December 19, 2003
Virtual Tour Redesigned
This completely revised version offers a
virtual tour of the Medical Center Library, highlighting its facilities, collections and services. The tour also features panoramic views of several areas in the Library.
December 19, 2003
Open Access: Something to Consider
Faculty and leaders at academic and research institutions are beginning to challenge the old publishing paradigms and are considering alternative methods for scholarly publication. In the
December issue of our newsletter, Pat Thibodeau, Associate Dean, highlights one new model that is getting more support throughout the country.
December 8, 2003
Requesting Articles Just Got Easier!
The DUMC Library now offers an easier way for faculty, staff, and students to submit and retrieve Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan requests. To use this new system, you must first complete a registration form via the Web and create a username and password to secure access to information about your requests. It is only necessary to enter your personal information into the system once. For more information on this new system, see the December issue of our newsletter.
December 8, 2003
TOUGH DecisionsThe journal subscription renewals for 2004 are presenting a number of tough decisions. In the December issue of our newsletter, Pat Thibodeau, Associate Dean, outlines some of the issues we are facing.
December 1, 2003
FAQs for New Library UsersThis new FAQ page offers answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the Medical Center Library’s resources and services.
November 17, 2003
New Web Resource Available | Do you know who was Chair of Biochemistry in 1973 or what year the Department of Microbiology and Immunology was established? The answer to these questions and many more about the establishment, leaders, division development, and mergers or divergences of departments at Duke can be found on the DUMC Archives Website at http://archives.mc.duke.edu/.
November 17, 2003
What Journals Are Being Cut in 2004? | Many of our print and electronic journal subscriptions will cease at the end of this year due to budget cuts. A list of titles is available for review at http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/temp/j_cancel.html.
October 14, 2003
More on PubMed LinkOutPubMed LinkOut enables users to link from PubMed citations to the full text of articles or to the summary holdings of the Library's print journal collection. Learn more about this feature in this month's issue of our newsletter.
October 14, 2003
MD Consult License RenewedThe Library's contractual agreement with MD Consult has been renewed for the coming year. However, due to a significant price increase, discontinued cost sharing, and the Library’s ongoing budget cuts, access is now limited. First, the number of simultaneous users has been reduced from nine to six. To minimize any problems that may be associated with this reduction, the system timeout has also been reduced from fifteen to ten minutes. Secondly, use of MD Consult is now limited to the Duke University campus only, thereby eliminating access to Duke Health Raleigh Hospital (formerly Raleigh Community Hospital) and Durham Regional Hospital. Remote access by Duke staff will continue to be available through the proxy server and the Virtual Private Network (VPN).
October 14, 2003
MLEC Classroom ReservationsThe Medical Library Education Center (MLEC) classroom, located in Room 104 on the Lower Level of the Library, is available for reservation by Duke faculty and staff and DUMC students who wish to conduct classes or hands-on training utilizing computer technology. Non-library events may be scheduled up to six months in advance. For more information, see the October issue of our newsletter.
October 2, 2003
Trent Associates Report Available Via the Web The Trent Associates Report is now available online at http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/hom/publications/newsletter/archives/. If you would like to receive a paper copy or be notified when new issues are available online, please send an email message to History of Medicine at mclhistory@mc.duke.edu.
October 2, 2003
OLDMEDLINE Joins PubMed |
OLDMEDLINE citations are now searchable in MEDLINE via PubMed. Produced by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), this database contains citations published from 1953 through 1965 in the Current List of Medical Literature and the Cumulated Index Medicus covering the fields of medicine, preclinical sciences, and allied health sciences. Unlike MEDLINE, these records contain no abstracts nor Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) data from NLM's current controlled vocabulary.
Please note: Once you have entered your search in PubMed, you may limit it by using the subject subset, OLDMEDLINE for Pre1966, located on the Subsets pull-down menu on the PubMed "Limits" screen. This subset can also be used in a search as oldmedline [sb]. Example: aspirin AND oldmedline [sb]. Please note: sb should be entered in brackets and the Limits box should be unchecked if you have used previous subset limits.
October 2, 2003
UpToDate Contract FinalizedWe are pleased to announce that the Medical Center Library's contract for UpToDate has been finalized. Authorized users may access the database via Medical Center workstations, but remote access through the proxy server is prohibited. Access is also permitted through Virtual Private Network (VPN) accounts for the Duke University Health System, but they may only be used on the Medical Center campus.
September 17, 2003
Libraries Select New Information Management System The directors of Duke's libraries (Perkins Library and its branches along with the libraries serving Business, Divinity, Law and Medicine) have chosen Ex Libris, Inc. to provide a new suite of library management software that will substantially enhance access to resources in digital and non-digital form. The libraries have begun implementing the core system and expect to have the public interface ready for use in the summer of 2004.
August 26, 2003
PubMed Full Text Links Now Available
DUMC Library icons are now available in PubMed to indicate when full-text articles are directly linked or when the print journals are available. In order to access these links, you must connect to PubMed via our main page under the Databases dropdown menu, the Clinical Tools page, or directly at http://www.mclibrary.duke.edu/pubmed.
July 29, 2003
Harrison's Online to be Discontinued
Due to budget cuts, the Medical Center Library will discontinue its subscription to Harrison's Online effective August 1, 2003.
July 15, 2003
SPIN Database to be Discontinued
Due to budget cuts, the Medical Center Library will discontinue its subscription to the Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN) database effective July 31, 2003.
July 15, 2003
Medical Center Archives New Website
DUMC Archives collections, guidelines, and general information are now available online at http://archives.mc.duke.edu/. Users can search item-level descriptions of materials in collections, submit reference requests, and view a timeline of selected events in DUMC history. The Website also provides records retention and disposition guidelines and records transfer instructions and forms.
June 27, 2003
Trial Version of UpToDate Available
The Medical Center Library has obtained temporary trial access to UpToDate until a final contract can be negotiated. Once the contract is finalized, there may be changes to the terms for coverage within the Medical Center and how the system can be accessed. The Library will provide more detailed information once the contract terms are finalized.
June 20, 2003
ILL Fees Will Increase In July
Starting July 1, 2003, the cost for obtaining articles from non-Duke libraries will rise from $5.00 to $11.00 per article. A $5.00 fee will also be charged for books and other loans received from non-Duke libraries. For more information, see the June issue of our newsletter.
June 20, 2003
Big Brother Is Watching E-Resources!
Our electronic resources, such as MD Consult, are protected under both the US Copyright Law and our licensing agreements with individual vendors. In the June issue of our newsletter, Pat Thibodeau, Associate Dean, defines abuse and misuse of electronic resources and discusses how this activity can be prevented.
June 5, 2003
 PrimeAnswers (Pilot Project)
PrimeAnswers, developed by the University of Washington (UW), is a Web portal designed to enhance access to critically appraised information. The database contains therapeutic alerts, practice guidelines, and other information needed at the point of care. DUMCL is working with the UW Health Sciences Libraries on a pilot project to test a Duke version of the database. For more information, please contact Connie Schardt (schar005@mc.duke.edu; 660-1124).
June 5, 2003
Human Participant Protections Course
A continuing medical education (CME) course on the protection of human participants in research is available online at http://cme.nci.nih.gov. This Web-based tutorial, which incorporates interactive modules, case studies, and exercises, offers CME credit for physicians and contact hours for nurses and other members of research teams.
May 16, 2003
PubMed Database Now Supported
While we have primarily focused on using MEDLINE through the Ovid database system, the Library also supports the PubMed version of MEDLINE. For more information, see the April issue of Duke University Medical Center Library News.
May 1, 2003
Integrated Library System Vendor Demos
The Duke University Libraries are nearing the end of a selection process for a new, integrated library system (ILS) planned to be up and running next summer. Interested faculty and other members of the Duke community are encouraged to attend the following public sessions to see a demonstration of the systems we are considering.
 Endeavor: May 1; 3:15-4:15; 226 Perkins Library |
Innovative: May 12; 3:15-4:15; 4047 School of Law |
Ex Libris: May 15; 3:15-4:15; 4047 School of Law |
Further information about the ILS transition is available at the project Website: http://www.lib.duke.edu/its/diglib/ilstrans/.
May 1, 2003
SciFinder Scholar: Chemistry and More
SciFinder Scholar provides easy access to a variety of information offered by the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) databases back to 1907. Access is available to Duke users via the Web, but special software is required to use the database. For more information, see the latest issue of Duke University Medical Center Library News.
May 1, 2003
Evaluating Our Literature Gateways
In the April issue of our newsletter, Pat Thibodeau, Associate Dean, discusses the first round of database reviews, as part of the ongoing process of evaluating our collections and services.
April 30, 2003
LibQUAL Survey Returns - Last Chance to Help!
The Medical Center Library is administering a quality assessment survey instrument called LibQUAL+. Please take time to respond to the survey if you have received an invitation in your email. As an added incentive, those completing the survey will have the option to be included in random drawings for a PDA and other prizes. For more information about the 2003 LibQUAL+ survey, see the February newsletter cover article.
April 14, 2003
Bioterrorism Subject GuideThis Subject Guide on Bioterrorism-related issues provides links to Websites with information on biological and chemical weapons, environmental hazards, and other concerns. Access this resource from the main Web page under the Subject Guides menu.
March 17, 2003
Archives: Capturing the Present, Preserving the Past
Since the 1970s, Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) Archives has played a vital role in capturing institutional records and documents for DUMC and the Health System and ensuring their future availability for administrators, researchers, and scholars. See last month's newsletter article for more information on DUMC Archives.
February 27, 2003
E-Resources Now Displayable by Subject
Our electronic journals and books can now be displayed by subjects ranging from Allied Health to Veterinary Medicine. This new "Electronic Resources By Subject" page can be accessed from the main Web page under the Find A Book/Journal.
February 27, 2003
Exporting References Via Ovid
Are you using EndNote or Reference Manager? If so, there are two ways to export citations for loading into your bibliographic management databases. See this month's newsletter article for more information.
February 24, 2003
NC Health Info Available
NC Health Info is a collection of Websites of health care providers, services, and programs in NC with direct links to authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine's MEDLINEplus consumer health Website. The site is also accessible from DUMCL Online via the Subject Guides, Consumer/Patient Health and Lists of Medical Lists.
February 24, 2003
New Library Service Desk Being Installed
Installation of our new Library Service Desk will continue in March, 2003. During this time, there will be noise, dust, and confusion on the Entrance Level. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience during this renovation.
February 1, 2003
Black History Month: A Medical PerspectiveIn honor of Black History Month, the Medical Center Library revisits "Black History Month: A Medical Perspective," a popular display first exhibited in 1999. This virtual exhibit contains a wealth of information including a chronology of achievements of African Americans in medicine, a section on folk medicine, and a selective bibliography.
February 1, 2003
Tough Decisions - Cell Press Journals
Many faculty and researchers are eager for us to subscribe to the electronic versions of journals published by Cell Press. However, we are facing some steep challenges in providing this resource.
 Current subscriptions: Four titles in print cost $2,507 ($300-$800 range per title)
Electronic version: Same four titles would cost more than $15,000 for Duke
(almost six times the cost of the paper subscription)
Two new titles available in print: $876
Two new titles in electronic format: If purchased with above offer, would cost more than $2,000
(almost three times the cost of the paper copy)
Decision: Although electronic resources provide quick, reliable, and easy access to important information, we cannot cut twenty or more subscriptions to obtain only four electronic titles from this publisher. Given our current budget reductions and the extreme pricing of these journals, it is impossible for the Library to make them available at this time. Nevertheless, we are continuing to work with our local consortium and the Perkins Library system to negotiate better prices.
February 1, 2003
Medical Center Library Wins PR Award
For the third year in a row, the Medical Center Library has won national recognition and a monetary award for its excellence in library marketing and promotion during National Medical Librarians Month (NMLM) in October. Judged by Public Communications, Inc., public relations consultant for the Medical Library Association, the Creative Promotions Award contest recognizes the library with the most innovative and creative celebration of NMLM.
This year, the Library used the NMLM campaign to address the challenges of continuing to offer the best service with reduced funds and staff by promoting the theme, "Maintaining Giga Information Bytes After Mega Budget Bites." One display compared the cost of luxury items to the cost of some of the Library's most expensive resources. For example, a photo of a thirty-three-foot yacht cruiser with its price tag ($129,000) was compared side-by-side with the price tag for the Ovid databases ($130,000). Staff also produced an informative handout outlining the impact budget cuts will have on library services, including reduced hours, longer waits for searches, and slower turnaround on requests.
For the "Information Saves Lives!" contest, patrons were asked to guess the number of Lifesavers candies in a jar. Throughout the month, the Library also sponsored its popular Web-based scavenger hunt and gave prizes for contest winners including copy or print cards, free scanning, and free Website design consultations. (See the December 2002 issue of our newsletter for NMLM Winners).
Special thanks go to the NMLM Task Force members: Co-chairs Beverly Murphy and Maurice Reece, Stephanie Holmgren, Rodney Hunter, Suzanne Jessup, and Hattie Vines.
January 6, 2003
Our Most Difficult Decisions: Journal Cancellations
In the December issue of our newsletter, Pat Thibodeau, Associate Dean, outlines how we are approaching the difficult task of reviewing journal titles for possible cancellations in 2004 and 2005 and solicits your help in this process.
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