===================================================
March 1994 LANL Research Library Monthly Newsletter
===================================================
1. The MELVYL System
2. Environmental Coverage on the Department of Energy Database
3. Report Delivery On Demand
4. Expanded Access to DROLS
5. Online Access to APS Bulletin
6. Favorite Gopher Hole
7. March Training Opportunities
===================================================
1. The MELVYL System
===================================================
The MELVYL library system of the University of California provides access to several types
of databases:
* Databases of library materials owned by UC and others;
* Commercially produced databases for access to journal articles, available only to
UC-affiliated users;
* Databases produced by other libraries or organizations and available via the Internet.
LANL employees can access MELVYL by many routes. Access is available through INFORM on the IO option. This path allows access to the library databases and the commercially produced databases. MELVYL can be reached via the Internet. TELNET MELVYL.UCOP.EDU. The numeric address is 192.35.222.222. Using this route a password is required for accessing the commercially produced databases. Passwords are available from the Library. There is no charge for these passwords. Please contact Mary Ann Ross at 667-4177. MELVYL is also an option under the LANL Gopher/Library Catalogs and Information/Other Libraries. This route also requires a password to access the special databases.
LANL employees have access to the following commercially produced databases via MELVYL:
MEDLINE - 1966 to present
Current Contents & Current Contents Table of Contents - 1989 to present
Magazine and Journal Articles - 1988 to present
Newspaper Articles - 1982 to present
Computer Articles - 1988 to present.
MEDLINE (MED) is produced by the National Library of Medicine and covers health, life sciences and related disciplines. One of its strengths is the extensive, precise and hierarchical subject access. This file includes over 6 million articles citations from more than 4,000 journals. This file is updated bimonthly.
Current Contents (CC) is equivalent to the printed series of Current Content journals. It is also equivalent to Current Contents Search and Current Contents on Diskette. The Current Contents - Table of Contents (CCT) allows one to browse journal issues by viewing the table of contents. These files index over 6,500 journals and are updated weekly.
The Magazine and Journal Articles (MAGS) file is equivalent to the printed source Expanded Academic Index. This indexes core academic journals in social sciences, humanities, science, business, and law. There are over 1 million citations from about 1,500 periodicals. Full text is available for about 370 titles. This file is updated weekly.
The Newspaper Articles (NEWS) covers seven major newspapers: Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New York Times Book Review, New York Times Magazine, Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. This file is updated weekly.
The Computer Articles (COMP) file covers the computer industry with over 320,000 citations from more than 200 journals. Full text coverage is available for about 70 titles. This file is updated weekly.
These files present a wealth of information readily available to any LANL employee.
Training classes are scheduled for Wednesday mornings in March at 11:00 in the Library.
Please call 667-5809 to sign up or send e-mail to ref@lanl.gov.
===================================================
2. Environmental Coverage on the Dept. of Energy Database
===================================================
The DOE database ES&T (Energy Science & Technology) has always been very strong in
its coverage of the environmental literature. Recently it has expanded its coverage
focusing especially on the atmospheric sciences. This database is now one of the most
comprehensive sources of environmental literature available online. Special emphasis has
been placed on obtaining information on global climate change, greenhouse gas emissions,
and acid precipitation. The environmental aspects of energy production and consumption and
the use of conventional and nonconventional energy sources are also comprehensively
covered by the database. The database's coverage of hazardous waste processing,
remediation of waste sites, and environmental restoration all benefit from the many years
of experience gained through the energy sector's clean-up programs.
This database is available at the Library on CD-ROM for the years 1990 -1993. The full
file, 1974 to the present, is available on DIALOG and STN.
===================================================
3. Report Delivery On-Demand
===================================================
With the Study Center badge/palm reader going operational on January 21, the Report
Section will now make every effort to deliver reports "on demand" to patrons at
the main level of the Library. We previously brought reports up to the main level twice a
day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
Here's how it works. If we receive a telephone or fax request for reports, we will
attempt to deliver up to five reports to the main level within 30 minutes of receiving the
request. Should you not need a report immediately, we ask you to let us know so that we
can take care of other patrons who do have an urgent need for a report.
===================================================
4. Expanded Access to DROLS
===================================================
The Report Section has obtained approval from the DOE Albuquerque Operations Office for
its security plan for DROLS, the Department of Defense's online database of classified DoD
reports. With this accreditation, we will be able to access classified bibliographic
information (e.g., classified titles, subject headings) that may be contained in
citations. Prior to this approval we were restricted to unclassified information about
classified DoD documents. Appropriately cleared Library patrons needing citations that may
include classified information will have access to them by early March.
===================================================
5. Online Access to APS Bulletin
===================================================
Beginning with the March Meeting in Pittsburgh, you can request an e-mail version of the
Bulletin. Send your e-mail request to baps@aps.org and include your e-mail address in the
message. The Bulletin will contain epitome, sessions, and titles and authors.
===================================================
6. Favorite Gopher Hole
===================================================
This Gopher hole is not quite home, but it is in the same neighborhood. Take a look at the
resources available from the Oklahoma Geological Society Observatory: a catalog of known
nuclear explosions, from Trinity through more recent underground Chinese tests.
Information given is name and location of test, responsible country, device type, rock
type in the vicinity, and yield. Also in the Oklahoma Geological Society Observatory
Gopher are texts of treaties related to nuclear testing; all information in the files is
unclassified and unlimited.
Similar to the nuclear files from the OGS are the earthquake and seismic activity files. Historical information on recorded earthquakes dates from 1897, giving time, place, intensity and duration of the activity.
How to get to the Oklahoma Geological Society Gopher? Any yellow brick road will get you there: geographically under the world (North America, USA, OK...; alphabetically under all the Gopher Servers in the USA ; or by subject, under Geology and Geophysics. No doubt there are other approaches as well; these are just the easiest from the first level [ the Internet via Gopher] of the LANL Gopher.
What can one do with the information retrieved from these data files? Well, if you use the materials in a paper, the Library has a new book, "Electronic Style: A Guide to Citing Electronic Information" by Xia Li and Nancy B. Crane [Ref PN 171 .D37 L5 1993] that explains how to create proper footnote and bibliographical entries.
Happy trails!
===================================================
7. March Training Opportunities
===================================================
Date : Database
1: Energy and NTIS (reports) databases (1 pm)
2: Melvyl (11 am) UC's catalog and associated databases
2: Computer Select (1 pm)
8: Physics, EE and Computer Abstracts (1 pm)
9: Melvyl (11 am; see March 2)
9: Aerospace, Engineering & Metals Abstracts (1 pm)
15: Biological and Environmental Abstracts (1 pm)
16: Melvyl (11 am; see March 2)
16: Science Citation Index (1 pm)
22: Aerospace, Engineering & Metals Abstracts (1 pm)
23: Melvyl (11 am; see March 2)
23: Energy and NTIS (reports) databases (1 pm)
29: Science Citation Index (1 pm)
30: Melvyl (11 am; see March 2)
30: Physics, EE and Computer Abstracts (1 pm)
Training is limited to 4 people at a time. Sessions begin at times indicated and will
last approximately 30 minutes. Please call the Research Desk at 7-5809 or e-mail
ref@lanl.gov for reservations, to arrange a special session or tour or for more
information.
===================================================
Comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome. Send via e-mail to ref@lanl.gov.
===================================================
Newsletter home page | Research Library