School of Medicine Library

University of South Carolina


Communications

December, 1996 Issue


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OVID Medline on UNIX

Recently, the Library and Computer Resources Center announced the availability of the OVID Medline Database on our powerful new Unix Operating System. This transition brings many welcome improvements in terms of access and use of Medline. The largest single benefit is a totally new access through the School of Medicine homepage. Those with Internet connections and a web browser will find a link to Ovid Medline on the SOM homepage at:
http://www.med.sc.edu/

There is also a new Unix Windows interface similar to the Windows interface you're accustomed to using on the Novell system. Some workstation modifications are needed to run the new Windows version. Contact network personnel to schedule assistance with this. Dial-in is still possible, and Mac users will have two options for searching: telnetting with a terminal emulator that supports vt100 full graphics mode, or using the Web access. This requires ID and password access. You must add your password to the Unix system by calling the CRC (733-3341) to communicate to the staff the password you wish to use.

The Web access is a new and different interface. When using it you should keep the following things in mind:

  1. Don't use the BACK and FORWARD keys once you are in Ovid. It is recommended that you set your Netscape screen so that the toolbar doesn't show while you are searching. To do this, click on Options and from the drop-down menu click on Show Toolbar. This will allow for more screen space, and you will be less inclined to use what you cannot see. Instead, use the buttons and icons that the Ovid program provides to move from one screen to another.
  2. After you have completed your search, displayed and selected the citations you want, you will be offered three options for retrieving the records under the "Citation Manager": Display, Email, and Save. For a printout, select the Display option and once the previously selected documents are aligned on the screen use the Print option that comes up when you click on File.
  3. When you have finished searching, please return to the main search page and use the Logoff button to leave the system. Leaving Ovid by moving to another URL occupies the port unnecessarily.
  4. Don't leave your terminal in the middle of a search. If there is no keyboard activity over a five-minute time span, you will be automatically disconnected.

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Pegasus Mail Update

A new version of Pegasus Mail, WinPMail v2.4, has been installed on the SOM network. Below are descriptions of the important enhancements that have not been available in previous versions: Don't forget to use the "Help" option if you have questions about the new version of Pegasus Mail!

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Top Ten Most-Used Journals

The SOM Library maintains journal usage statistics throughout the fiscal year. Below is a list of the top ten journals which were used the most during 1995/96. Included also is cost per use of each title.
Title # of Uses Cost per use
New England Journal of Medicine 830 .22
Science 622 .35
Proc. of the National Academy of Sciences 580 .93
Journal of Biological Chemistry 566 2.03
JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Assn. 566 .26
Nature 488 .86
LANCET 480 .53
Cell 385 .89
Annals of Internal Medicine 309 .63
BMJ/British Medical Journal 245 1.13

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Features of New OVID Medline Release

Both the OVID Web Gateway and the OVID Client/Server have recently been updated with OVID Release 6.4. Following is a summary of the features new to this release:

The primary enhancement for the Windows Client is the introduction of email functionality. The ability to email search results is one of the most attractive features of this new version. After completing a search, click on "SAVE" at the main search screen. You will see that there are now three options in the "Where to Save" box. Click on "Email the Server" and then "OK". You will get a pop-up window in which you can enter the email address of the recipient. In order to use this feature, your workstation will need some modification; contact the CRC.

The Web Gateway has been improved in a number of ways. You may have noticed that previously you were unable to restrict to focus on the Web as you could on the Client. Now a focus checkbox appears on the mapping display page which, when checked, restricts a search to only those documents in which the term is a major focus of the articles. This results in fewer citations, retaining those that are most pertinent to your search.

Another new feature on the Web is the "Ask a Librarian" feature. By clicking on a link on the main search page, the user is provided an email form which can be used to send a message to our Reference Staff. This mailbox will be checked periodically during the day, and our staff will try to assist you in resolving search problems.

A third enhancement for the Web is the ability to save searches. Once a search set has been created, a "Save Search History" button will appear. Click on this button to save your search as a temporary or permanent file. Another new button on the main search page, the "Run Saved Search", appears if you have previously saved a search. If you click it you will see a list of all available saved searches, and you can execute the strategy in the current database.

The new "Search Fields" button on the main search page will allow you to easily search in specific fields. When clicked, this button displays a page containing the complete list of fields available. Click the checkbox to select one or more fields, then enter the word or phrase you would like to search. You are then given the option of viewing and selecting from an index display, or posting the results immediately without viewing the index.

While browsing through the brief citation list you can quickly link to an abstract for a citation. This is done by clicking on the new "Abstract" link that will appear at the end of a citation if an abstract is available for the document. When you are in the Citation Manager, preparing to print or email search results, you will see the new checkbox "Include Search History" that, if checked, allows the entire search history to appear at the top of the citations. Finally, a subject line has been added to the email page. This allows you to specify a subject when emailing search results. If no subject is entered the system defaults to the heading "OVID Email Report."

With this new release, the OVID Web Gateway runs significantly faster. With all these enhancements plus greater speed, this program is looking better and better. Check it out!

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Christmas Holiday Schedule

December 20 8 -- 5
December 21 8 -- 5
December 22 1 -- 6
December 23 CLOSED
December 24 CLOSED
December 25 CLOSED
December 26 CLOSED
December 27 8 -- 5
December 28 8 -- 5
December 29 CLOSED
December 30 8 -- 5
December 31 8 -- 5
January 1 CLOSED
January 2 8 -- 5
January 3 8 -- 5
Normal hours resume Saturday, January 4, 1997.

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Keys to Rooms and Fitness Center

If you would like access to the Humphries Fitness Center after hours (doors are locked for safety reasons after 5 p.m.), a key is available for check-out at the library's Circulation Desk. Keys are also available for the group study room on the first floor, and for the video rooms on the second floor.

To reserve School of Medicine classrooms, contact Michael Fountain at the Office of Minority Affairs via e-mail: (fontaine@dcsmserver.med.sc.edu). Include in your message the dates and times a certain classroom is needed, as well as a contact person and telephone number.

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Notice Board

The informative notices that appear on-screen when logging onto the SOM Network are stored in a file that can be easily accessed. If you would like to go back and read a notice again, try the following:

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Correction

Please note: The last newsletter contained an incorrect account number needed to access Nucleic Acids Research (NAR) online. The correct account # is 34175000. We are sorry for any inconvenience.

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Library Training Opportunities

PowerPoint
Wednesday, December 18th, 3 p.m.
Tuesday, January 21, 3 p.m.
OVID Medline
Monday, December 16th, 10:30 a.m.
Thursday, January 2nd, 10:30 a.m.
Wednesday, January 8th, 3:30 p.m.
Monday, January 13th, 10:30 a.m.
Friday, January 24th, 3:30 p.m.
Tuesday, January 28th, 10:30 a.m.
Pegasus Email for Windows
Friday, January 17th, 3:30 p.m.
Publications on the Internet
Wednesday, Jan. 15th, 10:30 a.m.
GroupWise
Monday, January 20th, 10:30 a.m.

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NEWSLETTER CO-EDITORS

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Report any problems to Lisa Antley-Hearn, witch@dcsmserver.med.sc.edu

This page updated on 11 March 1997.
This page copyright 1997, The Board of Trustees of the University of South Carolina.
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