Volume 6, Number 8 May 1994
Books & Bytes is produced by the HSLIC Library Staff for Health Sciences Center personnel. Copyright University of Washington.
- HealthTracks: Integrating HSC and Internet Information
- New Systems and Services for Information Seekers
- HealthTracks Comes to UWIN in May
- Collection Management at HSLIC
- Bioethicsline Plus
- Serial Changes
- HealthTracks to HSLIC
- Personal Edition UWIN
- WAIS: HealthTracks Searching Tool
- Health Care Reform on HealthTracks
- Molecular Biology Gopher Resources
- American Health Line Subscription Renewed
- Recent Gifts
HealthTracks: Integrating HSC and Internet Information
HealthTracks is the Health Sciences Center (HSC) Gopher server which was developed by the IAIMS program and HSLIC to provide a single access point for a wide array of relevant, high quality information resources in the health sciences. Gopher, a menu-based electronic information publishing service, offers a relatively simple way to integrate local and remote resources and support a wide variety of image and data formats.
Information resources on HealthTracks are organized into menus covering broad subject categories. The menus share a common function: to support the research, teaching and patient care missions of the Health Sciences Center.
Like most other Internet gophers, HealthTracks provides a menu of resources located around the world. From the user's viewpoint, the links to resources are transparent. Files located at the Health Sciences Center and those created and maintained at other Internet sites appear side-by-side in the selection menus. The access procedure is the same whether you want to look at the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from NIH or the electronic version of Books & Bytes.
Gopher retrieves only what you ask for, when you ask it. If a requested file is updated daily, you always see the most recent version.
--------------------------------------------------
| HealthTracks |
| |
| 1. Using HealthTracks/ |
| 2. Clinical care/ |
| 3. Biomedical sciences/ |
| 4. Community and public health/ |
| 5. Health care reform/ |
| 6. Grants and funding/ |
| 7. Education and course resources/ |
| 8. Library resources/ |
| 9. Medical informatics and technology/ |
| 10. UW Health Sciences Center/ |
| 11. UWIN (UW Information Navigator) |
| 12. Worldwide gophers/ |
--------------------------------------------------
The dynamic nature of Gopher means that menus can change daily, with new servers, services and files being constantly added, removed, or reorganized.
HealthTracks points to a variety of health-related resources, including databases, text files, software programs, email directories, Usenet newsgroup archives, and links to other computer systems via telnet. HSC publications and other electronic resources are also available. Individual resources were selected for inclusion in HealthTracks based on their potential relevance to the HSC community, as well as their stability, currency and authority.
Exploring the HSLIC and HSCER menus under UW Health Sciences Center will give you a feel for the types of local information that can be made available on Health-Tracks. If you have information that would be appropriate, we are ready to begin adding your information to the Health Sciences Center Gopher.
New Systems and Services for Information Seekers
New initiatives at HSLIC are making it easier and more convenient for users to gain access to health information resources. Recent advances by the library in supporting online access to information include:
- new computers for the Health Sciences Microlab
- electronic request forms and new service request forms counter
- single hsl at u.washington.edu email address for users to contact library staff
- IAIMS HealthTracks Gopher
We are in the process of purchasing approximately ten PowerPC Macintoshes and ten high-speed 486 PCs as well as server upgrades for the Microlab, thanks to one-time funding for undergraduate education received from the Health Sciences Center (HSC). The new equipment will be in place by Autumn Quarter. The new electronic forms and hsl at u.washington.edu email address were highlighted in the April issue of Books & Bytes.
This issue focuses on the new HealthTracks Gopher, which was spearheaded by the library as a partner in the HSC IAIMS program. This electronic gateway provides easy access to the wealth of health-related information available via the Internet.
We are anxious to hear what you think about HealthTracks. If you have suggestions for links to other gopher sites or have files of information that would be valuable to the UW health sciences community, please let us know. If you find links that fail, let us know so we can remove them. Please send your comments to gopher@hslib.washington.edu.
If you need help in moving into the gopher world or obtaining client software, or would like to arrange a demonstration or training class, email hsl at u.washington.edu.
HealthTracks Comes to UWIN in May
Beginning later in May, the simplest method for accessing HealthTracks will be the new Health Sciences track selection on the main UWIN menu. Users who enter by this route will notice some differences in functions. You can also use the gopher command and the Health-Tracks address directly at any Uniform Access prompt (e.g., carson%) by typing: gopher gopher.hslib.washington.edu.
Gopher client software is available for Macs (TurboGopher), MS-Windows (various) and X-Windows (X-Gopher). Client software makes gopher feel like your home computer platform, provides for bookmarking of frequently used gopher menus, and allows launching of external viewer software for images, sound, ftp, etc. Client software is available by ftping to boombox.micro.umn.edu in the gopher directory. You can also access HealthTracks using Mosaic (graphical) or Lynx (character) World Wide Web software by using the following URL: gopher://gopher.hslib.washington.edu.
Looking ahead to Mosaic
Now that HealthTracks has "gone public", IAIMS and HSLIC staff are beginning work on the next generation of Internet navigation tools: Mosaic and World Wide Web. (See April 1994 issue for a description of these tools.) By Fall 1994, a "home" page for the Health Sciences Center will combine hypertext, images, video and sound via Mosaic.
Coming in May: New UWIN menu selection for health sciences.
---------------------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT * Introduction to UWIN |>HT HealthTracks: UW HSC gopher UWINFO * UW News and Information | MEDL MEDLINE: Biomedicine 1988-94 LIB * Libraries | ME83 MEDLINE: Biomedicine 1983-87 DESKREF * Desktop reference tools | ME78 MEDLINE: Biomedicine 1978-82 NET * Internet resources | ME73 MEDLINE: Biomedicine 1973-77 NEWS * Electronic news | ME66 MEDLINE: Biomedicine 1966-72 UW Computing & Technologies... | PSYC PsycINFO: Psychology 1967-94 HS * Health sciences track | COMMAND * Command (old) interface
Collection Management at HSLIC
The UW Health Sciences Library (HSLIC) currently has the 20th largest collection of any academic medical center in the U.S. and ranks fifth among the 23 institutions comprising our peer group. The HSLIC collection contains almost 310,000 volumes, 70 percent of which are serials (journals). We currently subscribe to 3,830 serial titles, and our serials collection budget places us fourth among our peer institutions and seventh nationwide (FY 1993 rankings.)
Aggressive collection management is needed to stretch limited resources to support the expanding teaching and research needs of UW Health Sciences programs. To this end we continue to subscribe to new journals which faculty, staff and students identify as essential to support current programs. We also address emerging technologies by buying CD-ROM databases for onsite use and supporting Medline and other appropriate databases on the campus network.
To keep up with serials cost inflation (14% in FY 1993) and also add new titles, we have for some time been canceling subscriptions to titles which are available elsewhere on campus. We have also begun to monitor usage of some of our high-cost journals. HSLIC's Serials Review Committee has just completed an intensive evaluation of 99 high-cost titles which also experience low use, defined as ten or fewer uses of the title during a five-month period. These titles are now being referred to appropriate departmental advisors for recommendations as to the value of each title to that department's programs.
In June 1994 we will release the prioritized list of journals being considered for cancellation for the 1995 subscription year. The list will be available both in printed form in the library and in electronic form on HealthTracks.
We welcome your comments and suggestions regarding our serials collection via hsl at u.washington.edu.
Bioethicsline Plus
Bioethicsline Plus, a CD-ROM database covering ethical and public policy issues in health care and biomedical research, is now available in the HSLIC Reference Area. Produced by the Kennedy Institute of Ethics, Georgetown University, Bioethicsline plus cumulates the citations appearing in the printed Bibliography of Bioethics. The CD-ROM is scheduled to be updated bimonthly. It covers journal articles, books, newspaper articles, court decisions, audiovisuals and unpublished documents in the English language.
Serial Changes
New Serial Titles Added:
International journal of arts medicine, v.1(1991/1992)--.
Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, v.5(1994)--.
Serial Title Changes:
European journal of endocrinology, v.139(1994)--.
Continues: Acta endocrinologica.
Free radical research, v.20(1994)--.
Continues: Free radical research communications.
Matrix biology, v.14(1994)--.
Continues: Matrix (Stuttgart, Germany).
Promotion & education, n.0(1993).
Continues: Hygie.
Seminars in respiratory and critical care medicine, v.15(1994).
Continues; Seminars in respiratory medicine.
Society for Ancient Medicine review, n.21(1993).
Continues: Newsletter (Society for Ancient Medicine).
HealthTracks to HSLIC
HealthTracks contains a wide range of information about the Health Sciences Libraries. Currently available are descriptions of services, library hours, and forms for requesting library services. Full-text electronic versions of library publications such as Books & Bytes, HSLIC Factsheets, and general information guides, e.g., a series on reference database management software, are also available. These items can either be browsed online or sent to your email account for printing.
To search HSLIC information from the main HealthTracks gopher menu, follow the path -> UW Health Sciences Center -> HSLIC (Health Sciences Libraries and Information Center) and select the desired menu entry number for information on that topic.
------------------------------------------
| HSLIC (Health Sciences Library |
| and Information Center) |
| |
| 1. Hours. |
| 2. Phone and email directories/ |
| 3. Forms to request various library |
| services/ |
| 4. Database searching support/ |
| 5. Services and collections/ |
| 6. Books & Bytes (newsletter)/ |
| 7. Information guides and |
| bibliographies/ |
| 8. Suggestion box |
| 9. UW Libraries gopher/ |
------------------------------------------
To send selected text to your email account, use the space bar to advance to the end of the text and type m to be prompted for your email address.
Many of HSLIC's services can be requested using electronic forms provided on the gopher. Select the desired service form, and you will be prompted for the information required to fill your request. Completed forms will be forwarded automatically to HSLIC.
------------------------------------------------------------ | Forms to Request Various | | Library Services | | | | 1. Request a copy of an article/ | | 2. Request a book from another library/ | | 3. Retrieve a journal from HSLIC basement <tel> | | 4. Place a hold on material that is checked out <tel> | | 5. Renew a book or journal <tel> | | 6. Request a database search <tel> | | 7. Register for a class <tel> | | 8. Request an education or training session <tel> | | 9. Make appointment to use Special Collections/Rare | | Book room <tel> | | 10. Suggest a book or journal for purchase <tel> | | 11. Ask for information <tel> | | 12. Reserve the H.S. Microcomputer Lab <tel> | | 13. Make a suggestion or comment <tel> | | 14. Loansome Doc Registration Form, UW User <tel> | | 15. Loansome Doc Registration Form, Non-UW User <tel> | ------------------------------------------------------------
To suggest other items to be included in HSLIC's portion of the HealthTracks Gopher or to comment on how to improve it, please send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu. Gophers are constantly evolving, so expect changes in the HSLIC portion of HealthTracks as it matures.
Personal Edition UWIN
UW faculty, staff, and students are invited to try a pilot version of Personal Edition UWIN on the UW Uniform Access computers. To start Personal Edition UWIN, at the system prompt (e.g., Carson%) enter uwin.new.
Unlike anonymous UWIN, your identity is known to the system in Personal Edition UWIN, making many personalized features possible:
- You can use your Pine Address Book and include a message or annotation when you use email to forward an entry from a UWIN service such as the Campus Events Calendar. You can also save the text to a folder, export it, or print it.
- While using gopher in UWIN, you can get files and save them on your local computer, and you can use gopher bookmarks. For additional information, start the UWIN gopher service and press ? (Help).
- When you use Jumpstart, you are prompted for a "Bookmark name.&" To see a browse list of Bookmark names, type B. Each category, sub-category, and service in UWIN has its own Bookmark. Since they resemble service codes, clients who routinely Jumpstart a service can use the same name.
Using Personal Edition UWIN, you can save your preferred Wilco options (i.e., field label format, save method, and print method) as a personal file which will be loaded automatically whenever you connect to Wilco. Under the Options menu in Wilco, set your personal options first; then select U-Save Options; Save Options to a File. Your preferred options will be loaded as the default the next time you access the system.
Please give Personal Edition UWIN a try and submit any comments or questions you may have about it to uwin-dev@cac.washington.edu.
WAIS: HealthTracks Searching Tool
The best way to see what HealthTracks offers is to take a few minutes to browse through the menus and try a few of the selections. To determine if a specific link or subject is listed in the HealthTracks menus, choose Using HealthTracks and then Search all HealthTracks menu titles. You will then be prompted for words to search for. Whenever you encounter the "Words to search for..." dialog box, you will be searching a WAIS (Wide Area Information Server) indexed file.
WAIS (pronounced "ways") was developed at Thinking Machines Corporation, but there are now several versions in use. Since the links are transparent, you will not always know if you are using a local WAIS index, or if you are searching a WAIS index from another gopher site that does not support the more sophisticated search techniques.
Minimally WAIS offers the ability to type in a word and then get a menu of matched items based on the occurrence of that word.
HealthTracks and many other gopher sites offer sophisticated WAIS indexing that allows you to use Boolean operators as well as partial word and literal matches as shown below.
red yellow finds either "red" or "yellow" red and yellow finds "red" only if "yellow" is present red not yellow finds "red" only if "yellow" not present yell* finds "yell," "yellow," "yelling," etc. "red and yellow" finds the phrase "red and yellow"
WAIS is a powerful searching tool; however, it can be confusing. For more information on WAIS keyword searching, please review the document on WAIS found under the Using HealthTracks menu.
Health Care Reform on HealthTracks
Within HealthTracks, there is a wealth of information on national and regional health care reform, both full-text and bibliographic. From the main HealthTracks menu, select Health Care Reform.
------------------------------------------
| Health Care Reform |
| |
| 1. National health care reform/ |
| 2. Washington State Health Care Act/ |
| 3. Oregon Health Care For All Plan |
| (House Bill HB3311). |
| 4. California Health Security Act |
| (Single-Payer Plan). |
| 5. Literature of health care reform |
| bibliography, 26 Jan 1994. |
| 6. Rural datafication project/ |
------------------------------------------
Large documents like the national and state health care acts can be read and downloaded a section at a time or searched by keyword.
Molecular Biology Gopher Resources
The Biomedical Sciences menu of HealthTracks contains a section devoted to Molecular Biology and Genetics. From the main Health-Tracks menu, follow the path Biomedical Sciences -> Molecular Biology & Genetics. Pointers lead to several of the most popular sites and services, including Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and Genome DataBank (GDB). Other pointers lead to other important biologically-oriented gophers such as those developed by Johns Hopkins University and the National Center for Biotechnology Information. There are also several reagent-related resources, including a searchable file of the EC Enzyme Database, a Restriction Endonuclease Database (REBASE) and the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). From the Strains and Stocks category, Biotechnet, an online resource of biological catalogues, can be reached. You can also email yourself the standard genetic code, with the one and three letter amino acid abbreviations or the protocol for DNase I fingerprinting. The breadth of information available is both amazing and unbelievable. Take a few minutes to discover some of the many valuable resources available through the Internet!
---------------------------------------------------------- | Molecular Biology & Genetics | | | | 1. Basic science research resources at Johns Hopkins/ | | 2. Biogophers (UCSF)/ | | 3. Biology and gene related information/GENBANK (NIH)/ | | 4. Databanks - Sequences, structures, gene mapping, | | etc./ | | 5. Global biological information servers - | | alphabetical list/ | | 6. Global biological information servers - | | subject list/ | | 7. Literature databases and library catalogs/ | | 8. Molecular biology software archives (via GDB)/ | | 9. National Center for Biotechnology Information/ | | 10. Resource guides and locators/ | | 11. Search (GenBank + SWISS-PROT + PIR + PDB) [?] | | 12. Search Materials & methods (Indiana) [?] | | 13. Search OMIM and the Genome Data Base (GDB)/ | | 14. Search the EC Enzyme Database [?] | | 15. Strains and stocks, culture collections,enzymes, | | and reagents/ | ----------------------------------------------------------
American Health Line Subscription Renewed
We recently rediscovered one of the benefits of online communication when deciding whether to renew the Library's subscription to American Health Line (AHL), a daily newsletter which summarizes information about current issues in US health policy reform. We sent an email message to all HSLIC subscribers asking if they are reading AHL and their opinions about renewing our subscription.
Within 24 hours we had heard from nearly half of our subscribers. Favorable comments: "Yes, it saves me tons of time." "It is a great thing--keeps me up to date." "It is a valuable service. I depend on it." "It is useful to keep track of the health reform debate." "It is well regarded and a time saver for...health policy research." "My distance-learning students will do an assignment using it." "I have used it in my American politics class." "A fantastic subscription." "It is really beneficial for teaching." "I read it almost daily--to keep up with national and regional governmental affairs in medicine." "Nice benefit of being UW faculty. Very valuable." "Very important. Even-handed in selection of sources."
And, less enthusiastic: "Nice but I could live without it. Most of the news is available in the New York Times." "I really liked it at first. Lately it has become too long to read. I wish it were confined to 5 printed pages."
Based on the predominantly favorable response, we decided to renew it.
American Health Line is available at HSLIC in paper format; but UW academic faculty, staff, or students can receive the newsletter online free of charge by sending an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu. The Subject line should state: Subscribe to American Health Line. In the message, include your name, department, and email address. Not included in this UW license, however, are personnel of the UW Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center or Bothell or Tacoma campus faculty, staff and students. Academic faculty, regardless of their medical center affiliation, are considered eligible subscribers as long as they use the information for academic purposes.
Recent Gifts
Acknowledgment and appreciation are extended to the following individuals and departments who have recently made contributions to the Library:
Prof. Sharon Baker ; Dr. Douglas M. Bowden ; Prof. Norman E. Breslow ; Ms. Margaret Coughlan ; Dr. William H. Dahlberg, ; Dr. Bettina M. Emerson ; Dr. William E. Fassett ; Dr. B. Raymond Fink ; Dr. Corrine Fligner ; Dr. Sherrilynne Fuller ; Dr. John P. Geyman ; Professor Naomi Gottlieb ; Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, ; Dean Gilbert S. Omenn ; Mr. Elmer M. Plein ; Dr. H. Thomas Robertson ; Dr. Paul B. Robertson ; Mr. John Rodakowski ; Dr. Henry Rosen ; Mr. Howard A. Schwartz ; Dr. Philip A. Schwartzkroin ; Dr. Stephen L. Stroh ; Dr. Robert L. Van Citters ; Ms. Valentina Voronkva ; Prof. Richard Weatherley ; Lippincott Area Representative ; Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology & Nutrition ; Ophthalmology ; School of Pharmacy ; Primate Center ; Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine ; Quality Assessment and Improvement ; Overlake Hospital Medical Center Library ; Research Funding Service.
http://healthlinks.washington.edu/hsl/bnb/archive/6/8.html