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Books & Bytes

Volume 8, Number 1    September 1995

Books & Bytes is produced by the HSLIC Library Staff for Health Sciences Center personnel. Copyright University of Washington.

Table of Contents

  1. Serials Review
  2. Welcome Back!
  3. Changes in Libraries Loan Code
  4. Document Services: Info on Demand
  5. Professional Staff News
  6. Options for Database Access
  7. Self-Service Copying Options
  8. TLC Resources
  9. Serial Title Changes
  10. EndNote on the Internet
  11. Research Funding Service
  12. Drive-Up Book Return Relocated
  13. Need Transparencies?
  14. Books & Bytes mailing list
  15. HSLIC Factsheets
  16. Recent Gifts
  17. For Your Convenience
Contributors to this issue: Philip Arny, Diana Hall, Terry Ann Jankowski, Paula Palmer, Jean Shipman, Carolyn Weaver, Colleen Weum.

Serials Review Identifies Titles for Cancellation

In recent months we have told you about the hard budget choices which will be needed this biennium to cope with a required budget cut of almost $190,000. Because approximately 80 percent of HSLIC's collection budget is spent on serials, we determined that most budget reductions must necessarily come through serials cancellations.

Cancellation decisions were based largely on the results of a nine-month serials review project. Statistical information such as subscription price, Science Citation Index impact factors, price per page, price per use, and CARL Uncover article availability was gathered, and feedback was solicited from departmental Collection Development Advisors and department chairs. A preliminary list of serial titles being considered for cancellation was posted in the library and on HealthLinks to collect additional user comments. In addition to relatively low use titles, the serials reviewed included selected foreign language titles and indexes which are either available elsewhere on campus or available in alternate formats, such as CD-ROM.

The final list of 235 titles to be canceled had virtually no Health Sciences faculty support for retention. Most have very low use and are often very expensive. Since almost all of the titles to be canceled are included in the CARL Uncover database, individual articles can easily be acquired as needed through Document Services. The list of cancellations is posted on HealthLinks (http://www.lib.washington.edu/about/serials/prelim-cancel.html).

We have also adopted a new twice yearly selection cycle for serials -- in April and September -- to review additions and potential cancellations of titles. Continuing increases in serial costs, coupled with a shrinking collection budget, make it necessary to adopt a "one in, one out" philosophy. This means that in order to add a new subscription, we will routinely consider canceling one or more current subscriptions to offset the cost of the new title. We will also continue to monitor usage of all journals as part of routine collection management, since we need to reallocate funds to provide networked access to new databases, textbooks, and other information resources that you are requesting to be made available on your desktop.

A very important facet of the serials review process, consultation with departments and Collection Development Advisors, will continue. Information provided by departments is critical in decision making. We deeply appreciate the responses received on specific titles in this past review. Your input was essential to the final decision process.

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Welcome Back!

The Health Sciences Libraries staff would like to take this opportunity to say "Welcome!" to new faculty and students, and to welcome back old friends. As the largest and most comprehensive resource for health sciences information west of the Mississippi and north of California, we look forward to getting acquainted with you in coming months and to helping you make the best use of information, whether located at UW or on the other side of the globe.

This issue of Books & Bytes reports on recent changes, such as the outcome of last spring's serials review process and a revised circulation policy, and also spotlights some of our major services. Additional information about the Health Sciences Libraries, including factsheets, service request forms, and past issues of Books & Bytes, is always available online through HealthLinks, the Health Sciences Web site (http://healthlinks.washington.edu), or through UWIN by following the path Health Sciences Track -> HealthLinks -> The Library. Please do call us (see the phone directory) or send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu if you have specific questions about library services or resources.

Again, welcome. And our best wishes for a successful year.

Debra Ketchell
Acting Deputy Director

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Changes in Libraries Loan Code

A number of changes to the University of Washington Libraries Loan Code, which became effective on September 18, 1995, apply to all library materials returned after that date. The principal changes are highlighted below.

A copy of the revised UW Libraries Loan Code is available electronically on the UW Libraries Web home page at http://www.lib.washington.edu/services/borrow/loancode.html. A printed copy can be requested from the Head, Circulation Division, Suzzallo Library, 543-2553.

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Document Services: Information on Demand

HSLIC's Document Services offers a number of options for obtaining items needed for research or patient care, regardless of the physical location of the material. We provide a full document service, a "You Pull/We Copy" service, and a "Pull and Hold" service for materials which you wish to examine and copy yourself. Ordering materials

Documents may be ordered by phone (limit of two items at a time), by fax (685-4710), or by using Document Request forms. To obtain a supply of request forms, send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu or call 543-3436. Options for requesting items electronically are described below.

  1. HealthLinks: Electronic forms are available for requesting most library services. Point your web browser to http://healthlinks.washington.edu and choose The Library; or from the UWIN main menu, follow the path Health Sciences Track -> HealthLinks -> The Library, and then select Services and Collections -> Service Request Forms.
  2. docser@hslib.washington.edu: To obtain an electronic document request form and instructions for its use, send an email message to docser@hslib.washington.edu. Leave the subject line blank. Two reply messages (the form and the instructions) will be sent to your email address. Complete the form and email it back to the address on the form.
  3. hsl at u.washington.edu: To request service by email from any Health Sciences Library location, use the uniform address hsl at u.washington.edu. To request copies of articles retrieved from a MEDLINE® search, download the search results to your email account, remove unwanted citations, and then forward the remainder to Document Services at hsl at u.washington.edu. Attach a signature file entry to identify yourself and indicate how you want the item(s) delivered and billed. For more information on establishing signature files, call 543-3436 or send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu.
How long does it take?

Items available on campus are usually supplied within two working days. Allow up to two weeks for delivery of items which are not on campus, since we cannot guarantee turnaround times for all of our off-campus suppliers. Rush service is available for an additional fee but does not apply to patient care emergencies. In such cases, call or fax and indicate that your request is a CLINICAL EMERGENCY.

Document Service fees

Although the base rate for UW faculty, staff, and students, is the same regardless of method of payment, HSLIC must collect sales tax and UW overhead for all fees not charged to a UW budget number. Current fees for major services include:

Fees may be paid by UW budget or deposit account number, cash, or credit card (Visa or Mastercard). Rates for non-affiliates are substantially higher. Additional charges apply for off-campus or fax delivery, rush service when not for emergency patient care, and Copyright Clearance Center fees when applicable.

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Professional Staff News

Martha Means has accepted a six-month appointment as Information Management Librarian at HSLIC. Ms. Means is a recent graduate of the UW Graduate School of Library and Information Science.

Stuart Yarfitz, Ph.D., joined the library staff as Research Information Consultant on September 1. He was formerly a Research Assistant Professor of Biochemistry at UW. Dr. Yarfitz will be working with researchers in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and Molecular Biotechnology as well as other basic sciences labs to determine the information needs of those groups and design innovative approaches to solving information access problems.

Fuller named NLM Regent

Sherrilynne Fuller, Director, Health Sciences Libraries and Information Center, and Coordinator, Health Sciences Information System Integration, has been appointed by Donna Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human Services, to a four-year term on the National Library of Medicine's Board of Regents.

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Options for Database Access

MEDLINE® from 1966 to date, NURSING & ALLIED HEALTH, PSYCINFO, and IPA are just a few of the databases which are available for self-service searching either through the campus computing network or on CD-ROM workstations in the libraries. Weekly demonstrations are offered on basic search techniques, and quick help is often available from the service desks. You can also make an appointment with your library liaison for help with search strategy and techniques, or for assistance in accessing information resources on the Internet. See the Information Management Education schedule for the self-service searching classes offered this quarter.

Librarians are available to provide access to hundreds of commercial databases and information resources. Quick searches (up to 25 citations) are available to UW Health Sciences faculty and staff at no charge in support of teaching, research, or clinical responsibilities. UW graduate students may also request this service in preparation of a thesis or dissertation, as may UW Medical School students working on an ISMS project. Any database appropriate for the topic will be searched. Comprehensive searching is also available. See HSLIC Factsheet #20 for costs.

Librarians will help you set up an Email Alert Service for recently published articles in your research area. For MEDLINE® and other databases available on the campus network, you can save a search strategy and execute the search yourself. Library staff can run updates of other databases. There is no charge if the database is available in the library on CD-ROM (e.g., Current Contents) and if results are delivered via email. User fees apply for search profiles using outside vendors, e.g. the National Library of Medicine or Knight Ridder Dialog.

To request a search strategy consultation or a mediated search, send email to hsl at u.washington.edu, or call the HSLIC Information Desk (543-3394), the Social Work Library (685-2180) or the K.K. Sherwood Library at Harborview (731-3360). Request forms may also be picked up at any of these locations or downloaded from to HealthLinks. Initial search results (up to 50 references) are available for delivery within one working day; additional citations are usually ready within a week. Clinical emergencies or patient care requests receive priority handling. Individuals not affiliated with the UW should contact HSLIC's Health Information for You service (543-7478) to request database searches.

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Self-Service Copying Options

Seventeen self-service photocopiers are available at HSLIC, including twelve machines which accept unique copicards that may only be used at HSLIC. Some of these machines also accept coins or currency at 10¢ per page. HSLIC also houses five Xerox copiers that accept the UW Copy Center Copy Quickcards used in other campus libraries, including the Social Work Library and the K.K. Sherwood Library at Harborview. Four Xerox machines are located in HSLIC's N-Z journal room on the second floor, and one is located on the third floor near the Library entrance.

Library users often wonder why two independent copy card systems are in operation in the same library. HSLIC provides twelve of its own copiers to provide optimal service for our clientele. Our unique copicard system, while primarily for financial control, also allows us to sell copicards on site and provide special services (like refunds for damaged cards) that would otherwise require a trip across campus. Although we do provide minimal service for the Xerox machines (loading paper and toner and clearing paper jams), machine maintenance and problems with campus copy cards must be handled by Copy/Duplicating Services.

HSLIC Copicards may be purchased at the Circulation Desk in various denominations of 50 to 1,000 copies. Copicards charged to a UW budget are billed at the rate of 5.4¢ per page (e.g., $5.40 for 100 copies). The cash or credit card rate for UW clients is 6.7¢ per page, which includes sales tax and UW overhead costs.

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TLC Resources: Textbooks, Videotapes, and the Internet

The Teaching Learning Center (TLC) contains a wide range of resources for students and faculty, including course reserve materials, a core textbook collection, audiovisuals, computer software, and an instructional microcomputer lab.

Course Reserves

Materials on reserve for Health Sciences courses include reprints, books, sample exams, models, audiovisuals, and software. Two group viewing rooms are available, as is equipment for using videotapes, slides, audio tapes, and computer software. The Core Textbook collection, which is listed in the Libraries Catalog, contains many (but not all) of the texts used in Health Sciences courses. Most TLC items circulate for two hours.

Microlab

The TLC also houses the Health Sciences Microlab, which is restricted to use by Health Sciences Center students, staff, and faculty. Networked Windows and Macintosh computers provide access to software required for course assignments and personal productivity, as well as to resources on the Internet. Since Microlab classrooms are often reserved for group instruction, check the schedules posted in the TLC to determine when stations are likely to be available for personal use. Machines are most likely to be available evenings or weekends. Lab assistants are available at posted hours to help you use the Microlab. To reserve a Microlab classroom (either Mac or Windows) for group instruction or inquire about software, call 543-1784 or send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu.

Email Stations

"Email only" stations are available both in the Microlab and in the lobby area on the second floor at HSLIC. Second floor email stations, unlike those in the Microlab, are available to any library user.

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Serial Title Changes, June - August, 1995

Newly added titles:

Title changes:

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EndNote on the Internet

EndNote is one of the library-supported personal reference managers which may be used to download references from UWIN or Willow into personal databases. Assistance in using personal files managers is available on HealthLinks (/hsl/), by selecting Bibliographic Citation Software -- Personal Files Management Software Series.

EndNote users can also find information and technical support on the Internet at the following locations.

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Research Funding Service

The Research Funding Service (RFS) offers assistance to UW health sciences faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and staff in seeking grant information. RFS, a partnership of the Library and the School of Medicine's Office of Scientific Affairs, provides a range of resources, services, and events to help understand funding processes and identify grant opportunities in the biomedical and health sciences.

For the beginning grantseeker, brief guides are available on such essential topics as the fundamentals of grantsmanship; the application review process; the National Institutes of Health (NIH); non-federal funding sources; and published and electronic sources of grants information. Another RFS publication, the monthly Funding Bulletin, helps researchers keep abreast of grant opportunities and deadlines.

Reference service and individual and small group consultations are offered by appointment. RFS staff can help investigators use a variety of print and electronic resources to locate funding information on federal and private grantmakers that support biomedical and health sciences research. Resources include funding directories and grantsmanship manuals from the HSLIC Reference collection; electronic files accessible through HealthLinks and other Internet sources; and printed materials from funding organizations. RFS also offers individualized fee-based searches of the Sponsored Programs Information Network (SPIN) database of funding opportunities.

Of particular interest to new investigators and fellows is "Grant$ for Lunch", a series of informal presentations and discussions of grantsmanship on topics such as the recently revised NIH career development awards, communication with NIH program officers, and industry-university relations. Details on topics and speakers for these monthly noon-time events, held during the academic year in the South Campus Center, are publicized through the Funding Bulletin and posted flyers.

The RFS office, located in HSLIC T-311, is open 1-5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The program is directed by Janet Rasey, Ph.D., Professor of Radiation Oncology, and staffed by Patricia Carlson, Coordinator and Editor, and Diana Hall, Librarian. To make an appointment, call 685-8036, send email to rfs@u.washington.edu, or write to RFS at campus Box 356340.

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Drive-Up Book Return Relocated

A new drive-up book return is now available near the D-Wing Health Sciences Express bus stop across the street from South Campus Center on Columbia Road. All materials from the UW Libraries collections, with the exception of reserve materials, may be returned to the Libraries using this book return. Although access to the book return requires entry through the parking gates, no parking fee is assessed if your stay is less than 30 minutes.

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Need Transparencies?

Photocopy Services can produce the transparencies for your presentation; just ask at the HSLIC Circulation Desk. Many special requests can be accommodated. For example, pictures or graphs from a journal article can be enlarged, several charts from different pages can be combined into a single transparency, or your own graphics can be copied. In many cases, transparencies can be made while you wait. You may pay cash or charge this service to a UW budget number or a credit card.

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Books & Bytes mailing list

To be added to the Books & Bytes mailing list, send an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu.

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HSLIC Factsheets

HSLIC Factsheets provide in-depth descriptions of many of the Library's services and programs. You can pick them up from display kiosks in the Library or request multiple copies by calling 543-5531 or sending an email message to hsl at u.washington.edu. Factsheet information is also available on HealthLinks (http://healthlinks.washington.edu) by choosing The Library from the menu. The following factsheets are currently available:

  1. Summary of Services
  2. Purchase Recommendations
  3. Self-service Databases
  4. Teaching Learning Center
  5. K.K. Sherwood Library
  6. Library-Departmental Liaison Program
  7. Library Services Via Electronic Mail
  8. Information Management Education Program
  9. Document Delivery/Photocopy Services
  10. Services for Off-Campus UW Faculty, Staff and Students
  11. Brief Guide to NLM Call Numbers
  12. Services for Non-Affiliated Individuals
  13. Database Search Service
  14. Gift Acceptance Policy
  15. Loansome Doc Document Delivery Service
  16. Health Sciences Library Statistical Summary
  17. Consultation Service
  18. Interlibrary Loan Services
  19. Email Alert Service
  20. Social Work Library
  21. Deposit Account Agreement
  22. Rare Books & Special Collections
  23. Services to Users With Disabilities

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Recent Gifts

Acknowledgment and appreciation are extended to the following individuals and organizations who have recently made contributions to the HSLIC collections:

and the following UWMC departments:

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For Your Convenience...

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