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In Reference...

By Brandie Baumann

Dialog Introduces NewsRoom
The new Dialog NewsRoom service is a compilation of more than 6,500 full-text serial publications and newswires into one complete database accessible through any of the Dialog services — Dialog, DataStar or Profound. Searchers now have the ability to retrieve the latest news from Dialog's comprehensive collection of newspapers, newswires, newsletters, broadcasts, magazines, trade and industry journals, directories and scholarly journals.

According to Dialog, key features in the NewsRoom database include:

  • Reliable sources — Brings together a wide variety of global information sources from thousands of publications.
  • Consistent searching — Articles are indexed across the database(s) regardless of the service from which they originated.
  • Scope — Multilingual and multinational.
  • Indexes — Search by company name, geographic area, publication type, language, industry topic and publication date/year.
  • Functionality — Access all or specific segments of Dialog's news content.
  • Global coverage — Access to news sources from nearly 90 different countries in more than 10 global regions. Powerful search indexes enable users to target specific regions, countries or states.
  • File updating — Updated frequently throughout the day.
  • Current awareness — Set up daily, weekly or monthly "Alerts" to automatically receive the most current information.

For more information and pricing, please contact Karen Graham at BCR (kgraham@bcr.org).

RILM Abstracts of Music Literature Access
OVID/SilverPlatter RILM Abstracts of Music Literature is available only via the Internet. Libraries must have Internet access in order to access this product.

A newly produced database, RILM Abstracts of Music Literature from Repertoire International de Litterature Musicale, covers all areas of music. The database encompasses all significant writings on music from all types of scholarly works produced worldwide in the last 30 years. For pricing and other information please contact Karen Graham (kgraham@bcr.org) at BCR.

OCLC FirstSearch Interface Enhancements
OCLC has installed a session timeout alert feature in the user search interface that allows FirstSearch users to work without interruption. A counter labeled "Session timeout" that shows the time remaining in the current search session displays in the lower left corner of the screen. When the timeout approaches, the message "Your FirstSearch session will soon end" appears in a pop-up window. The user can then click the button in the windows labeled "Extend my time" to restart the counter and extend the search session.

Two new buttons appear at the top and bottom of a list of search results, allowing FirstSearch users to easily focus and guide their searching by clicking on the Related Subjects or Related Authors button. Search results are automatically ranked by number of library holdings attached when users select this search option. These buttons replace the previous Expand Search button.

OCLC FirstSearch MEDLINE Enhancements
New search and display options have been added to the MEDLINE database to enable users to jump between reference and reference source information using new hotlinks. New indexes also have been added to the Advanced search mode and Expert search mode. The Record Type Phrase limit has been modified to include the types Bioethics, Health Administration and Histline. The record type Population has been removed from the Record Type Phrase limit since it no longer exists in MEDLINE records.

OCLC FirstSearch Links to Outside Services
OCLC has implemented outside links from two reference database services to its FirstSearch service to provide libraries with broader access to books and other materials. OCLC's first partner in outbound linking is JSTOR (www.jstor.org/), a nonprofit organization that maintains an archive of scholarly journal articles to which many academic libraries and consortia have subscriptions. Additionally, OCLC and Bowker have implemented linking from booksinprint.com to library holdings in WorldCat on FirstSearch.

Through the OCLC FirstSearch administrative module, libraries control access their patrons have to the OCLC partner programs. When the new partnerships are enabled on the OCLC side, the link is installed into the administrative module with the features turned off. A library must turn them on for their patrons to have access through WorldCat. For more information, please contact Jim Hensinger at BCR (jhensing@bcr.org).

For questions or to subscribe to any reference database, contact BCR's Jim Hensinger (jhensing@bcr.org), Karen Graham (kgraham@bcr.org) or Laura Chittivej (lchittiv@bcr.org).


Comments to:shoffhin@bcr.org
February 27, 2008
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