Interface Changes to Biological Abstracts and Zoological Record

Biological Abstracts and Zoological Record have now moved from the former SilverPlatter WebSPIRS to the ISI Thomson Scientific/Web of Knowledge platform. (Frequent users of the Web of Knowledge/Web of Science databases will recognize the look and feel). The content of these databases remains unchanged. Biological Abstracts indexes 4000 biology journals each year and covers 1969 to the present. Zoological Record indexes about 5000 zoology journals and covers 1978 to the present.

Two additional changes are coming soon. Come August 19 or so, there will be a new look to all three databases. You will still be able to run the searches you do now, but additional features will be available, too. When the new interface comes online, the library will post more information about these new features. At about that same time, the coverage of Zoological Record will expand back to 1864!

If you have any questions regarding how to search these databases effectively, please contact your Steenbock Liaison Librarian.

Take a Video Tour of the New Look
Search Biological Abstracts
Search Zoological Record
Search Web of Science

Do you know your Library Liaison?!

August is a good time to get acquainted. Steenbock liaisons work as principal contacts for each department and program the library serves.

Library liaisons can provide the following services:

Assist with library services and policies (e.g., Library Express, faculty runner cards, UW System search and retrieval…)

Customize email alerts to keep you informed about new articles matching your topic criteria and tables of contents of your favorite journals

Provide in-depth reference consultations—our office or yours (e.g., help with strategy and database choices, customize your email alerts…)

Supply customized instructional sessions and course web pages for students (e.g, hands-on training in using specific databases in your subject area, cited reference searching, website evaluation)

Verify citations

Assist with purchase requests or recommendations

Consult on questions related to publishing your research (e.g., identifying target journals, managing copyright, measuring research impact, open access publishing)

Provide in-depth orientation for new faculty, staff, graduate students, and project and research assistants

Find Your Steenbock Liaison

Other campus library liaisons

Course Reserves Deadline, August 10, 2007

Steenbock Library requests that faculty and staff submit course reserve materials by August 10, 2007. Submission by this date will enable these materials to be ready by the first day of class.

Follow the links below for additional information:

Steenbock Course Reserves Information page

Online Request Form

Contact Reserves staff by email or phone, 263-8331

Course Reserve pages can also include customized, tabbed links to useful library resources and library staff support. To request this course support content, contact your Steenbock library liaison.

Keeping Current using RSS Feed-Readers (or News Aggregators)

RSS or "Really Simple Syndication," is an XML format for sharing syndicated information—generally, frequently-changing information—on the Web. RSS enables you to monitor Websites for new information without needing to visit each site or database.

Some RSS readers are freely-available to Web users; these include Bloglines or My Yahoo.

Many news sites and publication Websites supply RSS feeds of new/current information and/or research. Using a feed-reader enables you to view all of these feeds of news and research information in one place. Within a feed-reader, the feed will show a short description with a link to the full content.

Subscribe to a feed by entering the feed's link (URL in browser address bar) into the reader or by clicking an RSS icon to initiate a subscription process.

A subscription maps a feed to the user’s reader. Look for feed links on a feed service page or from a site’s main/home page or look for icons on the page or from within the browser’s URL address bar.

While feeds are commonly found at many news sites (BBC, CNN, Guardian, among many others), feeds are also available from the following research news sites:

Biology News Net

EurekAlert

PLOS (Public Library of Science)

Using the Bloglines Feed-Reader

Visit: http://www.bloglines.com/

Create an account: http://www.bloglines.com/register/

The Bloglines login is your email address; the password you create must be six characters in length (and ideally, not easily guessed).

Once you are logged in, you will be able to subscribe to feeds and to organize them into folders or categories of feed information.

For additional information about RSS readers, see:

http://www.library.wisc.edu/alerts/more-about-rss.html

On Steenbock Shelves…Flower Confidential

Years ago, I worked in the floral industry. As I unwrapped shipments of roses and Peruvian lilies and marveled at their provenance, I knew a great story was there for the telling—and that story has finally made it to Steenbock’s shelves. Amy Stewart, author of Flower Confidential examines the ins and outs of the cut-flower industry from plant breeders who craft a flower for its color and longevity as a cut specimen and the laborers who plant, harvest and process that commodity (sometimes at great peril) to the consumer whose appetite for the ‘perfect sentiment’ drives the market.

A rose is a rose…or is it just that? While I may wince at any reference to Valentine’s Day, the reader will be fascinated by this event and other critical dates on the industry calendar. A thoroughly engaging read.

Find Flower Confidential at: SB443.3 S74 2007 (book stacks, first floor)