Scopus - feedback or lose!

The University of Hull Library is currently subscribing to the database Scopus (http://www.scopus.com) on a one year trial basis which is due to finish at the end of June. Scopus claims to be the “largest abstract and citation database of peer-reviewed literature” also offering research tools for measuring impact factors for journals, researchers and institutions.

As we are now half way through the trial we are trying to gather some feedback - we need to make a case for additional funding if we want to renew the subscription. If you have any feedback please complete the following survey – it takes less than a minute!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=u65juEJ_2bgn9MN_2f86RMbZXA_3d_3d

Free Resource on Genetics from Nature Publishing: Scitable

Click on the title above to view a new, free Nature resource for undergraduates on science subjects. The current focus is on genetics.

More details from Nature email:

What Is Scitable?

Scitable is a free online resource for undergraduate educators and students. It’s built on a foundation of evidence-based, faculty-reviewed scientific overviews of key concepts compiled by the trusted editorial staff of NPG.The first Scitable module is devoted to the study of genetics. Topics of investigation include: chromosomes and cytogenetics, evolutionary genetics, gene expression and regulation, genes and disease, gene inheritance and transmission, genetics and society, genomics, nucleic acid structure and function, population genetics and much more.
Content is linked to cutting edge research published by other NPG publications, giving undergraduate students access to real-world scientific inquiry and experimentation.

How Does It Work?
Faculty

Faculty can host a free and easy-to-maintain online research site for their genetics students, including shared articles from Scitable’s library and group discussion capabilities. Faculty can visit www.nature.com/scitable/classGroup and follow the four-step wizard to set up a classroom space in less than five minutes, or just browse all available topics at www.nature.com/scitable/topics and explore on their own.

Students

Students can use Scitable as a daily resource for their term papers, exam prep, and lecture follow-up. It provides hundreds of authoritative, faculty-reviewed articles designed to help students understand the what, why, who, and how of genetics. Students can visit www.nature.com/scitable/topics and browse the library, or use the search field at the top of each page.

Extension to York Uni Library Opening Hours

In response to user demand, from Monday 2 February the Library building will open at 8am on Monday to Friday instead of 8.30.

Please note:
The full staffed service starts at 9am;
Self-service facilities are provided before 9am but some services may not be available immediately at 8am.

Win £200 of Amazon vouchers

The JISC are repeating a survey on attitudes and behaviours towards e-books. Everyone who completes the survey can enter a prize draw for £200 in Amazon vouchers.The survey is open to staff and students and at the moment it doesn't have a closing date. To complete:

• Staff should go to:http://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/research/ciber/observatory/faculty/
• Students should go to:http://www.ucl.ac.uk/infostudies/research/ciber/observatory/students/

The JISC project has given institutions free access to 36 e-books for two years (up to Aug 09). Full details of the e-books (available via both university libraries) are on the Library's New acquisitionsarchive page: http://www.york.ac.uk/services/library/news/acquisitionsarchive.htm.

York Hospital Library Information Point

The YH Library information point is now located in the 'quiet room' next to the Mallard restaurant (staff canteen). There are 6 computers available as well as a printer, table and chairs and paper copies of the BMJ, HSJ, NEJM and the Lancet journals. Access is by Trust Badge proximity access. It is hoped to have the Information Point staffed in the near future for a few hours each day for enquiries and help.

New JCR citation reports

Click on the title above for details of the inclusion of the 'Eigenfactor' Metrics and other new features in Journal Citation Reports (JCR).

JCR is available from either the Further databases via Hull or York Universities links on the HYMS VLE > HYMS Library tab. A Hull Athens or York e-account is needed to access JCR.

BMJ Learning unavailable on 29th Jan

From BMJ Learning:

BMJ Learning will not be available on Thursday 29 January 2009 due to an essential systems upgrade. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

"New impact metric"

The Scientist Blog (click on title above for link) yesterday included the following announcement:

In an attempt to provide alternative metrics to the traditional journal impact factor, the open-access journal Public Library of Science ONE announced that it will release a slew of alternative impact data about individual articles in the coming months. The new "articles-level metrics project" -- which will post usage data, page views, citations from Scopus and CrossRef, social networlking links, press coverage, comments, and user ratings for each of PLoS ONE's thousands of articles
....
Eventually, Binfield hopes that readers will be able to personalize how they view the data, and sort articles according to the metric of their choice. "The more metrics we have, the more it'll lead to a dilution of any one [metric]," said Bjoern Brembs, a neuroscientist at the Free University of Berlin in Germany and member of PLoS ONE's editorial board.

(Registration to the Scientist required to view full blog entry.)

Extension to trial of Henry Stewart Biomedical and Life Sciences Seminar Talks

These talks continue to be available on trial.The Talks are accessible on the HYMS, Hull and York networks and can be accessed at www.hstalks.com/trial.If you have any feedback regarding this resource please let us know at library@hyms.ac.uk.The following is information from Henry Stewart publishing:
The Biomedical & Life Sciences Collection contains over 800 online audio-visual seminar-style talks each specially commissioned by leading scientists (including Nobel Laureates) from around the world.The Collection is highly prized for giving you the ability to virtually attend world class seminars, by leading thinkers and authorities from around the world, in one online resource – wherever, whenever, and as many times as you like.As well as being an excellent way for researchers, teachers and students to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in their field, it is also a great way to quickly become immersed in a new area.

Latest BMJ Learning update

Click on the title above for the latest module and information updates on measles, depression, ulcerative colitis amonst others.(BMJ Learning is available via the HYMS VLE HYMS Library tab.To login select the Athens option THEN the Alternative login option and enter your York e-resource account details.)

Bibliographic Reference Management Questions: Office Hours at York

Do you find it difficult to remember all the rules for referencing and therefore want to learn to use an automated tool that will help? Have you got any questions about using Endnote or another bibliographic reference management software? If so, the Library are holding drop-in sessions to help both staff and students with these issues. These are aimed at an introductory level, so more advanced queries may be noted and answered at a later date. The sessions will be on:
Thursday 5th February 13:00-14:00
Thursday 12th February 13.00-14.00
Thursday 19th February 13:00-14:00

Please ask at the Library Enquiry Desk at these times.

Latest BMJ Learning update

Click on the title above for the latest module and information updates on understanding statistics, how to write a research paper an managing the side effects of Statins.(BMJ Learning is available via the HYMS VLE HYMS Library tab.To login select the Athens option THEN the Alternative login option and enter your York e-resource account details.)

Fighting research fraud - new site

Click on the title above for a link to a new website where:

A team of French life sciences grad students has launched an online repository of fraudulent scientific papers, and is calling on researchers to report studies tainted by misconduct. The website -- called Scientific Red Cards -- is still in a beta version, but once it's fully operational it should help the scientific community police the literature even when problems slip past journal editors, the students claim. The website color-codes misconduct into three categories: red for data-related misconduct, including fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism; blue for publication-related misconduct, such as when editorial policies are not followed; and green for research practice misconduct, including problems with consent forms. Each problematic paper in the register includes a full bibliographic reference, a link to published accounts of the misconduct, and a discussion board for users to leave their comments. So far, only around 30 papers have been listed.
(Email communication from Adrian Smith, University of Leeds)