Who's Using the NCI at Frederick Scientific Library

A Newbie's Perspective

Written by Matt Stirling, Biosciences Informationist

Last October, I joined the staff of the NCI-Frederick Scientific Library. I spent the previous 22 years of my library career with a NC-based contract research organization, which is an outsourcing company that mainly handles services related to clinical trials conducted on a drug, biologic, or device at various stages of development. Upon arrival here in MD last fall, I wasn’t sure if I felt as prepared to carry out the duties of my new job with a different type of library. For starters, I came from the for-profit corporate world, and the library users at my previous home were extremely deadline-driven & chiefly needed data synthesized so that their time in processing such often overwhelming information would be minimized. While I’ve learned that the needs of the Scientific Library’s patrons are as rigorous in a government setting, there is an additional expectation for the librarians to share their knowledge with the scientific community to enrich the ongoing day to day activities within one of the major research agencies in the U.S.

This is where my extensive background as a librarian from the pharma industry will be a great fit in the Library’s mission to provide quality research services to new and longtime patrons. It is refreshing that such a collaborative environment which is imperative for the Scientific Library’s effectiveness is also prevalent across the entire culture of NCI-Frederick & beyond. In addition to the periodic Orientations and Resource of the Month webinars I will be teaching in the coming months, I plan to instruct future classes which will leverage my pharma industry expertise. I am honored to be part of the dynamic Scientific Library team & I look forward to working with my new colleagues to devise better ways in which we can meet your research needs.

Did You Know?

The Scientific Library recently changed the loan periods for Books, Kindles and Audiobooks.  Our new checkout policy is:

• Books and Kindles - 8 weeks (no renewal); Audiovisuals - 14 days (1 renewal)

Loan periods for the following did not change: 

• Books with holds - Limited to a 2-week checkout

• Journals, reference books and microforms do not circulate.

Resource of the Month

Each month the Library will be featuring a different resource and offering a 30-minute webinar to provide more information.  Watch for announcements about the resources highlighted in 2019 or contact the Library for more information:

APRIL – BioCyc contains comprehensive genome and pathways information for more than 14,000 microbial organisms and provides tools for searching and exploring those pathways and genomes. With this resource, you can find pathways of interest, as well as genes, enzymes, and more.  The webinar is on Thursday, April 18, 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

MAY – Embase is a comprehensive and very up-to-date biomedical literature database.  It allows you to search for adverse drug events, drug efficacy studies, as well as medical device and disease-related biomedical research information.  The webinar is on Wednesday, May 8, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

JUNE – Journal of Visualized Experiments  (JoVE) is a video methods journal that publishes experimental techniques in a visual format with detailed text protocols.  It also helps to learn scientific fundamentals through a library of video demonstrations.  The webinar is on Tuesday, June 25, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Resource Training

The Library’s instruction team is pleased to announce that the Spring 2019 Resource Training Schedule is available on the Library’s Orientations and Classes website. Class dates and descriptions are also listed on the Events Calendar. Registration announcements will be sent on the NCIF community listservs. A new class has been added on CLINICALTRIALS.GOV, and we are also pleased to announce a guest instructor-led workshop on METADRUG. If you are not able to make it to our scheduled classes, our librarians can work with your schedule to provide one-on-one training at your convenience, either on the NCI at Frederick campus, at the ATRF, or via WebEx. For questions, or if you have a suggestion for a class offering, please contact us with your thoughts.

TRACKING PUBLICATIONS -

Thursday, April 25, 10:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m.

METADRUG WORKSHOP -

Thursday, May 16, TIME TBD.

YOUR VIRTUAL SCIENTIFIC LIBRARY - WEBINAR –

Tuesday, May 21, 10:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.

CLINICALTRIALS.GOV: SEARCHING FOR CLINICAL STUDIES -

Thursday, May 23, 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

61st National Library Week Celebration "Libraries=Strong Communities"

A tradition since 1958, National Library Week brings recognition and celebration to the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians.  This observance also promotes library use and its support to the community.  The bond between the research here at the NCI and our community directly parallel with this years’ theme - “Libraries = Strong Communities.” 

The role of libraries is to assist in research and education.  Our funding enables us to provide services such as full-text journals, electronic bibliographic databases, ebooks, specialized training classes, use of 7 computers in our Computer Resources Area, three Quiet Study Rooms, as well as, unlimited possibilities thought the Interlibrary Loan Department, and much more.

Our two-day celebration will be held on Wednesday, April 10 in Bldg. 549 Scientific Library Journal Alcove from 1-3 p.m. and then at the ATRF on Thursday, April 11 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m.  Please plan to join us as we celebrate National Library Week!  Our librarians will be on hand to answer your questions.  Take a tour of the Library to qualify to enter our book raffle!  Winners will be announced at the end of each day.  We always welcome your suggestions to enhance our collection and training classes that benefit your research.  Light refreshments will be available as we celebrate YOU our library patrons!  Refreshments and book donations provided by Library staff.