Best Bytes: Accessing PubMed on the Go
Posted on | December 5, 2011 | 1 Comment
Contributed by Lisa Federer, Health and Life Sciences Librarian, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, UCLA
As much as we’d love to see our patrons in the library every day, the reality is that we as 21st century librarians often provide services to patrons we may never actually meet in person. Whether it’s a busy clinician at the point of care, a stressed student studying at 3:00 AM, or a researcher in the lab, many of our patrons need access to high-quality information on the go. Luckily, a multitude of apps and mobile sites make it easy to get information anytime, anywhere. Several apps and mobile versions of PubMed allow users to perform advanced searches, access full-text articles, and email and save articles.
Apps
Users who need to access PubMed from their Android or Apple device may prefer to download one of several apps, with their easy-to-use interfaces and their powerful sharing and saving features. Depending on your mobile platform, several apps are available for free and for purchase:
PubMed on Tap and PubMed on Tap Lite (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad)
Available through the iTunes Store, this app allows users to access PubMed from the iOS device using a simple, clean interface. The advanced search interface is easy to use, allowing users to select a field to search, tap to select Boolean operators, and set limits. Articles can be saved to the in-app library or emailed along with PDFs. Users can also configure the app to work with their institution’s proxy server to give them full-text access to all of their library’s subscriptions. The full version costs $2.99, but the free version, PubMed on Tap Lite, offers the same functionality with some limitations, like limiting the number of saved articles in the library.
PubMed Clip (iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad)
PubMed Clip’s search and browse offerings don’t greatly differ from those of PubMed on Tap, but its integration with web services and other apps may make it a favorite among a social-media-savvy crowd. Users can share links to articles on Facebook and Twitter or send citations to Evernote, a popular note-taking platform. The in-app library also offers more functionality, such as folders and the option to sort articles by author, title, or tag. The app can be configured for proxy access and is available for $2.99. Read more
NLM Announces Launch of Its YouTube Channel
Posted on | December 2, 2011 | No Comments
NLM now has a YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/nlmnih.
By incorporating the use of YouTube, NLM has added what “most studies list as the third most popular website” to its tools for disseminating information. According to NLM’s announcement its YouTube channel will post videos including “database training, lectures, NLM exhibitions (such as an overview of the new Native Voices: Native Peoples’ Concepts of Health and Illness), public service announcements, special events and more.
The NLM site also features links to NIH YouTube channels and other federal health resources. Interested parties can subscribe to be notified whenever new content is posted on the NLM channel.
Libraries in Cuba: experiences of the MLGSCA Professional Development Award winner
Posted on | November 30, 2011 | 3 Comments
I received a Professional Development Award from MLGSCA this fall to fund a trip to Havana, Cuba, sponsored by the Special Libraries Association. I deeply appreciate being selected for this award and have submitted proposals to several conferences to discuss my experiences. I also wanted to provide information to my MLGSCA colleagues, so have written this blog posting to give you a brief account of our trip. I would, of course, be delighted to discuss Cuba with you in person at future meetings or via email—my contact information is at the end of this post.
My goals for the trip was to investigate uses of technologies in libraries, with a special focus on medical and health related libraries. Before I get into this, I’d like to briefly give some background information about the trip and differences between Cuba and America to give you some context.
The governments of Cuba and America do not have particularly friendly relations, so trade and travel is restricted. The United States government does not permit United States-owned companies to sell goods to Cuba, and does not permit Americans to enter Cuba. Our group applied for and traveled on visas adhering to one exception to this rule: professionals conducting research with a possibility of public dissemination upon return to the United States.
Our delegation consisted of 15 members from all over the United States, representing a variety of libraries. While in Havana, we visited eight Cuban libraries and the library run by the United States Interest Section (the Interest Section represents the U.S. government as there is no American Embassy in Cuba). Our group was accompanied by a guide/interpreter, enabling us to have conversations with the librarians and staff.
One of the most major differences between Havana libraries and libraries in the U.S. is access to computers and reliable networks. Only two of the libraries we visited had computerized catalogs. Read more
William H. Welch Library at Johns Hopkins Going Digital
Posted on | November 11, 2011 | No Comments
Librarians at Johns Hopkins Unversity in Baltimore, MD are turning their focus to digital delivery of library materials, noting that they will be able to spend more on online materials by closing the doors on the physical facility. As of January 1, 2010, they will be completely online. Read more in the The Digital Shift or Out of the Jungle: Johns Hopkins To Close Its Medical Library.
BEST BYTES: I AM TEACHING AN ONLINE COURSE: HOW DO I STRUCTURE IT?
Posted on | November 7, 2011 | No Comments
Contributed by Kathy Spicer, currently a graduate student in library science at the University of Arizona, and formerly an instructor and instructional designer.
Writer and educator Parker Palmer writes that “Good teaching cannot be reduced to technique. Good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.”
As you design your online instruction, remember that its quality is not dependent upon your mastery of technologies but instead flows from who you are and all that you have learned about teaching your patrons.
If you find that you are still a bit nervous—most of us are—you may find it helpful to structure your content by following a sequence of steps developed by educational psychologist Robert Gagne. While technological bells and whistles are fun to learn along the way, it is not necessary to use them in order to design effective online instruction. Using ordinary text is ok. Gagne shows us how to structure our text or multimedia in a way that facilitates learning by capitalizing on what researchers have learned about how our brains process information.
Gagne suggests that instructors start a lesson by sharing a surprising fact or asking a thought-provoking question. This helps learners focus on the content of the lesson rather than other things that are going on in their lives. Next, share one or more learning objectives with participants. Describe what will they be able to do at the end of the course. Relate the content that they are about to learn with the background or skills that they already have (an example of how to do this is contained in the first two sentences of this article).
Now it is time to present the content. Include any guidance or hints that you think learners might need. Content can be delivered in many ways, such as through text or a PowerPoint presentation. Read more
Apply for an MLGSCA Student Scholarship!
Posted on | November 4, 2011 | No Comments
Time is running out- apply by December
15!
Are you currently in library school working towards your degree in library/information science? Are you interested in pursuing health sciences librarianship? Looking for a little financial help to finish your degree? How about applying for a MLGSCA student scholarship! Up to 3 scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded annually by MLGSCA. Student must meet eligibility and application requirements to be considered for a scholarship. Application deadline is December 15, 2011.
Please see the MLGSCA Awards and Grants webpage for further information and application instructions.
Nominating Committee seeks candidates
Posted on | November 2, 2011 | No Comments
Submitted by Eileen Wakiji, MLGSCA Nominating Committee Chair
The Nominating Committee is beginning their work of finding eligible candidates for the 2012 election. Although we have ideas about candidates, we would like to hear from you – either through self-nomination or sharing a member’s name for possible inclusion on the upcoming ballot.
While being an MLGSCA officer may seem overwhelming at times, I can speak from first-hand experience (2010-11 MLGSCA President and 1994-95 Secretary) that it has enabled me to give something back to the organization that has taught me a lot. I have also been able to earn AHIP points at the same time!
We are seeking:
President-Elect/Continuing Education & Program Chair. 3 year term (President-Elect, President, Immediate Past-President).
Secretary. One year term.
MLA Chapter Council Representative & Alternate. 3 year term.
MLGSCA Nominating Committee. 2 year term.
In addition to the above elected positions, the Nominating Committee will also be looking for MLGSCA’s nominee for the MLA Nominating Committee.
There is information concerning these positions in the MLGSCA Advisory Council Manual and the Bylaws at http://www.mlgsca.mlanet.org. Although if there are any questions, please feel free to email me directly or any of the Committee members. We look forward to hearing from you by November 14th so that the Committee will have time to fully consider all suggestions.
We eagerly await your response!
Eileen Wakiji, MLGSCA Nominating Committee Chair, ewakiji@csulb.edu
Andrea Harrow, Library@GoodSam.Org
Brooke Billman, brooke.billman@ahsl.arizona.edu,
Carol Ann Attwood, attwood.carol@mayo.edu
Molly Harrington, Molly.Harrington@CHW.EDU
Member publishes in JMLA
Posted on | November 2, 2011 | 1 Comment
Congratulations to MLGSCA member Janet Crum, who published her research article “An availability study of electronic articles in an academic health sciences library” in the October 2011 issue of JMLA (Journal of the Medical Library Association). Read the abstract and full text in PubMed Central. Congratulations, Janet!
One University Medical Library Plans to Adapt to Change in a Major Way
Posted on | October 29, 2011 | No Comments
The shift to digital library resources has kept accelerating. It’s likely that some libraries now have a majority of their holdings in digital format. This has necessitated changes in how services are provided. Even more changes can be expected in the future.
A blog post this week by Michael Kelley in Library Journal’s The Digital Shift highlights one university medical library’s plan to go completely digital at the first of next year and close its doors to patrons.
What type of changes has your library made or is it planning to make in response to the continuing shift to digital resources?
What challenges has the shift to digital resources brought to your library?
Share your comments.
Read the entire blog post here.
MLGSCA Professional Development Award
Posted on | October 19, 2011 | No Comments
Each year, MLGSCA provides monetary assistance to members who are looking to update their skills, add new skills to their repertoire or perhaps develop leadership skills. This year, the Awards Committee is pleased to announce that a Professional Development Award is going to Amy Chatfield.
Our next Professional Development application deadline is February 15, 2012. Applications can be found on the Awards page of the MLGSCA website.
Best Bytes: Video Chat: Tango and Google+ Hangouts
Posted on | October 5, 2011 | No Comments
Contributed by Robert Johnson, Clinical Services Librarian, Norris Medical Library, University of Southern California
Video chat is not only a fun way to keep up with distant friends, it can be a good way to connect with colleagues. Telemedicine, mobile American Sign Language, and guest lecturing from a distant location are all important uses of video conferencing. In the not too distant past, this was limited to those with the resources for closed-loop systems and expensive equipment, but now many of us carry the technology in our pockets. As we continue to watch budgets shrink, it seems reasonable to turn to video chat as a way to bridge those times when travel is impractical or inconvenient. Here are a few low-to-no budget options for video conferencing.
1) A device with audio and video capabilities (laptop with built-in camera, computer with external camera and microphone, mobile device with front-facing camera)
2) An internet connection (wired, Wi-Fi, 3G, 4G)
3) A friend/colleague with both of the above
SEAL-S Program: Data Curation Initiatives at Southern California Academic Institutions
Posted on | September 27, 2011 | No Comments
Join SEAL-S (a CARL interest group) on October 28th at Cal State Long Beach for a day of programming about data curation.
Agenda
- 9:20 – 9:55 AM Registration and continental breakfast
- 9:55 – 10:00 AM Welcome and introductions
- 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Marisa Ramirez, Digital Repository Librarian, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Joan Starr, EZID Service Manager, University of California Curation Center (UC3)
- 12:00 – 12:45 PM Lunch
- 12:45 – 3:25 PM
George Porter, Librarian, California Institute of Technology
Mitchell Brown, Research Librarian, UCI Libraries
Tim Tamminga, VP of Global Sales, Berkeley Electronic Press
- 3:25 – 3:30 PM Wrap-up
*optional library tour available following completion of program
CARL Members: $30, Non-CARL Members: $45, Students: $15. Registration includes continental breakfast and lunch. Registration does not include daily $5 campus parking.
RSVP by Thursday, October 20th via the online registration form.
Verify your registration and view a list of registrants at the SEAL-S website. Questions? Please contact Khue Duong, Program Chair, by email or phone: (562) 985-2641.