Himmelfarb Library Blog

Library Closed Tues Feb 9

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:53:00 -0500

Himmelfarb Library will be closed on Tuesday, February 9.

Please check this area for information on the exact time the Library will reopen.

Access to the Library's electronic resources will be ongoing:

Library Closed Mon Feb 8

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:41:00 -0500

Himmelfarb Library will be closed on Monday, February 8.

Please check this area for information on the exact time the Library will reopen.

Access to the Library's electronic resources will be ongoing:

Library Open Sun 2/7 10 AM-Midnight

Sun, 07 Feb 2010 02:20:00 -0500

Himmelfarb Library will be open from 10 a.m. to 12 midnight on Sunday, February 7. The Library will be closed overnight and re-open at 7:30 a.m. Monday, February 8.

Image: Bentley, W. (1902). Plate XV of "Studies among the Snow Crystals ... [Online image]. Retrieved February 5, 2010 from http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea02083.htm

Library Closing Early - Fri Feb 5

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:35:00 -0500

Due to weather conditions, Himmelfarb Library will close at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 5. The Library will be closed all day Saturday, February 6. The situation will be re-evaluated for opening on Sunday, February 7. Please check this area for information on the exact time the Library will reopen.

Access to the Library's electronic resources will be ongoing:

Image: Bentley, W. (1902). Plate XV of "Studies among the Snow Crystals ... [Online image]. Retrieved February 5, 2010 from http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/htmls/wea02083.htm

Infectious Diseases of Haiti

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 15:37:00 -0500

GIDEON, a publisher of reputable online health information, has released a book on infectious diseases in Haiti. The book was already in progress when the recent earthquake occured in Haiti and its development was accelerated afterwards.

The Infectious Diseases of Haiti is offered freely by GIDEON for use by health care professionals. Infectious Disease of Haiti offers snap-shot data and clinical informtaion for the 198 human infectious disease which are known to occur in Haiti. For each infectious agent, a table provides key data including vector, vehicle, incubation period, diagnositic tests, and adult and pediatric treatment protocols. Additional clinical information including original references are also provided.

Medical Education - Where are we?

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:16:00 -0500

This month's issue of Academic Medicine contains a collection of articles examining the state of medical education today. The issue was published on the 100th anniversary of the Abraham Flexner's landmark report Medical Education in the United States and Canada.

Articles in this issue explore the state of medical education one hundred years ago, how Flexner's recommendations have shaped medical education since, and how medical education can continue to evolve in the coming years. Key articles in this issue include:

Text a Librarian

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:25:00 -0500

Need help with a research question?

Now you can text " himlib: your question " to 265010.

You can also send reference questions via instant message.

A reference librarian will be available to answer your texts and IM reference questions Monday-Thursday from 11am-8pm and Fridays 11am-5pm.

As always, we appreciate any feedback you'd like to share regarding your experience.

Library Closed 2/12 12-6

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 08:43:00 -0500

To allow for electrical repairs in the Library, Himmelfarb Library will be closed on Friday, February 12 from Midnight to 6:00 AM. Access to the Library's electronic resources will not be interrupted and can be accessed via the Library's website.

Many thanks for your patience as our facilities are upgraded.

Technology Center Help Desk - Hours Change

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:24:00 -0500

The Bloedorn Technology Center Help Desk's Friday hours are temporarily changing for the next two weeks. On Friday, January 15 and Friday, January 22, the Help Desk will be staffed from 8 PM to 12 midnight. Beginning Friday, January 29, regular hours of staffing (12 noon to 8 PM) will resume.

DynaMed & Epocrates Online Premium

Wed, 06 Jan 2010 08:37:00 -0500

Trial access to DynaMed and Epocrates Online Premium will continue for another three months through March 31, 2010 as Himmelfarb Library invites GWUMC faculty, students, and staff to evaluate these two point-of-care information tools.

DynaMed

Disease information developed by DynaMed
Drug information developed by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
Levels of evidence documented for individual studies and specific recommendations
References link to citations and PubMed with selected full-text links. In development: full-integration of Library's e-journals links
Mobile download included in subscription.
- Free download for all GWUMC users
- Send email to mlblea@gwumc.edu to request serial number for installation

Epocrates Online Premium

Disease information developed by the BMJ Group
Drug information developed by Epocrates
Levels of evidence documented for selected recommendations as selected links to to BMJ Clinical Evidence
References link to citation & PubMed with selected hyperlinks to full-text
Mobile download available through individual subscriptions.
- While individuals must subscribe to this component, a group discount may be available
- Send email to mlblea@gwumc.edu to request license code for free 30-day trial

Each of these information tools contains both drug and disease information. Please use these tools in clinical care and let us know how well they work for you. We are particularly interested in hearing your feedback on:

Content. Can you find the information that you need? Does the resource cover the topics that you need?
Evidence. Can you determine the strength or level of evidence? Can you locate citations/links to the original research or references?
Interface. Is the resource easy to navigate? Does the search work well for your topics? Can you navigate through the product easily?

Both resources are available from on-campus (including GW Hospital) and off-campus locations. From off-campus locations, you can login using either VPN/GWireless or ALADIN; for more information please consult Himmelfarb Library's off-campus access instructions.

Please contact Laura Abate at mlblea@gwumc.edu or 202-994-8570 with questions and feedback.

Mobile Access: Point-of-Care Trials

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:29:00 -0500

Himmelfarb Library is currently offering trial access to two point-of-care information tools to the GWUMC community. Each of these tools, DynaMed and Epocrates Online Premium, has a mobile (PDA/Smartphone) component which faculty, residents, and students can test and assess in addition to the desktop access.

DynaMed

Institutional subscription includes download for residents, faculty, and students at no additional charge.
Compatible devices and download instructions.

Email mlblea@gwumc.edu to request serial number for installation.
Note: download the complete DynaMed rather than the version marked 'Trial'.

Epocrates Online Premium

Institutional subscription does not include mobile download but group discount may be available to users who wish to purchase Epocrates Essentials, if this product is selected for licensing by Himmelfarb Library.

Download available for 30-day trial.

Compatible devices
Download Instructions

Email mlblea@gwumc.edu to request license code for free 30-day trial.
Create Epocrates account then click to activate license code.

As with the desktop versions of DynaMed and Epocrates Online Premium, Himmelfarb Library invites you begin using the mobile counterparts in clinical care and let us know how well they work for you. We are particularly interested in hearing your feedback on content, evidence, and interface.

Please submit your feedback to Laura Abate at mlblea@gwumc.edu or 202-994-8570.

Journal Collection 2010

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:09:00 -0500

Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library's journal collection has undergone a lot of change over the past few years, transitioning from titles primarily in print to an almost totally electronic collection. We currently subscribe to over 1,000 journals and provide access to an additional 1,150+ journals that are freely available electronically. Currently, only a few journals are published in print only, so nearly all of the journals can be accessed online through the E-Journals webpage.

Last year's conversion of the Library's 2nd floor into study space has necessitated some additional restructuring of the journal collection. Due to space limitations on physical storage, beginning in January 2010, the print titles composing the first floor Browsing Collection will also be changed. Next year, the Browsing Collection will consist of 72 titles with high usage, including JAMA, BMJ, NEJM, Lancet, Science, Nature and many others. Titles that were removed from the Browsing Collection will continue to be available electronically, so access be uninterrupted.

We also continue to analyze the feedback provided by faculty during the 2009 journals assessment project in an effort to provide more of the titles that are most important to research, teaching, and patient care at GWUMC. The Library's Collection Development Committee is reviewing titles that were suggested for possible addition to the collection. Also, titles identified as non-essential in the faculty survey are being further analyzed so we can ensure continued access to currently important titles and add new journals that were identified as important.

In 2010, Himmelfarb Library will continue efforts to fine tune our journal collection. Please call or email Steven Brown, Serials and Systems Librarian, at 202-994-9756 or mlbswb@gwumc.edu if you have questions or comments about Himmelfarb's journal collection.

Library Catalog - Downtime 12/30

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 11:06:00 -0500

The Himmelfarb Library Catalog will be unavailable due to system maintenance early Wednesday, December 30th. Downtime is expected to occur between 6:00 and 9:00am EST.

Please contact Circulation or Reference desk staff at 202-994-2850 or library@gwumc.edu for assistance locating materials while the catalog is unavailable.

Alek Potrzebowski - Interlibrary Loan Specialist

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:42:00 -0500

My name is Alek Potrzebowski and I am the new Interlibrary Loan Specialist at Himmelfarb Library. I will be handling the day to day operations of the ILL and document delivery services provided by Himmelfarb.

I graduated from Oberlin College in 2005 with a BA in politics and cinema studies, and after graduating moved to Washington, DC., where I started an internship with the National Endowment for Democracy (NED). I worked at NED in several different capacities and positions over the past 4 1/2 years, the most recent being library assistant for the Democracy Resource Center.

I can be reached at mlbacp@gwumc.edu or (202) 994-2860.

Gisela Butera - Reference & Instruction Librarian

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 15:39:00 -0500

Hi everyone! I am Gisela Butera, the new Reference and Instruction Librarian at Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library. I am please to be here, and am eager to make a positive contribution to the reference team.

I first began working at GW at the Virginia Campus Library in Ashburn, VA as the Library Manager primarily working with graduate and doctoral students in the areas of engineering, pharmacogenomics, nursing, education as well as the National Crash Center and Energy Research institutes. I am a New Jersey native and I received my MLIS degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2007.

I am honored to be a part of the Himmelfarb staff and I look forward to working with all the students, staff, and faculty. Please feel free to contact me by email at mlbgxb@gwumc.edu or by phone at (202)994-1824.