MIDDLE ATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE
Newsletter of the
National Network of Libraries of Medicine
Middle Atlantic Region
New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware
| The New York Academy of Medicine - 1216 Fifth Avenue - New York, NY 10029 |
| Volume 11 Number 3 | May - June 2001 |
In This Issue...
NLM Contract Awarded
2001 - 2006 Resource Libraries
NTCC Contract and Class Schedule
Public Health Outreach Forum
Collection Development Policies for
Electronic Resources
Library Closings in the Middle Atlantic
Region
NLM Technical Bulletin
As the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) begins a new contract period, its mission remains as it has been in recent years: To advance the progress of medicine and improve the public health by providing all US health professionals with equal access to biomedical information, and improving the public's access to information to enable them to make informed decisions about their health. The New York Academy of Medicine, as the Regional Medical Library for the Middle Atlantic Region (MAR), and itself a member of the NN/LM, will work both regionally and nationally with our counterparts in other regions in bringing these goals to fruition.
Network members can expect to see the continuation of some successful long established programs, together with the introduction of exciting new initiatives. New collaborations between health sciences libraries, public libraries, and other libraries will be developed and encouraged, and there will be new subcontracting opportunities for libraries of all types throughout the region.
Specific areas of endeavor advocated by the NLM include:
A keystone of our program is the NN/LM itself, and most of you reading this have been members for some time, in hospital and other health sciences libraries. A new category of Affiliate Members has been added. These are libraries that are called upon for health information by their patrons but which do not meet all the qualifications of Full Members. A detailed definition of NN/LM membership can be found on the NLM web site at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/factsheets/nnlmem.html There will be an emphasis on recruiting new Affiliate Members, as well as encouraging qualified Affiliates to participate in DOCLINE and become Full Members. All Members will receive membership certificates in recognition of their contributions to the program.
Resource LibrariesThe network includes the New York Academy of Medicine library as the Regional Medical Library, supported by 24 Resource Libraries. The role and criteria for Resource Libraries have been established by the National Library of Medicine, and they are an integral part of resource sharing and document delivery in the region. They also assist the RML in disseminating information on program activities and in fostering cooperation among network member libraries. A list of all the Resource Libraries with their LIBIDs appears in the following article. Detailed information on each can be found in DOCUSER. You will note that there are a few changes among the participating Resource Libraries.
Outreach and Consumer Health InformationOutreach programs aimed at health professionals will continue, and programs for consumers will burgeon. There will be more funding opportunities, including subcontracts, grant programs, and other cooperative ventures. Look for announcements of these programs in the coming weeks.
CommunicationWe will communicate with you regularly via this electronic newsletter and the regional Listserv�, as well as individually via e-mail, telephone, fax, and in person at meetings. You can anticipate significant growth in the use of the regional and national web sites as well. No doubt we will also use the good old U.S. Postal Service.
EvaluationThere will be an increased and renewed emphasis on evaluation of all NN/LM-sponsored programs. NLM has authorized the establishment of the Outreach Evaluation Resource Center, which will be headquartered at the Pacific Northwest Regional Medical Library in Seattle. That office has already produced the manual Measuring the Difference: Guide to Planning and Evaluating Health Information Outreach, by Catherine M. Burroughs. This manual is available on request from nnlm@u.washington.edu and is highly recommended not only for those doing outreach, but also for anyone planning projects with an evaluation component.
National Training Center and ClearinghouseThe Middle Atlantic Region continues as the site of the re-named and revamped online training center. See the article on page 4 for details of the new training center.
We look forward to working with each and every one of you, to expanding our programs, welcoming new members, and widening access to health information to the entire population of our region. We have already noticed a terrific response to recently announced NLM grant opportunities. Look for more possibilities in the months ahead, and let us have your suggestions for potential collaborations and services you would like to see from the RML.
We welcome the following institutions as Resource Libraries in the NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region. You will recognize many of them as having served as Resource or Area Libraries under previous NN/LM Regional Medical Library contracts in years past. The distinction between the categories, Resource Libraries and Area Libraries no longer exists - all are recognized as Resource Libraries. You may also notice that a number of former RL/ALs no longer serve in that capacity.
We are particularly delighted to welcome the Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, PA (LIBID PAUGMC) as a Resource Library in this new contract period. Geisinger has a particularly strong consumer health program and is a most welcome addition in its new role within the region.
We suggest that in light of the changes, you might wish to review your DOCLINE Routing Table and make any changes you deem necessary. Please remember that Resource Libraries are currently permitted to charge $11 per article.
Regional Medical LibraryDelaware Academy of Medicine (DEUDAM)
New JerseyUniversity of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey / George F. Smith Library (NJUNJN)
New YorkAlbany Medical College (NYUALB)
Albert Einstein College of Medicine (NYUAEB)
Columbia University / Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library (NYUCPS)
Medical Library Center of New York (NYUMLC)
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Institute (NYUMSK)
Mount Sinai School of Medicine (NYUMTS)
New York Medical College (NYUWES)
New York State Psychiatric Institute (NYUNYP)
New York University David B. Kriser Dental Center (NYUNYD)
New York University School of Medicine (NYUNUM)
Rockefeller University (NYURKF)
Roswell Park Cancer Institute (NYURPM)
State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo / Health Sciences Library (NYUSBU)
State University of New York (SUNY) Stony Brook/ Health Sciences Center Library (NYUSSB)
SUNY Downstate Medical University (NYUMRL)
SUNY Upstate Medical University (NYUSSY)
University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry (NYUROC)
Weill Medical College of Cornell University (NYUCOR)
PennsylvaniaGeisinger Medical Center (PAUGMC)
University of Pennsylvania / Biomedical Library (PAUPEM)
University of Pittsburgh / Falk Health Sciences Library (PAUPIT)
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia (PAUPPS)
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) is pleased to announce the award of the National Training Center and Clearinghouse (NTCC) contract to the New York Academy of Medicine. This contract is announced in conjunction with the awards of the eight Regional Medical Library (RML) contracts and is effective May 1, 2001-April 30, 2006.
The training arm of the NTCC will remain the same. Its name has been changed from National Online Training Center to reflect the addition of a new clearinghouse function. The RMLs and many member network libraries produce training materials on searching NLM systems. The NTCC will develop a Web resource for network libraries to make their training materials available for others to use. Stay tuned for future developments on this new Web-based clearinghouse.
Course Offerings
The NTCC will continue to offer the following classes:
Keeping Up with NLM's PubMed, the NLM Gateway and ClinicalTrials.gov
This one-day class is designed for the searcher who has been using PubMed but would like a refresher or an update on the newest enhancements; or for the searcher who has been searching MEDLINE from another interface and wants to make the transition to PubMed. Overviews and demonstrations of the NLM Gateway and ClinicalTrials.gov are also included.
Students attending this class should be familiar with MEDLINE, Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) vocabulary and Boolean logic as these core topics are not covered. If you have never searched MEDLINE or used MeSH before, the two-day Introduction class (described below) is appropriate.
There is no charge for this class. This course earns 7.5 continuing education contact hours for Medical Library Association (MLA) members.
Introduction to Web-based Searching: Using PubMed, the NLM Gateway and ClinicalTrials.gov
This two-day class is designed for the searcher who is new to searching MEDLINE. This includes those who have never searched before as well as users with some searching experience but little knowledge of the MEDLINE database or the MeSH vocabulary.
Instruction on the MeSH vocabulary and Boolean logic is included. Students learn to use PubMed and receive an overview of the NLM Gateway and ClinicalTrials.gov.
There is no charge for this class. This course earns 11.5 continuing education contact hours for MLA members.
TOXNET on the Web
This one-day class conveys the basics of searching NLM's TOXNET, a Web-based system of databases in the areas of toxicology, environmental health, and related subjects. Students learn the content and structure of files covering toxicology data, toxicology literature, toxic releases, and chemical searching and nomenclature. Among the databases highlighted are TOXLINE, the Hazardous Substances Data Bank, the Integrated Risk Information System, the Toxic Release Inventory, and ChemIDplus.
There is no charge for this class. This course earns 7 continuing education contact hours for MLA members.
Class Schedule and How to Register You may view the training class schedule and register online for classes at the NTCC Web site found at http://nnlm.gov/mar/online/ As the contract award for the NTCC was just recently announced, the May-December 2001 schedule is not entirely in place. Please check the NTCC Web site periodically for announcements of future classes. New classes will be added on a regular basis, as the NTCC confirms dates and locations. Every attempt will be made to place training applicants in the class requested. If a class is filled, applicants will be registered for their second choice, and also automatically placed on a waiting list for their first choice. Approximately one month prior to the class, registrants will receive a packet with information on hotels, local site arrangements and the class agenda. Please note that all classes are considered "tentative" pending the required minimum enrollment one month before the class.
Each person makes a difference
Our classes are in demand and usually fill rapidly, often creating a waiting list. In order to help us provide training opportunities to as many people as possible, please notify the NTCC office if you have registered for a class and your plans change. The more advance notice you give us, the more likely it is that someone else can take the available space. It is very disappointing to begin a class with empty chairs that could have otherwise been occupied. We are asking for your cooperation to allow as many people as possible to benefit from this free training program.
Training Workbooks and PubMed Tutorial Available
The training workbooks for the Introduction and Keeping Up classes are available for downloading from the NLM's Web site. The workbooks are available in two formats: Portable Document Format (PDF) and WordPerfect�. These workbooks are not copyrighted. Feel free to use any part of the workbooks-you may customize the workbook for training programs, demonstrations, or workshops you conduct. The workbooks are found at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/web_based.html
Additionally, the interactive PubMed Tutorial is available from the PubMed sidebar or directly at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/pubmed_tutorial/m1001.html The March-April 2001 NLM Technical Bulletin article, "At Your Desktop: the PubMed Interactive Tutorial" provides further details about the tutorial.
Training materials used for the TOXNET class are available for downloading in PDF, PowerPoint� and HTML formats. The guides are broken down into sections so you can choose the areas of interest to you. You may find these TOXNET training resources at http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/lecture_guides.cfm
Questions/More Information
If you have questions or need additional information, please contact the following:
National Training Center and Clearinghouse (NTCC)
notc@nyam.org 800-338-7657
(press 2) or
212-822-7396, or
NLM Customer Service: custserv@nlm.nih.gov
888-FINDNLM (888-346-3656)
Classes scheduled over the next two months in the NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region are as follows:
Keeping Up (one day)
August 15, 2001, Philadelphia, PA
Introduction (two days)
August 16-17, 2001, Philadelphia, PA
August 22-23, 2001, New York, NY
TOXNET on the Web (one day)
August 24, 2001, New York, NY
Note: This is a newsletter. The Links and information are up-to-date when published and are not updated after the published date.
On April 4th and 5th, 2001, Mary Mylenki, Associate Director, and Peggy Falls, Outreach Programs Coordinator, attended the Public Health Outreach Forum held at the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, MD. They were joined by the Associate Directors and Outreach Coordinators of the other seven RMLs and by representatives of the more than twenty subcontracts aimed at the information needs of public health professionals implemented in these regions. In the Middle Atlantic Region these were Christine DeGolyer of the Edward G. Miner Library of the University of Rochester Medical Center, Barbara Epstein of the Falk Library of the University of Pittsburgh, Sharon Gray of the Health Sciences Library, State University of New York at Buffalo, and Bill McCall of the Medical Library at CVPH-Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital in Plattsburgh NY.
The Public Health Outreach Forum addressed questions such as: What characterizes a successful outreach project? What approaches work in different settings? How is outreach to public health professionals different from that to other health professionals? What are some of the barriers and solutions to reaching out from an academic environment to a community practice setting? These and other questions were discussed in presentations by Dr. Donald Lindberg and Betsy Humphreys of NLM and Ron Bialek of the Public Health Foundation as well as through panel presentations involving the subcontract participants.
This excellent meeting allowed the policy makers as well as the librarians doing the hands-on work in the field to compare approaches used to achieve a common goal: To help public health professionals implement the standards set forth in Healthy People 2010 by facilitating access to relevant information.
Additional information may be found at the Partners in Information Access for Public Health Professionals website: http://phpartners.org/phof.html
If you would like to propose topics you feel should be covered in the Middle Atlantic Perspective, or, if you would like to write an article, please contact Joanne Jahr at jjahr@nyam.org. Your comments, suggestions and criticisms are welcome.
As electronic formats become more prevalent in health sciences libraries, establishing and implementing new or revised collection development policies will become essential. Internal priorities, immediacy of information needs and infrastructure to support access must also be examined as policies are designed or revised.
Currently libraries are in a transitional period in which print and electronic formats coexist. The move towards totally electronic collections probably is far in the future, but as patron demand increases, electronic resources may come to dominate. Electronic information is still a new field for publishers and vendors, and rapid change and lack of consistent standards make it difficult to create lasting policies and procedures.
Identifying Users is First Step
Identifying the target clientele of an institution is often the first step in crafting a collection development policy. The primary clientele is determined by the institution policy, but should access be provided to all users? Libraries must decide whether to limit access to only those individuals who are directly affiliated and have access to resources through IP validation and proxy servers.
Although scope and coverage should not significantly change with the collection of electronic resources, often electronic resources may be added because they are free or of local interest. Electronic resources also can have a marketing aspect, promoting awareness and goodwill among clientele.
Collection development policies usually contain statements about formats collected, and electronic resources could be viewed as simply an additionalformat. With the health sciences emphasis on immediacy of information, however, electronics may become the format of choice. The decision-making process of balancing the costs and benefits of acquiring electronic or paper resources must be considered.
Most collection development policies include specialized selection criteria, as with reference and historical collections. These policies should remain virtually the same with two notable exceptions: duplication and retention. Policies that discourage duplication may no longer apply. Such factors as a library's relationships with other institutions and bundling of products may make duplication concerns irrelevant. Retention continues to be a major print issue because of space limitations and limited resources for preservation. The retention issue for electronic format is less concrete. Libraries have little control over archival issues.
Access is a new selection criterion peculiar to the selection of electronic resources. Although access should reasonably be a secondary criterion, it may function as the primary one. If a resource doesn't meet the institution's access policy or ability, it won't be acquired.
Another unique issue in the selection of electronic resources is licensing. When the provider requires a formal agreement, high-level management and legal counsel should review contracts or licenses. Typically these are required for larger purchases. Many resources may not require a signed contract but will provide a "click to agree" button upon registration. Acceptance of this type of license depends upon the institution's policies.
Tracking Isn't Easy
Tracking and validating information on this type of agreement is extremely difficult because of their number and ability to change without notice. Vendors can be helpful in the licensing and registration of online resources. They can record and communicate an institution's policies and technical requirements, obtain access more easily than individual libraries and also may provide broader access to holdings.
Aggregators, or any entity that bundle titles, are another major factor in the acquisition of electronic resources. Content may no longer be the primary selection criteria if titles aren't individually selected. Aggregators may include access methods such as search engines and title groupings that provide value-added searching.
The use of aggregators can dramatically increase the size of a library's electronic collection with minimal implementation and maintenance. Often vendors can play a role in the management of bundled resources, but this depends upon the vendor's technological expertise and relationships with providers of electronic resources. Electronic aggregators lend themselves to consortia agreements, but some providers are still very protective of print.
Print Versus Electronic Resources
The allocation of materials funds between print and electronic resources is a difficult issue facing most libraries. A library must establish policies and procedures for determining which resources are most appropriate in print or electronic form, or if both are required. Analysis may be difficult because there is little discernible relationship between costs for print materials and electronic resources, and even that varies greatly by vendor.
Given that few institutions will receive significant additional funding to support both print and electronic formats, libraries must find ways to preserve collection integrity during this transitional period. The emphasis on one format at the expense of the other may create gaps in coverage and access.
Health sciences libraries are experiencing a period of rapid change and few reliable standards. Policies and decisions made today may not be relevant tomorrow. To react appropriately to this fluid environment, collection development and acquisition policies must be flexible and attentive to user needs. Reprinted with permission from "3 Sources"(Dec. 2000/Jan. 2001), the newsletter of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Greater Midwest Region
It is with regret that we announce the closing of the following libraries within the past two months: Carrier Clinic, NJUCFL, Genesee Hospital, NYUGHR, and MCP Hahnemann Eastern Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, PAUPPI. If they are listed in your Routing Table, now is the time to remove them. Go to DOCUSER > Update > Interlibrary Loan. Click on the drop down box on the left-hand side of the screen (it opens on "Charges") and select Routing Table. By clicking on the Add, Remove, and Move buttons at the very bottom of the Routing Table screen, you can add new libraries to your routing table, delete old ones, and move institutions from one cell to another. When you have finished, click SAVE ALL CELLS.
In addition to the libraries listed above, the following libraries in the NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region have merged their collections with other libraries and no longer accept DOCLINE requests. If they are listed in your Routing Table, you might wish to replace them with active DOCLINE participants.
Frankford Hospital School of Nursing
PAUFKN - merged with
PAUFKH
Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Ctr, Wilkes Barre
PAUGWV -
merged
with PAUGMC
Hospital for Joint Diseases
NYUJDI - merged with NYUNUM
NYU Downtown Hospital
NYUNYI - merged with NYUNUM
Sewickley Valley Hospital
PAUBPF - merged with PAUSCC
UPMC Shadyside Hospital
PAUSSH - merged with PAUPIT
Western Pennsylvania Hospital Nursing Library
PAUWPE - merged
with
PAUWPH
The following articles from the current Technical Bulletin are available on the Web at: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/tb.html
2001 March - April; 319
At Your Desktop: the PubMed� Interactive
Tutorial - e2
NLM's Unified Medical Language System�
(UMLS�) - e3
Hands On: How to Store a Search in the PubMed�
Cubby and Use It to See What's New - e4
National Library of Medicine Bibliographic Control
Numbers in OCLC WorldCat - e5
New Indexing Information in Display of
LOCATORplus Records - e6
LinkOut for Libraries Now Available - e7
Technical Notes - e1:
Middle Atlantic Perspective Index | NN/LM
 |
NN/LM-
Middle Atlantic
Region New York Academy of Medicine 1216 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029 Site maintained by MAR STAFF Revised: March 28, 2001 URL: http://www.nnlm.nlm.nih.gov/mar/perspec/2001/0002.html |