January 11, 2006: Instant Message Reference Service

Starting January 9, 2006, Bracken Health Sciences Library has been offering Instant Messaging (IM) Reference. Through any of the three most popular IM services (AOL's AIM, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger), Queen's University students, faculty and staff, and Bracken Library outreach partners can ask for reference assistance concerning research, literature searching, use of library resources, etc. from Monday to Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please take advantage of this simple and instant communication technology as yet another way to contact your health science librarians.

2006 News Updates from the Bracken Library home page:

• Catalog Upgrade: QCAT will be unavailable Aug 21-31. Use the substitute "barebones" catalogue to search the library collection. (more)
  For the week of Monday Aug 21 until Aug 31st, the regular catalogue and all online circulation functions will be unavailable. We will provide a substitute, "bare-bones" online catalogue for searching the library collection but book circulation will be done manually. This temporary catalogue will not tell you if an item is signed out, nor can it be used to place online renewals and other requests.  Read more. (less)
• Health Science PDA session: Register by email or phone for Aug 25. (more)
  A "Health Sciences Resources for your PDAs" course is scheduled for Friday, August 25/06, 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. in Bracken Library's e-Laboratory. PDAs are NOT required for the course. Meds Phase 3 2007 students are given priority for the course, however, space is available for Health Sciences faculty, staff and medical residents. To register, e-mail bracken.library@queensu.ca or call the reference desk at (613) 533-3176. (less)
• Trial Subscription: FIAF International Index to Film Periodicals. (more)
  "FIAF Index to Film Periodicals is a bibliographical index offering in-depth coverage of the world's foremost academic and popular film journals from 1972 to the present day." Along with the resource's small collection of holdings of many film archives, health issues covered in features and documentaries can be found from all around the world. (less)
• Trial Subscription: Canadian Social Investment Database. (more)
  The latest addition to the databases we have trial access to is the Canadian Social Investment Database or CSID from Jantzi Research Inc. This resource contains profiles of several hundred publicly traded Canadian companies with analysis on their connection to many socially important issues such as involvement with the military, reports of their community involvement, the use of a code of ethics, behaviour towards employees, and environmental impact. It also includes basic information about the organizations such as contact info, recent revenue, employee count, and descriptions and categorization. Use the link, username and password found on the database trials web page. (less)
• New library subscription: UN Common Database. (more)
  The United Nations Common Database or UNCDB is a searchable selection of data from all countries, more than 300 statistical series, more than 30 specialized international data sources, dating back to 1980 or earlier. Includes data series such as AIDS estimated deaths, access to essential drugs, food deficit the of undernourished, and many more. Click here for more information. (less)
• New interactive pediatrics learning program! Try out CLIPP. (more)
  CLIPP, or 'Computer-Assisted Learning in Pediatrics Program', is a web-based resource that provides students with 31 interactive virtual patient cases on pediatric topics. While working through each case, students are encouraged to examine visual evidence, consult experts, answer questions, create a differential grid, and follow the case through to its conclusion. Access to this resource is available to individuals with Queen's or KGH email addresses. From the CLIPP homepage click on 'Subscribing to CLIPP', then 'How to Subscribe' in order to register to view the full collection of cases. (less)
• InfoRetriever Update! 1000s of new 'POEMS, reviews and summaries. (more)
  "A new InfoRetriever update has been posted. This release includes both program improvements and content updates, including new Practice Guideline summaries, Clinical Rules and Calculators, and InfoPOEM Synopses." For example:
  • 2,977 InfoPOEMs
  • 2,595 Abstracts of Cochrane Systematic Reviews
  • The complete 5-Minute Clinical Consult (2006 edition)
  • 253 Decision Support Calculators
  • 1,220 Evidence-Based Practice Guideline Summaries
  • 1,373 Diagnostic Test Calculators
  • 1,345 History and Physical Test Calculators
  PDA users, don't forget to download this update! (less)
• New Database: Bibliography of Native North Americans. (more)
  Bibliography of Native North Americans (BNNA) is a bibliographic database covering all aspects of native North American culture, history, and life. With more than 80,000 citations for books, essays, journal articles, and government documents of the United States and Canada, from the sixteenth century to the present, the BNNA covers a wide range of topics including medicine, psychology, and public health. (less)
• 2 trial databases: Business Source Complete and Premier for June. (more)
  For the month of June, OCUL libraries have a trial to two useful business information databases: Business Source® Complete and Business Source® Premier. Complete is described as a "definitive scholarly business database" with with a wealth of business related journal bibliographic and full text content. Premier, being a subset of Complete, is a more focussed, practical product for full-text business information. Go here for more information. (less)
• Bracken librarian on Jeopardy! Wednesday June 21! (more)
  Our own Amanda Ross-White appeared on Jeopardy, Wednesday, June 21, 2006. With very tough competition, she ended up very close to winning, only $800 behind the winner. Read the glowing article in the Wednesday, June 21st Kingston Whig-Standard, page 3 (Local News section). (less)
• QCAT down time postponed. Upgrade rescheduled for August. (more)
  Regarding our previous news item : "Library catalog & circulation system down June 20-24." Due to circumstances beyond our control, we have had to postpone the QCAT hardware and software upgrade until the week of August 21st. All Library services, therefore, will continue as normal during June. (less)
• Proxy upgrade! Try the new way to connect from off-campus. (more)
  There's a new way to connect to Queen's only resources from off-campus! Just go to https://proxy.queensu.ca/ and log in with your Queen's NetID and password. Click here for more information. (less)
• Need information quick and can't get to a librarian? IM us! (more)
  Don't forget! Bracken Library can answer your library, assignment, or general information questions through the three big instant messaging systems: AOL's AIM, MSN Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger. Just send a message to "brackenreference" any time from 11 am to 5 pm on Monday to Friday (increasing to 9:30 am to 4:30 pm starting May 1!)... There's always someone online! (less)
• Check out this form: Tell us what you love about CHEER! (more)
  For our continuing fundraising needs to support the new CHEER renovations in Bracken, we would like to get feedback on all the great things about the new space, Please fill out the form online or in print (available at the reference desk) as soon as you can. Thanks for your help! (less)
• Librarian hours changed: 9:30 to 4:30 as of May 1. (more)
  During the summer, the librarians will be available, Monday through Friday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. If you need help with research, finding information, or an assignment, please ask your Bracken librarian -- in person, by phone (533-3176), through instant messaging, or by email (bracken.library@queensu.ca). (less)
• 2 new databases: GLBT Life with Full Text & PRISMA. (more)
• Library closed: Monday, May 22nd, for Victoria Day. (more)
  Since Queen Victoria, Canada has observed the Sovereign's birthday as a national holiday. Originally celebrated on May 24 (Victoria's birthday), we now celebrate it on the Monday preceding May 25. The library will be closed on this day and we apologize for any inconvenience. Have a happy Victoria Day and weekend! (less)
• New feature from NEJM: Peer-reviewed educational videos! (more)
  Applying the same standards they have for other published materials, the New England Journal of Medicine is now providing "Videos in Clinical Medicine", utilizing innovative technology to help instruction of skilled techniques. The first in the series is Placement of an Arterial Line by Ken Tegtmeyer, M.D., Glenn Brady, M.D., Susanna Lai, M.P.H., Richard Hodo, and Dana Braner, M.D. (less)
• Patent Information: Register for a upcoming workshop. (more)
  April 26 is World Intellectual Property Day. In response, Queen's University Library is offering two patent research workshops on April 19 & 20, 6:00-7:30pm. The workshops are free and open to anyone at Queen's and are intended for grad students, post docs and researchers interested in learning more about patent information. Please fill out the registration form is available through a link on the Engineering and Science Library web site. For more information about the sessions, please visit this information page. (less)
• NLM plans major edit to MeSH subheadings: Bracken responds. (more)
  The National Library of Medicine released their plans to eliminate and consolidate over half of the subheadings (or qualifiers) in their Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). These subheadings (such as "/complications" or "/diet therapy") are used to help focus searches by describing how certain Subject Headings are used in an article. The purpose of removing these subheadings is to "insure that qualifiers [meet] the criteria of Understandability, Reproducibility and Usability (URU)" but it will certainly limit the ability of researchers to search for information. For more on this topic, visit our response page. (less)
• Micro 221: Research Skills assignment marked and available. (more)
  The Microbiology 221 class' "Research Skills" assignments have all been marked and may be picked up at the Bracken Reference Desk Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (less)
• Services to Faculty: Check out our updated brochure. (more)
  This brochure provides an overview of the services Bracken Library provides for Health Sciences Faculty at Queen's University, from development of resource use skills to assisting with research. (less)
• Public Scanner: Now available in Bracken. (more)
  Need to scan a document or a graphic? There is now a free, easy-to-use public scanner available on the main floor of Bracken Library. You can save the scanned item to your disk or USB key, print it on the library printers or email it to yourself. (Don't forget: copyright laws still apply.) If you have any questions, please contact the Access Services staff. (less)
• Refworks update: Electronic/print source designation and more. (more)
  Read about Refworks latest release (January 2006). There are many upgrades such as PubMed linking and searching, the inclusion of RSS feeds, and new customization options. Most importantly, for users, there is a new field available: Source type (being either electronic or print. This is available for both individual citations or global editting of a collection of references. (less)
• Future of NSERC: A public lecture by Dr. Fortier on March 10th. (more)
  The Office of the Vice-Principal (Research) presents "Investing in people, discovery and innovation: NSERC's path forward." a public lecture by Dr. Suzanne Fortier, the new President of NSERC. This will take place on Friday, March 10th at 3:15 p.m. in Ellis Hall Auditorium and will be a good opportunity for NSERC researchers to find out about the future of NSERC. (less)
• Food For Fines: Donations welcome for the food bank! (more)
  It's time once again to re-organize your pantry, visit your local grocery store and check your pockets for spare change... FOOD FOR FINES, March 6-10, 2006. Help support The Partners In Mission Food Bank and the Queen's AMS Food Bank. Donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the circulation desks in Bracken, Douglas, Education, Law and Stauffer Libraries. If you wish to apply your contributions toward your library fines, you can reduce your fine by $1.00 per non-perishable food item or by a $1.00 cash contribution to a maximum reduction of $15.00. As always, food or cash donations not applied to fines records are most welcome. Many thanks for your involvement and support. (less)
• Scholarship in education session: For teachers and leaders. (more)
  "Demystifying the Scholarship of Teaching and learning" Elaine Van Melle, PhD, Director, Office of Health Sciences Education. Part of the Health Sciences Education Rounds, on March 9, 2006 8:00-9:00 at 84 Barrie Street or Bracken Library Videoconference Room. "By the end of this session you will be able to identify different strategies for incorporating the scholarship of teaching and learning into your own practice of teaching or role as a leader in education. You will learn about key trends in, resources and approaches for enhancing scholarship. We will also discuss strategies required to enhance the scholarship of teaching and learning the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queens's." (less)
• Tell us more: Library strategic plan survey deadline extended. (more)
  We invite you to review a preliminary draft of our environmental scan at http://library.queensu.ca/webir/st/trends.htm
• Print from your own laptop: In the Queen's University libraries. (more)
  If you're running Windows XP on your personal laptop, you can install a quick and easy program that will allow you to print to the library print server of your choice. Go here for instructions and more information. (less)
• Strategic Planning: Tell us what you think of the library! (more)
  We invite you to review a preliminary draft of our environmental scan at http://library.queensu.ca/webir/st/trends.htm
• IM: Bracken now offers instant messaging reference service. (more)
  Library users are now able to contact a Bracken Librarian (M-F, 11-5) to ask a reference question using the three most popular instant messaging services: AOL's AIM (use "brackenreference"), MSN Messenger (use "brackenreference@hotmail.com") and Yahoo! Messenger (use "brackenreference"). (less)
• Group Rooms: Use our Online Room Booking System (ORBS). (more)
  Since 03 January 2006, rooms in Stauffer, Douglas, and Bracken have been bookable online through a very easy-to-use system. Read more about information on Bracken group rooms or read the Bracken group room use policies. (less)
• QLINK disruption: Unavailable Sunday evening, 9 until midnight. (more)
  Qlink will be unavailable on the evening of Sunday, January 29th from 9:00 p.m. until approximately midnight in order to perform system maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience. (less)
• Library Cuts: Health Canada cuts and CHLA responds. (more)
• Marking done: Phase I DLE assignments available for pick up. (more)
  Phase I Drug Literature Evaluation (DLE) assignments can be picked up at the Bracken Library reference desk 9-5 Monday to Friday. (less)
• Vending Machine: Convenient stationery and snacks. (more)
  For your convenience, Bracken Library now has a vending machine stocked with useful items like post-it notes, pens, candy bars, disks, headphones, and tissue paper. The machine is located at the bottom of the stairs on the lower level of the library (near the photocopiers). (less)
• InfoRetriever 2005 Winter Release: Improvements & updates! (more)
  This latest release includes over 200 new InfoPOEMs (up to 2,828 now), 256 new H&P and Diagnostic Test Calculators (1,345 and 1,373 now respectively), 200 new Cochrane Systematic Review Abstracts (a total of 2,393 now), and the full 2006 5-Minute Clinical Consult. Plus, there is access to 229 Decision Support Calculators, 734 Evidence-Based Practice Guideline Summaries, and the ICD-9 Look-Up Tool. (less)