The Biomedical Library is facing very significant cuts for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. This will require cutting several hundred thousand dollars from current library expenditures. This is not an easy challenge and the mandated cuts will have an impact on virtually all aspects of the Biomedical Library’s operation.

The situation is made worse by the news that we will be facing an increase of approximately 12% in our current journal expenditures. In addition to factoring in the mandated cuts from our current budget, we have to factor in the projected journal cost increase of approximately $114,000.

We will do our best to minimize the effect this has on the Biomedical Library operation but it is clear that all library users will feel the “pinch”. There will be cuts in the total number of print journals we receive as well as cuts in the electronic, full-text titles to which we currently have access.

With the national, state, and University budget crunch we have been experiencing over the last several years it has become necessary for “belt-tightening” by all departments. We will do what we can to keep our users informed as to the titles cut but we cannot guarantee that particular favorites will not be cut.

-Thomas Williams

Wireless Internet Access
The Biomedical Library is pleased to announce the addition of wireless Internet access at our main campus site. To use the system you will need a notebook computer with a wireless network adapter card. Many new notebook computers come with this already built in, but if yours does not, they can be purchased for less than $100.00 from local retailers. You will need to fill out a registration form and bring in your notebook so we can grant you access to our system. Once this is done you can browse the Internet from any location within the range of our system. For more information and a registration form, see http://southmed.usouthal.edu/library/wireless.html

-Fletch Bowling

Faculty/Staff News

	New Library Faculty: The Library welcomes J. Michael Lindsay as our new Electronic Resources/Collection Development Librarian. He is a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. If you want to suggest an item for purchase by the library or have a question about the Library’s Electronic Journals page, contact him by calling 251/460-6894 or send him a message at jmlindsay@bbl.usouthal.edu. Mr. Lindsay is the library liaison with the departments of Endocrinology, Nephrology, Pulmonary Medicine, Rhuematology, and Microbiology in the College of Medicine.
Library Represented at Medical Library Association: The annual meeting of the Medical Library Association was held in San Diego, CA, May 2-7, 2003. Several library faculty were active participants: Jie Li finished up a year as Chair of the International Cooperation Section and continues as the MLA News’ column editor for International News. Ellen Sayed is the Section’s newsletter editor and serves as the coordinator of our library’s relationship with Holberton Hospital Library in Antigua as a Sister Library. Justin Robertson is designing a website for the Section and one for our Sister Library. Justin Robertson also served on the Local Arrangements Committee. Judy Burnham served on the National Program Committee and her work included the selection and coordination of poster presentations. Ellen Sayed and Tom Williams presented a poster, “Service Beyond our Borders.” Another poster, “Project Management: Establishing and Inplementing an Information Network in Rural South Alabama,” was presented by Jie Li, Judy Burnham, Ellen Sayed, Tom Williams, Fletch Bowing and Robbie Runderson. A paper by Clista Clanton, “Evidence Based Databases Versus Primary Medical Literature: An Inhouse Investigation On Their Optimal Use,” was presented by a co-author.
Posters Presented: Library faculty and staff participated in the recent university wide Research Forum with the presentation of three posters focusing on outreach programs and interlibrary loan. The same three posters were presented at the April 1-3, 2002, Alabama Library Association Annual Convention, held at the Mobile Convention Center. -Geneva Staggs

JAMA & Nature Missing Issues Needed
The library needs the folowing two issues to have complete runs of these titles.
JAMA 268 (21), December 5, 2001
Nature 418 (6875), July 18, 2002
If you can provide either of these issues, please bring it to one of our libraries or contact Diane Williams at dnwillia@jaguar1.usouthal.edu or (251) 460-6893.

How Well Is the Library Doing What You Expect the Library to DO?
The Biomedical Library participated in a nationwide survey called LibQUAL+. Developed collaboratively by the Association of Research Libraries and Texas A&M University, LibQUAL+ is a research and development project that provides a method to define and measure library service quality across institutions.

Since over 170 academic and health sciences libraries participated in this research project, the results, as they are analyzed, will provide valuable bench-marking data and help identify best practices.

For each survey item patrons were asked to identify their “minimum service level,” “desired service level,” and “perception of the library’s service performance” on a scale of one to nine (low to high). The LibQUAL+(TM) tool measures library users’ perceptions of service quality and identifies gaps between desired, perceived, and minimum expectations of service. The Biomedical Library will use this data to assess whether library services are meeting user expectations.

Serials Costs Increase
The cost of scientific, technology, and medical (STM) journals for 2004 is expected to increase by 12%. Domestic publications will increase by 7.73% and foreign imprints by 7.21%. This chart shows average costs of medicine titles by country of publication:

Because of budgets concerns expressed by Mr. Williams in his “Director’s Message” (see page 1), journal usage and cost statistics are being evaluated to determine titles that need to be retained and those that can be cut. As in previous years, faculty will be consulted before final cuts are made. However, because of financial constraints, we cannot guarantee that all desired titles will be retained.

Elsevier (publishing in the Netherlands), is currently the dominant producer of STM journals. The October 30, 2002 issue of Forbes Magazine had this to say about Elsevier: “If you are not a scientist or a lawyer, you might never guess which company is one of the world’s biggest in online revenue. Ebay will haul in only $1 billion this year. Amazon had $3.5 billion in revenue, but is still, famously, losing money. Out performing them both is Reed Elsevier, the London-based publishing company. Of its $8 billion in likely sales this year, $1.5 billion will come from online delivery of data and its operating margin on the Internet is a fabulous 22%.” The Biomedical Library currently subscribes to 120 Elsevier titles at a total cost of $274,973, and subscribes to ScienceDirect, the electronic access to the Elsevier titles at a cost of $22,000. These costs, along with costs for other titles will be reviewed.

-Judy Burnham

The National Center for Biotechnology Information’s (NCBI) mission is to develop new information technologies to aid in the understanding of fundamental molecular and genetic processes that control health and disease. Accordingly, the NCBI creates automated systems for storing and analyzing knowledge about molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics; facilitates the use of such databases and software by the research and medical community; coordinates efforts to gather biotechnology information both nationally and internationally; and performs research into advanced methods of computer-based information processing for analyzing the structure and function of biologically important molecules. Databases and software tools offered without charge by NCBI include:

• GenBank: a database of nucleotide sequences from >130,000 organisms
• Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM): continuously updated catalog of human genes and genetic disorders, with links to associated literature references, sequence records, maps, and related databases.
• Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB) of 3D protein structures: a database of three-dimensional biomolecular structures derived from X-ray crystallography and NMR-spectroscopy.
• Unique Human Gene Sequence Collection (UniGene), a Gene Map of the Human Genome: ESTs and full-length mRNA sequences organized into clusters that each represent a unique known or putative gene within the organism from which the sequences were obtained.
• Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (CGAP): interdisciplinary program to identify the human genes expressed in different cancerous states, based on cDNA (EST) libraries, and to determine the molecular profiles of normal, precancerous, and malignant cells.
• PubMed: a Web search interface that provides access to over 11 million journal citations in MEDLINE and contains links to full-text articles at participating publishers’ Web sites.
• BLAST: a program for sequence similarity searching developed at NCBI instrumental in identifying genes and genetic features. BLAST can execute sequence searches against the entire DNA database in less than 15 seconds. Additional software tools provided by NCBI include: Open Reading Frame Finder (ORF Finder), Electronic PCR, and the sequence submission tools, Sequin and BankIt.
• Entrez: NCBI’s search and retrieval system that provides users with integrated access to sequence, mapping, taxonomy, and structural data. Entrez also provides graphical views of sequences and chromosome maps. A powerful and unique feature of Entrez is the ability to retrieve related sequences, structures, and references.

All of NCBI’s databases and software tools are available from the WWW (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/) or by FTP. NCBI also has email servers that provide an alternative way to access the databases for text searching or sequence similarity searching. (Source: National Center for Biotechnology Information - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/About/index.html)

-Clista Clanton

SCIRUS - http://www.scirus.com
Scirus is a comprehensive science-specific search engine. Driven by the latest search engine technology, it enables anyone searching for scientific information to chart and pinpoint data, locate university sites and find reports and articles quickly and easily. Locating scientific information on the web is easy with Scirus because it:

• Focuses only on web sites containing scientific content - quickly pinpointing key data by targeting sites that conventional search engines cannot find, such as university Web sites and author homepages.
• Searches both free and journal sources.
• Locates peer-reviewed articles.
• Delves deeper into Web sites than most search engine ‘spiders’ or ‘crawlers’ and indexes complete documents.
• Reads non-text files - allowing you to locate vital PDF and PostScript files that so often are invisible to other search engines.

-Judy Burnham

Library Classes
For an in-depth look at bibliographics & library instruction courses currently offered go to: http://southmed.usouthal.edu/library/ref/classes.htm

Library Focusing on USAOnline Students’ Needs
In an effort to reach out to the rapidly expanding USAOnline program offered by the University, the Biomedical Library is taking several initiatives with the intent to better inform distance education students of the many library services and resources available to them.

The first phase of this new initiative is the complete redesign of the Biomedical Library’s Distance Education web page. Sporting a new look, the page also includes a considerable amount of additional content tailored specifically for online students.Some of the new materials on these pages include remote database access information, services fees, online tutorials and a list of frequently asked questions. Additionally, the new page will feature a live chat option that will allow students to engage in real-time “conversations” with reference librarians during any of the library’s posted open hours.

The second phase of this outreach project will include the creation of an interactive CD ROM that can be sent to distance education students. This CD ROM will contain a variety of content (streaming video/audio, power point presentations, tutorials etc.) designed to make the library an easier, and more accessible, resource for our online users.

The new web page, with the live chat capability should be up by early June, while the CD ROM will likely be ready by the beginning of the Fall 2003 semester. Any distance education students or instructors involved in the USAOnline program who would like further information are encouraged to contact Justin Robertson (phone: (251) 460-7045; email: jroberts@bbl.usouthal.edu) or Clista Clanton (phone: (251) 414-8210; email: cclanton@bbl.usouthal.edu).

-Justin Robertson

Dissertation and Thesis Writers Take Note...
The accuracy of references in these documents is as important to future research as it is to the academic credibility and reputation of the author and the University. In order to insure the accuracy of your references, bring your reference pages by the library to have them checked by a librarian before submitting your paper through the final approval process. For more information contact Geneva Bush Staggs at 460-6890 or gbush@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

Free Quality PDA Software for Physicians

Medical Abbreviations
http://www.medlists.net/Medical_Abbreviations.htm
The author of this application, Krystof J. Neumann, MD, has collected more than 2000 abbreviations from all medical specialties throughout his medical school training and compiled this free, easy-to-use, searchable database, hoping to reduce some of the confusion that results from the use of abbreviations in medical charting. It is convenient to use a three-letter abbreviation (e.g., TLA) instead of writing out an entire phrase, but TLA may be confusing. Medical Abbreviations is unique in that it not only contains all the standard abbreviations for common disease entities, but is also the only database that was developed to specifically contain all the common shorthand abbreviations used in note writing. The author desires to distribute it free to help those medical students struggling through their clinical clerkships. It requires list.prc, a freeware that may be downloaded at http://www.magma.ca/~roo/list/list.html Available for Palm OS only and uses 75 KB of memory. Last update, March 29, 2002.

Medical Eponyms
http://eponyms.net
The Eponyms database contains 1,300 common and obscure medical eponyms (e.g., Rovsing’s sign, Virchow’s node) with descriptions. This is a handy reference tool for medical professionals struggling with hard-to-remember names for common diseases. The author of the database, Andrew Yee, a medicine senior resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, has been working on this database since he was a second-year medical student. Tap the trigger on the upper right corner to choose one of the 22 categories to find an eponym. An on-screen keyboard, with the option of switching from English letters to numbers and symbols or international letters, makes entering a name for searches much easier. The stand-alone version is for Palm OS only. There is also an alternative version of Eponyms available in a variety of databases such as JFile or Handbase format for both Palm OS and Pocket PC. Uses 114 KB of memory. Last update, November 12, 2002.

Medical Mnemonics
http://www.medicalmnemonics.com/
Medical mnemonics is a database to aid in remembering the important details. Mnemonics have existed for a long time. This software expands the circles of sharing/exchange to a larger group worldwide and ensures useful mnemonics to be available to later learners. Users may add their own new medical mnemonics via an onscreen keyboard. The stand-alone version is available for Palm OS only. There are two sizes of databases for the application. An unabridged version, which contains 1369 mnemonics, requires 85 KB application and 547 KB database, and a smaller abridged version, which contains 783 mnemonics, requires 85 KB application and 335 KB database for those with more limited space on their PDA. The AdvantGo version is available for both Palm OS and Pocket PC. The AvantGo browser is available for download from AvantGo.com for free. Last update, February 20, 2003.

-Jie Li

MDConsult to Launch MD Consult Mobile - Free for Your PDA

MDC Mobile will provides MD Consult users with medical news and drug updates, the latest abstracts from hundreds of journals, and the ability to record, store, and initiate searches on MD Consult right from their Palm OS or Pocket PC handheld device.
Channels provide a daily updated summary of current medical news, as well as important drug alerts, downloaded with each hot sync. The Pocket Journal Browser lets users keep up with user selected journals by downloading current contents and article abstracts to their PDA. Journals are updated upon each hot sync. Users can capture information needs on their PDA, then retrieve information from MD Consult by simply storing search terms then hot syncing. Searches are uploaded to MD Consult and users can view search results from any or all of MD Consult’s extensive content resources.

-Judy Burnham

Jie Li To Attend Medical Informatics Fellowship Program
Jie Li, Information Services Librarian at the Medical Center Site, has been selected to attend the Medical Informatics fellowship program at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, in September.

This week long course is designed to familiarize participants with the application of computer technologies and information science in medicine. Through a combination of lectures and hands-on computer exercises, participants will be introduced to the conceptual and technical components of medical informatics.

Elective evening workshops will teach personal computer skills such as creation of World Wide Web interfaces to databases and use of personal productivity tools. he course is taught by a nationally known faculty, and is designed to prepare the student to become actively involved in making informed decisions about computer-based tools in his/her organizational environment, and improve the student’s own computer skills.

Acceptance is limited to 30 fellows per session and includes medical educators, medical librarians, medical administrators, scientists and physicians.

-Judy Burnham

Electronic Databases & Resources
http://southmed.usouthal.edu/library/resources/index.htm

• Clinical Pharmacology
  Contains information on prescription, OTC, new and investigational drugs; herbal and nutraceutical products; pediatric, adult and geriatric dosing; drug photos and product identification; patient education in English and Spanish; drug interactions and adverse reactions screening; intravenous compatibility reports; patient-specific profiles and clinical alerts; advanced searching and drug comparisons; state-specific prescription writing.
  
• Cochrane Database
  The premiere resource for Evidence-BasedMedicine reviews.
• Current Contents Clinical Medicine and Life Sciences
  Provides access to complete bibliographic information from articles, editorials, meeting abstracts, commentaries, and all other significant items in recently published editions leading clinical medicine and life sciences.
• EBSCO Medical Databases
  Includes the Biomedical Reference Collection, Nursing & Allied Health Collection, Health Business Elite and lists all other EBSCO databases the University has access to. There are over 475 full-text online journals in the Biomedical Reference Collection, almost 300 in the Nursing & Allied Health Collection, and over 100 in the Health Business titles.
• Integrated Medical Curriculum
  Offers major courses taught in medical school. Contains in-depth text coverage, animations, streaming audio and video, photos and illustrations, interactive quizzes, quality content and more.
• ISI Web of Science featuring Science Citation Index
  Enabling users to search information from approximately 5,900 high impact science and technical research journals. Web of Science also provides cited reference searching allowing users to navigate forward, backward, and through the literature, searching all disciplines and time spans . Also includes ISI Journal Citation Reports (JCR) which presents quantifiable statistical data that provides a systematic, objective way to determine the relative importance of journals within their subject categories.
• MDConsult
  Provides answers to clinical questions and helps the clinician keep up-to-date. Includes over 40 medical reference books. Over 50 medical journals and clinics, drug information , more than 1000 clinical practice guidelines, over 3,500 customizable patient education handouts, personalized clinical updates and online CME.
• PDR Electronic Library
  Besides the full text of the Physician’s Desk Reference itself, PDR Electronic Library has the capability of looking up items by side effect, contraindication, indications, drug interactions, manufacturer, product name, product category and photo. It also has multi-drug interaction report where the user may enter multiple drug names and PDR will show a report if the drug insert says two or more of the drugs are incompatible or that there is a cautionary note when the drugs are combined.
• ScienceDirect
  Offers full-text access to journals from 16 fields of science, including the social sciences. Full-text is available from approximately 600 journals subscribed to by USA or by other academic libraries in Alabama.
• STAT!Ref
  24 books: drug information, dermatology, pharmacology, family medicine, immunology & more.
  

-Judy Burnham

SOUTHmed Update
“Physicians have always known that an informed patient who takes an active role is a ‘better’ patient. Patients that understand disease and treatment are more compliant.”
        – Donald Lindberg, MD, Director, National Library of Medicine

There is a lot of erroneous consumer health information on the Internet. The following sites are sources of reliable consumer health information:

• http://southmed.usouthal.edu/library/ref/consumer.htm
• http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
• http://www.mlanet.org/resources/medspeak/topten.html
• http://caphis.mlanet.org/consumer/index.html

In discussing this project, Michael Kienzle, MD and member of the Iowa Chapter of the ACP-ASIM stated, “Unfortunately, some patients lack the knowledge needed to find good health care information online. Also, they might not be able to guard against marketing schemes disguised as websites.”
According to recent research, six million Americans go online daily to search for information about health and disease. Additional findings show that nearly 70 percent of patients nationwide would pay serious attention to a website recommended by their physician.

“Used properly, the Internet can be just as helpful a healthcare tool as the biopsy, the x-ray and the electrocardiogram,” observed ACP-ASIM Foundation Chair Whitney Addington, M.D. Reliable information “used in conjunction with their doctor’s good care, is the best medicine.”

Information access is the mission of the SOUTHmed Information Network – helping health care professionals get the information they need in a timely manner to make informed decisions. If you are interested in learning more about SOUTHmed, contact Judy Burnham, (251) 460-6888, jburnham@jaguar1.usouthal.edu

-Judy Burnham