I  U  P  A  C






News & Notices

Organizations & People

Standing Committees

Divisions

Projects

Reports

Publications

Symposia

AMP

Links of Interest

Search the Site

Home Page

 

 

 News & Notices

President's Report on the State of the Union

6. IUPAC'S PUBLICATIONS

The principal output from much of the Union's scientific work is publications, particularly recommendations and reports from our Commissions and Committees, and lectures from IUPAC-sponsored symposia. Our broad publication program includes the journal Pure and Applied Chemistry, the news magazine Chemistry International, and a wide range of books, from the basic volumes on symbols, nomenclature, and terminology to compilations of evaluated data and specialty books of all sorts.

A number of significant events occurred in the publications area in 1998-1999. The special issue on "Natural and Anthropogenic Environmental Oestrogens--The Scientific Basis for Risk Assessment" was published as the September 1998 issue of Pure and Applied Chemistry. This effort was accomplished in collaboration with IUTOX and IUPHAR and supported by a grant from ICSU. In addition to the normal print run, the Union paid for an extra 2 000 copies to be printed. Of these, more than 1 000 have been sold to groups and individuals. In addition, copies have been distributed free to members of certain international organizations.

Four new volumes in the "Chemistry for the 21st Century" series have been published since the Geneva General Assembly: Molecular Electronics, Interfacial Science, Chemical Thermodynamics, and Transition Metal Catalysed Reactions. Three new nomenclature books were published in this period: Principles of Chemical Nomenclature: a Guide to IUPAC Recommendations; Compendium of Chemical Terminology, 2nd edition; and Compendium of Analytical Nomenclature (definitive rules 1997), 3rd edition. The IUPAC-sponsored series on Analytical and Physical Chemistry of Environmental Systems produced two new volumes: Structure and Surface Reactions of Soil Particles, Vol. 4 and Atmospheric Particles, Vol. 5.

Paid subscriptions to PAC continue to hold up better than for the average scientific journal. There were over 700 paid subscribers to PAC in 1998-1999. Twenty-three reports and recommendations and the proceedings of 16 IUPAC-sponsored symposia and conferences were published in PAC in 1998. In addition, the proceedings of six symposia were published in Macromolecular Chemistry and Physics. Chemistry International is distributed to over 6 000 subscribers, Fellows, and members of IUPAC bodies. This total includes the distribution of almost 400 copies gratis to scientists under 35 years of age in developing countries.

A major change was initiated in 1999 with the January issue of CI. From that date, IUPAC has acted as its own publisher. This statement means that IUPAC has taken responsibility for the copy editing, printing, and distribution of CI. Each of these functions has been contracted out. The result of this change is a lower cost of production and better control of the finished product.

Based on an analysis of the future of the scientific publishing market, the Committee on Printed and Electronic Publications recommended, and the Executive Committee approved, the change of PAC from having an official publisher to being published by IUPAC. The arrangement is similar to that described above for CI. The driving force for this change was the desire to achieve greater independence in how the Union approaches electronic publishing. The financial analysis indicated that there was little financial risk in this change.



Page last modified 30 June 1999.
Copyright ©1999 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
Questions or comments about IUPAC, please contact, the Secretariat.
Questions regarding the website, please contact Web Help.