Chemical Abstracts Service research activities

Chemical Abstracts (CA) has a large staff of abstractors, well over 2000. These chemists constitute a representative group because all kinds of chemists are needed in approximate proportion to the research activities in the various branches or fields of chemistry. One or more section editors, each well informed in the field of his section, are in charge of the 33 sections and 19 subsections of CA. rhe abstractors and section editors, active specialists in many kinds of chemical work, are often consulted as to matters of policy, so that right in the CA family the editor has users of CA regularly available for consultation and advice. In addition, many others are consulted and many write to tell of their needs. Carefully worded and distributed questionnaires have been sent out from time to time from the CA office. In 1958 a professional information service (Herner Co.) made an extensive interview study of the use of CA. Listening is a source of growth. 

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