Volume 6, Number 10 July-August 1994
Books & Bytes is produced by the HSLIC Library Staff for Health Sciences Center personnel. Copyright University of Washington.
- Libraries Support Clinical Information Needs
- Welcome to Clinical Staff!
- Changes in MEDLINE Database
- HSLIC Closed August 31
- Searching Options: You or the Librarian?
- Document Services for Clinical Care
- Revised Document Services Request Forms
- Clinical Resources on HealthTracks
- Microlab Equipment and Facilities Enhanced
- Course Reserve Lists Due!
- Cancer Information Resources
- Serial Title Changes, July 1994
- Recent Gifts and Contributions to the Collections
Libraries Support Clinical Information Needs
Clinical librarians are available to provide patient care information to all members of health care teams at both the UW Medical Center (UWMC) and Harborview Medical Center (HMC) and their clinics. Sherry Dodson serves as the primary liaison for UWMC, and Ellen Howard, K.K. Sherwood Librarian, serves in the same capacity at HMC. While the librarian roles are similar, the programs at each hospital have been individualized to best meet the needs of each institution.
Patient care teams are encouraged to call Ellen or Sherry whenever they have problems that can be answered using library-based information sources. After a brief interview, the librarian will find and deliver the needed information, using MEDLINE and other databases, such as AIDSLINE, CANCERLIT, or MICROMEDEX to locate relevant articles or book chapters. Clinical emergencies always receive priority attention.
Clinical staff can also learn how to conduct their own searches of MEDLINE and other databases, as well as Internet resources. Group training is available by appointment in the library or in your own department, and self-service searching terminals are available in both libraries, with assistance available whenever the reference areas are staffed.
Focused orientations to information sources and services are available to groups upon request. For example, onsite instruction at a workstation in the hospital can be arranged for a Medicine team that wants to learn how to do quick searches of UW's locally-mounted databases, including MEDLINE and the Libraries Catalog.
Both clinical librarians currently attend Medicine's Morning Report four mornings a week in their respective hospitals. This allows them to know the context of patient care questions, and to do searches and provide documents related to specific problems. In addition, each librarian can provide or direct users to specialized services. For example, if you are at Harborview and need to check out textbooks or obtain materials that are beyond the scope of the small working collection at the K.K. Sherwood Library in Harborview Hall, Ellen can arrange for the materials to be retrieved from the main campus libraries and delivered to you at Harborview. If you are at UWMC and want to use audiovisual materials, Sherry will inform you of the media resources available in the Teaching Learning Center.
For further information about clinical information services, send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu, or contact Ellen Howard directly at 223-3360, or Sherry Dodson at 543-7493. Many clinical departments also have a library liaison designated to coordinate information support for that unit. See HSLIC Factsheet #6 (Library-Departmental Liaison Program) for further information.
Welcome to Clinical Staff!
The Health Sciences Libraries welcome new and returning house staff and clinicians to the University of Washington. This issue of Books & Bytes focuses on the wide range of information support services that are available to clinicians at both UWMC and Harborview Medical Center, including:
* clinical librarians
* database searching
* document services
* consultation and training
* clinical resources on the Internet
Books & Bytes regularly publishes searching tips and updated information about library services and resources. To be added to the mailing list, send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu (the electronic gateway to all HSL services.)
Changes in MEDLINE Database
The MEDLINE reload for 1994 was completed at the end of June, slightly changing the structure of the locally-mounted database. The most visible changes are the names of the files and years of coverage in each file:
MEDL MEDLINE 1990-date
ME85 MEDLINE 1985-89
ME80 MEDLINE 1980-84
ME75 MEDLINE 1975-79
ME66 MEDLINE 1966-74
MEDLINE is now available in five-year increments, with the exception of ME66. The oldest file covers 10 years, since less disk space is required because abstracts are not available.
The second important difference is the addition of a new field, Journal Title (JT), which contains the complete name of the journal which is cited by the abbreviation in the Source (SO) field. JT is automatically displayed and printed with all citations, thus making it easier to locate the journal in the Libraries Catalog (LCAT) or to find the title on the shelf. A journal title browse list is also available in MEDLINE.
Subject headings were changed to incorporate the annual revisions in terminology of Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). Help screens were modified as well to describe these new features.
Planning is already under way for next year's reload. Please send your suggestions for changes in the database for the next reload to hsl at u.washington.edu or call Terry Ann Jankowski at 543-3408. We would also like to thank everyone who has identified errors in the database (e.g., incorrect page numbers.) Errors are reported to the National Library of Medicine, and we regularly receive and incorporate corrected records into our MEDLINE files.
HSLIC Closed August 31
The Health Sciences Library will be closed from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 31 for general maintenance. Limited services (circulation, self-service searching and photocopying, and Microlab access) will be available from 1:00 pm to 11:00 pm For clinical emergency assistance when full services are not available, call 543-3394. Although normal hours will be in effect at the K.K. Sherwood and Social Work Libraries, only limited staff support will be available on August 31.
Searching Options: You or the Librarian?
A UW health professional needing a search of MEDLINE or other databases has the option of doing it him/herself or having a librarian run the search. The decision may involve several factors, such as physical location, the amount of time available, and the nature of the question. A health professional doing his or her own searches to answer clinical questions usually knows exactly what is relevant, is familiar with the literature of the specialty, and has the time and resources to search when the information is needed. In addition, the self-searcher learns by browsing during retrieval. However, there are other times when you as a health professional lack the time or access to the appropriate database for your subject; or your search results may be unsatisfactory. In these situations, contact a librarian, who will either run a search for you or assist you in formulating your own search strategy.
Self-Service Databases
MEDLINE, PSYCINFO, the Libraries Catalog, and a number of other databases are available for self-service searching at the following locations:
* All UW Libraries, including HSLIC, the K.K. Sherwood Library in Harborview Hall, and the Social Work Library.* UW Medical Center: UWIN and WILLOW (including MEDLINE) are among the menu choices on the IRIS workstations, found in the majority of nursing units and clinics at UWMC.
* Harborview Medical Center: UWIN and WILLOW will be menu choices as IRIS workstations are installed this summer in the majority of nursing stations and clinics.
* Your own computer: With an on-campus ethernet connection or modem-equipped computer and a uniform access account on the campus computing network, you can search the literature without charge at your convenience. A 14,400 bps modem is recommended.
Critically evaluate your results to see if they are reasonable. If not, a librarian will be happy to review your search strategy and provide assistance in formulating a search that will retrieve what you want. The library also offers basic or advanced training in using the University of Washington Information Network (UWIN), including MEDLINE. If scheduled sessions do not meet your needs, call the library or send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu to arrange an appropriate training session.
Mediated Searching
The Health Sciences Libraries' Database Search Service can provide you with individually tailored bibliographies from over 500 bibliographic and factual databases. Search results may be picked up at the libraries, or mailed, faxed, or transmitted electronically to your email account within 24 hours, excluding weekends and holidays. Clinical emergencies have priority.
Health Sciences Center staff and faculty may receive a list of up to 25 references with abstracts from any appropriate database without charge. Additional citations may be obtained by payment of search fees. See HSLIC Factsheet #13 for current charges for database search service. Mediated searches and other library services may be requested:
* in person at the HSLIC Information Desk, K.K. Sherwood Library, or Social Work Library.
* by email: hsl at u.washington.edu.
* By phone: HSLIC (543-3394), K.K. Sherwood (223-3360), or Social Work (685-2180).
* by fax: HSLIC (543-8066, attention Information Services); Social Work (685-7647); K.K. Sherwood (287-8673).
* by campus or U.S. mail.
Document Services for Clinical Care
Time is of the essence when you are treating patients. HSLIC offers a number of options for quickly obtaining the information you need for providing quality clinical care, including:
* full-service "pull and photocopy" service for items available on campus, with delivery of copies to your office or home.
* "you pull, we photocopy" service at a lower rate.
* "pull and hold" service when you want to do your own copying.
* ordering of materials not available on campus from other libraries or commercial document vendors.
Document services can be requested by email, phone (limit of two items at a time), or by fax. See HSLIC Factsheet #7 (Library Services Electronically) for more information about electronic request options. Factsheets are available on the HealthTracks gopher as well as on library information kiosks.
The fee for most document services charged to a UW budget number is $4.00 per item plus delivery fees and copyright royalties (if applicable). The base charge to UW personnel for cash or credit card transactions is $4.90 per item, including mandatory overhead and sales tax. There is no delivery charge for campus mail or items picked up at the library. Fees may be paid by UW budget number, cash, credit card (Visa or Mastercard), or HSLIC deposit account.
Requests for copies of items available on campus are usually filled in less than 48 hours. Allow up to two weeks for items not locally owned. If rush service is needed for patient care, clearly state RUSH - CLINICAL EMERGENCY on the request form; there is no additional charge for patient care rush service. Rush service for non-patient support is available for an additional fee.
For additional information about document services, see HSLIC Factsheets #9 (Document Delivery/Photocopy Services) and #18 (Interlibrary Loan Services); send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu; or call 543-3436.
Revised Document Services Request Forms
There are now two different printed request forms (distinguished by color) for requesting document services. Use the black form to request photocopies of journal articles or chapters from books and the blue form to request entire books or theses.
Please note one major change on both forms. You must now check a box on the form if you do not want us to search outside of the UW Libraries system for items not available on campus. For UW Health Sciences clients, the charge is the same regardless of where the document is obtained. If this box is not checked, we will track down the item regardless of its location; but additional time may be required to obtain items not available locally.
Printed Document Services request forms are available at the HSLIC Forms Counter, the K.K. Sherwood Library at Harborview Hall, and the Social Work Library. You may also request document services electronically. See HSLIC Factsheet #7 (Library Services Electronically) for more information.
Clinical Resources on HealthTracks
HealthTracks, the Health Sciences Center gopher, offers access to a wide variety of clinical resources in electronic format, including full text documents, mail listserv archives, and online journals and newsletters. Some resources are locally produced and maintained at the Health Sciences Center, while others are available at other gopher sites around the world.
To get to the clinical resources available through HealthTracks, connect to UWIN and choose Health Sciences Track (last item on the UWIN menu) and then HealthTracks. Once connected to HealthTracks, choose Clinical Care. For additional information on using a gopher, select "Using Health Tracks" from the main gopher menu.
Clinical care
- Library resources/
- AIDS/
- Anesthesiology/
- Cancer
- Chemical dependency/
- Clinical guidelines/
- DXplain (Decision Support System, Mass Gen Hosp.)
- Drug information/
- Family medicine/
- Genetics/
- Medical ethics/
- Mental health/
- Nursing care/
- Nutrition and diet/
- Obstetrics and gynecology/
- Pathology/
- Patient information/
- Pediatrics/
- Radiology and nuclear medicine/
- Rehabilitation medicine/
- Surgery/
- Toxicology information/
- Travel medicine/
Microlab Equipment and Facilities Enhanced
A number of enhancements for the Health Sciences Microlab in the Teaching Learning Center are being installed this the summer. Watch for the following improvements by the end of September.
Upgraded Equipment
New computers and improved instructional projection systems will soon be available in the Health Sciences Microlab, thanks to one-time funds provided by the Health Sciences Center Administration. The new systems include ten PowerPC Macintoshes with 16" color monitors, 16 megabytes of RAM, and ethernet connections, and ten fast 486 PCs with the same monitor and RAM configuration. To support growing needs for CD-ROM based programs and data, five each of the new PCs and Macintoshes are CD-ROM equipped. The new stations will be installed in the front two rows of the appropriate computer classrooms. The older Mac IIs and 386s will be moved to a new general use area behind the printers, allowing drop-in use even when classes are scheduled in both computer classrooms.
In addition to the new stations, new color LCD computer projection systems will be installed in both computer classrooms to provide brighter, faster, and more colorful displays of programs.
Folding Wall
A folding wall to be installed at the end of August will provide for more efficient use of space and improve the teaching environment. The wall will divide the glass-walled room currently containing the Macintosh classroom and the multimedia area into two separate rooms, reducing noise when both halves are in use and creating a smaller, more private Macintosh classroom for testing or lectures. The wall will fold back easily when not needed.
Computerized Computer Checkout
Checkout of computers in the Microlab has been switched to the Libraries online circulation system, which uses the barcode on your UW staff or student ID card for user information. For that reason, we no longer need to retain your ID card while you are using a computer, thus making use of the microlab faster and easier.
Course Reserve Lists Due!
If you are teaching a course Autumn Quarter, please submit your list of reserve materials to the Teaching Learning Center (TLC) as soon as possible. Faculty whose reserve lists are received at least six weeks before the beginning of the quarter have a much better chance of having all materials available for students when classes begin. We are happy to special-order books to be placed on reserve, but remember that it takes six to eight weeks for books to be ordered and processed. Contact the Teaching Learning Center at 543-3435 or hsl at u.washington.edu if you have questions.
Cancer Information Resources
CancerNet, an online product of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), offers a wide variety of cancer-related information for clinicians and researchers, including recent citations and abstracts on cancer topics from the CANCERLIT database and NCI Fact Sheets.
A major feature of CancerNet is the Physician Data Query (PDQ) Statement List, which includes prognosis, staging and treatment information for both physicians and patients, as well as screening information for selected types of cancer, supportive care information for problems commonly encountered in oncology patients, and summaries of selected new or investigational drugs. The patient information is written in lay language.
The easiest way to reach CancerNet is via HealthTracks on UWIN. From the main HealthTracks menu follow the path Clinical care ->Cancer ->CancerNet. Most of the PDQ information is also available in Spanish. For instructions in Spanish, substitute the word spanish for help in the message.
The same information contained in CancerNet is also available in the HSLIC reference area via ONCODISC, a CD-ROM database. ONCODISC contains additional PDQ information not available through CancerNet, including a physician directory, a directory of organizations, and treatment protocols, and several full-text oncology books.
Serial Title Changes, July 1994
Serial Titles Added:
Blood coagulation & fibrinolysis, v.5(1994)--.
Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, v.7(1994)--.
Minimally invasive surgical nursing, v.8(1994)--.
Molecular technology, v.1(1994)--.
Transfusion medicine (Oxford, England), v.4(1994)--.
Serial Title Changes:
Comparative biochemistry and physiology. A, Physiology, v.107A(1994)--.
Continues: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. A, Comparative physiology.
Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Biochemistry & molecular biology,
v.107B(1994)--.
Continues: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Comparative biochemistry.
Comparative biochemistry and physiology. C, Pharmacology, toxicology & endocrinology,
v.107C(1994)--.
Continues: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. B, Comparative pharmacology
and toxicology.
Folia phoniatrica et logopaedica, v.46(1994)--.
Continues: Folia phoniatrica.
International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, v.32(1994)--.
Continues: International journal of clinical pharmacology, therapy and toxicology.
Journal of accident & emergency medicine, v.11(19940--.
Continues: Archives of emergency medicine.
Journal of gastroenterology, v.29(1994)--.
Continues: Gastroenterologica Japonica.
Journal of immunotherapy with emphasis on tumor immunology, v.13(1993)--.
Continues: Journal of immunotherapy.
Journal of lipid mediators and cell signaling, v.9(1994)--.
Continues: Journal of lipid mediators.
Journal of neuro-ophthalmology, v.14(1994)--.
Continues: Journal of clinical neuro-ophthalmology.
Journal of pharmaceutical science and technology, v.48(1994)--.
Continues: Journal of parenteral science and technology.
Journal of quality in clinical practice, v.14(1994)--.
Continues: Australian clinical review.
Medica engineering & physics, v.16(19940--.
Continues: Journal of biomedical eng.
Psychotherapeut, v.39(1994)--.
Continues: Praxis de Psychotherapie und Psychosomatik.
Revue du rhumatisme (English ed.), v.60:n.4(1993:Apr)--.
Continues: Revue du rhumatisme et des maladies osteo-articulaires.
Recent Gifts and Contributions to the Collections
Acknowledgment and appreciation are extended to the following individuals and departments who have recently made contributions to the Library:
Contributions to Collections:
Dr. Rita A. Altamore; Mr. Angeles Alvarez; Dr. C. Bansmer; Dr. Abraham B. Bergman; Mrs. Eva Bor; Dr. Peter H. Byers; Dr. Eric O. Feigl; Dr. B. Raymond Fink; Dr. Hjordis M. Foy; Dr. Rochelle Garcia; Dr. John P. Geyman; Prof. Naomi Gottlieb; Dr. J. Thomas Grayston; Dr. Warren G. Guntheroth; Prof. Lorraine Gutierrez; Prof. Benjamin D. Hall; Ms. Agnes L. Hoffman; Mr. Harry James; Prof. Jean M. Kruzich; Dr. Leon B. Levy; Prof. Henry W. Maier; Dr. George M. Martin; Dr. Richard R. Neuder; Prof. Paul S. Nurius; Dr. Karl-Ake Omnell; Dr. Jack E. Orr; Mrs. Helen Pollack; Dr. James G. Sanders; Prof. Karen G. Schepp; Dr. Allen M. Scher; Prof. Thomas H. Shepard; Dr. Roger A. Stark; Mr. Henry W. Stoll; Dr. Paul P. Van Arsdel, Jr.; Prof. Richard A. Weatherley; American Academy of Family Physicians; Dept. of Anesthesiology ; Dept. of Biological Structure; Dept. of Ophthalmology; Dept. of Pathology; Dept. of Pharmacy Services; Dept. of Physiological Nursing; Dept. of Radiology; Group Health Cooperative Medical Library; National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region; Parent and Child Nursing Library; Primate Center; St. Peter Hospital, Library Services; UW School of Medicine, Admissions Office; UWMC Nursing Staff Development.
Contributions to Gift Funds:
Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius H. Borman; Dr. Richard Cone.
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