Online medical books: their availability and an assessment of how health sciences libraries provide access on their public Websites. (17/58)

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the number and topical range of available online medical books and to assess how health sciences libraries were providing access to these resources on their public Websites. METHOD: The collection-based evaluative technique of list checking was used to assess the number and topical range of online medical books of the six largest publishers. Publisher inventory lists were downloaded over a two-day period (May 16-17, 2004). Titles were counted and compared with the 2003 Brandon/Hill list. A sample of health sciences libraries was subsequently derived by consulting the 2004 "Top Medical Schools-Research" in U.S. News & World Report. Bibliographic and bibliothecal access methods were evaluated based on an inspection of the publicly available Websites of the sample libraries. RESULTS: Of 318 currently published online medical books, 151 (47%) were Brandon/Hill titles covering 42 of 59 Brandon/Hill topics (71%). These 151 titles represented 22% (N = 672) of the Brandon/Hill list, which further broke down as 52 minimal core, 41 initial purchase, and 58 other recommended Brandon/Hill titles. These numbers represented 50%, 28%, and 12%, respectively, of all Brandon/Hill titles corresponding to those categories. In terms of bibliographic access, 20 of 21 of sampled libraries created catalog records for their online medical books, 1 of which also provided analytical access at the chapter level, and none provided access at the chapter section level. Of the 21 libraries, 19 had library Website search engines that provided title-level access and 4 provided access at the chapter level and none that at the chapter section level. For bibliothecal access, 19 of 21 libraries provided title-level access to medical books, 8 of which provided classified and alphabetic arrangements, 1 provided a classified arrangement only, and 10 provided an alphabetic arrangement only. No library provided a bibliothecal arrangement for medical book chapters or chapter sections. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that the number and topical range of online medical books is reaching a point where collection-level consideration is warranted to facilitate efficient use and to prevent the problem of split files. However, the results also show that few efforts are underway on the publicly available Websites of the surveyed health sciences libraries to provide the analytical access necessary to meet the structural needs of clinical information seekers.  (+info)

Improving e-book access via a library-developed full-text search tool. (18/58)

PURPOSE: This paper reports on the development of a tool for searching the contents of licensed full-text electronic book (e-book) collections. SETTING: The Health Sciences Library System (HSLS) provides services to the University of Pittsburgh's medical programs and large academic health system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION: The HSLS has developed an innovative tool for federated searching of its e-book collections. Built using the XML-based Vivisimo development environment, the tool enables a user to perform a full-text search of over 2,500 titles from the library's seven most highly used e-book collections. From a single "Google-style" query, results are returned as an integrated set of links pointing directly to relevant sections of the full text. Results are also grouped into categories that enable more precise retrieval without reformulation of the search. RESULTS/EVALUATION: A heuristic evaluation demonstrated the usability of the tool and a web server log analysis indicated an acceptable level of usage. Based on its success, there are plans to increase the number of online book collections searched. CONCLUSION: This library's first foray into federated searching has produced an effective tool for searching across large collections of full-text e-books and has provided a good foundation for the development of other library-based federated searching products.  (+info)

Journal deselection in a biomedical research library: a mediated mathematical approach. (19/58)

A unique mathematical formula was developed to use for journal deselection decisions. The formula factors in subscription cost, shelving and storage cost, interlibrary loan cost, staffing cost, and use level to determine the institutional cost ratio; this ratio serves as an indicator of the cost-effectiveness of each subscription title. Once the institutional cost ratio was calculated for each of 537 titles, a committee of library staff and senior library customers reviewed the ranked list to decide which subscriptions should be canceled. The committee also considered possible exceptions based on subjective criteria such as availability at local libraries, unrecorded use, and relative importance of the journal. The preliminary cancellation list was then reviewed by the library's research users. They were able to justify library subscriptions to a few additional titles. This method enabled the library to cut its subscription costs by 46%, while cutting only 8% of the total use. In addition, by mediating the mathematical approach with human intervention, the library made these severe cuts without unduly distressing its patrons.  (+info)

Selected list of books and journals in allied health sciences. (20/58)

This list of 453 books and 74 journals is intended as a selection guide to be used in a library supporting allied health educational programs or allied health personnel in either an academic or health care setting. Because of the impossibility of covering the large number and wide variety of allied health professions and occupations, the recommended publications are focused primarily on the twenty-six educational programs accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association, plus physical therapy, dental allied health, medical secretarial, and nutrition programs. Books and journals are categorized by subject; the book list is followed by an author/editor index, and the subject list of journals by an alphabetical title listing. Items suggested for initial purchase (179 books and 29 journals) are indicated by asterisks. To purchase the entire collection of books and journals (1990 subscriptions) would require an expenditure of about $21,650. The cost of only the asterisked items totals $9,250.  (+info)

Selected list of books and journals for the small medical library. (21/58)

In the introduction to this revised list of 607 books and 141 journals, quality assurance programs of health care institutions and patient education are suggested as vehicles for more directly involving the hospital library and its collection in patient care. This list is intended as a selection guide for the small or medium-sized library in a hospital or comparable medical facility, or as a core collection for a consortium of small hospital libraries. Books and journals are categorized by subject; the book list is followed by an author/editor index, and the subject list of journals by an alphabetical title listing. To purchase the entire collection of books and to pay for 1989 subscriptions would require about $63,500. The cost of only the asterisked items totals $24,000.  (+info)

Selected list of books and journals in allied health sciences. (22/58)

This list of 435 books and 76 journals is intended as a selection guide to be used in a library supporting allied health educational programs and/or health personnel in either an academic or health care setting. Because of the impossibility pf covering the large number and wide variety of allied health professions and occupations, the recommended publications are focused primarily on the twenty-six educational programs accredited by the Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation of the American Medical Association, plus physical therapy, dental allied health, nutrition, and medical secretarial programs. Books and journals are categorized by subject; the book list is followed by an author/editor index, and the subject list of journals by an alphabetical title listing. Items suggested for initial purchase (176 books and 29 journals) are indicated by asterisks. To purchase the entire collection of books and journals (1988 subscriptions) would require an expenditure of about $19,000. The cost of only the asterisked items totals $7,900.  (+info)

Selected list of books and journals for the small medical library. (23/58)

This revised list of 472 books and 138 journals is intended as a selection guide for small or medium-sized hospital libraries or for the small medical library serving a specified clientele. It can also be used as a core list by small hospital library consortia. Books and journals are categorized by subject, with the books being followed by an author index and the journals by an alphabetical title listing. Items suggested for initial purchase by smaller libraries are indicated by an asterisk. To purchase the entire collection of books and to pay for annual subscriptions to all the journals would require an expenditure of about $18,200. The cost of only the asterisked items recommended for first purchase totals approximately $4,500.  (+info)

Monograph support provided by the National Library of Medicine and its regional medical libraries in the medical behavioral sciences. (24/58)

The National Library of Medicine's (NLM) monographic resources in the medical behavioral sciences (MBS) were examined to assess NLM's ability to support the needs of researchers writing in this area. A sample of 239 representative monographs derived from citations in MBS-related articles published in 61 journals in 1981 were evaluated. These monographs were limited to works published between 1978 and 1981, inclusive. The subject distribution of the sample included fourteen of the twenty-one main classes in the LC classification, although BF (psychology), H (social sciences), and R (medicine) constituted 80.3% of the sample. The study revealed that NLM held 48.5% of the sample. The holdings of ten research medical libraries, including six of the seven regional medical libraries, were also evaluated in order to gauge NLM's ability to support that element of the medical library network. The holding rates of these libraries ranged widely (9.6% to 36%), although NLM was found to have far more extensive holdings overall, and when assessed against classes BF, H, and R. Overall, NLM could have supplied from 28.8% to 44.5% of the monographs not held by the medical libraries. In only a few cases were the ten medical libraries able to provide access to monographs not held by NLM. The findings of the study indicate that, regardless of NLM's indication of support to the MBS area, the holdings of more general research and academic libraries are essential to support the monograph needs of MBS researchers.  (+info)