Wednesday, December 30, 2009

50 Fantastic Bing Tricks for Students & Librarians

Here at the library we're always looking for new ways to find more relevant information faster.  This blog post from Online Colleges gives some very helpful tips for using one of the newest tools available on the web.

Bing has made quite an entrance in the Internet search world. This new way of searching provides quick and easy shortcuts that don’t always require reading through lists of websites and clicking on each one to find what you want. Check out the following tricks to see how Bing can help students and librarians find the information they need in a snap.


Finding Information

From doing math without a calculator to getting definitions, use Bing to find this information quickly and easily.

1. Use the background image. Hovering over different locations on the background image provides an opportunity to learn facts about the image or related topics.

2. Do math. Enter a math calculation directly into the search box to compute anything from simple math to trig functions.

3. Ask questions directly. Type a question into the search box and if the answer is located in Encarta encyclopedia, you will get an answer directly.

4. Get definitions. Enter "define" or "definition" along with a word to find a definition of that word.

5. Look up IP addresses. Type in IP: [IP address] (substituting [IP address] with the actual IP address) to find a list of domains associated with that IP address.

6. Find statistical information. Find statistical information by typing what you want to know, such as "population of Texas" or "number of bald eagles in America" to get the answer.

7. Locate area codes and zip codes. Enter an area code or zip code into the search box and find out with what location the number is associated.

8. Find business contact information. If you have ever tried to find a phone number for a business with little success, then try typing the name of the business in Bing’s search box. They frequently provide contact information even for companies with hard-to-find phone numbers.

9. Get used car information. Simply type a car’s VIN into the search box to get history on that car.

10. Get stock quotes. Add "stock" or "quote" to the name of the company or their stock quote symbol to find stock quotes and other financial information.

11. Find holiday dates. Enter the holiday and year to find out what date that holiday will occur.

12. Get sports information. Get scores, stats, game times, and much more quickly and easily by searching for your team only or adding specifically what you want, such as "Mariners score."

Research and Collaboration

Bing is great for Internet research and sharing that research for others. Find out how with these suggestions.

13. Save search results. Save your search results to a local folder online to have access to them without having to remember how you performed the search.

14. Share search results. If you have found important information you want to share, email your search results or share via Facebook.

15. Find specific types of files. Use a keyword and "contains: file type" (with file type being the file type you are seeking) to find PDFs, MP3s, and other files.

16. Get results from a specific region. Type your keyword and loc:US (or any other location) to get webpages from specific countries.

17. Restrict search to titles. If you want to find your keyword in a title only, use intitle: to search.

18. Disable search suggestions. If you don’t want Bing’s search suggestions, just click on "Turn off " at the bottom of the suggestions. To turn them back on, follow these directions.

19. Show more results. If you want more than 10 results per page, change your Preference to get up to 50 results per page.

20. Get search results as RSS feeds. Get your search results sent to your favorite reader where you can access them later or share with others.

21. Use related searches. When searching for a topic, use the related searches located in the left pane to more easily find what you are seeking.

22. Control search history. Learn how to turn off the search history or clear the search history here.

Images and Videos

Use images and videos easily and more quickly with Bing to find the information you need.

23. Easily find images. The image search on Bing provides many images that are easily scanable.

24. Preview videos. Get a whole page of video thumbnails, then just hover over each to start it playing.

25. Preview websites. Get an image of the website from your search results just by hovering over the link.

26. Find videos of a specific length. Whether you are searching for a full episode of your favorite show or a quick overview of a how-to, find the length video you want by following these instructions.

27. Specify the size image. When looking for an image, you can specify what size image you want, whether small, medium, large, or wallpaper.

28. Search for color or black and white. While performing an image search, specify if you want only color or only black and white images.

29. Ensure your images are safe for everyone. This blog post from Bing tells you how to ensure your image previews don’t show adult content.

30. Save Bing’s background images. If you want to keep the background images from Bing on your desktop, follow these instructions.

Travel

Whether you are going home for the holidays or traveling to the next big conference, use these tips to help facilitate your travel with Bing.

31. Find low air fares. Enter "flights from x to y" (with x and y being the cities of travel) to find low air fares as well as predicted fare trends.

32. Get flight status. Enter your flight number along with "flight status" to immediately find out the status of your flight.

33. Plan your stay. When you enter a place name, you will receive links for attractions, weather, nightlife, tours, and images of that location.

34. Find a hotel. Get star ratings, reviews, a map, and more details to help you find the perfect place to stay.

35. Eat out. Get maps, menus, and reviews easily for restaurants in the area.

36. Find directions. When you enter an address, you will get a map and directions powered by Microsoft Virtual Earth.

37. Get real-time traffic information. The traffic map has routes highlighted in red and green to designate which roads are having problems and which are good.

38. Find out the weather. Weather forecasts are easy to find and easy to read when you select "weather."

39. Convert currency. Type in "1 x in y" (with x and y being the currency abbreviations) to get an automatic currency conversion.

40. Take advantage of local search features. From detailed business listings to business scorecards to one-click directions, take advantage of the Bing local features.

Mobile

Just because you stepped out of the library or away from class doesn’t mean you can’t still access the benefits of Bing. Find out what you can do with Bing and your mobile.

41. Use their mobile site. The Bing mobile site is specially designed for mobile phone usage.

42. Download the app. From your mobile phone’s browser, go to http://m.bing.com/download/ to download their mobile app.

43. Get mobile with a text. Visit Bing for mobile to enter your phone number and receive a text with the link.

44. Download Bing Tones. Download these free MP3 ring tones for your cell phone from Bing.

45. Try Bing 411. Call 1-800-BING-411 to get information via text message or to contact a business directly–for free.

46. Get turn-by-turn directions. Save both home and work starting points to get turn-by-turn directions over your phone from Bing 411 if you don’t have a phone with GPS.

47. Get walking directions. If you are on foot, don’t rely on directions down highways, instead, get the step-by-step walking directions on your phone.

48. Get weather by phone. No need to get a meteorology degree online. Bing 411 also delivers very detailed weather for your specific location over the phone.

49. Find movies. Locate theaters, find show times, and buy tickets all from your phone.

50. Go shopping. Not only can you locate products, but you can also do a price comparison to ensure you are getting the best deal.

Originally found on the Online Colleges Blog

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

News Update

Christmas decorations are up in the library. Come and see our festive new look.

If you still have any books checked out from the library please bring them back. We like our books, and like even better to be able to loan them out to more people.

If any of you are interested in Twitter and like history there’s an interesting project that combines the two. The battle at Gettysburg has been reenacted as a Twitter feed. It's just a fun quick thing to read through and enjoy.

Best of luck on your exams, and have a safe and happy Christmas break.

Monday, November 9, 2009

App Spotlight (free)


Epocrates Rx
Free mobile drug reference




Available for the following platforms:

The information contained within this application is created by healthcare professionals, and specifically formatted for the mobile devices listed above.

Features include: the drug guide, formulary information and drug interaction checker. This product also includes continual free updates and medical news! Also, it's easy to download Epocrates Rx to your handheld device.




Tuesday, October 27, 2009

LSU's Middleton Library Celebrates 50 Years

A celebration marking 50 years of Library service was held October 23, at the Troy H. Middleton Library at Louisiana State University. When dedicated October 29, 1959 the Library opened with air-conditioning and open stacks where patrons could help themselves to the book collection. The library was officially named the General Troy H. Middleton Library being named after a World War I veteran, World War II war hero, three-star general, and President of LSU.


Library Director, Jennifer Cargill

Library Director Jennifer Cargill hosted a reception marking the occasion and special exhibits were featured including a list of the 50 best books of the last 50 years, a Banned Books exhibit, and an exhibit featuring photos of when the Library was initially built.


Monday, October 19, 2009

Seventh Annual Louisiana Book Festival



Legions of book lovers came together Saturday to discuss and promote literature at the seventh annual Louisiana Book Festival.Engaged festival-goers and 190 authors participated in panel discussions and conversations in the chambers and committee rooms of the Louisiana Capitol Building, a part of the festival that makes it unique, said Rebecca Hamilton, assistant secretary for the office of the state library.

Tim Gautreaux, the Morgan City native received the 2009 Louisiana Writer Award.

About 500 volunteers, many of whom are associated with the University’s School of Library and Information Science, put on the festival and keep events working.Students in the LIS program organize a group to volunteer at the festival every year, said Beth Paskoff, dean of the School of Library and Information Science.“Students work in many different areas of the festival,” Paskoff said. “It gives them an opportunity to see what kinds of things they may be doing in the future and meet people who may be their colleagues someday.”Suzanne Stauffer, assistant LIS professor, said the festival’s central location at the Capitol, state museum and state library adds another meaningful layer to the event.“I don’t know of any other capital where you can have this type of cultural festival literally in the middle of state government,” Stauffer said.





Thursday, October 8, 2009

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Notable Reference Titles at the Library

APA Dictionary of Psychology

In 2007 the American Psychological Association (APA), the largest association of psychologists in the world, published its first dictionary. Although the APA has always been concerned with collecting and clarifying the terms of its discipline—as early as 1898 forming a “Standing Committee on Psychological and Philosophical Terminology”—it did not begin work on a dictionary until 1997, when it acquired the rights to the Longman Dictionary of Psychology and Psychiatry. Using this dictionary as its foundation, while consulting various other sources, the APA reference staff, in conjunction with a lexicographic team from Market House Books, compiled the first edition of the APA Dictionary of Psychology. With approximately 25,000 entries covering concepts, processes and therapies, as well as appendices which include information about notable individuals, institutions and organizations, the APA Dictionary is an essential resource for students and practitioners of psychology; additionally, it serves as an invaluable tool for those in law, education, social work and other such fields which occasionally cross boundaries into mental health.

Available in the College Library Reference Collection. APA Dictionary of Psychology, edited by Gary R. VandenBos, et al. American Psychological Association, 2007. Reference Collection call number BF 31 A65.



The Encyclopedia of World History

Peter N. Stearns and thirty other prominent historians have worked for a decade to produce the sixth edition of The Encyclopedia of World History, a reference work that over the years has earned the reputation of being as indispensable as it is authoritative.

This latest edition contains more than 20,000 entries covering prehistory through the year 2000. Coverage of Western European history has been reduced to make way for additional material on Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. In addition, coverage of traditional historical fields like national histories has been updated, and new historical fields such as women's history, social and cultural history, technology, and international government have been added.

Content is divided into broad time periods, from “Prehistoric” to “Contemporary.” Each section starts off with a global survey. This is followed by regional divisions within which individual countries or cultures are treated. By and large, information for each region and country is presented chronologically, although there are also some narrative overviews. The extensive table of contents and index are essential tools for finding one's way. Appropriately placed throughout the text are 57 black-and-white maps and 66 genealogy tables.

Thorough and up-to-date, this work will benefit anyone interested in our constantly changing, remarkably diverse human story.

Available in the College Library Reference Collection. The Encyclopedia of World History, edited by Peter N. Stearns. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001. Reference Collection call number D 21 E578.


Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895

Paul Finkelman, editor of the Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895, explains in his introduction that his goal is “not only to educate and teach people about black history, but, more importantly to show users of these volumes how the history of America is, to a great extent, the history of race and race relations.” Arguably, this goal is achieved with the encyclopedia's more than 700 alphabetically arranged entries, covering aspects of daily life (“Childhood,” “Food,” “Work”); concepts (“Acculturation,” “Perfectionism”); events (“American Revolution,” “Harpers Ferry raid”); institutions (“Democratic Party,” “Howard University”); movements (“Great Awakening”; “Slave resistance”; “Suffrage, women's”); and places (“Brazil,” “Detroit,” “Kentucky”) as well as topics in the arts (“Minstrel shows,” “Oratory and Verbal Arts”); law (“Jim Crow Car Laws,” “Missouri Compromise,” “Voting Rights”); religion (“African Methodist Episcopal Church,” “Baptism,” “Black Theology”); and more.

Entries range in length from 500 to 1,200 words, and each includes a bibliography. Composite articles, among them “Black Nationalism,” “Native Americans and African Americans,” and “Slave Narratives,” contain subentries with separate bibliographies. In Volume 3 readers will find the directory of contributors, a list of entries arranged under broad topics, a chronology, and a detailed index. Approximately 300 black-and-white images are scattered throughout the text.

Unrivalled in breadth and scope, this encyclopedia is the preeminent source of information on African American history and is destined to become a trusted reference source for years to come.

Available in the College Library Reference Collection. Encyclopedia of African American History, 1619-1895: From the Colonial Period to the Age of Frederick Douglass, edited by Paul Finkelman. Oxford University Press, 2006. Reference Collection call number E 185 E545.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Exhibit Open Now in the Library Commons

A Few Photos From the Exhibit Opening
Opening Doors: Contemporary African American Academic Surgeons Poster Exhibit
August 4 – September 26
Our Lady of the Lake College, Library Commons (Upstairs)
5339 Didesse Dr.
















Monday, July 20, 2009

New Database Available

Introducing MicroMedex!*
Now available on the library
databases page.

With so many possible scenarios – it's next to impossible to predict what kind of clinical information will be needed at any moment of any day.

That's why the Micromedex® Healthcare Series is unsurpassed in terms of scope and reliability. Clinicians can quickly pinpoint their answers.

This actionable information spans drugs, diseases, acute care, toxicology, alternative medicines, as well as a comprehensive tool to educate patients. Having all of this in a clutter-free, easy-to-navigate interface saves clinicians time and promotes best practices.


Features:

  • Easy to navigate
  • Powerful search options
  • Streamlined search results
  • Comparative drug summaries in a side-by-side format
  • Multi-level therapeutic class tree
  • Drug interaction capabilities
  • Drug images for easier identification
  • Page-specific help
  • Available via Internet or intranet


Intended Users:

Clinicians who need instant answers


Solutions
:

Healthcare Series encompasses the following solutions…


Unsurpassed drug resources
:


Critical emergency, acute care, and disease data:


Scientifically sound alternative medicine information:

*If you are interested in further instruction on how to use library resources or find the information you need, the librarians offer training both one-on-one and in the classroom format. To request information literacy instruction, please call 768-1730 or email Library@ololcollege.edu for an appointment.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009



Exhibit Opens at Our Lady of the Lake College Library!

When: August 4th – September 26th
Where: OLOL College, Library Commons, 5339 Didesse Dr., Upstairs

Join us for opening day refreshments at 2:00 pm on August 4th!


African Americans have always practiced medicine, whether as physicians, healers, midwives, or “root doctors.” The journey of the African American physician from pre-Civil War to modern day America has been a challenging one. Early black pioneer physicians not only became skilled practitioners, they became trailblazers and educators paving the way for future physicians, surgeons, and nurses, and opening doors to better health care for the African American community.


We celebrate the achievements of these pioneers in medicine by highlighting four contemporary pioneer African American surgeons and educators who exemplify excellence in their fields and believe in continuing the journey of excellence through the education and mentoring of young African Americans pursuing medical careers.

Opening Doors is a collaborative effort between the National Library of Medicine, the largest medical library in the world and the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture in Baltimore, the largest African American museum on the east coast of the United States. The exhibition is a celebration of the contributions of African American academic surgeons to medicine and medical education.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009



Internet Resources: Endocrinology

Submitted by I. Diane Gelarden Cooper, AHIP, NIH Library, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; edited by Patricia M. Weiss

The endocrine system is a complex collection of hormone-producing glands that control basic body functions such as metabolism, growth, and sexual development. Hormone production is carefully balanced. Too much or too little of any hormone can have effects throughout the body and cause endocrine disorders. Many of the hormones interact with each other to maintain balance. The following medical websites include news, facts, guidelines, and other information that may be of use to practicing clinicians.

Doctor’s Guide Channels: Endocrinology/Other
www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/channel?OpenOther
This website presents news in the field of endocrinology. It offers a collection of recent articles from major medical journals in the field, plus webcasts and case presentations.

eMedicine: Endocrinology Articles
www.emedicine.medscape.com/endocrinology/
An accessible point-of-care medical reference, eMedicine is available to physicians and other health care professionals. Said to be evidence-based, the content is updated regularly by nearly 10,000 attributed physician authors and editors. It provides practice guidelines in 59 medical specialties. Articles are categorized among the following topics: Adrenal Gland, Diabetes Mellitus, Gonads, Metabolic Bone Disease, Metabolic Disorders, Multiple Endocrine Disease and Miscellaneous Endocrine Disease, Parathyroid Gland, Pituitary Gland, and Thyroid.

Family Practice Notebook.com: Endocrinology Book
www.fpnotebook.com/Endo/
Chapters in the Family Practice Notebook’s Endocrinology Book cover broad subject areas such as adrenal disease, thyroid disease, and hypoglycemic disorders. Each chapter is further divided into specific diseases or conditions with information on epidemiology, pathophysiology, symptoms, laboratory testing, and management. The notebook’s target audience is primary care providers, well-informed patients, and healthy families.

Karolinska Institute: Diseases and Disorders: Links Pertaining to Endocrine System Diseases
For years, the library at Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, has collected links to free medical web resources. Its Endocrine System Diseases category lists a large variety of links that are devoted to specific disorders. Information included in each resource may include general information, fact sheets from the organizations that focus on a given disorder, clinical guidelines for practitioners, pathology, and case studies. Click on the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) button for a scope note and MeSH tree location. Click on the More Links button for bibliographic databases, library catalogs, knowledge resources, and link collections.

Medical News Today: Endocrinology News
www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/endocrinology/
Endocrinology News is published daily and presents items on thyroid diseases, menopause, cancers of the endocrine glands, hormone replacement, and other topics. It also offers a small video library.

The Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
www.merck.com/mmpe/sec12.html
Thirteen chapters of this well-known manual are devoted to topics such as adrenal disorders, lipid disorders, and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndromes. Each chapter is subdivided by disorder type and includes an introduction and sections on symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

US National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK): National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service
The NIDDK has established information services to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. This site includes an online system for ordering NIDDK publications about specific disorders, links to national endocrine organizations, frequently asked questions–type pages on seventeen clinical topics, statistics on endocrine and metabolic diseases in US populations, and a section on clinical trials, guidelines, and research reports.

NOTE: Only noncommercial websites are linked.

Friday, May 29, 2009

JSTOR Updates!




Moving Wall Reductions
By publisher request, JSTOR is decreasing the moving wall of the following journals from 5 years to 3 years.

Journal of Mammalogy (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 85, No. 1 (February, 2004) - Vol. 86, No. 6 (December, 2005)
Moving Wall: 3 years
Publisher: Allen Press on behalf of American Society of Mammalogists
ISSN: 0022-2372

Mammalian Species (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:No. 739 (July 13, 2004) - No. 787 (December 20, 2005)
Moving Wall: 3 years
Publisher: American Society of Mammalogists
ISSN: 0076-3519


Multidisciplinary and Discipline-Specific Collections at JSTOR
The following journals have been added to the JSTOR archive. More detailed information about all JSTOR titles and collections, along with delimited lists, can be accessed from JSTOR’s
Available Collections page.

Journal of the Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science [1978- ] (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=jariznevaacadsci
Previous Title: Journal of the Arizona Academy of Science [1959-1977] (0004-1378)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=jarizacadsci
Release Content:Vol. 1, No. 1 (June, 1959) - Vol. 39, No. 2 (2007)
Moving Wall: 1 year
Publisher: Arizona-Nevada Academy of Science
ISSN: 0193-8509
Note: The content for 2004-2006 will be released as soon as the issue becomes available to JSTOR.

Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=bullecosociamer
Release Content:Vol. 1, No. 1 (January, 1917) - Vol. 83, No. 2 (April, 2002)
Moving Wall: N/A
Publisher: Ecological Society of America
ISSN: 0012-9623
Note: The remaining content for 2002 will be released as soon as the issues become available to JSTOR. Beginning with Vol. 84, No. 1 (2003), this journal has been published online.


Previously Missing Issues
The following previously missing issues have been added to the JSTOR archive.

Folia Geobotanica (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 35, Nos. 1-4 (March - December, 2000);Vol. 36, No. 2 (2001) - Vol. 38, No. 4 (December, 2003)
Moving Wall: 5 years
Publisher: Opulus Press AB
ISSN: 1211-9520

In Vitro (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 2 (1966);Vol. 12, Nos. 1-12 (January-December, 1976);Vol. 16, No. 2 (February, 1980);Vol. 18, Nos. 1-12 (January-December, 1982)
Moving Wall: N/A
Publisher: Society for In Vitro Biology
ISSN: 0073-5655
Note: In Vitro is a previous title to In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Animal.

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Animal (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=invitrcelldeveanim
Release Content:Vol. 32, Nos. 1-10 (January - December, 1996)
Moving Wall: 3 years
Publisher: Society for In Vitro Biology
ISSN: 1071-2690

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology. Plant (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=invitrcelldeveplan
Release Content:Vol. 38, Nos. 1, 3-4 (2002)
Moving Wall: 3 years
Publisher: Society for In Vitro Biology
ISSN: 1054-5476

Journal of Avian Biology (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 32, Nos. 1, 4 (2001)
Moving Wall: 7 years
Publisher: Blackwell Publishing on behalf of The Nordic Society
ISSN: 0908-8857

Journal of the Ohio Herpetological Society (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=johioherpsoci
Release Content:Vol. 2, No. 3 (April 20, 1960) - Vol. 3, No. 1 (February 10, 1961)
Moving Wall: N/A
Publisher: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
ISSN: 0473-9868
Note: Journal of the Ohio Herpetological Society is a previous title to Journal of Herpetology.

Mountain Research and Development (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=mounresedeve
Release Content:Vol. 2, No. 4 (November, 1982);Vol. 19, Nos. 3-4 (August-November, 1999);Vol. 22, No. 4 (November, 2002)
Moving Wall: 3 years
Publisher: International Mountain Society
ISSN: 0276-4741

Northeastern Naturalist (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 11, No. 2, Ecosystem Modeling in Cobscook Bay, Maine: A Boreal, Macrotidal Estuary (2004)
Moving Wall: 3 years
Publisher: Humboldt Field Research Institute
ISSN: 1092-6194

Plant Physiology (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 140, No. 3 (March, 2006) - Vol. 142, No. 4 (December, 2006)
Moving Wall: 2 years
Publisher: American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB)
ISSN: 0032-0889

Water Environment Research (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)http://www.jstor.org/action/showPublication?journalCode=wateenvirese
Release Content:Vol. 66, Nos. 2-3 (March/April - May/June, 1994)
Moving Wall: 7 years
Publisher: Water Environment Federation
ISSN: 1061-4303

The Wilson Bulletin (Biological Sciences; Life Sciences)
Release Content:Vol. 20, No. 4 (December, 1908)
Moving Wall: N/A
Publisher: Wilson Ornithological Society
ISSN: 0043-5643
Note: The Wilson Bulletin is a previous title to The Wilson Journal of Ornithology.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Websites




Gene Gateway - A huge amount of data on human chromosomes and the genes residing on them, many associated with genetic disorders, has resulted from the Human Genome Project. These data, along with educational resources on these subjects, are freely available on the Internet. Originally designed as a web companion to the Human Gene Landmarks poster, Gene Gateway—Exploring Genes and Genetic Disorders has developed into a collection of guides and tutorials “designed to help students and …[others] get started with some of the resources that make these data available to the public.” Gene Gateway “introduces various Internet tools to investigate genetic disorders, chromosomes, genome maps, genes, sequence data, genetic variants, and molecular structures.” Visitors to the website can download the Gene Gateway Workbook, check out the fascinating Chromosome Viewer, and access the Gene and Protein Database Guide, Bioinformatics Tools, Genetic Disorder Guide, and Sample Profiles on Genes and Genetic Disorders. A free copy of the Human Gene Landmarks poster can be ordered via the site.



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Herbs at a Glance - From the US National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, consists of a series of fact sheets about specific herbs or botanicals. For each herb, the following information is provided: introductory statement, common names, Latin names, what it is used for, how it is used, “what the science says,” side effects and cautions, sources, and links to additional resources.

NLM MyDelivery

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The U.S. National Library of Medicine's (NLM) prototype MyDelivery system makes it possible for health professionals, clinics, patients, researchers, librarians, administrators and many others to exchange electronic health and biomedical information of virtually any size in a manner that is free, fast, easy, reliable, safe and secure.

MyDelivery provides a HIPAA-compliant service, used just like email, for two individuals to exchange information privately and securely over the Internet. It is better than email because users communicate only with others they know and trust, and there are no restrictions on attachment size or quantity. File attachments may be gigabytes in size, and the only size limitation is the available disk space on the recipient's computer. In addition, attachments may consist of thousands of files, and entire directory structures. Because of the potential for time-consuming large file communication, MyDelivery has been designed to be reliable even though users may communicate through potentially unreliable wireless networks. Its algorithms are robust, and provide reliable delivery over wireless networks that may be intermittent.


Potential uses for MyDelivery include:

  • Secure communication of health information

  • Remote medical diagnosis and second medical opinions via the Internet

  • Telecommuting - Securely send files between office and home computers

  • Document Delivery - Send electronic library materials and scanned journal article images of any size directly to the patron's desktop.

  • Business data exchange


MyDelivery is being developed through a continuing research and development program in communications engineering at the NLM's Lister Hill National Center for Biomedical Communications, Communications Engineering Branch. The system is currently in Beta Test, and anybody in the United States is permitted to use it for free. We ask that users report any problems they experience, so that we can continue to improve the service. Users are also encouraged to recommend new features for the system. The free client software is downloadable from this web site, and currently runs on all Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 through Vista.

    Thursday, April 23, 2009

    National Library Week BBQ

    The Library recognized National Library Week April 12th-18th. Hot dogs, nachos and drinks were enjoyed by all on Friday, the 17th, in celebration.





    ~Thanks to Everyone who Celebrated with Us!~