|
Diane M. O'Keefe, Editor
Valerie Reid, Web Master
Table of Contents
Convergence on London
New DOCLINE Has Arrived
New MDMLG Listserv Host
September MDMLG Meeting
Computerized Librarian (Song Parody)
MHSLA Educational Conference
The 8th International Congress on Medical Librarianship took place in London at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre from July 2 through
July 5. There were continuing education classes preceding the conference and a wide variety of library visits on July 6.
I first started planning to go to London in 1997 when I saw the conference motto at the Seattle MLA meeting. The idea of converging on
London really intrigued me!
More than 1400 medical librarians from more than 70 countries did participate in the meetings which were held across the street from
Westminster Abbey. The group of translators available did an excellent job. Of course most of the attendees spoke English as well as their own
language, so they could communicate with others in the individual sessions.
Plenary sessions featured speakers such as Julio Frenk (WHO executive director, evidence and information for policy), Richard Smith
(BMJ editor), Karen Hunter (Elsevier Science senior vice president), Ayoade Oduola (University of Ibadan), J A Muir Gray (National Electronic
Library for Health director), Phil Hammond (broadcaster and lecturer at the University of Bristol School of Medicine), Lynne Brindley
(University of Leeds pro vice chancellor and librarian), Abel Packer (BIREME director), Anthony Nowlan (consultant in medical informatics),
Joanne Marshall (UNC dean), and Christine Deschamps (IFLA president). I mention all of these names to reflect the breadth of experience
available.
Concurrent sessions included such topics as trends in publishing, continuing professional development, evidence-based medicine, library
networking, the teaching roles of librarians, etc. I had great difficulty making choices of which sessions to attend. I did attend a
couple which considered evidence-based medicine, one especially on the work of the Cochrane Stroke Group. Besides all the computerized
searching which is done, they also have several people who page through journals looking for applicable information. I believe they said that
close to 30% of their citations are found through this manual searching.
Over 200 poster sessions gave us an opportunity to talk to people individually. These are listed on the website given below. Lots of work
went into the planning and programming to make it all work together!
For the professional visits, I selected Blackwell Science and the Bodleian library, both in Oxford. At Blackwell Science there were about
17 people in my group (from 12 countries). We learned how the electronic journals are put together. I have known about the Bodleian library
since the days of my literature and theological studies. Our tour guide there told us an interesting story about library weeding problems. Around
1700 the Bodleian received a new edition of Shakespeare’s plays, so they sold the first edition from about 1620’s. Eventually people realized the
value of owning the earlier edition, and around 1900 Dr. William Osler, then a professor at Oxford, facilitated the fundraising to acquire the
same volume the Bodleian had sold 200 years earlier!
Of course, conferences include lots of time to talk and get acquainted with people from other countries, and I enjoyed that as I learned from
colleagues from Slovenia, Israel, India, etc. On Tuesday, July 4, we had a 4-hour dinner cruise on the Thames. We started in daylight, and
finished with the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben all lighted up at 11:00 p.m. We had lots of good food and the energetic librarians did
some dancing while others of us watched and talked. There were fireworks near St Paul’s Cathedral. No one seemed to know why, but one of the
English librarians said this was the way they celebrated having gotten rid of their American colonies!
The conference program and pictures are available at www.icml.org for
those of you who want more information. Of course I can also be persuaded to share my notes, and pictures with you as well.
I would suggest that you start planning now to attend the 9th International Congress on Medical Librarianship in
São Paulo, Brazil—October 2005. The theme of this meeting is "Commitment
to Equity". I have started planning for that meeting as well!
Maureen LeLacheur
Henry Ford Hospital Sladen Library
BACK TO THE TOP
After several months of delays and beta testing, the
new DOCLINE was launched on July 17th. Many libraries
approached the change with emotions running from great anticipation to
fearful dread of unknown glitches. Now that it is here, we wondered how
everyone fared with the big switch. An informal telephone survey
produced the following reactions:
"I like it really well. The new format is easy
to read and user friendly. Updating Docuser records is easy."
"My only complaint is that it only prints the
code instead of the name of the institution. Other than that, it’s
easy to use."
"I don’t like that we have to transfer
Loansome Doc requests one at a time."
"Love it! It’s streamlined and markedly
faster. There’s one stop shopping with SERHOLD to see who owns an
item."
"No problem. It’s quicker. I need to get more
familiar and comfortable with it, but it’s definitely an
improvement."
"I still prefer the old DOCLINE. It was faster
with the slash entries, but I’m getting faster [with the new system]
as I learn the new features."
An added complication for many area libraries was
the concurrent switch to a new QUICKDOC. Many of the comments
solicited in our telephone survey were actually reactions to the new
QUICKDOC rather than to the new DOCLINE:
"I like the new DOCLINE but there are drawbacks
with the new QUICKDOC. I’m waiting for phase 2 [of QUICKDOC.]"
"QUICKDOC is quite slow. I hope all systems
will be up in September."
"I haven’t installed QUICKDOC Portal. I’m
waiting for phase 2."
In general, the change to new DOCLINE went extremely
well for everyone. The new system gets high marks for ease of use. There
are a few minor improvements that could be made, but overall reactions
are quite positive.
Sue Skoglund
Riverview Hospital Library
BACK TO THE
TOP
As most of you already know, we experienced some problems with our
MDMLG listserv host (Topica) a couple of months ago with an
autoresponder message. All of the listserv subscribers were inundated by
approximately 1,700 messages in a matter of hours.
During that crisis, Topica proved to be much less than ideal in terms
of customer service. They have absolutely no telephone support, only
email support. Their response time to my emails varied from four hours
to three days. In addition, their server was not able to identify and
halt an incoming repetitive message.
At that time, the MDMLG Executive Board recommended that I
investigate alternate hosts for the MDMLG listserv. After an extensive
investigation, I recommended the GMRMLN server at the University of
Illinois at Chicago. The added benefit is that they will host our
listserv at no charge to us.
As of August 8, 2000, I subscribed all of the MDMLG members to the
new MDMLG listserv.
All messages for the MDMLG listserv can now be posted to MDMLG-L@uic.edu
. If you are not currently subscribed and want to be, you can
subscribe by sending a message to listserv@uic.edu
which includes "subscribe firstname lastname MDMLG-L". To
unsubscribe, you can send a message to listserv@uic.edu
which includes "signoff MDMLG-L".
Please update your address book, if necessary, and delete the MDMLG-L@topica.com
address.
I have updated the Listserv page on the
MDMLG web, and this includes the new commands and addresses.
Please let me know if you encounter any problems with the new
listserv host, or if you would like me to update your subscription
address.
Valerie
Reid
Henry Ford Hospital / MDMLG Webmaster
BACK TO THE TOP
The next MDMLG meeting will be held at Sinai-Grace
Hospital Medical Library on Thursday, September 21, 2000. Sinai-Grace is
located at 6767 West Outer Drive in Detroit. Our Program will have Dr.
Robert Holley, WSU Library Science Department, speak to us on Successful
Grant Writing. The "successful" is Dr. Holley's gift to the
membership.
Registration begins at 12:30, followed by the business
meeting. We will have a 15 minute break after the business meeting. Dr.
Holley will speak at 2:15 PM. As most of us are products of the WSU
Library Science Department, I am sure Dr. Holley would be pleased to see
our familiar faces!
Further information, along with a map, can be found on
the MDMLG Meetings web
page.
Gay A Byrnes
BACK TO THE TOP
A parody by Diane M. O’Keefe, M.S.L.S. and Janet T.
O’Keefe, M.L.S.
Sung to the tune of the "Major General’s Song" by Gilbert
and Sullivan
I am the very model of computerized Librarian.
I seek out information zoologic to agrarian.
I know each subject that is found in an encyclopedia
I handle every AV tool and every type of media.
My online databases can locate each journal article.
In physics texts, I can define each elemental particle.
In atlases and online maps, I find the way to Timbuktu.
Identify each capital from Bogota to Katmandu.
Chorus: Identify each capital...
I navigate the Internet with speed and perspicacity;
Evaluate each website for its content and veracity.
In fact, in finding information, most utilitarian
I am the very model of computerized librarian.
I quickly search the Internet or grab the right book
off the shelf.
Then give the patron answers or I teach him how to search himself.
I speed through every database like Galenet, Firstsearch, Dialog.
My records are all organized, just try my on-line catalog.
My homepage is a marvel of well-documented, helpful links.
It points to sites on modern jazz, hang-gliding and old Egypt’s
Sphinx.
I know just how to catalog in Dewey and in L. of C.
I know the best books you should buy and those you wouldn’t want for
free.
Chorus: She knows the best books, etc.
I get you quotes on hot new stocks and find addresses
in a trice,
The latest news, a star’s birthday, song lyrics or a cure for lice.
In fact, in finding information, most utilitarian
I am the very model of computerized librarian.
When I can look up online all ephemeral material,
When I can get full text of every page in every serial,
When my computer translates every language and each dialect
From Hindu texts in Sanskrit to Confucius with each analect,
When every book is digitized and indexed in my database,
When I’m the first librarian to travel into outer space!
And when I’ve indexed every site on every chromosome and gene,
You’ll say a more computerized librarian has never been.
Chorus: You’ll say a more computerized ...
I’m working on an interface directly to the human
mind
So I can capture concepts that have not yet even been defined
In fact, in finding information, most utilitarian
I am the very model of computerized librarian
Diane
M. O'Keefe
Henry Ford Wyandotte Hospital Library
BACK TO THE TOP
MHSLA EDUCATIONAL CONFERENCE
OCTOBER 18-20, 2000, TRAVERSE CITY
No matter what your interests, there’s something in the Grand
Traverse area for everyone. According to Norma Powers, local
arrangements chair you can shop in the downtown boutiques, dine in
gourmet restaurants, walk the beach, visit the local wineries or brew
pubs and more.
This year’s educational program appeals to a variety of interests.
The courses include Building and Managing your Digital Library,
Complementary and Alternative Medicine, and Ergonomics. Featured
sessions include Problem Solving, First Search/Access Michigan Update,
and Roundtables. The keynote speakers are Richard Wiggins and Charles
Severance, host of the TV show "Nothin’ but the Net".
The program schedule and links to web sites about the Traverse City
area can be found at the MHSLA website http://mhsla.org
click on "The 27th Annual Educational Conference".
MHSLA is offering a scholarship to members who have not previously
attended a conference. The application deadline is September 15th.
Contact Alexia Estabrook at 313 343-3735 to apply.
Donna Marshall
William Beaumont Hospital Library / Troy
Robin Alanen Mosher has a new email address - ram@quixnet.net
.
BACK TO THE TOP
Newsletter Home | MDMLG Home
|
