JISC National eBooks Observatory project: final reports

The reports generated by the NeBO project are now available on the JISC website at:
http://www.jiscebooksproject.org/reports

Background from the site:
"In 2007 the JISC national e-books observatory project was set up to undertake market research to help e-book publishers, aggregators, libraries and funding bodies understand the behaviours of e-book users and to assess the impact of free at-the-point of use course text e-books on traditional print sales to students. The huge amount of empirical data gathered through the Observatory project will help all of us to take informed decisions based on real evidence rather than assumptions. The data is available for all to use and we hope that by sharing the data, we encourage further collaboration and the development of new ideas and solutions that meet the needs and expectations of users."

Trial to Springer Image databases

Through our current subscription to images.MD , the online medical images library, we have set up a trial to the whole Springer Image database which offers more than 1.7 million images spanning science, technology and medicine, in an online collection of photos, graphs, histograms, figures and tables. Search captions, keywords, context and more, even jumping from image to source article. Users can create personalized image “sets” and export images for use in presentations or lectures.
Access the database through the eLibrary Gateway or, on campus, directly at SpringerImages and explore the potential for your research and teaching. Please feedback your views on this service to the blog or to the library staff.

Film and Sound Online

The following films have been added to Film & Sound Online this month and can be accessed along with other Wellcome Film titles.
Note: films marked with an asterisk (*) are medically restricted.

Collection: Wellcome Film
A Question of confidence
A question of balance
A way with warbles
An introduction to NMR theory
Mosquitoes and malaria
On leprosy
Paste dosing
Spastics?
* The organic acidaemias
* The role of prostaglandins in the inflammatory response of the skin Venomous snakes - medical aspects
Vision: the structure of the eye.
* What is a spastic?

A list of previously added films can also be found at - http://www.filmandsound.ac.uk/updates.shtml

Staffing update

Following the departure of Rachael Adair to Lincoln College, Ruth Curtis has been appointed Faculty Team Librarian, Derby Medical School Library on a two year fixed term contract. Ruth has previously worked in the JCG, George Green and Greenfield Medical Libraries and she has worked at Derby Medical School Library since it opened in 2003. Ruth brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this post and she will be a valuable addition to the Medicine and Health Sciences Team.

October New Book Arrivals

A listing of all new book arrivals for October is now available.
It includes new titles purchased in the medical, health sciences and nursing subject areas. To view click on the link "New Book Arrivals" on the right hand menu.

National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) funds Supporter Membership of BioMed Central

The NIHR has agreed a membership arrangement with BioMed Central to support publication of research articles in the publisher’s open access journals.

Under the terms of the NIHR's Supporter Membership arrangement, all NHS researchers supported by the NIHR and its partners will benefit from a 15% discount on publication fees when publishing in any of BioMed Central’s 200 peer-reviewed open access journals. Researchers are expected to acknowledge NIHR support.

A list of open access articles by NIHR-funded researchers recently published in BioMed Central journals can be found on the institution’s BioMed Central Member Page: http://www.biomedcentral.com/inst/37456

Cochrane Journal Club

The Cochrane Library has just launched the Cochrane Journal Club, a new free resource to support clinicians and researchers. Key articles are taken and expanded with background information, podcasts, powerpoint slides of key figures and tables and discussion questions. The first Cochrane Journal Club is on Biologics for rheumatoid arthritis – www.cochranejournalclub.com

JISC national e-books observatory project

In January 2008, The University of Nottingham joined 126 other UK institutions to take part in a project (the largest study of its kind) to investigate and observe how over 50,000 participants used a selection of academic electronic textbooks. It aimed to assess the impacts on print sales, library circulation data, and business models, and the related consequences for librarians and publishers.

26 electronic texts in four subject areas, including Medicine, were made freely available to these institutions for the duration of the project. Now ended, please follow the link for the latest findings from the project: http://www.jiscebooksproject.org

Free Trial

Free trial during October 2009 to Oxford Medical Handbook Series and ESC Textbook of Cardiovascular medicine

We currently have a trial to the Oxford Medical Handbook series for October for on campus use. To access the online contents of Medical Handbooks, please go to the following website http://omho.oxfordonline.com/

from a University PC. The medical handbooks are very popular books in the library and are all borrowed very regularly; we would really appreciate any feedback about the format of the online versions and how useful you think they would be to you.

The ESC Textbook of Cardiovascular medicine is also available on a trial basis during October at http://www.esctextbook.oxfordonline.com . This is the 2nd edition of the title from the European Society of Cardiology.

Please send your feedback to
library-medical-enquiries@nottingham.ac.uk

SciFinder developments - Open session 9th September 10.30 Chemistry XI

An open session detailing recent enhancements to SciFinder (Chemical Abstracts and Medline) is to be held on Wednesday 9th September at 10.30 am in Chemistry Lecture Theatre XI.

SciFinder is relevant to biochemists as well as chemists and one enhancement in particular is the Web version of SciFinder, launched in 2008. The session is also an opportunity to ask questions of Vikki Vowles, our CAS contact, and so please come along bringing your queries, suggestions and wants.

The session will last about an hour including time for questions.

EcoSal

EcoSal is an information service for researchers on E. Coli and Salmonella which aims to be a comprehensive archive of knowledge on the enteric bacterial cell. EcoSal is continually expanded, updated, and revised and comprises several hundred modules of information containing links to graphics and active databases of primary research information. A link has been added to the Biomedical Sciences and Molecular Medical Sciences categories on the eLibrary Gateway.

Students’ Use of Research Content in Teaching and Learning (2009)

This Report from UCLAN (University of Central Lancashire) to the JISC provides a snapshot of student research behaviour. It considers how students identify, access and use research and concludes that:
•Students are aware of the qualitative distinction between published research and general internet sites
•Students are not generally sophisticated in their understanding of peer-review
• Students are very reliant on library catalogues, databases and staff advice
• Students’ perception of research is led by the context of their assignments
• Students are reluctant to approach their tutor directly for advice on what research content to access
• Very few students identify undergraduate or postgraduate dissertations as research content

The report ends with a ten point action plan of recommendations put forward to the JISC, which includes the recommendation that ‘HEIs should be encouraged to invest significantly in improving information literacy for all students’.

Paying to publish for Open Access

The Research Information Network (RIN) and Universities UK have produced a guide to paying open access publication charges: that is, fees levied by some journals for the publication of scholarly articles so that they can be made available free of charge to readers, immediately upon publication. The guide, published in March 2009, also sets out recommendations for universities and other research institutions, publishers, research funders, and authors

Equator network

The EQUATOR Network (Enhancing the QUAlity and Transparency Of Health Research) is a 'quality improvement initiative that seeks to enhance the reliability of medical research literature by promoting transparent and accurate reporting of health research'. The website provides a comprehensive collection of reporting guidelines and other resources related to the reporting of health research studies, details of EQUATOR educational activities, news and events, and links to other useful resources.

Thomson Reuters Research Analytics Webinars

Thomson Reuters are offering a series of webinars promoting several new services throught June 2009, including an online demonstration of InCites. Sessions will cover:

1. Extraction of bibliographic records from Web of Science
2. Provision of 'Times Cited' counts within a repository/publications database
3. Application of ResearcherID
4. Performance benchmarking with InCites:
a. By institution
b. By national / international standards

You can register at the online meetings below:

June 4th 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123283237&RG=1&UID=0

June 10th 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123283237&RG=1&UID=0

June 16th 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123284232&RG=1&UID=0

June 23rd 2009 - 10:00am GMT
Click here to register:
https://thomsonscientific.webex.com/thomsonscientific/j.php?ED=123284347&RG=1&UID=0

Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World

Just been reading ‘Higher Education in a Web 2.0 World’, a report of an independant Committee of Inquiry into changing learner experience which looks at the impact on higher education of students' widespread use of Web 2.0 technologies. The report also emphasises the role of Information Literacy in schools and higher education

'Information Literacies including searching Retrieving, critically evaluating information from a range of appropriate sources and also attributing it- represents a significant and growing deficit area.'

Internet Guide on Genetics and Evolution

Intute: Health and Life Sciences has just produced a new booklet of Internet resources on Genetics and Evolution, which can be viewed at http://www.intute.ac.uk/supportdocs/geneticsbooklet.pdf . This is the latest in a series of guides produce by Intute: Health and Life Sciences which can be a useful resource for researchers, or for those responsible for creating course materials, reading or resource lists for students. Printed copies will be available in Greenfield Medical Library by the end of the week.

NHS Evidence - A UK Google for Guidelines

The UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has launched NHS Evidence, a "Google-like portal" which provides access to a range of information types, including
primary research literature, practical implementation
tools, guidelines, and policy documents.

Health professionals and members of the public can obtain current, evidence-based information on clinical and public health issues and official guidance-producing bodies will be able to become NHS Evidence-accredited.

The Lancet http://www.thelancet.com 373 9 May 2009 p.1578

E-Journals lead the way

A recent by the Research Information Network on Ejournals: their use, value and impact concluded that:

'Academics who use electronic journals produce more research papers and win more research grants.'

The study also reported that UK universities spend over £80 million each year on ejournals, representing good value for money. The 102 million downloads last year brought costs to an average of 80p per paper.

SCOPUS now available

Information Services now has a subscription to SCOPUS, one of the largest abstract and citation databases of research literature, including over 16,000 peer-reviewed journals as well as details of conference proceedings, trade publications, book series and patents.

Coverage includes the scientific, technical, medical and social sciences literature.

SCOPUS also provides tools to track and analyse research, of particular importance for the proposed requirements of the REF. The h-index within SCOPUS provides details of the most highly cited articles and authors and the citation tracker allows you to see research trends.

SCOPUS is now available via the eLibrary Gateway and the promotional site provides links to further information and tutorials.

Further help and support will be available from your subject librarian.

A presentation for Faculty staff (academics, admin staff, researchers etc. who may be interested in Scopus)has been arranged on.

27th May: 11-12: Room C15, Pope Building

The event will provide an overview of the main features of the database including the citation tools and will be carried out by Elsevier trainer Matthieu Ravillon who is kindly visiting us from their Netherlands office.

For room requirements, please could you email: Jenny.Coombs@nottingham.ac.uk if you are planning on attending the event.

Free Access to Swine Flu Information from DynaMed

Due to the recent global outbreak of Swine Influenza, EBSCO Publishing and the DynaMed Editors have made DynaMed’s information about Swine Influenza free to health care providers and institutions throughout the world. This resource is updated daily by monitoring medical literature sources and can be accessed at:

http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/swineflu/.

Research Councils UK publish report on Open Access

A recent RCUK report on Open Access has implications for research grant awards and holders and the publishing of research findings.

In response to the study, the Chief Executives of the Research Councils have agreed that over time the UK Research Councils will support increased open access, by:

building on their mandates on grant-holders to deposit research papers in suitable repositories within an agreed time period, and;

extending their support for publishing in open access journals, including through the pay-to-publish model.

http://www.rcuk.ac.uk/news/090422.htm

RCUK is now beginning an implementation process through a number of cross-Research Council working groups. They recognise that there are many issues to consider and will liaise fully with all interested parties, including the academic community, publishers, and organisations such as JISC and the Research Information Network.

British Library Roadshows: Updates for Researchers

British Library will be running roadshows for those in higher education in various locations throughout May 2009

Five roadshows will takeplace in Manchester, Nottingham, Dublin, London and Bristol with the aim of updating researchers on the future of the BL’s document supply services, the Electronic Thesis Online System (EThOS), the UK Research Reserve and Project Gateway.

For more information see: www.bl.uk/reshelp/atyourdesk/docsupply/new/heroadshows/index.html

BiOne resource available on trial

The University has trial access to BioOne until the end of July.

BioOne provides access to over 150 bioscience research journals covering many aspects of biological, ecological and environmental sciences. A full list of titles is available at:

www.bioone.org/action/showPublications?type=byAlphabet

BioOne can be browsed or searched and is available at: http://www.bioone.org/ or via the eLibrary Gateway "General - ejournals" category.

Please have a look and send your feedback to your subject librarian or to this blog.

Transplant Library Database

The Department of Health is sponsoring access to the Transplant Library for all the English Medical Schools that have an associated Transplant Unit for 1 year from 1 April 2009.This resource is produced by The Centre for Evidence in Transplantation and is one of the leading electronic evidence-based resources for organ transplantation. The Transplant Library will appear as a resource on your Ovid menu in the normal way.

New look for anatomy.tv

Anatomy.tv is being redesigned and will have a new look from the end of March 2009.

As well as a new look, they are introducing faculty and student areas. For info go to http://www.anatomy.tv/ and click on "Coming soon"

Here's a sneak preview of what it will look like.....

Two new Faculty 1000 journals

F1000 have just launched two new online journals. Medicine Reports, which publishes short commentaries by expert clinicians focussing on the most important studies identified by Faculty of 1000 that are likely to change clinical practice. The commentaries summarise the implications of important new research findings for clinicians.

Also available, F1000 Biology Reports which includes commentaries by the world's top scientists in which the hottest biology papers/clusters of papers identified by Faculty of 1000 are put into a broader context.

Medicine and Health Sciences database enhancements

Many of the databases which we subscribe to are delivered by OVIDSP, these include British Nursing Index, Embase, HMIC, Medline and PsycINFO. The next OvidSP release, due at the end of March 2009, will include the following new functionality for searching these databases:

• Customizable Search Fields
• Enhanced Limit-to-Publication-Year
• Quarterly AutoAlerts
• Improved highlighting of specific search terms within a record

Adding RSS feeds to the Blog via Outlook 2007

Did you know that you can set up a feed to this Blog from Outlook 2007 which will enable you to receive any new messages posted via your Mailbox?

Find the RSS Feeds folder, right click on it, then left click on Add a new RSS feed and key in http://mhsfacultyteam.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default

St George’s Hospital Medical School Collection

The St George’s Hospital Medical School Collection of online resources on Film and Sound Online are now available to all staff and students in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences

Use Impact Factors? Now try the Eigenfactor

You may be familiar with the Impact Factor which uses citation data to assess and track the influence of a journal in relation to other journals. Impact factors can be found in the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) at the Web of Knowledge.
Now the JCR has been upgraded with some new features including the new Eigenfactor Score.

The Eigenfactor Score measures the number of times articles from the journal published in the past five years have been cited in the JCR year.
Like the Impact Factor, the Eigenfactor Score is essentially a ratio of number of citations to total number of articles. However, unlike the Impact Factor, the Eigenfactor Score:

• Counts citations to journals in both the sciences and social sciences.
  
• Eliminates self-citations.Every reference from one article in a journal to another article from the same journal is discounted.
  
• Weights each reference according to a stochastic measure of the amount of time researchers spend reading the journal.

For more information about the JCR enhancements see
http://isiwebofknowledge.com/products_tools/analytical/jcr/

Free 90 day trial to Cancer Information Group Journals

Cancer Information Group), publishes several peer-reviewed oncology journals. A 90 day trial,ending 23 May 2009, has been set up to the following titles:

Clinical Breast Cancer

Clinical Lung Cancer

Clinical Colorectal Cancer

Clinical Lymphoma & Myeloma

Clinical Genitourinary Cancer

Clinical Ovarian Cancer: & Other Gynecologic Malignancies

Clinical Leukemia

ticTOCS:Keeping researchers up-to-date

ticTOCS is a new scholarly journal tables of contents (TOCs) service. It is free, easy to use, and provides access to the most recent tables of contents of over 11,000 scholarly journals. It can help you keep up-to-date with what's being published in the most recent issues of journals on almost any subject.
You can find journals of interest by title, subject or publisher, view the latest TOC, and link through to the full text of over 250,000 articles (where our subscriptions, or open access, allow), and save selected journals to MyTOCs so that for viewing future TOCs. Free registration is required to permanently save MyTOCs. ticTOCs allows the export of selected TOC RSS feeds to popular feedreaders such as Google Reader and Bloglines.