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Conducting Research at UC Berkeley

Webpage URL: http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/PUBL/SPH/Fogarty2011.html
Debbie Jan, djan@library.berkeley.edu

Contents:

On-campus laptop access

AirBears (Campus wireless network)
» To access the campus network, open your web browser and have it go to any webpage. You will be redirected to the AirBears login screen. Log in with your CalNetID and passphrase. AirBears traffic is NOT encrypted.
» AirBears Coverage Map
» AirBears Trouble Reporting

Getting off-campus access

Library Proxy Server: Allows remote access to web-based electronic resources licensed by the UC or UC Berkeley Libraries after a quick browser configuration

Campus VPN (Virtual Private Network): Requires a software download. Then before you access UC or UC Berkeley licensed resources, you start the software and turn the VPN on.

Using the library catalogs

OskiCat, the UC Berkeley catalog: Look up print and electronic publications and items stored at NRLF, the off-campus storage facility

Melvyl, the catalog for ALL the UC libraries (and more): After searching, click the item title to see details about the call number, location and availability of books, journals, etc.
» What can I find in Melvyl?

Finding online journals and articles UC-elinks icon

Browse or search for online journals using the UC-eLinks E-Journals Search, OskiCat, or Melvyl.

To see if an article is available online from PubMed, another article database, or Melvyl, cick the UC-eLinks icon next to a citation.

To see if a known article is available online, use the UC-eLinks Citation Linker.

Getting articles/books from other libraries

To get articles, books, etc. that are not online or at a UC Berkeley library, use the UC-eLinks icon in an article database (e.g. PubMed, Global Health, Web of Science) or Request in Melvyl.

Articles are generally delivered to you fairly quickly via the web. Books must be picked up and may take several weeks.

Other options for Getting Books or Articles from Non-UCB Libraries

PubMed and other databases

PubMed: Biomedical and public health citations, 1946-present.
» Exercise Set from class (PDF)
» PubMed Help for UC Berkeley Users
» PubMed Quick Guide (UCB Biosciences and Natural Resources Library): Basic search help
» Help with Limits (NLM)
» My NCBI (NLM): Saving search results, searches, and more

Web of Science: Large, multi-disciplinary database.
» See who has cited a given article: click Cited Reference Search and enter Author, Year, and Cited Work (optional) then click Search. Find the desired article, select it, and click Finish Search. If you click on View Record (if available), you will see the article citation.
» Search Tips for Web of Science (video)
» Cited Reference Searching (video)

Global Health: Public health citations from around the world, 1912-present. Some free full text available.
» To change the fields you are searching, click on the field name for a pull down menu.
» Descriptors are subject headings. To browse, click on the magnifying glass.
» Topic is a free-text search including title, abstract, descriptiors, geographic location, source, and more.
» Global Health Help Guide (PDF)

WHO Regional Databases: Databases of health literature compiled by the WHO Regional Offices. Some databases searchable in languages other than English. Some full-text is available in the databases.
» African Index Medicus
» Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information
» » More information about LILACS
» Western Pacific Region Index Medicus

Many other databases useful for finding articles are on the Public Health Library's Indexes and Databases webpage

Keeping up with current research

Most databases let you create "alerts". You can save a search, then receive an e-mail when new items are added to the database that meets your search criteria.
» In PubMed, use My NCBI for this.
» In Web of Science and Global Health, use Creating Alerts (PDF) or watch Saving Search Histories and Creating Alerts (video)

Most online journals will let you sign up for e-mail tables of contents as new issues are published. For more information, see Keeping Up-to-date on Public Health

Organizing and citing references

RefWorks: Web-based resource licensed by the UC Berkeley Library for use by current UC Berkeley students, staff, and faculty. Click on Login to begin.

EndNote: Software you install on your computer. Purchase EndNote from the The Cal Student Store for $76.99 or from EndNote. EndNote X5 coming out at the end of June 2011.

Zotero: Free, open-source Firefox add-on you can download.

Mendeley: Free product to organize and share references.

Help Guides for RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley
» Comparison chart of RefWorks, EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley
» Comparison chart of RefWorks, EndNote, CiteULike, Sente, and Zotero

Other online topical resources

Explore the Public Health Library's Electronic Public Health Resources webpage for information on such topics as AIDS/HIV, International Health, Statistics/Data, and much more.

These webpages provide access to selected resources not generally available via article databases or library catalogs, each with a descriptive annotation

What might I be able to access from my home country?

You will be access freely available journals and resources such as the public version of PubMed and the WHO Regional databases. You will NOT be able to access UC and UCB licensed resources when you are no longer a UCB scholar. However, journals and resources may be available through special country arrangements.

Cochrane Portal in the VHL - Access to Cochrane Library information
» The Cochrane Library provides systematic reviews, information on clinical trials, economic evaluations, and more.
» Access is "free of charge for all the professionals, students, researchers, managers, and health institutions of the Latin America and Caribbean countries."

INASP (International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications) Programme for the Enhancement of Research Information (PERii) Resources
» "INASP uses the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI) and the World Bank Gross National Income (GNI) to identify eligible countries."
» E-resource eligibility criteria (PDF)
» Countries participating in PERii

Research4Life - "Provides developing countries based on GNI per capita with free or low cost access to academic and professional peer-reviewed content online."
» Consists of 3 programs:
» » HINARI - Medicine, nursing and related health and social sciences
» » AGORA - Agriculture, food, nutrition, and related biological, environmental and social sciences
» » OARE - Environmental toxicology and pollution, ecology, environmental chemistry, environmental economics, environmental law and policy, environmental biotechnology, environmental engineering, and energy
» The eligible institutions in specific countries that can register for access are: "universities and colleges, research institutes, professional schools, extension centers, government offices, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), hospitals and national libraries."
» Content includes: scientific journals, databases (Global Health Archive, CINHAL, Web of Knowledge Special Edition, Environmental Science and Pollution Management, Scopus), and other resources (EndNote Web, Oxford Textbook of Medicine).

For more information about freely available resources, see the After You Graduate with a Public Health Degree webpage.

How to get help

For help with researching a topic or finding print or online resources, come to the Public Health Library Reference Desk: Monday-Friday 10-noon or 2-4 pm, or call (510) 642-2511.

For help at other times, reference service via IM chat and e-mail are also available.

For guides and tutorials, go to the Instruction and Guides webpage.

For help with what you have checked out, renewals, placing holds, etc., consult the Borrowing webpage or come to or call the Public Health Library Circulation Desk at (510) 642-2511.

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