BIOFEEDBACK: Biomedical Library Newsletter

New Series Fall 1996 Issue #33

Welcome New SOUTHmed Members

Congratulations and welcome to the Lyster Army Hospital, Ft. Rucker, AL and the law firm of Armbrecht, Jackson, DeMouy, Crowe, Holmes and Reeves. They are the first members to join the USA Biomedical Library SOUTHmed Information Network. Their membership is provisional while contract issues are finalized. With their memberships these organizations become full participants in our ever-expanding information network. All library services, including document delivery (not available at all to non-members), computer searches, photocopy services etc. are available at reduced rates. Additionally, full access to the resources, electronic and print, of both sites of the Biomedical Library come with membership. Some of the electronic resources that are now just a computer keystroke away include the full MEDLINE and CINAHL databases, the USA Biomedical Library Homepage with links to a wide range of Internet resources, as well as full-text resources. Additionally, SOUTHmed members can take advantage of JagOnline, the MCI/USA affiliation which supports full dial-in Internet access at very competitive rates. Services include an e-mail account, WEB browser software, telnet, ftp and other software for full Internet access. As a special bonus, SOUTHmed members also have access to the full range of services offered by the College of Medicine's Learning Resources Department. These services include photography, slide production, videography, etc.

CLASSES SCHEDULED

The following classes for fall are available for OVID, PDR, WWW, and Grateful Med. These classes are open to University faculty, staff, and students and SOUTHmed members.

World Wide Web - This class is designed to give a basic knowledge of surfing the World Wide Web by using a networked browser. The session will cover the use of various search engines such as Yahoo, WebCrawler, Lycos and InfoSeek to find medical resources on the Internet.

OVID - this class is designed to enable the searcher of the OVID system to be more efficient. OVID is the system used to search MEDLINE and CINAHL as well as the full text of 15 medical journals. PDR - this class provides search tips for the Physicians' Desk Reference system Grateful Med - Grateful Med is the National Library of Medicine searching software for accessing the MEDLARS databases (such as MEDLINE). The class will cover all aspects of using the software. Classes in using Grateful Med are available from the Biomedical Library if requested by an individual or group.

NEW WORKSTATIONS ADDED

New computer workstations have been added at both sites of the Biomedical Library. They can be used to access the OVID system to search the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases, the Core Biomedical Library Collection (15 medical journals full text) and to access the Internet, incuding e-mail and WWW via Netscape. Time slots can be reserved on the workstations. Prior to accessing the OVID system, the user must complete an account request form. This form can be obtained at the BML's circulation desk at either site. Staff can assist in accessing the electronic sources. Classes are available. See above for details.

Modem access to the OVID system is available if you have an internet connection. Once logged into your account, type "telnet usaovid.usouthal.edu". Then type in your OVID login and password.

JagOnline, the new service being offered for USA affiliated individuals can also be used to access the system via modem. For information on this service, call MCI at 1-800-858-5425 or the USA Computer Center at 460-6161.

DONATIONS

The following individuals have donated materials to the Biomedical Library in the last few months. These materials have helped to expand the collection and have replaced some missing journal issues.

CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS

Both sites of the Biomedical Library will now accept MasterCard and VISA credit cards for all library transactions. This includes paying fines and replacing lost materials, as well as purchasing copy cards for our new photocopiers. The patron making the transaction must be the person to whom the credit card is issued. Please call 460-7043 if you have any questions.

NEW XEROX PHOTOCOPIERS AND COPY CARDS

Both sites of the Biomedical Library have received new Xerox Bookmark photocopiers. These machines are equipped with copy card readers. It is necessary at this time to convert our old copy card system to a new system.

Please watch the signs posted at the entrance indicating when to turn in the old card so that a new copy card can be issued. The amount on the current card will be transferred onto the new card and if the balance is large the amount can be put on several cards. Since we can no longer keep track of accounts, the user will be responsible for the card. The Biomedical Library will NOT be able to guarantee or reissue cards that are lost.

Cards may be purchased for $5.00, $10.00 or greater. Payment can be made in the form of cash, check, requisition, or credit card (MasterCard or Visa). If paying by requisition, it is suggested that a denomination no greater than 500 copies be requested. To cover the cost of the cards, a $.55 fee will be added to each card sold. That fee will be waived if an old plastic copy card is turned in.

Copy cards can be revalued with cash at the photocopiers. Cards can also be revalued with check, requisition or credit card at the Circulation Desk.

Users with an old plastic card (white with red, blue or green face) will have until the end of 1996 to covert to the new copy card system. Both copiers at the Medical Center site and two copiers at Campus accept the old cards as well as the new ones until that time. Please call 460-7043 if you have any questions.

NEWS FROM LEARNING RESOURCES

Learning Resources has several new services. The Department now has the capability to image digital slides in-house. Currently, programs supported include Harvard Graphics 4.0, Lotus Freelance 2, Corel Draw 6, and Powerpoint 7. Using the Raster Plus 95 software, a number of other file formats can be supported, including PostScript, OS/2 BMP, TIFF, EPS, JPEG, and others. The charge per slide is $3.00, including processing.

Recognizing that many people prefer to do their own slides and bring them to the Department on disc to be imaged, please be aware that often such slides are in need of re-formatting or other tweaking, and in such cases, the charges will be the same as normal artwork charges, $15.00 per hour, one-half hour minimum. Often it is best for the Learning Resources Department to create the slides using in-house software. The usual artwork charge will be applied.

The latest addition to the Department's presentation hardware allows the user to by-pass film altogether. With the new Sharp computer/video projection system, presentations can be made from computer slides on disk. Used in conjunction with the new Elmo Visual Presenter, the same projection system may be used to present images from photographs, x-rays, overhead transparencies, or books. When not in use, these items will be on display and available in Learning Resources for "hands-on" inspection. Bring some computer slide files or other teaching materials and see the quality of presentation. To reserve this equipment, or for more information, contact Ray Butler or Mike Carmichael in Learning Resources.

SDI - SELECTIVE DISSIMINATION OF INFORMATION

Current Contents is a family of databases in the health sciences that provides current information in the health sciences. Formerly a table of contents service for a selected groups of journals, it provides weekly updates to new journal articles in the biomedical literature. The contents of major journals are often available before or at the time of publication. The Biomedical Library subscribes to two of the Current Contents subsets, CC/Life Sciences available at the Biomedical Library Campus Site and CC/Clinical Medicine at the Medical Center Site.

Researchers who would like to have weekly updates on a topic in either of these databases may request them as an SDI (Selective Dissemination of Information) service. Biomedical Library librarians will run the search weekly, and send the results to researchers via e-mail, floppy disk, or print. Interested persons may request this service by filling out a search form at either site, and noting the edition of Current Contents (Life Sciences or Clinical Medicine) which they would like searched.

Researchers currently using this service will receive copies of their search strategies at the end of September to review for any changes in terms, result formats, or delivery options used. For more information, contact Jie Li at the Medical Center Site or Mike Perry at the Campus Site.

CHANGES, CHANGES...

Beginning Friday, September 27, the Campus Site will be open until 8pm on Fridays, allowing extended access to the library's collection and services.

BIOMEDICAL LIBRARY FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS

Two new staff members have joined the Biomedical Library. Chelinh Phung, LTA1 is working part time in the evening and on weekend in Circulation at the Campus Site. He has worked at both the Biomedical and University libraries. David Chen, Computer Programmer/Analyst, has joined the Systems Department. He formerly worked at USA Doctors Hospital.

Tom Williams has been appointed as the Alabama representative to the Regional Advisory Committee of the Southeastern/Atlantic Regional Medical Library, National Network of Libraries of Medicine.

Judy Burnham has been reappointed to a three-year term on the COM Curriculum Committee. She has also been granted promotion to Associate Librarian and tenure, effective Sept 1, 1996.

NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

NLM has announced the availability of Internet Grateful Med, available via the NLM homepage http://igm.nlm.nih.gov. Users can search by subject, author or title and can apply various limits. The software can be used to search MEDLINE, AIDSLINE, HSTAT, HealthSTAR, and PREMEDLINE.

PREMEDLINE is a new database added to the MEDLARS system that provides citation information for references before they are entered into the MEDLINE database. However, they have not been through the quality control process. This is a good source for finding very recent citations.

PATHFINDER UPDATE

Check the Biomedical Library's pathfinder collection (in hanging files in the reference area of both sites) for up-to-date information about the collection. The "Information Sources for Allied Health" has been updated to include journal titles for the Occupatinal Therapy and the Physician Assistant programs. "Remote Access to SOUTHcat" has been updated to include WWW access to SOUTHcat Plus.

LOCATING DISCUSSION GROUPS ON THE INTERNET

Discussion groups on the Internet are avaiable in almost any subject area. However, with over 2000 discussion groups available, finding one on a particular discipline can be a challenge. The USA Biomedical Library Homepage has several search tools such as Tile, Net and Liszt. Several other tools are avaialble to help locate appropriate groups such as the Scholarly Electronic Conferences http://www.n2h2.com/KOVACS/. Also available is "Thousands of Mailing Lists" http://scwww.ucs.indiana.edu/mlarchive. (this link is no longer working 1/3/01)

BIOFEEDBACK, New Series, Issue #33, Fall 1996
The Biomedical Library Biofeedback, a publication of the University of South Alabama Biomedical Library, is published at irregular intervals. Editor: Judy Burnham. Contributors to this issue were Judy Burnham, Anne Ledbetter, Mike Perry, Pat Rodgers, Lynda Touart and Tom Williams. Comments should be addressed to Judy Burnham, Biomedical Library, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688-0002


To make comments, suggestions, or get more information, send email to medlib@jaguar1.usouthal.edu or call (334)-414-8210.

University of South Alabama Biomedical Library

Revised: October 4, 1996 (updated 1/3/01)