2021 Issue

Liaison librarians are integrated into the departments and programs in the schools of the health sciences and are your link to the many services and resources of the Health Sciences Library System. Liaisons can provide support by designing course-integrated instructional sessions that teach research skills specific to a course or an assignment; customizing classes or presentations on timely, relevant topics such as data management or scholarly communication; collaborating on research projects; and participating on systematic review teams and grant projects. Continue reading →

The HSLS Molecular Biology Information Service (MBIS) has a mission: Providing bioinformatics resources via software procurement, implementation, and training to assist biomedical scientists with solving their research questions. Also referred to as “HSLS MolBio,” our service has supported Pitt researchers since 2002. How do we do this?

HSLS MolBio follows a four-facet approach with the following goals:

1. Identify, procure, and implement commercially licensed bioinformatics software.
2. Teach hands-on workshops on bioinformatics topics such as bulk/single cell RNA-Seq data analysis, pathway enrichment analysis, and gene expression visualization, using software with a point-and-click graphical user interface that does not require programming experience.
3. Provide in-person and email consultations on software/databases.
4. Maintain a web portal providing overall guidance on the access and use of bioinformatics resources and MBIS-created web tools.

Continue reading →

The Technology Help Desk at Falk Library has reopened to visitors! You can find us at the top of the stairs on the library’s upper floor. Visit the desk to receive help with technology problems, get advice on an upcoming technology project, or request a consultation with a technology services librarian.

The Technology Help Desk also has a wide array of technology equipment available for borrowing. Popular items include portable power outlets, phone and laptop chargers, laptops, and Bluetooth headphones. More specialized equipment is also available to borrow, such as adapter cables, microphones, light therapy boxes, and Microsoft Surface Pros and Pens. With a valid Pitt ID, you can borrow most items for four hours (with online renewal available) and are not restricted to in-library use.

The Technology Help Desk also provides support for Falk Library’s self-service technology. Desktop computers (both PCs and Macs) are located throughout the library’s study space. Continue reading →

How relevant can old medical books be to modern medicine? Not very much? Think again. The Rare Book Room is full of surprises. Until recently, scientists believed that the brain and meninges were devoid of lymphatic vessels. When the presence of the meningeal lymphatic system was accepted in 2015, the follow-up review of historical descriptions of lymphatic vessels uncovered five earlier ones. Thus, in 2018, Paolo Mascagni was posthumously credited with the first discovery of meningeal lymphatic vessels for his description published in 1787. Mascagni’s book is a part of the rare book and special collections, which contain more than 10,500 publications and artifacts dating from 1496 to 1945.

• This unique collection is only accessible by appointment, but it is quite easy and convenient to schedule a visit by phone or email. We are always happy to accommodate visitors.

The research into medical sciences past is also supported by our circulating history of medicine collection, which includes an additional 10,000 volumes of secondary resources published from 1946 to the present. Continue reading →

When embarking on a research assessment project that includes the use of research metrics, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. With all the databases and new tools available, that provide metrics such as times cited, h-index, and other kinds of indicators, where should you start your research impact analysis?

For projects in the health sciences, the Web of Science (WoS) and InCites Benchmarking & Analytics would be great choices. These resources are available through the library and provide access to an extensive citation network, based upon the journal articles included in WoS. Both tools combined provide metrics to help you analyze research impact at the article, author, journal, and organizational level.

WoS is a multidisciplinary database that goes back to 1945 and was an early adopter of tracking citation data. It contains basic metrics at the article level, such as citation count, and indicators for individual authors. Running a citation report for an author will display metrics such as total papers, total citations, and h-index. Continue reading →

With the university’s upcoming cloud storage migration, you may be preparing to sync your files to OneDrive. However, before you do so, consider your EndNote libraries. To prevent possible file corruption, EndNote libraries must be stored on a hard drive and not synced to any cloud storage service (including OneDrive).

If you have your EndNote libraries currently stored on the “Desktop” or in the “Documents” folder, you may want to move them to a different location on your computer, such as in their own separate folder (not within Desktop or Documents) on the C drive (C:). If you do not want to move them, then be aware that you should not allow OneDrive to sync whichever location (either Desktop or Documents) contains your EndNote Libraries. Continue reading →

Complete Anatomy is a 3D human anatomy software program that allows you to view different body systems. This interactive resource allows you to rotate, zoom, add or remove layers, add labels, and select sections of the model in order to view detailed information about that structure. It also features real-time muscle movement and an augmented reality mode that simulates an anatomy lab. This resource can be a great way to study human anatomy if you do not have access to the lab or are away from campus.

Radiologic images are also found within Complete Anatomy and include MRIs, CT scans, and angiograms. You can capture images and other screenshots within the tool and save them for future reference.

In addition to the anatomy tools, Complete Anatomy includes over 1,500 videos and several hundred lectures that span across subjects such as anatomy, orthopedics, ophthalmology, cardiology, dentistry, ultrasound, and beyond. This makes it a great study resource for a variety of disciplines. Continue reading →

If you are interested in learning more about our extensive collection of research and information services, educational opportunities and resources, join us on Friday, September 24, at 10 a.m. for a virtual introduction to HSLS. This session is perfect for those who may have missed their school-specific orientation or need a refresher on what we have to offer. Our virtual orientation is open to all affiliates of the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences (Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, and Public Health) and UPMC Residents/Fellows.

At HSLS, we understand the importance of finding quality health information resources to meet your academic needs. As a source for scholarly information and interprofessional collaboration, we aim to provide a wide array of research and information services, educational opportunities, and resources that are beneficial to the health sciences community within the University of Pittsburgh.

This virtual introduction will present a wide array of HSLS educational opportunities. We offer classes and workshops that cover many subjects such as: Continue reading →