PharmD Year One

How can I:

- search for peer-reviewed/scholarly/academic material?

- choose between different sources/databases? 

- efficiently sort through results?

- navigate the different databases?

- find the best results?

- find what resources are even available?

- find pharmacy-specific resources? Like Lexicomp?

The first answer: The main Pharmacy Guide! This guide lists all the resources that are useful for pharmacy. Its categories can help you choose between different databases, making you more efficient and yielding better results. 

The second answer: develop a search strategy to meet your needs. Use the filters and terms to limit your searches. Keep track of your searches and use a management system for your results (like Zotero) prevents duplication of work! See more information about developing a strategy, see the tab entitled "I wish someone had told me...".

How exactly is the library organized? Is it the Dewey decimal system?

The Dewey Decimal system only works with smaller libraries, so all academic libraries are organized via the Library of Congress catalog system, outlined here: http://www.loc.gov/catdir/cpso/lcco/. Once you find your call letter range, all the items on that topic will be in that area, making browsing easy!

Do you find the library user friendly for patrons? Typically, no, the library is not as user friendly as other interfaces. This is due to the complexity of academic research and the vast quantity of information available. I strongly encourage you to take advantage of the webpages and people available to help you learn the library, as like most professional resources, it is complex.

 Why the library can't be open on weekends and for a longer during the week? Our library hours are partly determined by demand (how many people are using the space) and partly by our budget. Since the mid-1990's the cost of subscriptions to journals has increased at an astonishing pace, putting undue pressure on library budgets (read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serials_crisis). Because our library budgets have not kept pace with the increase in journal pricing, many libraries have to reduce personnel, hours, or space to make up the difference. You can help this by always finding an open access way of publishing your own academic work (talk to any librarian to find out more!). Also, the 18th Avenue Library is open 24/7!

How can I become comfortable using the resources 'in real time'? Or, why don't we have real-life examples to practice our library skills? Practice is really the best way of mastering library skills, as different areas require different skill-sets. An art major needs to know very different resources than a pharmacy student. However, we do offer a 2 credit class on library skills, ARTSCI 2120, Information search, evaluation and use. 

How does MicroMedex differ from Lexicomp? While this review is from 2015, it does a good job of comparing the two resources. Chatfield AJ. Lexicomp Online and Micromedex 2.0. J Med Libr Assoc. 2015;103(2):112–113. doi:10.3163/1536-5050.103.2.016

What is the Health Sciences Library and what resources it can provide for school? The Health Sciences Library at OSU is a specific library for the College of Medicine, and while it is a separate entity, we work closely with them to provide you resources. Located in Prior Hall, you can check out thier services here: https://hsl.osu.edu/.

How can I access paper only information more often? For access to print information, you can search our catalog here: https://library.ohio-state.edu/. Alternatively, you can search the OHIOLink catalog and get the item shipped to an OSU library (http://olc1.ohiolink.edu/search/). Bear in mind that only a few million of our print volumes are on-campus, as we store most of our materials at remote locations. You just click on the 'request an item' link and we'll bring it to your nearest library location!

Are there areas on campus near the pharmacy building that I can study at when the pharmacy one is closed? This is an excellent question! If you know the answer, please submit it here, and I'll update it as I receive answers! 

I'm curious about classes of drugs and alternatives. The amount of information is incredible. This sounds like a great paper topic! And yes, the volume of information is overwhelming! I'd encourage you to narrow the topic a bit, so it's easier to manage. You  may be particularly interested in our Natural Medicines database to find alternatives.

I am curious about searching for professional sources. I'd need to know a little more about your definition of professional resources, but I'd be happy to help! Perhaps it would include Consumer Health Resources? There is a tab for that on the main Pharmacy Guide. 

I'm curious about finding the most recently published literature. You will want to work those date filters in the databases, and maybe set an alert in PubMed for the topics you are interested in (see the 'tips and tricks' tab in this guide for instructions). As well, many publishers now send out updates on social media sites, like Twitter, where there are often current conversations in the field. 

I'm curious to see how much I use the libraries resources throughout my four years in the PharmD curriculum because I didn't use them during undergrad. I'm curious too! While each individual is a little different in their information searching and evaluating habits, once you know more I know you will find value in the library content and services! I know other students have! One of your classmates even answered the 'What do you wish that someone had told you about sooner' with "I wish someone told me how useful the libraries are for information searching." 

Some want to know:

- how to keep your bookmarked or downloaded articles together and make citing easier?

- how to better store searches within these databases?

I don't recommend storing searches in databases, as database composition tends to change quite a bit, and you have to create a separate personal account in each one. Instead, I recommend using a citation management software, like Zotero, that allows you to easily save your articles and webpages in one place, as well as create a reference list from them. It will also de-duplicate your articles when you collect the same article from different databases, making it easier to sift through results. However, I do encourage keeping track of your searches with a table or spreadsheet. This prevents you from searching the same database over and over again with the same terms.