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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Science Clips is an online weekly bibliographical digest showcasing over 46,000 scientific articles and publications from 2009 to present. The digest is curated by the Stephen B. Thacker CDC Library to bring awareness to relevant and quality public health literature. This overview describes how users can access and navigate the database, and evaluates the database usability and relevance in public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representation of disability in school textbooks may influence pupils' knowledge and perceptions of people with disabilities. The aim of this study was to investigate representation of people with disabilities in school textbooks. The study employed a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative frequency analysis was used to investigate the extent of representation of disabilities in texts and pictures in 78 Norwegian textbooks for Grades 5–10. Regarding texts, the results showed that people with disabilities were represented in less than half of these textbooks (49%). Concerning pictures, people with disabilities were even less represented, appearing in only 29% of the textbooks. These quantitative findings were supplemented by a qualitative survey of textbook authors, who were asked to explain the marked absence of disability references in their own books and in school textbooks in general. The two most frequent explanations were that textbook authors had either overlooked people with disabilities, or that the Norwegian National Curriculum (Kunnskapsdepartementet 2006. Lærerplanverket for Kunnskapsløftet (LK06) [The Norwegian National Curriculum]. ) did not explicitly mention this minority. We discuss these explanations as expressions of conscious considerations rather than unconscious omissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earlier research has shown that menstruation has often been constructed as a nuisance or a pathology in popular and medical texts. Drawing on poststructuralist discourse analysis of 10 contemporary self-help books on menstruation, 4 of which were chosen for further analysis, this article shows how approaches to menstruation in recent self-help texts diverge from these conceptions. Instead of portraying menstruation as something problematic, self-help texts represent the menstruating body as natural, manageable, and potentially empowering. However, by depicting relentless self-monitoring and self-care as routes to mandatory health and well-being, menstrual self-help texts also construct new norms of menstruating that contribute to individualized responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the collaborative verse translations undertaken by the learned amateurs Nicholas Bacon and John Hobart in their 1664–65 correspondence. The letters reveal the pair's critical attitudes as translators, and also include their substantial discussion about secondary textual and antiquarian resources. This article argues that Hobart and Bacon have three distinct methods of dealing with difficult passages of their texts – conjecture, the collation of different editions and commentaries, and the use of antiquarian resources – which each enables them to think critically about a given crux whilst avoiding the finality of a definitive resolution. In these three methods, the pair invoke humanist antecedents as well as distinctively modern seventeenth-century resources such as reference books. In the latter case, the men also provide a notable case study in the practical use of a particular type of early modern book which is usually difficult to trace in the historical record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Botanicals are among the fastest growing segments of the dietary supplement industry in the U.S. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA; Public Law 103-417 [Oct. 25, 1994]) provided a regulatory classification for the trade of numerous botanicals and botanically-derived products as dietary supplements. The global supply chain, the adoption of many botanicals that are also recognized as traditional medicines around the world as dietary supplement ingredients, and the differing recognition of the national and international pharmacopeias as sources for voluntary or mandatory quality standards present challenges in ensuring the quality of the ingredients and products. The complexity of quality assurance by compliance with pharmacopeial standards is illustrated in this article with a brief history of pharmacopoeias including their official recognition in national laws, their approaches to the science behind the standards, the use of reference standards for quality assessment and regulatory compliance, the use of pharmacopeial standards by the industry and regulators within the DSHEA framework in the United States, and a discussion of the global supply chain. Pharmacopeial standards can help regulators and the industry adapt to the new technologies that present both opportunities and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the rapid development of virtual medical Spanish educational materials, online resources lack transparency and a peer-review process. The purpose of this interdisciplinary study was to provide a critical inventory of virtual resources for medical Spanish education, thereby providing a panorama of the current state of online medical Spanish. Research team members conducted iterative searches to identify medical Spanish online resources, which were then screened for predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria. Between June and August 2020, a panel of medical and language experts then adapted and applied a previously published evaluation tool to determine whether resources that met study criteria would help learners achieve medical Spanish core competencies and to what extent each resource incorporated communicative language activities. Consensus meetings were conducted to resolve disagreements and identify gaps in online education. Out of 465 resources, 127 were further screened, and eight were selected for evaluation. Medical and language specialists independently scored each resource and, following discussions, achieved consensus. Overall, no resource met suitability criteria for all five medical Spanish learner competencies or cultural elements, and only one was suitable for achieving the self-assessment competency. Interdisciplinary consensus meetings provide an important avenue for resolving differences of opinion and for integrating both language and medical perspectives into the evaluation process. Existing online resources should be used in conjunction with other materials to ensure that all core competencies for medical Spanish education are addressed. This study revealed important gaps in online resources, including a need to target advanced Spanish learners, apply authentic communicative activities, include assessment opportunities, and integrate culture in the learning program. Based on the current state of online medical Spanish, we offer recommendations for future resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explained the importance of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) approach in dealing with individuals to find solutions both after and during the occurrence of psychological anxiety, the application of SBFT can be done practically, effectively, and efficiently. This study uses comparative analysis, which refers to various relevant literature between SFBT and psychological anxiety, especially in COVID-19 outbreak in the form of scientific journal articles, reference books, and other information from trusted sources. The results revealed that there is a significant correlation between theories, both basic assumptions and concepts related to the SFBT intervention process in an effort to help individuals find solutions to problems that are or will be experienced. This study can then be a scientific reference for the application of the SFBT approach as an effort to improve the ability to find solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), often defined as potentially traumatic experiences such as child maltreatment and household difficulties (e.g., caregiver substance misuse) that occur prior to age 18, are associated with poor health and psychiatric illness across the life span and have been increasingly used as a predictor of health outcomes in both research and practice. However, limited research has explored who should be reporting ACEs for children or to what extent reporters agree on observations of ACE exposure. This study examines respondent agreement among children, caregiver, and caseworker using data drawn from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW II), a longitudinal, nationally representative survey of children who have been the subject of a child welfare investigation. A sub-sample of participants aged 8–17 was used (n = 1,652). The following ACE indicators had responses from all three respondents: sexual victimization, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and home violence. Analyses were completed to understand patterns of reporter's responses to each of the ACEs selected using sampling weights. We calculated interrater agreement using the Kappa coefficient for each ACE indicator. Children, caregivers, and caseworkers differentially reported the number of ACEs the child experienced. Children reported experiencing just over two ACEs on average, while caregivers reported two and caseworkers reported an average of one. Overall, Kappa coefficients were extremely low with caseworker-caregiver agreement the highest at.41. Given the lack of concordance, we recommend asking multiple informants while carefully considering self-report by children when assessing for ACEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

McGraw-Hill AccessNeurology is an online collection of neurology resources covering the study of the central nervous system for students, instructors, researchers, residents, and clinicians. The collection includes over 40 books, as well as drug information, case studies, review questions, videos, lectures, and animations. This article will review content, layout, navigation, special features, and user experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central bank independence (CBI) has been a prominent topic for decades, but remains relatively unexplored in the history of economic thought. Relevant literature is scarce and focuses on the post-war period. To extend this literature, I argue that there was a doctrine of CBI in the 1920s. I examine its development from an international recommendation and a principle of the central banking doctrine designed by the British governor Norman to the elaborate doctrine of Kisch & Elkin. The paper's main contribution is a detailed analysis of the doctrine of CBI provided in their reference book on central banking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1989 and 2002 Norman Ross (Figure 1) published tens of thousands of microfilms and microfiches, created in Russia and Eastern Europe for his company, Norman Ross Publishing. He also published 33 reference books, Over the course of 25 visits to Russia, as well as on frequent trips to Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic, Austria, Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, Ross developed microfilm and book projects with national libraries and local academic institutions and organized the local filming of major current newspapers. In these endeavors he was assisted by local representatives, a multi-lingual in-house staff in New York, and guidance from Edward Kasinec, the late Robert T. Whittaker, and others. This was the most rewarding segment of owning his own publishing company, which began in 1972 and continues nearly 50 years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AccessPhysiotherapy is a primary component of McGraw-Hill's suite of Access products. Under the umbrella of the publisher's broader network, it operates in conjunction with the wider interface of searchable e-book content, reference guidelines, and test prep materials. The collection caters to physical therapy practitioners and students, but remains relevant as an interdisciplinary resource for medical educators. Its e-books functions as the major component of the platform and may be accessed directly by way of a simple search query or browser component. One unique aspect of AccessPhysiotherapy is its integration with F.A. Davis Physical Therapy and Athletic Training collections. These special catalogs of reference books, physical therapy cases, and instructional videos are among the most comprehensive educational resources in the disciplines of physical therapy. Medical libraries can benefit from the AccessPhysiotherapy's integrated collection of e-books and broader content. Schools and departments within health sciences institutions will also find the content worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Representative biology textbooks for secondary school students from Korea, Indonesia, and the USA were compared to explain the differences among each country's biodiversity-related contents. For comparison, a specialised technical book was added as a reference book. Textbooks from Korea, Indonesia, and the USA have similar main sub-sections of biodiversity contents. However, both Indonesian and American biological textbooks have special additional sub-sections that differed from Korean textbook. However, none of these biological textbooks presented fully similar explanation with the reference book as a standard. Since there were several differences in explaining major topics of biodiversity in each country, we suggest that curricula compilers adapt provided biodiversity related-contents for presenting them better in the future. In addition, we also suggest biology textbook authors in Korea to add more native biological diversity examples in biodiversity content especially in conservation sub-section. With this, we hope students can learn and know more their countries' biodiversity richness through biological textbook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A team of librarians developed and implemented a plan to create coordinated library access for all students through the Canvas learning management system. Partnering with campus information technology services, librarians developed a specialized role in Canvas. Librarians also used Springshare's LibApps LTI (learning tools interoperability) to integrate research guides in Canvas, using course metadata to map guides to the appropriate subject or course. Evaluation of the impact of adding a Librarian role and mapping research guides to the Canvas LMS is ongoing and indicates these changes have affected the way students are accessing library resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethics has long been a concern in medicine, education and scholarship. In the digital age, new complexities have arisen, and many medical education researchers are unprepared for the pitfalls ahead, often negotiating these in the absence of guidelines, and unaware of the many tools that can be used to assist them. This Guide takes the medical education scholar through a journey in which issues of ethics are discussed in all stages of digital scholarship: research preparation, research subject monitoring and data gathering, securing one's data (and balancing security against accessibility), anonymising textual and non-textual data, third party identifiability in digital data, writing one's own work (including plagiarism and paper mills), copyright (including issues of Creative Commons and royalty-free), accessing inaccessible reference material, ethically citing electronic material, and manuscript submission (including issues of selecting journals, open access and data sharing). The Guide ends with a brief look to the future. This Guide aims to be a useful tool to alert the readers to some of the most important ethical issues that need to be considered, and some practical solutions to ethical problems faced, when engaging in medical education digital scholarship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Now that reference research is almost exclusively an online endeavor, the traditional model of reference service-a static walk-up service point-no longer applies. Today librarians engage users at point of need, embedding research help in the context of the online research environment, while at the same time respecting the users' preference for a transparent and unmediated experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author reviews the history of reference service from a management perspective. Topics covered include: definitions of reference service; staffing; service models; modes of communication, including remote reference services; collections; education and training; and assessment. The author discusses changes over time and current challenges for reference managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the transition that publishers have had to make in the process of converting print journals and reference books to an online format. It was originally thought that making content available online would save publishing costs, but the changes made to production cycles and the needs of making content widely available, updated, and housed on online platforms are sometimes more expensive than the print process alone. Publishers have responded with new pricing models, and they are working more closely with libraries to deliver content to a wider audience while competing with search engines and other online content providers. Additionally, publishers have a new responsibility to manage the quality and accuracy of content given that so much information is now available to readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computing and computer science bibliographic databases, bibliographies, dictionaries, encyclopedias, directories, and guides, along with finding aids for technical reports, online books, and book reviews are listed and described. Subscription-based sources as well as free alternatives are covered. Resources are listed for all levels of computing ability including faculty and professionals, graduate students, undergraduates, and general users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What resources does the reference librarian use to assist people conducting research in the vast field of psychology? This article surveys resources, both free and proprietary, which can help the reference librarian assist students and faculty. Included in this article are descriptions of proprietary and freely available Web sites (databases, encyclopedias, dictionaries, Web megasites, test information, and yearbooks); Sage: the UCSD Library's gateway to the Web; and psychology research guides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the book "Vermeer's Maps" by Rozemarijn Landsman, which explores the cartographic references in the paintings of Johannes Vermeer. The book focuses on the wall maps depicted in Vermeer's paintings and provides in-depth analysis of each map, discussing their history, production, and significance. The author also examines the relationship between the maps and Vermeer's art, as well as their appeal to the artist and his audience. Although originally intended to accompany an exhibition, the book stands alone as an important contribution to the existing scholarship on Vermeer and cartography. [Extracted from the article]

"Mineralised plant and invertebrate remains: a guide to the identification of calcium phosphate replaced remains" by Wendy J. Carruthers and David N. Smith is a comprehensive and visually stunning guide for identifying mineralized remains in archaeological deposits. The book provides detailed descriptions and high-quality images to aid in the identification of these remains, as well as criteria for distinguishing between morphologically similar taxa. It also offers interpretative sections for each type of remain, allowing for ecological and economical analysis. This guide is valuable for both beginners and experienced environmental archaeologists, and is recommended as a reference book in any environmental archaeology department. [Extracted from the article]

AccessAnesthesiology from McGraw-Hill is an interactive database platform that provides user access to electronic books, quick reference material, drug monographs, multimedia, sample cases, and anesthesia study tools for the board review. It is a database for medical students, nurse anesthetist students, residents, and others in the health care field interested in anesthesia. This article will provide an overview of the features found in this online tool. Layout, resource tools, searching options, and navigation will be shared in addition to unique features in AccessAnesthesiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing patron demands, coupled with significant repurposing of library space, led the library to experience a marked decline in the usage of the print reference collection. Such a significant decrease challenged librarians to find new methods for promoting this still viable collection. It was decided to integrate the print reference books into the general library collection. After a year, circulation data demonstrated that by integrating collections, reference titles were now used more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines how eudaimonic psychological well-being (PWB) relates to variant levels of eating disorder (ED) recovery (full, partial, active ED), both self-defined and objectively determined, and to subjective-objective recovery status concordance. Participants (N = 132; Mage = 30.1) completed an online survey targeting ED symptomology, PWB, and recovery. MANOVAs revealed idiosyncratic relationships between recovery and PWB when objective criteria, subjective perceptions, and concordance were considered. Generally, superior levels of recovery were associated with superior PWB. PWB and clients' perceptions of recovery should be considered during treatment and in establishing a uniform definition of ED recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common question consumer health librarians must handle concerns identifying local providers for a specific health issue as opposed to information about the health issue itself. This column describes a handful of the numerous online directories of professionals available for consumers looking for providers in the fields of mental health, eldercare and cancer genetics. While none of these directories are exhaustive of their respective fields, all provide good starting points for users trying to identify relevant providers in their areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article was two-fold (1) provide an overview of the commonly reported and under-reported absolute agreement indices in the kinesiology literature for continuous data; and (2) present examples of these indices for hypothetical data along with recommendations for future use. It is recommended that three types of information be reported as evidence for agreement because no one type is superior to another. Report one graphical display (bivariate plot of raw scores with identity line or Bland-Altman plot), one scaled index (intraclass correlation coefficient with agreement definition or Lin’s Concordance Correlation Coefficient), and at least one unscaled index (root mean squared deviation, total deviation index, coverage probability, or limits of agreement) when there are two methods/raters with no replication. The amount of information recommended exceeds what has commonly been reported in absolute agreement studies published in the kinesiology literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Competency-based training and assessment is considered the best practice internationally in postgraduate clinical psychology education. In Australia, there are still some ways to go as programmes begin to integrate competency-based pedagogical models into clinical training and assessment. Further understanding of the strengths and challenges of these models will be useful to educators interested in developing a competency-based approach. Methods A structured literature review was carried out using the databases PsychInfo, PubMed, and PsychArticles. Keywords were: competency, and 'training' or 'assessment' or 'model' or 'clinical' or 'psychology' or 'medicine' or 'allied health.' Articles had to be written in the English language and published in peer-reviewed journals. Relevant book chapters and web references from professional accreditation bodies were also assessed for inclusion. A total of 54 references were utilised in the review. Results The review supports the relevance of competency-based learning and teaching. It draws on seminal benchmarking work from the international literature and considers the strengths and limitations of competency-based approaches to clinical health training and assessment. The review provides support for the ongoing progression towards competency-based training models in Australian postgraduate clinical psychology. Conclusions Competency-based training and assessment methods offer educators sophisticated mechanisms for ensuring that clinical psychology graduates are prepared to meet the demands of professional practice and public accountability. Further efforts at integrating competency-based training models into Australian postgraduate curriculum, and associated research into the outcomes, are necessary to ensure a pedagogical culture of best practice in this country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What if the ideal tools for teaching undergraduate students the most critical information literacy concepts have been sitting in the stacks all along collecting dust? Reference sources are an optimal medium to introduce all six of the Association of College & Research Libraries' (ACRL) Framework's central concepts for information literacy. Additionally, by understanding a reference source's place in the information search process, students learn to consciously avoid the common pitfall of neglecting exploratory research before specifying research inquiries. Thus, incorporating reference sources thoughtfully into instructional design contributes to the development of both information literacy and metacognition. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article describes the process designed to systematically weed two community college library reference collections in preparation for potential funding of a learning commons space. The author explains the methodology used to help facilitate the reassessment of nearly 10,000 reference titles by librarian liaisons. The goal of the project was to consistently capture each title’s weeding status designation along with required bibliographic data while stopping short of executing the weeding itself. Details about the process and consequences of the resulting category breakdowns are described in detail. The article lists key success factors such as working with teams from different departments to help manage the day-to-day procedures. Practical suggestions are offered about the use of collaborative tools, about methods for transmitting support data to liaison librarians to enable quick decisions, about goal setting, and about establishing consistent means of data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Overall, the book is a suitable reference book for data science practitioners to learn exploratory data analysis for predictive models and its applications using R or Python software. Together with other books that have published in the book series, this book provides a unique perspective into applied data science to guide data science practitioners who are interested in exploring, explaining, and examining data in real-world applications with both R and Python. It starts with an overview of basic concepts in Chapters 1-4 and then presents the instance-level exploration and dataset-level exploration in Chapters 5-13 and Chapters 14-20, respectively. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this research study is to identify whether academic librarians teach upper-division students about print reference resources, and how they teach students to use them. Questionnaires were sent to library instruction and reference services e-mail discussion lists. After analyzing results, researchers found that responses focused on the themes of pro-print, pro-electronic, relevance to instruction, collection development, and marketing. Using print reference in library instruction is related to the type of research assignment and electronic format availability. Librarians may want to consider engaging students in hands-on use of print and electronic reference material, so students are able to navigate the breadth of information sources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In 2008, the University of Louisville’s (UofL) Ekstrom Library printed reference collection numbered almost 30,000 volumes. Copious collecting and sparse weeding built up the collection during the era before the Internet. There had been considerable reluctance to address its more outdated sections due to competing priorities and inertia. A change of leadership as well as the recognition of changing use patterns had lessened the need for such a large collection. In 2011, three librarians began a title-by-title review process that resulted in an 86% reduction of the reference collection by 2014. This article describes that process, summarizes the results, and discusses the benefits and disadvantages of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article reviews the research literature of three major journals in reference librarianship. The texts of 494 articles were analyzed and classified as research versus nonresearch. Articles such as news, commentary, book reviews, editorials, meeting announcements, and opinion pieces were excluded from the analysis. A total number of 162 (30.49%) articles were determined to be research articles and were examined to collect data on numerous variables including but not limited to authorship, affiliation, topic, type of research, data collection, and data analysis techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The most famous role-playing game, Dungeons & Dragons, recently celebrated the fortieth anniversary of its release. The books that define the games in the role-playing genre function like sports rulebooks, contain entries like encyclopedias, or are based on collections of maps similar to those in atlases. In the library context, this places the books that define role-playing games in the domain of reference books. While currently divisions of the American Library Association encourage librarians to consider using the game in community-building and youth services, there was a time period where organized groups actively tried to discourage librarians from collecting materials associated with the genre. This study is an assessment of library holdings of role-playing game materials worldwide, detailing collection and cataloging issues associated with the genre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults, students, professionals, and the general public increasingly turn to the Internet and to Wikipedia for information. Wikipedia, the world's sixth most used website, is by far the most widely used open-source information site. Among its nearly four million English-language encyclopedia articles, how thorough is coverage of key gerontology topics? Focusing on 315 important terms found across four leading gerontology sources, almost 3 out of 10 terms had no Wikipedia article at all, including some surprising omissions. And another 3 out of 10 terms had articles that treated the topic without any specific mention of aging. Only about 4 out of 10 terms had articles with content focusing on aging; however, using various measures, the articles that were relevant rated comparatively high overall. This popular encyclopedia is a work in progress and was found to have considerable room for improvement in its coverage of gerontology. Interested parties can upgrade its content by working as individuals, as organized WikiProjects, or in academic courses. This paper describes how faculty can incorporate assignments where students expand and improve Wikipedia pages based on course research about specific aging topics. While educating their students, they can simultaneously help educate older adults as well as the general public about gerontology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropology libraries are highly specialized scholarly repositories that provide breadth, depth, and coherence to an expansive, fragmentary literature. This article profiles three types of anthropology library—(1) governmental, (2) private or specialized, and (3) departmental or museum—and examines the needs and information seeking behavior of anthropology library users, most of whom are graduate students and credentialed researchers. Also described are particular versus general reference sources for anthropology, ethical issues, and the service requirements of this user population. The main conclusion of this article is that anthropologists rely heavily on printed books due to the comparative, foreign, rare, and sometimes antiquated nature of the resources they seek. For this reason, brick-and-mortar anthropology libraries continue to play a special role in ensuring the vitality of the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Science literacy for all is the central goal of science education reforms, and there is a growing importance of the language arts in science. Furthermore, there are strong calls for teacher professionalism and self-directed professional learning that involve evidence-based best practices. This raises questions about whether science teaching journals' recommendations are anchored to high-quality evidence. We found that (a) most National Science Teacher Association journals' science literacy recommendations have weak or no evidence base and (b) those with evidence reference teaching journals, teacher resource books, and literacy education more often than science education research. We concluded that all participants in the knowledge production cycle and transfer process-authors, editors, and reviewers-need to encourage evidence-based practices anchored to ongoing reforms and to literacy and science education research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Librarians in the Health Sciences Library System at the University of Pittsburgh explored the possibility of developing an electronic reference collection that would replace the print reference collection, thus providing access to these valuable materials to a widely dispersed user population. The librarians evaluated the print reference collection and standard collection development lists as potential benchmarks for the electronic collection, and they determined which books were available in electronic format. They decided that the low availability of electronic versions of titles in each benchmark group rendered the creation of an electronic reference collection using either benchmark impractical. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Currently no dedicated electronic-books (e-books) management system exists that effectively and consistently searches across different e-book databases. The University of South Alabama Biomedical Library has explored multiple ways to improve accessibility to its e-book collection, including federated search engines, WorldCat Local QuickStart, an Electronic Resource Management system, the online catalog, and alphabetical/subject lists. Despite exploring numerous tools and approaches, biomedical librarians have yet to discover a single process to effectively and efficiently manage their e-book collection. Therefore, multiple methods are employed, including enabling title searches by uploading the e-book collection to Serials Solutions, listing e-books by subject and alphabetically, using WebFeat for cross-platform content searching, and employing location limits for e-books in the online catalog. Although requiring disparate tools and methods, a multiple access points approach has currently proven the best e-book management system for the Biomedical Library's patrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ideas behind open source software are currently applied to the production of encyclopedias. A sample of six English text-based, neutral-point-of-view, online encyclopedias of the kind are identified: h2g2, Wikipedia, Scholarpedia, Encyclopedia of Earth, Citizendium and Knol. How do these projects deal with the problem of trusting their participants to behave as competent and loyal encyclopedists? Editorial policies for soliciting and processing content are shown to range from high discretion to low discretion; that is, from granting unlimited trust to limited trust. Their conceptions of the proper role for experts are also explored and it is argued that to a great extent they determine editorial policies. Subsequently, internal discussions about quality guarantee at Wikipedia are rendered. All indications are that review and “super-review” of new edits will become policy, to be performed by Wikipedians with a better reputation. Finally, while for encyclopedias the issue of organizational trust largely coincides with epistemological trust, a link is made with theories about the acceptance of testimony. It is argued that both non-reductionist views (the “acceptance principle” and the “assurance view”) and reductionist ones (an appeal to background conditions, and a—newly defined—“expertise view”) have been implemented in editorial strategies over the past decade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aging Network is a federally funded group of collaborating organizations which provides support and services to older adults and caregivers. Professionals within the network are charged with staying up-to-date on current best practices, pertinent changes in federal policies, and the latest developments in aging. To promote professional networking, the dissemination of innovation, and continuing education, the Aging Network supports three annual service-based conferences at the national level. This investigation analyzed the content of 1,363 presentation sessions at these national conferences over a 10-year period. As a result, a total of 68 unique topics were identified, many of which were linked to the provision of services traditionally offered by the Aging Network including information and referral and service development. Few sessions, however, focused on organizational development, minority health and aging, gender issues, and end of life. These findings may guide conference organizers to better target topics previously unaddressed or deserving of greater attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article categorizes and discusses the kinds of cataclysmic events that threaten the human race and the natural world. A useful set of definitions is provided, and an annotated bibliography of a representative assortment of reference books and monographs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Business students and faculty expect the electronic delivery of content within their multiple disciplinary subject areas. The speed of acceptance and the rate of migration from print to electronic sources within the various business disciplines outpaces the acceptance rates in the humanities and other social sciences. Business students and faculty exhibit information-seeking behaviors that are unique to the practice-oriented nature of a business education. Electronic resources re-enforce this information-seeking behavior. The technology utilized in the creation of e-books enables business students and faculty to successfully locate specific data, both textual and numeric within the resource, further reinforcing their behaviors and accelerating the demand for additional e-books. Business students and faculty use e-books as reference books. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the analysis and interpretation of the dictionary made by Samuel Johnson and Noah Webster, the lexicographers, in Great Britain. The Webster dictionary is preferred to Johnson since Webster's language was based on the American concept. The Institute of Psychiatry library has use Webster's dictionary to be able to increase the efficiency of the psychological research.

The article reviews the books "Community Development in Theory and Practice: An International Reader," by Gary Craig, Keith Popple, and Mae Shaw and "Revitalising Communities in a Globalising World," edited by Lena Dominelli.

Although racial discrimination poses a devastating instrument of oppression, social work texts lack a clear and consistent definition of race. The solution lies in according race the status of an "actor version" concept, while exploring the origins and variations of race ideas using "scientific observer version" explanations. This distinction provides the means for determining the sources of harmful race ideas, an indispensable first step in combating them. Using recent teaching materials, we can emphasize our common humanity to promote social justice without sacrificing our recognition of the damage inflicted by racial ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article surveys reference works published in the general field of education since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) on January 8, 2002. The study examines the introduction of each work to determine its audience and measure this against its treatment of NCLB. Topical encyclopedias can assist patrons in preliminary research on this major piece of legislation. After narrowing down the research topic, patrons can be referred to an electronic database for further, more detailed information on NCLB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information about library reference publisher Omnigraphics and a general review of its reference products. Omnigraphics was started in 1954 by Frederick Gale Ruffner Jr. and his wife, Mary. The company was originally called the Gale Research Company. Omnigraphics was created in 1985 by Ruffner and his son. Some of the company's reference materials that are reviewed include a phone book with U.S. government office listings, a book containing profiles of major U.S. and Canadian cities, and a source book with Web sites for major U.S. businesses.