The road to the Century of Science™
Phil Heller, Publisher Relations and Senior Director
Linkage Business Development, Thomson Scientific
February 2006
Backfile data serves as the foundation for today’s research knowledge - and is an important component of the comprehensive information solutions from Thomson Scientific. Prior to 2005, Web of Science® data was available back to 1945, but it was clear that customer interest in earlier research was high. The Century of Science initiative within the Web of Science component of ISI Web of Knowledge addresses this need - extending customers’ access to valuable research information back to 1900.
Responding to customer need
Customer interest in additional backfiles has long been evident. During customer meetings we asked informal questions regarding the value of backfiles - almost everyone we spoke to was interested in the project. We quickly learned that libraries have long understood the value of legacy data, but found it difficult to bring this content to users.
Identifying highly-cited backfiles
Our first step was to estimate the amount of content to index. We knew we wanted a multidisciplinary database that would be consistent with our other backfiles. We used citation analysis - the foundation of ISI® and still an essential component of Thomson Scientific to this day - to select over 200,000 items that had been cited in the period 1900-1944.
Our next objective was to narrow this selection down to a list of 2,000 titles that received 50 or more citations. This was difficult due to the lack of standards in citation practice. Today’s standards of scientific publishing were not followed in the early 20th century. Many authors such as Einstein would refer to “the work” as opposed to a journal or article title, assuming that everyone knew what they were referring to!
Further refinement narrowed the list to include only journals containing five or more articles, with 100 or more citations or journals with more than 1,500 cites.
Compiling “must-have” titles; refining the selection
During the selection process, our editorial team began evaluating and compiling a core “must-have” list. There were certain titles that we expected - correctly, as it turned out - to be easily identified. This list of 50 “must have” titles included influential journals such as Nature, Science, The Lancet, and Journal of Biological Chemistry.
In order to ensure a truly representative selection, further journal evaluation and selection was necessary. Geographic patterns and a meaningful balance across scientific disciplines were important considerations. For example, there are fewer cites to zoology or botany articles than to biology or chemistry. Therefore we weighted citations by discipline. We also refined the data down to the geographical level to ensure diversity and avoid a list of journals from only English-speaking countries.
Covering over 250 disciplines
After this process of analysis and refinement, we selected over 250 journals for inclusion in Century of Science. By discipline, these journals cover:
- Physical-Chemical-Mathematical Sciences & Engineering - 35%
- Biology & Life Sciences - 30%
- Medicine - 30%
- Multidisciplinary Sciences - 5%
Acquiring backfiles with the help of our partners
Where was the best place to go for historic and well-cared-for publications? First, we enlisted the help of publishers, who showed interest in helping us find and acquire backfile material. We received electronic or print content from publishers such as American Institute of Physics, American Physical Society, various publishers on Highwire, Institute of Physics, and others.
We also reached out to libraries worldwide, and found that many were willing to loan us the historic archives we sought - but there were issues that needed to be considered. Some of the material was very delicate and required special handling. So we purchased a specialized book scanner that enabled us to photocopy materials without putting stress on the spine. Also, many materials could not be on loan for the life of the project.
Next, we needed to develop a quick strategy on a practical, mutually beneficial way to work with the library community.
The detailed and crucial work of scanning, translating, and indexing Century of Science material was being done at the Thomson Scientific facility in Limerick, Ireland. We had an existing relationship with Trinity College in Dublin and the University of Cork. These institutions played a key role in assisting with the development of Century of Science.
We also worked with universities close to our Philadelphia office - such as Temple University, University of Pennsylvania and the College of Physicians of Philadelphia - allowing us to inventory the content in Philadelphia. However, we knew that we would need more help and looked for other universities willing and able to assist in the project.
Princeton University in the US was and still is a great partner in this initiative. The University of Heidelberg contributed important German journals, and Moorfield Eye Hospital in the UK also participated. Waseda University in Japan loaned us journals in chemistry, engineering and physics. Some of the other universities that helped make Century of Science a reality included the University of Uppsala in Sweden, and the Library of the Royal Society of Chemistry in the UK.
A successful debut; a promising future
During the acquisition and production process, customers became eager to have access to this new content. We achieved our target launch date of January 2005 and Century of Science was immediately very well received in academic markets worldwide, with institutions in the US, Australia, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, the UK, and more signing up. The success of Century of Science has been very rewarding to all who contributed so much to the project, and just one year later we are looking forward to announcing our 100th customer shortly.
Additional information
Testimonial
“Century of Science gives our researchers a different advantage,” says Kyushu University Vice President Setsuo Arikawa.
“Our users access relevant, historical materials through Century of Science. They see how academic fields were born and how materials have been used.”
“For Web of Science with Century of Science, Thomson has compiled the ‘core’ of research. Whichever area researchers focus on, they now can understand the history of their modern science, which, in essence, allows them to begin a new ‘flow’ of research. For this reason, Century of Science helps us increase the quality of the work we do.”
Testimonial
“The history of science provides the legacy upon which modern scientific research is based,” said Sul H. Lee, Dean of University Libraries for the University of Oklahoma.
“Century of Science is a very important addition to our online collections. The data the collection offers is essential information for understanding modern scientific growth and achievement in virtually every field of study. Also, in many instances, such as natural history, early sources are still cited in current research.”
“And because it has been so carefully constructed by Thomson Scientific, we know that Century of Science contains essential material of use to a wide variety of researchers. This product is a window into the core literature from the first half of the 20th century.”
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