With multiple ways to access information and refine search results, ASM Handbooks Online is a valuable resource for materials researchers and students, despite some problematic links and search results
The ASM Handbooks Online database provides digital access to the full 43-volume collection of handbooks published by ASM International (formally American Society of Metals, ASM) covering information on metal and non-metal materials including properties, processes, and performance for engineers, material scientists, researchers, and students. Subscribers to the ASM Handbooks Online can search and access full handbooks, individual chapters, images, and datasets. Updated and revised handbooks and chapters are added to the platform periodically. With multiple ways to access information, including a user-friendly way to navigate the handbooks and refine search results, this database is a highly valuable resource for researchers and students.
The ASM Handbooks Online provides online access to the multiple volumes of handbooks published by ASM International, “the world’s largest and most established materials information society,” covering information on metals and materials technology (ASM International, 2023a). The intended audience for these handbooks includes researchers, students, and professionals working in engineering and materials science industries. ASM Handbooks “have been key information resources for the materials engineering community ever since 1923,” beginning with a volume titled Handbook of the American Society for Steel Treating (ASM International, 2023b). From this first single volume, the handbooks developed into a series of volumes called the Metals Handbook until the name was changed in 1991 to the ASM Handbook “to reflect the increasing coverage of polymers, ceramics, and composite materials” (ASM International, 2023b).
The ASM Handbooks Online database includes the full set of handbooks, currently 43 volumes, as well as two ASM desk editions: Engineered Materials Handbook Desk Edition, which provides information on non-metallic engineering materials, and Metals Handbook Desk Edition, 2nd Edition, a reference source on metals and their alloys. These two desk editions provide engineering property data and information on the structure and properties of materials and outline fabrication methods for materials. The 43 volumes of the handbook series contain “peer-reviewed, trusted information in every area of materials engineering” (ASM International, 2023b).
Individual volumes cover specific materials and materials processes and characterizations. Within each volume, the information is broken into chapters covering specific material properties, processes, performance, and evaluation. Users can access individual chapters directly and view titles, authors, and abstracts to help navigate topics. In total the handbook series includes “over 35,000 pages of articles, illustrations, tables, graphs, specifications and practical examples” (ASM International, 2023c). As volumes are updated and added to the collection of handbooks, the online library updates the materials available to users, marking those as “New Volume” or “New Article,” or pointing users to “Updated Edition Preview Articles.”
Access to the ASM Handbooks Online is user-friendly and simple. Once a subscription is purchased, users receive a direct link to access the handbooks. The website for the handbooks is housed within the ASM Digital Library site, which includes several other databases provided by ASM International that require additional subscription. The ASM Handbooks Online landing page includes a search bar, a link to “Handbooks by Volume,” and a link to the “Explore Subjects” feature, which allows users several options to search available content. Users can also choose to search beyond the offerings of the handbooks by changing the drop-down menu next to the search bar from the “Handbook” default to include either “All Content” or “All Books.” To the left of the search bar, there is also a drop-down menu that allows users to access the list of databases, journals, magazines, and books that ASM International publishes. These pages, although linked from the ASM Handbooks Online site, require an additional subscription.
The main search bar on the top of the page, set at the default “Handbooks,” allows users to do a general search for author names, materials, and subject keywords. As users begin to type in this search bar, an autocomplete feature will provide suggestions of common search terms. A link to the right of the search bar allows users to access an advanced search. The advanced search page gives users the option to conduct a keyword search, author search, and article search while filtering the results. Users should note that in an advanced search, the results expand beyond the handbooks to the full ASM Digital Library, much of which will not be included in the ASM Handbooks Online subscription. As such, it is advisable for users to begin with the general search bar.
Search results are displayed by relevance, but this default can be adjusted through a drop-down menu to organize results from newest to oldest or vice versa. The format types available in the search include “Book,” “Book Chapter,” or “Image” and are listed on the top of each result. “Book Chapter” and “Image” results include publication date, a short description or abstract, and image previews and also list the specific handbook or chapters they are from. The left side of the results page allows users to add to or change their search, a much better option for more complex searching than the database’s advanced search page. Filters are also available on the left side of the page. Users can filter results by the three format choices, topics, the book series the results appear in, date range, and availability. The topic filter can be explored through taxonomy drop down menus, giving users the ability to refine the results.
The user can also forgo the search all together and explore the handbooks using either the “Handbooks by Volume” or “Explore Subjects” links located below the search bar on the main page. “Handbooks by Volume” sends users to the list of full volumes that includes publication information and a short description. Below the description, there is a search bar that allows users to search within a volume. This process brings up the same results page described above, allowing users to further refine their search. Below the search bar, users can also scroll through the chapter titles and individual abstracts. The other option from the handbook’s home page is the “Explore Subjects” link where users can browse a variety of common subjects organized within eight different categories. Each subject is linked and will send users to the search results page, allowing users to further refine the results.
Once users navigate to individual book chapters, there are options for access and sharing, searching within the volume, and locating resources that cover similar topics. From individual chapter records, users can read the chapter online or download the pdf. In the “read online” view, the database also provides a search bar that allows searching within the particular volume where the chapter exists. Author names, keywords, and topic lists are provided for each chapter and linked to the content associated with each name or term. On the left side of the screen, the individual chapter contents, or subheadings, are listed and are clickable, allowing users to go directly to those article sections, making chapter navigation easier.
ASM International’s Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) is made readily available for review upon request and conforms to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1.
Annual purchasing of the ASM Handbooks Online does not require an agreement. In the case of multi-year agreements, ASM International uses fairly standard licensing agreements that allow for standard interlibrary loan and usage practices for authorized users. The company also has demonstrated a willingness to accept changes to the agreement to better align with an institution’s contractual practices. ASM offers pricing based on the size of the institution’s material science program, often allowing for lower costs compared to other similar products. A three-year agreement locks in the price with no inflation increases. The company also offers expanded packages that include more of the ASM Digital Library (for example, the technical books, the alloy digest, and technical articles) for about double the cost of the handbooks.
Authentication is available through an IP address or the library proxy server without users having to set up individual accounts. Additionally, authentication can be obtained through Shibboleth or Open Athens.
The ASM Handbooks Online is one of ASM International’s avenues for disseminating information. Due to its large number of members, history of material information, and specific focus on materials education and training, these handbooks are unique.
Several databases provide information for materials science, such as Access Engineering, and other organizations, including American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), publish standards. There are also related products published through ASM Digital Library that are not included with the ASM Handbooks Online database, including additional databases, magazines, books, journals, and conference proceedings.
Despite some subject overlap, the ASME and ASTM standards have a different focus than the ASM Handbooks Online. The ASM Handbooks Online are produced by an organization that focuses on education and professional development, providing up-to-date information and resources specifically for the material science engineering field. The ASME standards create a list of agreed upon standards in the wider field of mechanical engineering designed to promote safety and public health. The ASTM also produces standards to promote safety and public health and conference proceedings on materials. Both these organizations offer excellent resources for mechanical engineering and material science, but at a much greater cost.
The databases Access Engineering and EngNetBase publish and make available engineering handbooks and textbooks on a variety of engineering topics that may overlap with the reference sources available in the ASM Handbooks Online, but their focus is on the wider field of engineering. By contrast, the ASM Handbooks Online include several volumes that specifically make available the work of this society of material engineers and researchers, providing a deeper well of research to meet the specific needs of those working or studying in these fields.
The ASM Handbooks Online is an authoritative reference for students, researchers, and those working in materials science. ASM International has been in existence for over 100 years, providing professional material information and knowledge. The origins of the materials handbooks are nearly as old as the organization. The scope and variety of information available in these handbooks offers an important resource for those working in or studying materials science and engineering. The online platform is easy to use and offers several ways for users to navigate and search the information, from full handbooks and article-level access to individual images, datasets, and tables. The web-based database is simple and responsive, giving users access through their institution’s proxy account without requiring them to create individual accounts.
The basic search feature on the main page is easy to use for both experts in the field with more knowledge of the terminology and those new to material science. For users such as students who are less familiar with the terminology, features like the autocomplete in the search bar and the “Explore Subjects” page allow information to be located more easily. The search page options for filtering, adding keywords to a search, and searching within specific handbooks are great tools that help users locate specific results.
However, the links and searches that point to resources that are not included in the ASM Handbooks Online may confuse some users. Both sides of the search bar on the homepage can direct users to the larger offerings of ASM Digital Library. To the left of the search bar there is a drop-down menu that lists the many databases and publications the company offers. These pages lead to login pages that will deny users access unless they or their institution have additional subscriptions. The advanced search link to the right of the search bar also leads users to the full content that ASM International offers. This may be useful for users looking for information beyond the handbooks, but this search could also lead to confusion if users trying to access content from the results run into a paywall.
Aside from these issues with inaccessible content, the user experience of the database is favorable. Users can easily access handbook content, search across all handbooks as well as within individual handbooks, and filter and refine search results as they navigate the large amount of available content.
The ASM Handbooks Online database contains authoritative content on metal and non-metallic materials, providing information on material engineering properties, data, processes, and performance. The recommended users of this database are professional engineers and material scientists, as well as researchers and students studying in these areas. Although mostly calibrated to professionals, researchers, and graduate students, the information may also be useful to undergraduate students studying engineering and material science.
ASM International. (2023a). About ASM International. https://www.asminternational.org/about-asm/
ASM International (2023b). About ASM Handbooks Online. https://dl.asminternational.org/handbooks/pages/about
ASM International (2023c). ASM Handbooks Set (43 Volumes). https://www.asminternational.org/asm-handbook-set-35-volumes-18775/results/-/journal_content/56/06951G/PUBLICATION/
10.1146/katina-101824-1
