965 pp
1948, 30th edn
 
 
915 pp
1935, 20th edition
 
 
116 pp
2704 pp
2009, 90th edn
 
2804 pp
From the Preface of Lange’s Handbook of
Chemistry, 1st edition
“This book is the result of a number of years’
experience in the compiling and editing of data
useful to chemists”
“Many years of occupation with this type of
work bring a realization of the opportunities for
the occurrence of errors..”
Norbert A. Lange, Cleveland, Ohio, 1934
The Handbook Editors-in-Chief
William R. Veazey 1913-1914
 Charles D. Hodgman 1914-1953
 Robert C. Weast 1964-1989
 David R. Lide 1990-2009
 W.M. “Mickey” Haynes 2009 - ?
 
The Editor in action
From the Preface of the
th
89
edition
As a teenager, I was crazy about chemistry and with my student
pass on Cleveland’s public transportation system I was able to
visit any place in town, including the Chemical Rubber
Company’s retail outlet. While purchasing chemicals for my
own use I noticed a CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
on sale for $0.25. It was a defective copy but the clerk
mentioned that the missing pages might be available from the
gentleman whose office was up one flight of stairs. There, I
met Charles D. Hodgman, the CRC Handbook’s Editor-in-Chief.
In addition to getting the missing pages, I also received some
rare and welcome encouragement toward a career in
chemistry.
 
Elmer Fridrich, inventor of the quartz halogen lamp
Dr David R Lide
B.S. Chemistry, Carnegie Inst
Technol
  M.A. Physics, Harvard
  Ph.D. Chemical Physics, Harvard
  Former Director, NIST Standard
Reference Data Program
  1988, Herman Skolnik Award in
Chemical Information
 
Our new Editor-in-Chief
Dr William “Mickey”
Haynes
  Ph.D. Physics Univ Virginia
  Former Chief, Physical and
Chemical Properties
Division, NIST
  Editor Int. J. Thermophys.
st
  Takes charge from 91
edition
 
Notable contributors
Glenn T Seaborg – nuclear chemist,
1951 Nobel Laureate
 Carl ‘Speed’ Marvel –polymer
chemist
 James van Allen – space scientist
 
CRC – A Family Affair
Founded by Arthur Friedman
 Succeeded by his daughter Florence
and her husband Bernard Starkoff
 Publishing business expanded
 Relocated company to Boca Raton,
Florida
 
Going electronic
1999 Handbook web version
launched - Knovel
 2004 Revamped web version
launched – in house
 2009 Structure searching
enhancements - ChemAxon
 
Looking ahead
 
 
 
Other formats
Enhanced web content vs print
constraints
How do we know what to leave out?
Wordcloud – Handbook search terms
Wordle.net
Acknowledgements
Rob Doischen, CRC Press –
Photography
 Joyce Lucas, CRC Press – Company
history
 Robert Morris, CRC Press – Usage
statistics
 
And finally…
Champagne and cake
reception
 Tuesday August 18th
 2.30 pm
 CRC Booth #2021
