Subject trees or indexes are most helpful when looking for information on a broad topic. A subject tree is simply a list categorized by topic that has been gathered by a group or individual. One thing to remember about subject trees is that since they are gathered by people, they may be biased, therefore, knowing why the list was developed may help you know how helpful a particular list will be. One of the best known subject trees is Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com). Topics include Health (to find Medicine or Diseases and Conditions) and News and Media (to find medical news.) There is no need for an individual to know specifically what they are looking for using a subject tree, as one can browse, almost like browsing chapters in a book.
Another time subject trees can be very useful is finding a particular company homepage. A search on a search engine will give hundreds or thousands of hits on the words Reebok or Netscape, while a subject tree will have the company homepage listed under topics like Business or Companies. Search engines are best at finding a very specific answer. If you want to combine two or three terms, you probably want a search engine. Search engines consist of a robot program that gathers information from the Web, an index made from this information, a search tool that you use to ask for the information and a result page. One of the most popular search engines is AltaVista(http://altavista.digital.com). To have the most luck using a search engine, it is important to read the instructions. Can "and", "or", and "not" be used when combining terms? Do the results come back in a particular order? Is it case sensitive? Can only the World Wide Web be searched or can newsgroups and gophers also be searched? There will be different answers for different search engines. More information about different search tools can be found at the following sites:
CLASSES SCHEDULED
The Biomedical Library has the following schedule for classes in the use of databases and Internet resources in the health sciences. All classes are offered in the Biomedical Library Instructional Laboratory, in the second floor reference area, or at the Medical Center site. Class size is limited to five persons. Signing up in advance is recommended, as classes may be canceled if no one is registered for that class 24 hours in advance. Persons wishing to register may do so by calling the Biomedical Library Public Services and Education Department at 460-7044 or the Medical Center Site at 471-7855, or by e-mail at medlib@jaguar1.usouthal.edu.
Informal, point-of-use instruction/assistance is always available during open hours to persons using the computers in the second floor reference area of the Campus site. This may not be true in other areas of the library. For assistance, see the reference librarian or staff member on duty.
Also, classes may be scheduled for interested groups either in the library or in their department. The Richards Room at USAMC has recently been hard-wired, allowing for Internet classes in that facility. Please call the Biomedical Library for details.
Class Schedule for Campus Site:
OVID Databases: MEDLINE and CINAHL, Core Biomedical Collection; PDR
Electronic Library
| Tuesday | Wednesday | Friday |
| 10:00am-11:30am | 3:00pm-4:30pm | 4:00pm-5:30pm (CINAHL) |
Internet Resources (E-mail or World Wide Web) or Grateful Med: Must
be scheduled in advance.
| Monday |
| 3:00pm-4:30pm |
Class Schedule for UMC Site:
OVID Databases: MEDLINE and CINAHL, Core Biomedical Collection
| Tuesday | Wednesday |
| 3:00pm-4:00pm | 10:00am-11:00am |
Internet Resources (E-mail or World Wide Web)
[January - WWW; February - E-mail; March - WWW]
| Monday |
| 3:00pm-4:30pm |
SYSTEMS UPDATE
The Biomedical Library has added audio files of heart and lung sounds to computers in the Multimedia Laboratory. Persons wishing to use the multimedia computers should check out earphones at the Circulation Desk. The library actively collects materials from a variety of sources, including the Internet, and will consider any suggestions from our service population. Persons having computers with sound capability and World Wide Web access can find these files at the following locations:
An "Instructions for Authors" section has been added to the homepage:
Check this section when instructions are needed to submit a manuscript for publication.MD CONSULT MD Consult, a new company dedicated to providing comprehensive online information services for physicians, has introduced the MD Consult Book Review Service. The Biomedical Library has obtained a trial subscription for one year to this service. Registration is required to get full access to the information. Using WWW, go to the URL, http://southmed.usouthal.edu/library/libindex.htm (update - go to http://southmed.usouthal.edu/library/mdconsult.htm) on the Biomedical Library's homepage. A new listing has been added for "Electronic Journals/Services We Subscribe To!", with a link to Doody's MD Consult. Once on Doody's page, register by clicking the 'guest' button. The MD Consult Book Review Service features a comprehensive database of timely, authoritative peer reviews of health sciences books. As of September 1996, the database included bibliographic and descriptive information on more than 8,000 books published since 1993, with peer reviews on 4,500 of them. The database features books from more than 140 publishers across 90-plus specialties. The database is updated weekly with information on approximately 50 new books and 30 new reviews. Reviews are available through this service within six weeks of the time a book is published. MD Consult Book Review Bulletin, an electronic newsletter customized to each individual subscriber's information needs, is also available.
The Library also has a subscription to JBC Online, the Journal of Biological Chemistry, via the World Wide Web. The link to this is on the same area of our homepage. Watch this area for more titles in the future!
NEWS FROM LEARNING RESOURCES
Need a photo for Web or desktop publishing? Learning Resources can provide you with digital image files from video or with our new EPSON color digital camera we can shoot digital photographs at a resolution of 640 x 480. Call for details or drop by the Campus office for a demo.
NEW COPY CARDS HAVE ARRIVED
Stop by the Circulation desk at either site of the Biomedical Library to convert old plastic copy cards to the new Vendamat cards. Copy cards are available to USA affiliated patrons only. To cover the cost of the cards, a fee of $.55 is added to each card sold; however, that fee will be waived if an old plastic copy card is turned in. Payment can be made in the form of cash, check, credit card (MasterCard and VISA), or requisition. The Biomedical Library will no longer guarantee lost cards. Cards can be purchased for $5, $10 or greater. If paying by requisition we suggest a denomination of no greater than 500 copies/$50 (990 copies/$99 is the maximum amount the machine will encode on one card at a time). Copy cards can be revalued at the copiers using cash or revalued at the Circulation Desk with a check, credit card or requisition. Please call 460-7043 if you have any questions.
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.
Penny Boschee joined the staff of the Biomedical Library in September in the Circulation Department at the Campus Site. Tom Williams attended the NAAL Electronic Access Committee meeting in Montgomery on Oct 22. Judy Burnham and Mike Perry had the following article published in the October 1996 issue of the Bulletin of the Medical Library Association, "Promotion of health information access via Grateful Med and Loansome Doc: Why isn't it working". Pat Rodgers attended the Regional Advisory Council meeting in Baltimore on Dec 13.
CELEBRATE YOUR WEEK
The Biomedical Library invites all health care professionals associated
with the University to "Celebrate Your Week" or month. Displays prepared
by the health care professionals will be display in either the Campus or
Medical Center site of the Biomedical Library. This display can be used
to highlight the goals and work of the profession. If you are interested
in having a display in the library, contact Judy Burnham, 471-7855. The
following information was located at http://nhic-nt.health.org/nho97a.htm
| JANUARY | National Birth Defects Prevention Month |
| National Eye Care Month | |
| FEBRUARY | American Heart Month |
| 4-10 National Burn Awareness Week | |
| MARCH | Cataract Awareness Month |
| National Kidney Month |
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
A new database is being developed by the National Library of Medicine, OLDMEDLINE. This database will begin with citations from the 1964 and 1965 issues of Index Medicus. NLM is planning to add other earlier IM citations to the database.
Three hundred fifty new MeSH terms (Medical Subject Headings) will be added for 1997, including changes in the areas of virology, alternative medicine and bioethics. NLM is requesting that suggestions for new MeSH terms be sent to meshsugg@nlm.nih.gov.
This a year of anniversaries for the National Library of Medicine. Forty years ago, in 1956, the NLM was started under the National Library of Medicine Act. Previously, it was a military library. Twenty-five years ago, in 1971, NLM introduced MEDLINE. At that time only a handful of libraries had access to the database. There are now over 125,000 user codes issued. Finally, ten years ago, in 1986, the first version of Grateful Med was introduced. Today the MEDLAR system contains 40 databases with more than 20 million citations.
THE DOCUMENT DELIVERY REQUEST
Document Delivery begins with a request from a library patron. To begin the process, the patron completes a request form, paper or e-mail. Frequently the library patron will not have all the citation information for a given work. Sometimes the citation can be completed by using various reference tools; however if all citation information is included on the request form by the patron, the likelihood of receiving the material is greater and time for processing is lessened. Below are listed the necessary elements of a citation:
JOURNAL ARTICLE
Beginning in January the University Libraries will provide on trial for a limited time the IAC Health Reference Center, a multiple source database. Included are citations and abstracts to 150 periodicals with 120 available in full text. The HRC also includes full text for 500 pamphlets along with over 1800 full text topical overviews and full text for 6 reference books. Access will be through the library homepage.
NLM CURRENT BIBLIOGRAPHIES IN MEDICINE
The following Current Bibliographies in Medicine have been issued by the National Library of Medicine and are available at the Medical Center Site:
Congratulations and welcome to the following new SOUTHmed members:
With their memberships these organizations and individuals become full participants in this 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 are available with membership, including 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, WWW 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.
During the last quarter, presentations on accessing medical information were made at the meetings of the Mobile County AIDS Consortium, the Gulf Coast Association for Healthcare Quality, and Region III, Alabama Association of Legal Assistants.
For further information on joining SOUTHmed or if interested in arranging for a meeting presentation, contact Judy Burnham, 471-7855.
BIOFEEDBACK, New Series, Issue #34, Winter1996
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, Gevena
Bush, Mike Carmichael, Anne Ledbetter, Sally Murray, Mike Perry, Pat Rodgers,
and Mercedes Tyus-Bradford. 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: December 19, 1996 (updated Dec. 21, 2000)