HSL-News Information-Archive

January 2001

***********************
HSL-News: 1-8-2001
***********************

1. Disappearing Databases
2. Classes offered Winter 2001 by the Health Sciences Libraries
3. HealthLinks January Front Page topic

THE CASE OF THE DISAPPEARING DATABASES
**************************************
What happened to HealthSTAR? It simply no longer exists as a separate
database. The National Library of Medicine [NLM] revised the parameters
of MEDLINE to include the subject areas covered by this database and moved
the unique journal citations from HealthSTAR into MEDLINE. When you want
to locate articles on the topics of health care delivery or
administration, just search the MEDLINE database via PubMed and then you
can use the Linkout feature to connect to the full-text of many
articles. Books and government publications may be found by searching
NLM's LocatorPlus and NTIS as starting databases as well as many other
databases. Consult with a librarian for the best database to use for your
topic.

Where is MEDLINE Advanced, the version of MEDLINE available through the
WebSPIRS database? It still does exist although the UW Libraries ceased
its subscription effective January 1, 2001. Why? Two reasons - interface
and economics. The PubMed interface has stabilized over the last year and
is readily available to anyone at no cost, regardless of
affiliation. Thus, the life-long learners the UW is turning out can take
this skill with them wherever they go. In addition, it offers daily
updates, personalization (through its Cubby features) and links to
full-text. It no longer made sense for the Libraries to pay for data to
which it already had access. By dropping its subscription, the Libraries
could make use of the funds to license access to more full-text materials
online. Questions and concerns should be directed to Terry Ann Jankowski,
Information Management Librarian at terryj@u.washington.edu.

Tips for searching PubMed are available online at
/help/pubmed/ as well as the online
help within PubMed. HSL frequently offers short demonstrations on using
PubMed and the Library Liaisons would be happy to work directly with you
on effectively searching with PubMed.

Health Sciences Libraries Classes offered Winter 2001
*****************************************************
The schedule for classes is available via our HealthLinks website at:
/hsl/classes/
We offer a variety of classes in retrieving and managing health
information. Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to work with
their library liaison to create customized classes, or incorporate
information skills training into their curriculum. If you have additional
questions about library classes or tours, send email to
hsl at u.washington.edu or call (206) 543-3390.

HealthLinks January Front page
******************************
The featured topic this month is RISK COMMUNICATION, defined as,
"Activities to ensure that messages and strategies designed to prevent
exposure, adverse human health effects, and diminished quality of life are
effectively communicated to the public. As part of a broader prevention
strategy, risk communication supports education efforts by promoting
public awareness, increasing knowledge, and motivating individuals to take
action to reduce their exposure to hazardous substances."
You can reach our site at: /

***********************
HSL-News: 1-23-2001
***********************

1. PubMed - Daily Updating Temporarily Suspended
2. Library Book Drop Return Now at Harborview
3. HealthLinks January Front Page

*********************************************
PubMed - daily updating temporarily suspended
*********************************************

NLM has temporarily suspended the daily updating of PubMed with new
publisher-supplied and in-process citations as they work on the necessary
changes to reload MEDLINE data following the 2000-to-2001 year-end
maintenance. They expect this interruption to last until about Jan. 26, if
all goes well, or later, if they encounter problems. They predict that the
system will be replaced and publicly searchable before the end of January.
At this point daily updates with publisher-supplied and in-process
citations will resume. In addition, the newly indexed MEDLINE citations
from the beginning of the 2001 indexing year will be added and weekly
updates for these indexed citations will resume according to the published
update schedule:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/nd00/nd00_medline_update.html

For searches limited to MeSH headings, users will start retrieving newly
indexed citations whether using the PubMed query box or the current
awareness Cubby feature.

Be advised that NLM has stopped updating the ELHILL citation databases.
They are current through their December 2000 updates, using 2000 MeSH.
This means that Internet Grateful Med searches against the various
specialty citation files (i.e., AIDSLINE, HealthSTAR, POPLINE, SPACELINE,
BIOETHICS) are now searching static files. The IGM SDILINE screen will be
discontinued soon, as that database contains the December 2000 data and
will not be updated with 2001 data. Other IGM screens will be deactivated
according to the schedule soon to be announced in the NLM Technical
Bulletin (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/tb.html). Remember that the
IGM MEDLINE screen searches PubMed.

*********************************************************
Library Book Drop Return now at Harborview Medical Center
*********************************************************

Staff returning books to the University of Washington Libraries may now
drop them in the Library Book Return in the first floor hallway which
joins the East Wing to the West Wing, near the bistro. The book drop is
against the wall on the west end, near a rack of patient handouts and
several plants.

Now that all UW employees and students can request UW books online and
have them delivered to a UW Library of their choice as a free service, we
hope that being able to return the materials 24 X 7 will make life easier
for staff.

********************************
HealthLinks - January Front Page
********************************

The featured topic this month is RISK COMMUNICATION, defined as,
"Activities to ensure that messages and strategies designed to prevent
exposure, adverse human health effects, and diminished quality of life are
effectively communicated to the public. As part of a broader prevention
strategy, risk communication supports education efforts by promoting
public awareness, increasing knowledge, and motivating individuals to take
action to reduce their exposure to hazardous substances." You can reach
our site at: /