CRC HANDBOOK OF CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS:
90 EDITIONS AND STILL GOING STRONG Fiona Macdonald, Taylor and Francis
Outline Early beginnings Archive highlights Growth of the Handbook The Handbook Editors Notable contributors A family affair – the Starkoff years What the future holds
Early beginnings ca.1903 Company founded by Arthur Friedman + brothers Leo and Emanuel  28 April 1913 First edition of Handbook of Chemistry and Physics published 
Growth of the Handbook
1913, 1st edition
1924, 10th edition
1965 pp
1948, 30th edn
915 pp
1935, 20th edition
116 pp
2704 pp
2009, 90th edn
2804 pp
From the Preface of Lange’s Handbook of Chemistry, 1st edition “This book is the result of a number of years’ experience in the compiling and editing of data useful to chemists” “Many years of occupation with this type of work bring a realization of the opportunities for the occurrence of errors..” Norbert A. Lange, Cleveland, Ohio, 1934
The Handbook Editors-in-Chief William R. Veazey 1913-1914 Charles D. Hodgman 1914-1953 Robert C. Weast 1964-1989 David R. Lide 1990-2009 W.M. “Mickey” Haynes 2009 - ?
The Editor in action
From the Preface of the
th 89
edition
As a teenager, I was crazy about chemistry and with my student pass on Cleveland’s public transportation system I was able to visit any place in town, including the Chemical Rubber Company’s retail outlet. While purchasing chemicals for my own use I noticed a CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics on sale for $0.25. It was a defective copy but the clerk mentioned that the missing pages might be available from the gentleman whose office was up one flight of stairs. There, I met Charles D. Hodgman, the CRC Handbook’s Editor-in-Chief. In addition to getting the missing pages, I also received some rare and welcome encouragement toward a career in chemistry.
Elmer Fridrich, inventor of the quartz halogen lamp
Dr David R Lide B.S. Chemistry, Carnegie Inst Technol M.A. Physics, Harvard Ph.D. Chemical Physics, Harvard Former Director, NIST Standard Reference Data Program 1988, Herman Skolnik Award in Chemical Information
Our new Editor-in-Chief
Dr William “Mickey” Haynes Ph.D. Physics Univ Virginia Former Chief, Physical and Chemical Properties Division, NIST Editor Int. J. Thermophys. Takes charge from 91st edition
Notable contributors Glenn T Seaborg – nuclear chemist, 1951 Nobel Laureate Carl ‘Speed’ Marvel –polymer chemist James van Allen – space scientist
CRC – A Family Affair Founded by Arthur Friedman Succeeded by his daughter Florence and her husband Bernard Starkoff Publishing business expanded Relocated company to Boca Raton, Florida
Going electronic 1999 Handbook web version launched - Knovel 2004 Revamped web version launched – in house 2009 Structure searching enhancements - ChemAxon
Looking ahead
Other formats Enhanced web content vs print constraints How do we know what to leave out?
Wordcloud – Handbook search terms
Wordle.net
Acknowledgements Rob Doischen, CRC Press – Photography Joyce Lucas, CRC Press – Company history Robert Morris, CRC Press – Usage statistics