We developed a project utilizing the local form/genre heading, "property data," and specific subheadings to help chemists, engineers, and those librarians assisting them to more easily locate library resources containing chemical and physical properties of substances. This article describes the project and examines possibilities for improving access to physical sciences literature in relation to Library of Congress Subject Headings and ongoing developments in authority records for form/genre terms. It also introduces functionality of such headings in the new "next generation" catalogs.

The MetaLib Library Portal (MetaLib) is a federated search tool that enables simultaneous searching of multiple electronic resources in a single interface and provides links to resources' native interfaces. Many libraries have already implemented this library portal or various components of it. Prior to launching MetaLib at the University of Florida, the authors conducted a usability study to ensure MetaLib features implemented were appropriate for UF's research community. A total of fifteen faculty researchers and graduate and undergraduate students participated in testing and discussing the product during the spring 2006

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For years chemistry librarians have employed both dynamic (e.g., http://www.lib.utexas.edu/thermodex/) and static (e.g., http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/science/property.htm) web pages to help users find property data in the library. Often these web pages replicate much of the information found in the library catalog. In an effort to reduce duplication and make property information easier to find we separated our property data web page into two separate components. First, we created a local form/genre subject heading for property data in the catalog and applied it to selected books from the collection thus taking advantage of the search capabilities of the catalog. Second, we redesigned the web page so it primarily links to online property information. Short instructions for finding print property information via the catalog are also included. This approach allows us to leverage the strengths of each medium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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