CDL Database Transitions

The Transition Steering Committee, Users Council, and associated Resource Liaisons have been notified of the availability of the following databases and asked to begin testing. Other library staff may also try the databases, but public access is scheduled to begin in January, 2002.  The Transition Steering Committee is meeting on December 3 to discuss what must be in place and the exact dates for public access.

a. PsycINFO and PAIS via CSA Available for Testing

PsycINFO and PAIS via CSA are now available for testing by campus library staff.  You may access these databases from the SFX Prototype test page: http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/sharedcoll/a-i-trans/sfxtest.html (click the “CSA Site” link)

At the CSA site, choose Alphabetical list (in order to see the list of CSA databases), then click “quick search” or “advanced search”, you will then have access to PAIS and PsycINFO, as well as others.   Reference and instructional staff and collection development specialists can begin getting used to the interface, and preparing instructional guides to these versions.  The test accounts are not intended for open access at in-library terminals.  The public version of these databases will be available via CSA beginning January, 2002.

(As a reminder, PAIS via FirstSearch, will be retired on January 17, 2002.  PsycINFO will remain in its CDL-hosted version through 2002, unless there are changes unanticipated by the CDL.)

There are guides to CSA features, such as Alerts, on the Adaptable Outreach and Instructional Materials page: Http://www.cdlib.org/libstaff/comm/outreach/.

The PAIS International database contains references to more than 460,000 journal articles, books, government documents, statistical directories, grey literature, research reports, conference reports, publications of international agencies, microfiche, Internet material, and more from 1972- present.

PsycINFO provides access to international literature in psychology and related disciplines.  The database is enriched with literature from an array of disciplines related to psychology such as psychiatry, education, business, medicine, nursing, pharmacology, law, linguistics, and social work.  Nearly all records contain nonevaluative summaries, and all records from 1967 to the present are indexed using the Thesaurus of Psychological Index Terms.

b. Ovid Test Site Available

BIOSIS Previews, Current Contents, Ei Compendex Plus, INSPEC, and MLA International Bibliography via OVID are now available for campus library staff testing at this site: <http://gateway.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&Mode=ovid&PAGE=main>.

Once you enter and open a database, you can find detailed help via the Help button on the upper right hand corner of the screen.  Reference and instructional staff and collection development specialists can begin becoming accustomed to the interface, and preparing instructional materials to the Ovid versions of these databases.  By clicking on OpenLink (SFX), you will find a separate window that opens and takes you either to a link for the full text version of the article, or to a link to the Melvyl catalog, for a link to the catalog record.  Eventually, there will also be a link to the Request service for interlibrary borrowing.

The public version of these databases will be available via Ovid beginning January, 2002.  Ei Compendex will be retired from SilverPlatter on December 31, 2001 and from Ei Village June 30, 2002; MLA will be retired from SilverPlatter as of March 1, 2002. BIOSIS, CC, and INSPEC are scheduled to be retired at the end of 2002, unless there are compelling reasons to do so earlier.