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Our monthly round up of information and library developments to June 2008.
James Clayton Lectures
James Clayton Memorial Lectures dating back to 1997 plus the very first Clayton Lecture by Frank Whittle (1945) are now available on the Presidents' Choice website.
James Clayton (1869-1944) was a British mechanical engineer who played a great part in laying the foundation of the modern rayon industry. He bequeathed a considerable sum of money to the Institution for the purpose of encouraging mechanical engineering science. A biography and picture of Clayton is also available on Presdents' Choice.
New Books
To view our latest book purchases please visit our recent acquisitions page. Click on the book images for table of contents and summaries.
Book Purchasing Suggestions
The library team welcomes book purchasing suggestions from members. If there is a particular title you think we should have in our collection please email details to Mike Claxton at m_claxton@imeche.org. Please note that book purchases are dependent on library funds and the discretion of the Librarian.
Maternity Cover
Sarah Rogers is currently on maternity leave. Jane Trodd will be covering as Head of Library while Sarah is away.
Library and Archives Officer
We're pleased to announce that Fenella Philpot has now returned from maternity leave and is working as Library and Archives Officer. She is in the library on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Expanded Library Catalogue
We've just completed a data transfer project which has expanded our library catalogue. The following records have been imported:
Proceedings of the IMechE 1939-1984
Engineering in Medicine 1971-1988
Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science 1959-1982
IMechE Conference Proceedings 1963-1970
Automobile Division Proceedings 1948-1950
Our library catalogue can be searched online at http://62.173.95.116/webview/
New Subject Guides
The following subject guides are now available:
Process Industries guides (interactive):
Bulk materials handling
Food engineering
Offshore engineering
Oil, gas and chemicals
Pharmaceutical
Resources for Engineering Technicians  [197 KB]
New FAQs Page
The library has put together a Frequently Asked Questions webpage which provides answers to over 30 types of common enquiries from Adjudication to Work Placements. The page can be searched by subject or by browsing the list of questions.
New Cherry Hill Model
World renowned Model Engineer Cherry Hill has donated a new model of the 1857 Blackburn agricultural engine to the IMechE. The model is based on patents granted to Isaac and Robert Blackburn in 1857 and 1859, for ‘improvements in engines or implements to be employed in Agriculture, applicable also to the Transportation of Heavy Bodies, to the Traction of Carriages and the Conveyance of Passengers’. Information and drawings from The Engineer (1857) and Mechanics Magazin e (1857) were also used. The model, made to ¾ inch to the foot, consists of some 5200 components and won a Gold Medal at the 2005 Model Engineer Exhibition.
Snapshots
Free Market Research Reports
The Information and Library Service has teamed up with Snapshots to offer market research reports to members via the IMechE Virtual Library . The reports provide up-to-date statistical overviews of over 30 different industries in 40 different countries ranging from UK valves to Argentinian tractors. Information on the market trends, market size, key companies, segmentation and future forecasts is given. The service will help you assess the market potential of a particular sector to support strategic plans and business presentations. The service complements the online services already available in the Virtual Library, which include e-books, e-journals and technical databases. Please login to the Members' Area and select the Virtual Library menu option.
Syndetic Solutions - Enhanced Library Catalogue
We currently have a free trial to Syndetic Solutions which provides enhancements to our library catalogue . Users can view images of covers, tables of contents and summaries of books in our library.
Books24x7
A new ebook database, Books24x7 is now available in the Virtual Library . The service provides access to over 350 industry-leading reference books. In particular core business and management books are offered to support CPD learning. Members can read executive blueprints which cover best practices providing insight and guidance on pressing strategic issues. Members can also search, browse and view the complete contents of every book in the collection. Please login to the Members' Area and select the Virtual Library menu option.
Crosby Paintings
A number of original paintings from IMechE's archive collection have recently been restored. These include five by Frederick Gordon Crosby (1885-1943), one of the greatest motoring artists of the classic car era. As a resident artist for The Autocar magazine, Crosby witnessed and recorded the exploits of the most legendary figures of racing. These beautiful artworks which capture the excitement of motor racing's golden years will now be available for all visitors to Birdcage Walk to view in the newly created Crosby Room on the ground floor of the building. There are limited prints available from the IMechE library. For further information please visit the Crosby Prints webpage.
Industry Subject Guides
New interactive subject guides are now available online:
Aerospace
Automobile
Combustion, engines and fuels
Construction & building services
Energy, environment & sustainability
Fluid machinery
Management
Manufacturing
Mechatronics, informatics & control
Medical engineering
Pressure systems
Process industries
Safety & reliability
Structural technology & materials
Thermofluids
Tribology
The guides highlight sources of information available in the library, within the Institution in general and list selected websites. Subjects and titles of books are hyperlinked to relevant records on the library catalogue.
George Stephenson Lectures
George Stephenson Lectures dating back to 1997 have been added to Presidents' Choice and can be downloaded for free. The George Stephenson Lecture is one of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers' most important lecture series. In recent years it has become the tradition that the President of the Institution presents this lecture. To date it has been presented in more than thirteen different countries around the world and has encompassed wide ranging topics such as education, alternative engines, offshore engineering, railway engineering and pressure vessel technology.
Picture Gallery
Access to the Picture Gallery is currently unavailable from the Library webpages as it's being enhanced to offer a greater number of images and improved search facilities.
New Postcards
The following postcards have been created using images in our collection:
Postcard 1
Viaduct across the Sankey Valley, Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 1831.
Postcard 2
Forward checking drum of the Great Eastern, 1857.
Postcard 3
Installing turbogenerator insulation, Parsons’ Heaton Works,1927.
Postcard 4
The Bournemouth , built for the Festival of Britain,1951.
Postcard 5
'The Progress of Steam - A View in Regent Park 1831’. Henry Thomas Alken, 1828.
Postcard 6
British Empire trophy race at Donnington [detail]. F Gordon Crosby, 1938.
If you would like free copies of these postcards please contact mailto:library@imeche.org or tel: +44 (0)20 7973 1274.
10 Reasons why You should use the IMechE Library Service in 2008
Reason 1
It's your library too! We provide a service for both staff and members.
Reason 2
Friendly, professional staff dedicated to answering your enquiries
Reason 3
A quiet space to work without distractions
Reason 4
Daily newspapers and magazines to browse in our sofa area. Plus new coffee machine!
Reason 5
Fact-finding research service – just contact a member of ILS staff. We can help you find statistics, industry reports, mailing lists, company information, biographies and much more.
Reason 6
We can get you books or articles for your professional development or to help you in your work.
Reason 7
Historical information and archives about IMechE, past members and famous engineers
Reason 8
All IMechE proceedings, seminars, conferences & lectures from 1847 to today
Reason 9
The Virtual Library allows you to access information from your own desktop
Reason 10
High quality reference collection (including company directories, dictionaries, biographies, quotations, correct forms of address, engineering statistics and salary surveys).
We look forward to hearing from you soon. Please complete the online enquiry form or forward your enquiries or comments to mailto:library@imeche.org, tel: +44 (0)20 7973 1274. You are also welcome to visit us in person!
Virtual Library Posters
Three new posters have been developed to promote the Virtual Library . If you would like copies of these posters please contact the library at mailto:library@imeche.org or tel: +44 (0)20 7973 1274.
Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Current issues of the Proceedings are available to Members. To access the Proceedings, log on to the Members’ Area of the IMechE website and click on Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
For more information about the Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, please see the Professional Engineering Publishing website.
EBSCO Business Source is part of the Virtual Library.
The database allows Members to search across 9,000 full-text publications and download, save or print entire articles, papers and reports for free from their own desktop. Business Source Corporate hosts thousands of full-text magazines and trade journals, as well as peer-reviewed academic journals, including such titles as Ergonomics and International Journal of Production Research.
To access EBSCO Business Source Corporate simply log on to the Members’ Area of the IMechE website and click on Virtual Library. For more information about using EBSCO, please see the EBSCO Business Source user guide (839 kb).
If you have any questions or suggestions concerning the Library webpages please contact Katherine Dike, Information Officer, at k_dike@imeche.org or telephone +44 (0)20 7304 6857
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