If you use the Journal's Reader Service Card to get product information - and we hope that you do - here is good news. Now you can get the information you need even faster. We realize that you are often on a very tight deadline to make purchases and therefore want service faster than that of the U.S. Postal Service. Several months ago we added a FAX number, and with this issue we have added email service. Simply email your request to berkcomp@aol.com, make the subject line JCE, 1/97 (for something in the January 1997 issue), and format your message as follows:

1st line: your name and address information

2nd line: your telephone and FAX numbers

3rd line: the requested item numbers for which you want information, separated by commas

4th line: your responses to our survey questions at the right of the form, separated by dashes or slashes

Remember that there are two other parts to this Reader Service card: subscriptions, including new and gift subscriptions, and a place for your comments, change in mailing address, and/or request for more informationall postage paid. We and our advertisers hope to hear from you.

Textbook Reviews

If you are looking for reviews of textbooks, they are in a different section beginning with this issue: Information · Textbooks · Media · Resources. Here you can expect to find reviews of texts and publications in other media that are related to student course work. For instance, in this issue there are reviews of two biochemistry textbooks. You can find them, as well as Ed Walsh's Mission Statement for Book and Media Reviews, beginning on page 189.

We also have the promise of related good things to come: reviews of books about chemistry or science in general, personal reactions to materials, letters concerning reviews. These will appear in the Chemical Education Today section, where books that are more general than textbooks naturally fit. In order to make all of this happen, Ed Walsh and the group of associate book/media review editors need the help of conscientious and knowledgable readers. If you have the interest and some time to carry it forth, contact him with information about yourself

CUR Joins Association Reports

This month marks the first in what promises to be a series of regular reports from CUR, the Council of Undergraduate Research. Judith Halstead, our correspondent, will convey to Journal readers information about CUR that is of general interest, as well as being of special interest to those teaching in liberal arts colleges. She joins our group that now covers AAAS, 2YC3, ACS, and the National Science Board. We would like to have reporters from NSTA and other associations of teachers, too. Any volunteers?

Who Reads the Journal?

About a year ago the Journal surveyed its readers to assess who you are and to better meet your needs. Surveys were mailed to several thousand subscriberspartly because the McNeill Group, our new advertising managers, had just come on board, but also because it had been many years since our previous survey. Here are a few of the things we learned.

· Organization where you work: 30% secondary school; 50% 4-year college or university; 10% 2-year college; 7% industry/government.

· Activities that are part of your work: 70% teaching; 38% research or development; 30% administration/management; 13% consulting.

· Which activities take the majority of your working time: 80% teaching; 7% administration/management; 8% research or development.

· How many cumulative years of teaching experience you have: 3% never taught; 9% 1­5 years; 13% 6­10 years; 9% 11­15 years; 64% more than 15 years.

· How many cumulative years of teaching chemistry: 3% have not taught chemistry; 10% 1­5 years; 13% 6­10 years; 9% 11­15 years; 61% more than 15 years.

· Area of most interest: 39% introductory chemistry; 47% advanced chemistry (e.g. inorganic, organic, biochemistry, analytical, physical); 1% physics; 10% education.

· Area used most: 48% introductory chemistry; 42% advanced chemistry (e.g. inorganic, organic, biochemistry, analytical, physical); 8% education.

· Number of students taught each semester or quarter: 3% 1­20; 18% 21­50; 41% 51­100; 26% 101­300; 1% >300; 9% don't teach.

· What change, if any, you anticipate in your position and/or work environment during the next two years: 84% same position at the same institution; 7% different position at the same institution; 5% same position at a different institution; 5% different position at a different institution.

There are additional interesting findings to report: what you purchase, how you use and save Journal copies, what access you have to technology. We will continue this report next month with those and other tidbits.

Thank You, Reviewers: Continued!

In last month's issue we issued a blanket thank you to all of the hundreds of reviewers who provide the basis for decisions about publication in the Journal. While we made a valiant attempt at listing all of their names, we merely got through the Ds. Keep looking as we march through the alphabet. If you find that we have missed you, just let us know so we can remedy that situation.