Journals
The arrangement of the journals is in an alphabetical order according to the oldest title the library possesses. The journals are located in the upper floor and the basement. The shelf mark always starts the letters ZZ followed by a number.
All journals with the shelf mark ZZ 1231 and above are placed in the basement. You can read and copy journals but you cannot borrow them
There are some rows which in library terms are really journals but which, at the request of the scientific staff, have been assigned as lendable.
Look in the Online Catalogue for the collections size of our periodicals.
We also offer a lot of electronic journals. You may have access to the full text a journal via EZB (electronic journals library). There you will find English explanations, too.
Shelf mark examples for periodicals:
| ZZ 410 | Chemische Berichte (formerly Berichte der Deutschen Chemischen Gesellsachft) |
| VA 1110 / -66 | Volume 66 of “Topics in Current Chemistry” |
| VK 5500 /5 -1985 | Volume 1985 of „Annual Reports in Organic Synthesis“ (It is the fifth series in Organic Syntheses (VK 5500) we own) |
Monographs
In the PMC we have classified monographs so that all books on one topic can be found at the same location in the library.
When the library was founded, we looked for a classification convenient for all the natural sciences. We chose the RVK (Regensburger Verbundklassifikation) which was modified and enlarged especially for chemical research areas in Mainz.
Different letters are assigned to the different natural sciences:
S = Mathematics
T = Natural sciences in general
Here you can find the complete classification of general natural sciences here (in German)
U = Physics
V = Chemistry and Pharmacy
Classification of chemistry and pharmacy
W Biology
Structure of our shelf marks:
Here is the example for:
Neumüller, Otto-Albrecht: Römpps Chemie-Lexikon. - Stuttgart: Franckh
1. A - Cl
8., neubearb. und erw. Aufl. - 1979
768 S. : Ill., graph. Darst.
Literaturangaben
ISBN: 3-440-04511-0
Shelf mark:
VC 1000 ROE1 -1 (8) +2
| VC 1000 | general chemistry, reference works |
| ROE | letter 1-3 of the author’s or editor’s name (Roempp) or in rare cases of the title |
| 1 | the first book with the above mentioned letters |
| -1 | volume 1 |
| (8) | eighth edition |
| +2 | second copy |
Handbooks
The important handbooks of chemical substances: Beilstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry und Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry, are part of the divisional library PMC. Further handbooks deal with organic synthesis, e.g. Houben-Weyl.
Beilstein
Beilstein Handbook of Organic Chemistry contains physical and chemical properties of organic compounds. Konrad Beilstein published the first edition (two volumes) in 1881-1883.
The fourth edition has been printed since 1918, the data published over set periods in the scientific literature. The complete work consists of six series (Basic Series and 5 Supplementary Series) covering the literature until 1979. The fifth Supplementary Series contains literature on heterocyclic compounds only.
There is a brochure „How to use Beilstein?“ which helps you to find the compound you are looking for. A big part of Beilstein is in German, but because of little text and many facts and references are given, it is easy to understand with the help of a special Beilstein dictionary. Beilstein Dictionary
Shelf mark: VA 1060
Gmelin
Gmelin Handbook of Inorganic and Organometallic Chemistry compiles physical and chemical properties of inorganic and organometallic compounds including ceramics, alloys, and minerals. You also find information on history, occurrence, and isolation in a pure state of all chemical elements.
The first edition was published by Leopold Gmelin in 1817-1819 (3 volumes). Today more than 500 volumes of the 8th edition are published. It started in 1924 with main and sometimes supplementary volumes of the different elements. Inorganic compounds are described under whichever of its elements has the highest Gmelin system number. The brochure „This is Gmelin“ will assist you in the search.
Since 1981 Gmelin has been published in English. (about 250 volumes)
Shelf mark: VA 1030
Houben-Weyl: Methods of Organic Chemistry
Houben-Weyl is a standard reference work for chemists engaged in organic synthesis. In volumes on compound classes preparative methods are treated. Tables compare examples of the most important methods. The extensive use of formula schemes help make the German-language volumes more readily understandable to non-German readers.
Basic Principles
Houben-Weyl is structured according to the type of product formed. Only the principal function is considered; other functions present are normally disregarded.
The principal function is defined by the level of oxidation, substitution, or saturation of the carbon atom(s) to be considered. In general, higher oxidation levels have priority over lower ones and heterofunctional atoms or groups are classified by the following list of priorities:
CX3 > CX > C=C > C=C > C-C
Hal(F>J) > OH > OX(F > O > N) > OR > S > N > P
(X=Hal, O, S, Se, Te, N, P)
Transformations (conversions) of the principal functional group are illustrated by typical or general examples and presented as a methodological overview with cross reference to other Houben-Weyl volumes.
Shelf mark Houben-Weyl: VK 3500; 147 volumes
How to use Houben-Weyl
First look at the Index volumes to the base set (Vol. XVI, 1 / XVI, 2a / XVI, 2b) which gives quick (but not comprehensive) access to the complete series up to 1985. (Volumes I – XV, und E1 – E5 sowie E11)
XVI, Part 1 Index of general chemical methods
pp. 1 – 25 procedures for compound classes
pp. 26 – 689 procedures for ca. 100.000 single compounds
XVI, Part 2a Index of compound classes
pp. XIII – XV classification in 240 compound classes
pp. XV – CCXXIX classification in 20 000 subclasses
pp 1 – 805 20.000 compound classes and subclasses
XVI, Part 2b Index of cyclic compounds according to ring size
pp. 1 – 514 monocyclic compounds 3 to 18 ring atoms
pp. 515 – 767 bicyclic compounds 3,3 to 8,8 ring atoms
pp. 768 – 941 tricyclic compounds 3,3,3 to 8,8,8 ring atoms
pp. 942 – 1072 tetra- to polycyclic compounds
pp. 1090 – 1140 spiro compounds
pp. 1140 - 1142 catenans / rotoxans
pp. 1142 – 1178 steroids
pp. 1179 – 1198 name reactiones
Here ...> you can find the volume list of Houben-Weyl.
Bibliographies
In chemistry we now have two large bibliographies:
Chemisches Zentralblatt
The Chemisches Zentralblatt is the oldest bibliography in chemistry. It was founded in 1830 in Leipzig and has very high quality abstracts.
The World War II caused a lot of troubles to the publishers and the production was finally closed down in 1969.
Until 1939 there are five-year-indexes of authors, subjects, molecular formulas, and patents, then you will find annual indexes only.
The Chemisches Zentralblatt is in German.
Collection size: 44.1873 - 45.1874; 49.1878; 54.1883 - 55.1884; 66.1895 - 140.1969
Shelf mark: ZZ 4710
Chemical Abstracts
Chemical abstracts is the largest chemical bibliography and was founded 1907 by the American Chemical Society. Chemical abstracts’ aim is to record the complete chemical literature all over the world. To find the information you are searching for, you need an extensive number of indexes.
There are ten-year-indexes, five-year-indexes as well as volume indexes (two volumes were published per year) of authors, subjects, molecular formulas, substances, chemical names, patents, and an index guide to identify the subject headings..
Collection size: 14.1920 - 141.2004
Shelf mark: BIBLIOGRAPHIE