Steps for Finding Chemical Info
This works most of the time it will, but come see me if you have problems.
1. Search for your chemical in Wikipedia. This is perfect for background info and will list their sources of information. For example, I searched for "Aspirin" in Wikipedia.
2. There is a ton of historical info. Find the Chemical Abstract Society (CAS) Number in the box to right side of the screen. For example, the CAS number for aspirin is (50-78-2). If you are lucky, it may list and link to the PubChem number (2244). If not, go to the next step and open PubChem.
3. Open PubChem and search for the CAS Number. It will likely be the first item if you have multiple results. The right navigation bar lists information, including a Literature section for chemical use and impact on our society.
4. Make sure to search the Library's catalog to find print books and ebooks. For example, I search for "aspirin" and limited my results to print or ebooks, yet I had over 15,000 items dealing with aspirin. I jotted down a few call numbers, then went upstairs and found a book or two on my topic.
