Library Annual Report
Library staff recently completed the Library's 2000/2001 Annual Report, which is available on the Library's website at www.library.uams.edu/aboutlib/annualrpt01.htm. The report includes annual statistics, such as number of volumes in the collection, number of items circulated, etc. Selected highlights of accomplishments for the year include the following:
Major problems which affected services included the following:
The accomplishments of the past year would not have been possible without the hard work of the Library staff, and the continuing support of Chancellor I. Dodd Wilson, Dr. Larry Milne, and the Library Advisory Committee.
Mary L. Ryan,
UAMS Library Director
Alternative Medicine on PubMed
In the last issue of Library News, the various types of subsets on PubMed were outlined. PubMed provides free access to the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) MEDLINE database and other databases from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. One of PubMed's strongest search features for MEDLINE is the ability to limit your strategy based on certain subsets of literature.
The Subject Subsets allow users to focus their retrieval to specific topic areas. One of the newest subject subsets on PubMed is the Complementary Medicine limit. This subset was created to provide easy access to a subject area that can be difficult to retrieve.
The CAM [Complementary and Alternative Medicine] Subset was created as a joint project between the National Library of Medicine and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine [NCCAM], which is under the National Institutes of Health. The subset allows the user to search the biomedical journal literature by topic, keyword or author name and then limit the retrieval to those citations with an emphasis on CAM.
To create a basic CAM search, do the following:
1. Enter your search terms in the PubMed search box. Do not structure your question as a sentence. Ex. depression AND elderly
2. Click on the Go button
3. Note the number of citations retrieved.
4. Go to limits section and pull
down to Complementary Medicine on subset limit [see sample screen, click to
enlarge]
5. Click the Go button.
On this topic you will notice a large difference - 23,084 citations without the CAM limit vs. 576 citations with the CAM limit. This is just one way to do a very basic search using the Complementary medicine subject subset.
PubMed is a powerful device for searching the biomedical literature in MEDLINE. It contains many interesting tools enabling searchers to find minute details in the literature or the ability to create in-depth search strategies. If you plan to use PubMed for patient care or research purposes, we highly recommend training. Please see the PubMed class schedule posted in this newsletter.
If you have any questions regarding subsets or any other aspects of PubMed, please contact: Susan Steelman, MLIS - Coordinator of Outreach Services, UAMS Library, 501-686-6737 or email: SteelmanSusanC@uams.edu.
Susan Steelman,
Coordinator of Outreach Services
Please note that free PubMed classes are being offered each month. These classes are open to any practicing health care professional in Arkansas. If you would like to register for one of these classes or schedule an individual class, please contact Susan Steelman, M.L.I.S. at 501-686-6737 or SteelmanSusanC@uams.edu.
Sept. 18 Tuesday
1:00 - 3:00 pm
Sept. 26 Wednesday
9:00 - 11:00 am
Arkansans have higher than average rates for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease and stroke *. On July 1, 2001, the Arkansas Consumer Health Information Network (ARCHIN) launched a web site to help Arkansans find information on these topics, as well as many other health-related subjects. ARHealthLINK (http://www.arhealthlink.org) serves as a gateway to authoritative health, wellness, and disease-specific information. It also provides Arkansas-specific information, including a calendar of health-related events for the public and for health care professionals, information on support groups, health care facilities, etc.
UAMS Library staff, including Outreach Coordinator Susan Steelman and Web Manager Eric Dousay, maintain the ARHealthLINK website. ARCHIN members provide training for health care professionals, public librarians, and public health workers in the use of ARHealthLINK and other consumer health information resources. Members periodically update a "Core" list of consumer health information books and other resources.
A task force is currently implementing a plan to publicize and promote use of the ARHealthLINK website. Brochures and bookmarks have been distributed to public and academic libraries throughout the state, press releases were sent to media outlets, and many presentations were made or are planned for the near future. ARHealthLINK brochures have been distributed to various sites at UAMS, and more are available upon request.
The Arkansas Consumer Health Information Network (ARCHIN) was created after the UAMS Library organized a meeting of librarians and representatives from several health-related agencies and organizations in March of 1998 to discuss the need for better access to health information for the public. In January of 2000, the UAMS Library received $40,000 in funding from the National Library of Medicine under contract #NO1-ML-6-3525 for the ARHealthLINK web server, the initial design of the web site, which was done by Lynn Bell in Campus Media Services, and the production of promotional materials.ARCHIN's steering committee currently consists of representatives from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, Arkansas Children's Hospital Library, Arkansas Department of Health, Arkansas State Library, Central Arkansas Library System, Mississippi County Library System, the U of A Cooperative Extension Service, UALR Ottenheimer Library, the UAMS College of Public Health, and the UAMS Library.
For more information, or to give feedback about the website, please contact Susan Steelman (Info@ARHealthLINK.org) or Mary Ryan (RyanMaryL@UAMS.edu).
*Based on statistics in Report of Final Mortality Statistics, 1996. National Vital Statistics Reports, v. 47(9), November 10, 1998. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr47_9.pdf in PDF format. [2001, March 23]
Health Care State Rankings, 2000. Lawrence KS: Morgan Quitno Press, 1993-.
Mary L. Ryan,
UAMS Library Director
The Learning Resource Center is offering support services starting this fall for faculty, staff, and students using handheld computing devices. Special equipment, such as a compact flash card reader, USB hubs, hot sync cradles, IrDA ports, and palm keyboards, was purchased to make downloading software from the Internet and loading to both Palm OS and Windows CE devices possible. Patrons will also be able to send files from their PDAs to these computers for printing.
There are two stations in the library, one in the JBSU student lab, and several in the Academic Computing Support Center on the 8th floor of EDII which are being set up for downloading software and installing it to a handheld device. In addition to these stations, PDA peripherals are also being placed at the student clerkship computers that are being set up in several clerkship locations.
The College of Medicine, Curriculum Committee, Subcommittee on Computer Education, requested funding from the College of Medicine Foundation Funds in the Spring 2001 to purchase medical handbooks for handheld devices for interested 3rd year students. Ninety-two students are participating in the project. Students will provide feedback on their experiences with handhelds and the medical software at the end of the year.Realizing that there would be the need for on-campus support for this project, the LRC has worked in conjunction with the College of Medicine and Academic Computing to make sure the resources would be available to make this a great success. In fact, the handheld medical textbooks have been such a success that special limited purchasing for faculty, staff, and other students not part of the grant funding has been made possible with the vendor. If you have questions or need further information about what or where services are available, please contact the Learning Resource Center in the Library at 686-6752 or email learningresourcecenter@uams.edu.
Loretta Edwards,
LRC Network Manager
The annual dinner meeting of the History of Medicine Associates of the UAMS Library will be held September 20, 2001. The speaker will be Dr. Jonathan Wolfe, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice, UAMS. His presentation is entitled: "Progressivism Comes to Arkansas Medicine: Governor George Donaghey and Dr. Morgan Smith". Dr. Wolfe presently serves as the president of the Associates. He is also the curator of the College of Medicine exhibit being developed at the Old State House Museum. The exhibit will focus on the period of time when the College was housed at the Old State House (1912-1935). Dr. Morgan Smith was dean of the college during much of this period. Tickets for the dinner are $25 per member and $40 per non-member. For further information contact Margaret Johnson, 686 6733, or johnsonmargareta@uams.edu.
Margaret Johnson,
Historical Research Center Head
A gold-headed cane belonging to one of the founders of the UAMS College of Medicine was recently donated to the Historical Research Center of the Library. Mr. Richard H. Allen Jr. of Memphis, a great-grandson of Dr. Augustus Louis Breysacher, presented the cane to Margaret Johnson of the Center in a small ceremony in the Robert Watson Room on July 20, 2001.
Dr. Breysacher was a physician in Little Rock with a practice specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. In 1880 he delivered Douglas MacArthur, the future general. He was a close friend and professional partner of Dr. P.O. Hooper, another Little Rock physician. Both felt a medical school was needed in Little Rock. In 1879, with six other colleagues, they formed a private medical school chartered by the Arkansas Industrial University located in Fayetteville. Dr. Breysacher was a professor of obstetrics at the school until his death in 1897. He was always elegantly dressed with the gold-headed cane at his side. An inscription on the handle of the cane indicates that it was a gift to him.
Margaret Johnson,
Historical Research Center Head
Center on Aging Library:
Jane Prather has joined Donna Waldron in the Center on Aging Library, beginning
Wednesday, August 8, 2001.
Collection Management:
Tim Muren, Cataloging Assistant, is having his poetry featured in a combined
poetry/art display at the UALR Fine Arts Gallery II from July 3-August 24, 2001.
Welcome to a new column. The UAMS Library Staff who publish the UAMS Library News have graciously agreed to allow me to contribute on a regular basis to their publication. I will use this column to highlight various services the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare Library offers that you may not be aware of. I will try to keep this column informal and as informative as possible.
First some basics about the Library or Libraries at the VA. We have two Health Sciences Libraries: one in Little Rock and one in North Little Rock. You may use both. The one in Little Rock is located on the seventh floor in room 7D120. It is staffed Monday through Friday from 7 in the morning to 4:30 in the afternoon. After hours access is available by signing for a key in the admissions area of the hospital. The library in North Little Rock is in Building 170 (the one where the hospital is located) opposite the Canteen on the first floor. It is staffed Monday through Friday also but is closed daily from noon to 1:00 and on Friday from noon to 4:00 to allow the librarian to visit the wards.
Each library has a good selection of journals, books, and audio-visuals as well as public access computers. Persons needing assistance in conducting literature searching may contact the librarians, Michael Blanton at Little Rock and Glenna McCowan at North Little Rock. Interlibrary loans are available at no charge to those on VA rotation. The library also offers free photocopying to those on VA rotation.
Although we are quite a bit smaller than the UAMS Library, we feel our strength lies in our customer service. Look at us as your small town grocer who has the time to help you find just what you're looking for!
Future columns will discuss the VA Knowledge Network, the South Central VA Health Care Network Virtual Library, Learning Resources Web Site, and the Medical Media Delivery System (also known as TiltRack). Stay tuned.
George M. Zumwalt,
Chief, Learning Resources Service
UAMS Library: Editor,
Amanda Saar
Soundwords: Editor, Fred Bassett
Contributors: Loretta Edwards, Margaret Johnson,
Mary Ryan, Susan Steelman, George Zumwald
Published by the UAMS
Library
4301 W. Markham, Slot 586
Little Rock, AR 72205-7186
(501) 686-5980
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