November/December 2000 volume 9, issue 6   In this issue: BioSites Update   Reach Out in February   Toxicology Web Resources and Beyond   PSRML at the Joint Meeting   New MEDLINEplus Links to Consumer Health Libraries   From the Consumer Health Librarian...   Routing More Effectively   Added SERHOLD Features   MLA Scholarship   MLA Scholarship for Minority Students   NLM Technical Bulletin Highlights In every issue: Table of Contents for the NLM Technical Bulletin   Upcoming Events   Publication Information

BioSites Update! You may have noticed some recent activity in BioSites (http://www.library.ucsf.edu/biosites). BioSites, a listing of quality Internet resources in the biomedical sciences, is a collaborative project of regional Network member libraries and PSRML. Since the beginning of October, librarian Cathy Brown has been assisting PSRML in checking each of more than 600 BioSites content descriptions for currency. While BioSites catches dead links using Linkcheck, other changes continually take place in the volatile world of the web. Old URL's forward to new ones. The names of sites change, along with their contents, and so the titles and/or descriptions have to be updated. Sites included in BioSites date back to 1996. Government sites have been the most volatile. Some have become privatized, while others have changed their names to reflect new responsibilities. Sites that link to a database that searches a particular collection are also regularly revised. To date, two thirds of BioSites pages have been checked; over one hundred changes have been submitted to Julia Kochi, BioSites Manager at UCSF Library and Center for Knowledge Management. If a site has changed substantially, it is deleted and a new description is written and submitted. A site is deleted if it has become something totally different and no longer matches BioSites criteria, although this rarely happens. This review and updating process preserves BioSites' reputation as a valuable tool in locating evaluated biomedical information sites on the Internet. Editor's note: Cathy Brown assisted PSRML on a temporary basis this past September and October. She has a permanent part-time appointment at the UCLA College Library and also works at the UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library Reference Division.

Reach Out in February

Are you interested in going beyond the boundaries of the traditional on-site medical library services that you provide to your primary clientele? If you are, and you want your efforts to make a difference, plan on attending a new one-day course being offered on February 10, at the NCNMLG/MLGSCA 2001 Joint Meeting in San Francisco. Measuring the Difference: Planning and Evaluating Health Information Outreach, taught by Cathy Burroughs and Maryanne Blake, will offer "hands on" experience in the planning and evaluation process of outreach.

This is a good follow-up to the Grant Writer's Toolbox workshop sponsored by PSRML this past spring. It is highly recommended for those who are currently working on projects funded through PSRML subcontracts, or who are planning to apply for outreach funding in the future. More specifics about the course will be available soon at the Joint Meeting website at http://ncnmlg.stanford.edu/JtMtg2001/ce.html.

The article Success with Outreach: Introduction to Planning and Evaluation by Cathy Burroughs, Network Librarian, Evaluation, NN/LM Pacific Northwest Region, provides a good introduction to the topic.

Hope to see you in February!

Toxicology Web Resources and Beyond

PSRML sponsored a Toxicology Web Resources at the NLM and Beyond course in September in response to needs voiced by regional Network librarians for enhanced toxicology information search skills. Presented by NLM Technical Information Specialist Philip Wexler, the half-day sessions in Phoenix, Arizona, and San Diego, California, drew 39 participants. Training for health information professionals in the area of toxicology information had not been offered on the West Coast in some time.

The course was designed to teach students about web-based resources related to toxicology, hazardous chemicals, and the environment. Students learned about the contents of specific web-based toxicology resources, and how to search NLM and select other databases available through the web. Participant comments were uniformly positive and favorable of Mr. Wexler's review of the new developments and resources available at the TOXNET web site http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/.

Philip Wexler has been involved with the TOXNET system since its inception and participates in a number of teams that focus on different aspects of its web-based implementation, including interface design and search engine function. He is responsible for TOXNET documentation and has taught widely on the subject of toxicology information.

By agreement with Philip Wexler, PSMRL has made his presentation available for downloading from the PSRML web site. Please go to: http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/psr/toxnet.html.

PSRML at the Joint Meeting

Following the conference theme, "Gateways to Knowledge," the PSRML Update at the 2001 NCNMLG/MLGSCA Joint Meeting will feature news and demonstrations on electronic information resources offered by the National Library of Medicine and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (Thursday, February 8, 4:00 p.m.). PSRML will also sponsor Plenary Session III: 24/7 Reference, with Susan McGlamery, Coordinator for Reference Services, Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, and project director of the 24/7 Reference Project (Thursday, February 8, 3:00 p.m.). PSRML will have an exhibit booth at the Joint Meeting, and a DOCLINE workshop will be offered on Wednesday afternoon, February 7. We look forward to seeing you in San Francisco!

New MEDLINEplus Links to Consumer Health Libraries

Five NN/LM Pacific Southwest Region consumer health library links have been added to the MEDLINEplus "Libraries" page. They are:

The Gateway Health Library
Modesto, CA
http://www.thevision.net/gateway/

Redwood Health Library
Petaluma, CA
http://www.phcd.org/rdwdlib.html

Sutter Resource Library
Sacramento, CA
http://go.sutterhealth.com/comm/resc-library/sac-resources.html

ValleyCare Health Library & Ryan Comer Cancer Resource Center
Pleasanton, CA
http://www.valleycare.com/library.html

University of California, Davis, Health Sciences Libraries
Davis/Sacramento, CA
http://www.lib.ucdavis.edu/hsl/conshealth.html

While the health sciences libraries of the University of California, Davis, primarily serve the faculty, staff and students of the medical and veterinary schools, the librarians have created a useful consumer health resources page for the public. The page includes consumer veterinary medical resources, as well as links to library services and to help.

Eleven regional consumer health libraries are now linked from the "Libraries" page, accessible through the "Other Resources" link on the MEDLINEplus homepage. Consumer health libraries must have a web site in order to be listed on this page; 42 consumer health libraries are currently listed. Please contact Heidi Sandstrom (heidits@library.ucla.edu) if you would like your library included.

From the Consumer Health Librarian...

MEDLINEplus now offers several new features that are linked from the "About MEDLINEplus" text on the top bar of each page. Included are:

• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
  These new FAQs are designed to answer questions about information and links found on MEDLINEplus, its relationship to other library products, etc.
   
  
• MEDLINEplus Tour
  The new tour highlights the various content found on MEDLINEplus, such as health topics, drug information, the medical encyclopedia, how to find a physician, clinical trials, etc. The tour allows users to page through each content area, or to go to individual sections.
   
  
• Welcome video from Dr. Lindberg
  A welcome video from Dr. Lindberg, prepared by the NLM's Audiovisual Program Development Branch, is now available on MEDLINEplus. To view the video, you must have the QuickTime program installed.
   
  
• Link to MEDLINEplus
  This page now includes text and HTML code for sites who wish to link to the home page and the search box for MEDLINEplus.
  

You may submit your comments and suggestions from the "We welcome your comments" link at the bottom of every page.

Routing More Effectively

Here are some tips to make your DOCLINE requests route more effectively:

Remove Closed DOCLINE Participants from Your Routing Table
 
Here are two Pacific Southwest Region libraries that have closed this year. Be sure to delete them from your routing table.

Institution	LIBID
Sacramento-El Dorado Medical Society	CAUSES
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System	CAUCAV

Doing a search in DOCUSER for "Only if:" "DOCLINE Participant" "AND" "Library Closed" will provide you with the complete list of closed DOCLINE libraries across the nation.

Add New DOCLINE Participants to Your Routing Table
 
After deleting some libraries from your routing table, you may have room to add new ones. If so, here are some new DOCLINE participants to add. Please contact the library in order to get permission to add its LIBID to your routing table.

Institution	LIBID	Titles in SERHOLD
Biodyne	CAUHHV	68
Desert Valley Hospital	CAUHHW	11
Harbor UCLA Medical Center	CAUHUC	1094
Ventura County Medical Center	CAUPJX	105

FreeShare Members
 
Finally, for those libraries that are part of the FreeShare Library Group, please be sure to add fellow members to your library's routing table. For a list of members, click on DOCUSER and then select Search/View. For the first "Search in:" prompt, select "library group code". A second window will open; please select "FreeShare - Free Reciprocal Interlibrary Loan Group". This will give you the entire list of FreeShare members. For Regional FreeShare members, select "Region code" for the second "Search in:" prompt. Again, a second window will open; then select "07 - Pacific Southwest Region." Click on the Search button to retrieve a list of FreeShare libraries.
 
If you are not a member of FreeShare and would like to know more about it, please visit the following URL:
 
http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/libinfo/docline/freeshare.html

Added SERHOLD Features

The following features were added to the SERHOLD module of the DOCLINE system with the release of DOCLINE version 1.1:

• Ability to add an additional holdings record for holdings in a different physical format.
• New SERHOLD Reports:
  • Holdings Not Updated within One Year (lists libraries and the number of holdings)
  • Holdings Outside of Publication Date (lists titles with problem holdings data)
  • Level 2 Holdings (lists titles for which holdings should be upgraded)
  • NLM Serial Title Changes
• SERHOLD Union Lists:
  • Holdings by State/Province
  • Holdings by Library Group
• SERHOLD Searching
  • "My Routing Table" and "Resource Libraries" have been added to search limits. These two choices have been added to the list of Library Groups.

MLA Scholarship

The Medical Library Association (MLA) will again be awarding a scholarship to a library school student who is entering an ALA-accredited graduate library program or, at the time of the granting of the scholarship (February), has yet to complete at least half of the program's academic requirements. This scholarship has been awarded since 1965; this year the scholarship is for up to $5000. Applicants must be citizens of or have permanent residence status in the United States or Canada; those who have received the MLA Scholarship or the MLA Scholarship for Minority Students in the past are not eligible.

The deadline for applications is December 1, 2000. For application information please contact Anne Greenspan at:

Medical Library Association Professional Development Department
65 East Wacker Place, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60601-7298
Phone: 312-419-9094, ext. 28
Email: mlapd2@mlahq.org
An online application form is at: http://www.mlanet.org/awards/apply.html

MLA Scholarship for Minority Students

The Medical Library Association (MLA) as the professional association dedicated to improving the quality and leadership of health information professionals, has since 1976 annually awarded a scholarship to a library school student from a minority group. This year the scholarship is up to $5000. The MLA Scholarship for Minority Students is intended to encourage candidates who show excellence in scholarship and potential for leadership to pursue a career in health sciences librarianship and join that special cadre of librarians at the leading edge of information management.

To be eligible for the MLA Scholarship for Minority Students, applicants must be entering an ALA-accredited graduate library program or must have completed no more than half of his/her graduate library program at the time of the award announcement (February). Applicants must be members of a minority group; this is defined as African-American, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, or Pacific Islander. Finally, applicants must also be citizens of or have permanent residence status in the United States or Canada.

In addition to the scholarship, the recipient of the MLA Scholarship for Minority Students also receives a one-year student membership in MLA and free, inclusive registration at the association's annual meeting, to be held in Orlando, Florida May 25-31, 2001.

The deadline for applications is December 1, 2000. For application information please contact Anne Greenspan at:

Medical Library Association Professional Development Department
65 East Wacker Place, Suite 1900
Chicago, IL 60601-7298
Phone: 312-419-9094, ext. 28
Email: mlapd2@mlahq.org
An online application form is at: http://www.mlanet.org/awards/apply.html

NLM Technical Bulletin Highlights

The September/October issue of the Technical Bulletin includes articles on searching ClinicalTrials.gov, and on "Cubby" - PubMed's newest feature. ClinicalTrials.gov provides easy access to information on clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions; the database now contains over 5,000 protocol abstracts from clinical studies sponsored primarily by the NIH. The article explains how to do basic and focused searches, and how to browse the database to find clinical study protocol abstracts.

"The Cubby - A New PubMed Feature" provides an overview of Cubby functions - storing search strategies and customizing your LinkOut display. LinkOut is a program that provides links on items retrieved in PubMed to information providers. The Hands On column in this issue begins a series that will step you through using Cubby features. The first Hands On article explains how to register and login to the Cubby.

The Technical Notes section of this issue contains important information on accessing NLM publications, including 2001 MeSH^® tools and Pharmacological Action Lists, PubMed training manuals, and the National Library of Medicine Classification, 5th ed., rev. 1999.

Remember, an easy way to keep up with PubMed development is to click on the Articles about: PubMed link at the bottom of the homepage of the NLM Technical Bulletin. This brings you to a chronological listing of articles (most recent articles appear first) highlighting changes and new features.

Table of Contents for the NLM Technical Bulletin

Table of Contents for the September/October issue:

In this Issue:

Searching ClinicalTrials.gov
PubMed Central Links Added to PubMed
Hands On: Registering for the PubMed Cubby
NLM Online Users' Meetings 2000: DOCLINE Questions and Answers
The Cubby - A New PubMed Feature

Technical Notes:

MeSH^® Tools 2001 Available for Purchase
MeSH^® Files 2001 Available for Downloading
Updated Training Manuals Available
National Library of Medicine Classification, 5th ed., rev. 1999 Now Available
New Clinical Advisory Issued On Hearing Loss

Upcoming Events - 2000 to 2001*

November 2000
Nov 30 - Dec 2		Vision, Mission, Reality, Library Administration and Management Association, Palm Springs, CA
December 2000
Dec 1 - 31		Wishing you the joy of the season!
January 2001
Jan 10-11		The Public Library and Consumer Health: Meeting Community Needs Through Resource Identification and Collaboration, Washington, DC
February 2001
Feb 7-10		NCNMLG/MLGSCA 2001 Joint Meeting: Gateways to Knowledge, San Francisco, CA
Feb 22		Keeping Up (1-day), NOTC, Honolulu, HI
Feb 23		TOXNET on the Web (1-day), NOTC, Honolulu, HI
Feb 27		Keeping Up (1-day), NOTC, Los Angeles, CA
Feb 28		Keeping Up (1-day), NOTC, Los Angeles, CA

*Please visit the PSRML Library Professional Development Award web page to apply for an award to attend educational events. PSRML will make available awards up to $1,000 to individuals in Primary Access Libraries in Region 7. Applications may be made at any time.

Publication Information

Please send items and contributed articles for Latitudes to Heidi Sandstrom, Editor, at heidits@library.ucla.edu.

Pacific Southwest Regional Medical Library (PSRML), Headquarters for Region 7, NN/LM

UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library/PSRML

12-077 CHS

Box 951798

Los Angeles, CA 90095-1798

Phone: (310)825-1200 or (800)338-7657

Fax: (310)825-5389

URL: http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/psr

PSRML Staff

Alison Bunting, MLS, Director, abunting@library.ucla.edu
 

Elaine Graham, MLS, Associate Director, elgraham@library.ucla.edu
 

Claire Hamasu, MLS, Health Information Services Coordinator, chamasu@library.ucla.edu
 

Vacant, Education & Exhibit Coordinator
 

Heidi Sandstrom, RN, MLIS, Consumer Health Information Services Coordinator, heidits@library.ucla.edu
 

Vacant, Library Network Coordinator
 

Andrea Lynch, Network Assistant, andlynch@library.ucla.edu
 

Michael Miller, Computer Resource Specialist, mmiller@library.ucla.edu
 

Karen Ricard, Administrative Assistant, kricard@library.ucla.edu

Network members may subscribe to the Regional Listserv by clicking here. If you do not want to subscribe to the Regional Listserv, but would like to receive Latitudes click here.

Latitudes: Newsletter of the Pacific Southwest Region, National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) is published bi-monthly by PSRML.

Funded by the National Library of Medicine under a contract (#N01-LM-6-3527) with the UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library.