Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library Blog

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) invites you to identify and share your best resources, tools, and ideas for improving access to the EPA’s environemntal information. The online discussion is being conducted through the EPA Partner Blog. Visit the blog to learn more about the project, but hurry: comments are accepted through June 13, 2008.

The Biomedical Library has trial access to the AccessSurgery database for the month of June 2008 for the months of June and July, 2008. This database, published by McGraw-Hill, provides objective, high-quality answers to surgical questions, 105 narrated videos, and Board Review tests and study materials. Clinically relevant information can be searched in an easy-to-use format for a surgical procedure or by alphabetical browsing. The database is updated regularly, both with new surgical videos and new reference textbooks as they are available.

The AccessSurgery database is available on-campus only for this trial period.

Please send your comments about the AccessSurgery trial by June 30, 2008 July 31, 2008 to Amy Chatfield, Outreach and Communications Coordinator, at achatfie@library.ucla.edu. You may also leave a comment on this blog post.

If you have questions about any of the Biomedical Library’s licensed databases or electronic resources, contact Janet Carter, Collections Coordinator at jcarter@library.ucla.edu or Tania Bardyn, Associate Director for Public Services, at bardyn@library.ucla.edu.

The University of California Libraries have launched a pilot version of a replacement for the current Melvyl Catalog, which contains records for library holdings at all ten UC campuses. Users are encouraged to test the pilot, called Next-Generation Melvyl, and offer feedback on how well it meets their needs. The UCLA version is available at http://ucla.worldcat.org. Please provide feedback using the survey link found in the upper right-hand corner of the search page.

The pilot, which will last at least six months, features a single interface that searches holdings in all UC Libraries, those of libraries around the world, and UC books digitized by Google. It searches for U.S. government publications and incorporates information from Medline and other databases to provide citations to articles in medicine, health, psychology, and other fields.

Next-Generation Melvyl search results are displayed with local records first, then records from the other UC campuses, then records from other libraries worldwide. From the individual records, users can check circulation status, place holds on items at their home campuses, and request items held elsewhere, both within the UC system and beyond.

Other features, many of which are new with this pilot version, include the ability to easily refine searches, build and share lists of library resources, view personal ratings and reviews of items, cite items in various styles, export citations in multiple formats, and search the catalog using several languages.

Following completion of the pilot phase of Next-Generation Melvyl, a decision will be made about whether to move forward with it or to pursue other options. For more information about the pilot, view the PowerPoint presentation on the University of California, Office of the President (UCOP) website. As always, your librarians are available to answer questions and provide help.

The Biomedical Library and the Technology and Learning Center housed in the Biomedical Library will alter their hours between June 2 and June 22, 2008.

The Biomedical Library will remain open until midnight between June 2 - 12. On June 13, the Library will close at 6 p.m. and will have reduced hours of operation through June 22:
June 14: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
June 15: 1 - 5 p.m.
June 16-19th: 7:30 a.m. - 7 p.m.
June 20: 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m.
June 21: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
June 22: 1 -5 p.m.

Summer session hours will begin on June 23.

Between June 9 - 22, reference desk hours will be reduced. During the work week, the desk will be open from 10 a.m. - noon, and 1 -5 p.m. The reference desk will be closed on the weekends.

For complete information, view a schedule of Biomedical Library hours.

The Technology and Learning Center (TLC) will be closed for maintenance between June 16 - 20. The TLC will reopen on June 21 with updated computers and software. Read the TLC web page to find out more about the closure.