:: The fourth edition of Information Sources in Engineering¹, published in 2005 by Saur, and edited by Roddy MacLeod and Jim Corlett, has finally arrived on my desk. It is a massive work at 683 pages, and is part of the series, Guides to Information Sources.

The third edition of this title, edited by KW Mildren and PJ Hicks, appeared in 1996, and was divided into three sections, totalling 36 chapters: primary information sources (reports, standards, patents and patent information, journals, conferences and theses, and product information), secondary information sources (abstracts, indexes, bibliographies and reviews, electronic sources, and standard reference sources), and 27 chapters on specialized subject fields such as stress analysis, robotics and automated manufacturing, and thermodynamics and thermal systems. The fourth edition of Information Sources in Engineering expands somewhat on the primary and secondary information sources, while condensing the specialized subject fields of engineering to the more traditional disciplines such as chemical, civil, environmental, materials, mechanical, and so on.

The book opens with a chapter on engineers and their information needs. Martin Ward provides a useful introduction to engineers, covering their role in society, themes and aspects common to engineerings, and comparisons with scientists. He addresses theory and practice, and gives extensive coverage to the engineering knowledge base, examining its contents and the engineers' use of knowledge resources. I was surprised to find no references to the Tenopir and King book, Communication Patterns of Engineers², published in December 2003, or to Thomas Pinelli's article, "Distinguishing Engineers from Scientists - The Case for an Engineering Knowledge Community"³, which appeared in the Vol. 21, No 3/4 2001 issue of Science and Technology Libraries. Perhaps neither was available before the chapter was completed. Regardless, no mention of either article does not detract from Ward's excellent introduction.

The twelve chapters that follow discuss in detail different categories of primary and secondary engineering information sources, including: journals and e-journals, reports, theses and research in progress, conferences, patents, standards, product information, electronic full-text sources, abstracts and indexes, bibliographies and reviews, internet resources, reference sources, and professional societies. Such an approach exposes the reader to the wide variety of categories and formats covering primary and secondary engineering literature.

The final fourteen chapters cover the main subject areas of engineering: aerospace and defence, bioengineering/biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical/electronic/computer, engineering design, environmental, manufacturing, materials, mechanical, mining and mineral process, nanotechnology, occupational safety and health, and petroleum and offshore engineering. The most extensive subject coverage is provided in the chapters on aerospace and defence (43 pages), civil (39 pages), materials (45 pages), and mechanical (54 pages long.) These and most other chapters include information on specific resources such as handbooks and manuals, indexes and abstracts, standards, directories, monographs, important journal and serial publications, statistical information, etc.