Wednesday, October 11, 2006

EPSRC to stop funding the Chemical Database Service

EPSRC has today announced that the Chemical Database Service (CDS) is to close on 31 March 2007. The full announcement is on the EPSRC website:
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/ResearchFunding/Programmes/Chemistry/NCS.htm

What does this mean for you, the user?
Until 31st March 2007 - all existing services will continue.
From 1st April 2007 -
If you use the
* Cambridge Structural Database
* Inorganic Chemistry Structural Database
* DETHERM, the thermo physical properties database
the EPSRC will continue to provide access until at least 2010. A procurement process is underway to provide such a service. Access to any other components of the CDS will not be available through a national service. CDS will be exploring the continuation of provision of other components, in particular the synthetic organic reaction databases, the Available Chemicals Directory and spectroscopy data. This may well involve a subscription only service after 1st April 2007. However it would require buy-in from a significant proportion of the community to be viable. We will be examining this option in detail in the very near future.

Questions or comments about the EPSRC decision should be addressed to: Carmine.Ruggiero@epsrc.ac.uk
Queries about specific data or components of the Service should be sent to CDS: cdsbb@dl.ac.uk

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