Getting Started With LinkOut

1
Getting Started With LinkOut
Tansy Szeliga LinkOut Team NCBI/US NLM
2
Objectives

• At the end of this class you will be able to
• Explain what LinkOut is
• Register for a LinkOut account
• Set up library identity information
• Enter your librarys holdings
• Bring free web-based titles into your collection
  through LinkOut
• Display your librarys icon
• Keep up-to-date with LinkOut developments

3
What is LinkOut?
Overview

• a software application designed to provide users
  with links to web-accessible resources (e.g. full
  text publications, consumer health sites, etc.)
• a feature of NCBIs Entrez database search and
  retrieval system that handles external linking
  from PubMed and other Entrez databases.
• a service that connects PubMed users who are
  patrons of the library with the e-journal and
  serial print collections.
• an interface tool that enables patrons to
  distinguish journal articles available through
  their library or in free full text from those
  only available through other publishers or
  full-text provider links.

4
LinkOut is Not
Overview

• Common misconceptions
• NOT an application that connects patrons to the
  NLM universe.
• Rather LinkOut is a utility application that
  links users from PubMed (and other Entrez
  databases) to relevant third party resources.
• NOT a service that provides subscription access
  to electronic resources.
• Rather LinkOut icons provide quick-n-easy
  access, in accordance with pre-existing licensing
  arrangements.

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Why You Should LinkOut
Overview

• Link users from PubMed citations to full-text
  electronic articles in your collection.
• Link users to your librarys print holdings
  through SERHOLD
• Limit PubMed searches to local holdings.

6
How LinkOut Works
Overview

• Publisher provides URL of full-text article to
  NCBI
• Library registers for LinkOut
• Library enters holdings to link to journal titles
  in PubMed
• LinkOut displays library-specific icons in
  PubMeds Abstract and Citation formats
• Librarys icon links to full-text article or
  print holdings record

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LinkOut for Electronic Journals
Overview

• Uses existing links created by publishers and
  aggregators
• Follows your authentication rules
• Holdings information is entered with an easy to
  use On/Off interface

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LinkOut for Print Journals
Overview

• Print holdings are loaded from SERHOLD.
• Non-SERHOLD libraries can upload a text file.

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LinkOut in Action

• http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?hold
  ingumblib

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LinkOut in Action Search Results
Overview
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LinkOut in Action Abstract View
Overview
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LinkOut in Action Publisher
Overview
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LinkOut in Action Full-Text
Overview
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LinkOut in Action Print holdings
Overview
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7 Steps to Set Up LinkOut
Set Up

• Familiarize
• Organize
• Register
• Enter Holdings
• Provide Icon
• Activate
• Publicize

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Step 1 Familiarize
Set Up

• Get to Know LinkOut

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Visit These Web Pages
Set Up

• LinkOut and Library Holdings http//www.ncbi.nlm.
  nih.gov/entrez/linkout/doc/liblinkout.html
• Frequently Asked Questions for LinkOut Libraries
  http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/linkout/doc/lib
  lofaq.html
• Tutorial Setting Up LinkOut for Libraries
  http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/linkout/doc/lin
  ktutorial.html

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Visit These Web Pages

• Demo - Getting there from PubMed
  (http//www.PubMed.gov)

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For More Information
Set Up

• NN/LM Library LinkOut Survival Guide
• http//nnlm.gov/libinfo/ejournals/linkout
• NCBI LinkOut Overview Page
• http//ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/linkout/doc/lkoverv
  iew.html

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Step 2 Organize
Set Up

• Everything in Its Place

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Things to Do Beforehand
Set Up

• Discuss LinkOut program with library staff
• Assign LinkOut contact for LinkOut program
  maintenance (put this info in DOCLINE)
• Compile a list of vendor or publisher names with
  titles and years supplied
• Analyze e-journal subscription agreements and
  holdings
• Contact providers to join or add holdings, if
  necessary

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More Things to Do
Set Up

• For Print Holdings, know your DOCLINE LIBID or
  prepare a text file to upload.
• Resolve outstanding questions through your
  LinkOut representative
• 1-800-338-7657
• or email lib-linkout_at_ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

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Step 3 Register
Set Up

• Introduce Yourself

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Send Email to lib-reg_at_ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Set Up
Please use this format Subject LinkOut
Registration Request Library Name Contact
Person Email address Phone Number Address
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LinkOut Writes Back
Set Up

• Within a week, LinkOut will send you an email
  containing a username and password, for example
• User Name umalib
• Password Br76D
• User Name is used in two ways
• Access to LinkOut files in Submission utility
• Identifies your library for PubMed to activate
  your icon in PubMed searches

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Things to Remember in Step 3
Set Up

• Remember User names and passwords are
  case-sensitive
• Remember Your user name, which will be used to
  identify your library for LinkOut in general, is
  different from your DOCLINE LIBID which is needed
  to attach SERHOLD information to LinkOut

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Step 4 Enter Holdings
Set Up

• Sign In, Complete Identity Information, Enter
  Holdings

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The Submission Utility

• Demo - Getting there from PubMed
  (http//www.pubmed.gov)
• Whats included

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Edit Your Record
Set Up

• With your user name and password, sign in to the
  Submission Utility and check
• Library Name
• Library/Organization Public Web Site URL
• LinkOut Contact Persons name and email at your
  library

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Using the Submission Utility
Set Up
Start with PubMed.gov. Click on the LinkOut
link in the Sidebar.
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Using the Submission Utility (pt. 2)
Set Up
On the LinkOut webpage, select the Libraries
tab.
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Using the Submission Utility (pt. 3)
Set Up
Click on Library Submission Utility.
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Using the Submission Utility (pt. 4)
Set Up
From this page, you can perform all LinkOut
account management by selecting options from the
list For our initial effort, we should choose
Update Library Identity.
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Using the Submission Utility (pt. 5)
Set Up
You will be prompted to enter your username and
password. Remember, both are CaSe senSitIve!
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Using the Submission Utility (pt. 6)
Set Up
You can navigate through the Submission Utility
using the links on the sidebar menu.
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Using the Submission Utility Edit Library
Identity
Set Up
Here is where you tell LinkOut who you are and
how you can be contacted. The contact person
information is not publicly available. Please
follow the formats listed above each box.
Remember to click the Update button when you
are finished.
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Using the Submission Utility Edit Library
Identity
Set Up
Here is where you tell LinkOut who you are and
how you can be contacted. The contact person
information is not publicly available. Please
follow the formats listed above each box.
Remember to click the Update button when you
are finished.
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Library Identity Information
Set Up

• Some of the information entered into your Library
  Identity files is publicly available at this list
  of LinkOut Libraries http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
  entrez/journals/active_libraries.html
• The Contact Person information is not publicly
  available

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Turning on E-Journal Links
Set Up

• Have list of journal titles, years, and providers
  available
• Login to the Library Submission Utility
• Select Edit Holdings on the Sidebar (under
  Electronic Full-text).
• This will bring you to the Library Holdings page

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Edit Holdings
Set Up
Select Edit Holdings from the Sidebar
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Finding a Journal Title Three Methods
Set Up

• Three ways to find a title in LinkOut
• Provider List
• Browse alphabetical list of journal names
• Search by journal name, MEDLINE abbreviation, or
  ISSN.

1
2
3
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Search by Provider
Set Up

• Provider searching is, perhaps, the quickest and
  most convenient way to turn on links
• All titles (up to 50) for a given provider may be
  turned with two clicks.

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Adding By Provider
Set Up
Provider searching is an alphabetical list of all
LinkOut Providers.
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Adding a Providers Titles
Set Up
Clicking on a providers name brings up a list of
titles with check boxes for selection and drop
down boxes for date manipulation.
Dont forget to click the Update button before
leaving a page!
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Selecting Titles
Set Up
Click on the checkbox to add a journal title. Use
drop-down menus to select years held. Use the
delay drop down to account for embargoes.
Dont forget Update!
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Adding by Name or Searching
Set Up

• Adding by searching can be done by journal name
  or ISSN. If you are making changes to one title
  or have multiple providers for a title, this is
  probably the way to go!

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Tips For E-Journal Links
Set Up

• If you subscribe to the entire run of an
  electronic title, there is no need to use the
  date drop-downs
• Changes made in the Submission Utility show up in
  PubMed after 2 PM EST the next business day
• Holdings may be entered in multiple sessions
• If you dont have a subscription, dont add the
  journal! Well show you a special URL that will
  automatically apply your icon to all citations
  with free full-text links.

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Look Out for These Problems
Set Up

• If you have electronic full-text access through
  your subscriptions, you will need to activate
  access before adding titles to LinkOut
• We recommend adding only those journals that
  validate IP addresses or are accessible through
  your proxy server, otherwise you will need to
  give out your passwords
• If you have more than one person adding holdings,
  assign them different letters or parts of the
  alphabet, so they dont overwrite each others
  changes.

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Look Out for These Problems
Set Up

• Sometimes the provider is not obvious
• Sometimes one journal has multiple providers

If youre not sure who your provider is, check
the LinkOut display. Test provider links and see
which one you can access!
Provider links are here
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Print Holdings
Set Up

• LinkOut-SERHOLD is available for US and Canadian
  libraries only
• Non-SERHOLD libraries can upload their print
  holdings to LinkOut in a text file. See LinkOut
  and Library Holdings or the Advanced section of
  the on-line Tutorial for information.

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Print Holdings Display What You Need
Set Up

• You will need to know the following
• DOCLINE LIBID for your library
• Where your print collection is physically
  located, for example
• Journal Stacks
• Current Year (Unbound) First Floor, Main Branch
  Reading Room. Previous Years (Bound) Fourth
  Floor Open Stacks, Main Branch.
• This can be up to 255 characters long
• URL for your library catalog (optional). If your
  URL is included, this link will display with your
  print holdings

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Print Holdings via SERHOLD Getting There
Set Up
Click on LinkOut SERHOLD under Print Collection.
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Print Holdings Page
Set Up
From this page, you may register for or turn off
Print Holdings Display or submit a call number
file for classified journals
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Registration
Set Up
The first time you click on Registrationadd or
edit library information, you will be asked to
enter the number of library ids you will be
entering. If you have only one library registered
in DOCLINE, enter 1
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Registration (Pt. 2)
Set Up
For each LIBID enter the ID and physical location
of the print collection Enter Library Catalog URL
(optional)
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End of Part 4
Set Up

• Registration is completed
• Changes, edits, title additions or deletions show
  up after 2 PM EST the next business day
• If journals are classified by your library, see
  the Advanced portion of the online Tutorial for
  call number submission

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Step 5 Provide an Icon
Set Up
Provide an icon to identify your library holdings
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Create Icons For PubMed
Set Up

• Create icon(s) to represent your library
• Follow these design parameters
• Recommended size 100x25 pixels (150x35 max)
• Should look like a button
• Should have an outline
• Not have a white or transparent background.
• Readable and easily recognized
• gif, jpg, or png

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Store Your Icon Somewhere
Set Up

• You have three choices for providing and
• storing an icon
• Self-Hosting store your icons in a
  web-accessible directory, outside any firewalls
  on your own server.
• Hosted by NCBI If you cannot host your icon(s)
  on your own web server, NCBI will host it/them
  for you
• OR

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Default Icons
Set Up

• If you do not create icon(s), PubMed
• will generate default buttons

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Using the Submission Utility Provide an Icon
Set Up
Sign on to the Submission Utility and select
Provide Icon from the sidebar.
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Providing an Icon 3 Choices
Set Up

• Supply the URL for an icon on your own server
• Upload an icon to NCBI
• Use the default icons

1
2
3
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Providing an Icon for Print
Set Up
The same three choices apply for the Print
Collection Icon.
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Tips on Creating Icons
Set Up

• Your marketing department or IT staff may be able
  to help you
• Your icon may be your institutions logo or a
  statement such as Full-text provided by My
  Medical Library or My Medical Library Print
  Collection
• Icons should identify your institution

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Tips on Creating Icons (pt. 2)
Set Up

• Create two icons one for your print collection
  (SERHOLD), one for your electronic collection
• Use unambiguous terms on your icons many people
  think that an icon with the word Print on it
  refers to an action.

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Step 6 Activate
Set Up

• When you UPDATE input of holdings, the Submission
  Utility will record changes in NCBIs LinkOut
  database.
• Your library icons will be available in PubMed
  the next business day after you update your
  files.
• Your library icon will display on the Abstract
  and Citation display for those citations that
  were entered in the Submission Utility session.

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Two Ways to Activate Icons
Set Up

• A link on your library website
• Through My NCBI

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Activating LinkOut from Library Website
Set Up

• Default link to PubMed
• Uses a special URL http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/en
  trez/query.fcgi?holdingmedlib
• where medlib is the LinkOut user name assigned to
  your library

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Activating LinkOut through My NCBI
Set Up

• User signs in to My NCBI and selects LinkOut
  provider(s) as Filters.
• Providers icons will display in search result
  and providers holdings will display as a Filter
  tab.
• Works only if user is signed into My NCBI.

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A Quick Course on My NCBI (demo)

• http//www.pubmed.gov

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A Quick Course on My NCBI
Set Up

• Select My NCBI from the PubMed screen.
• Sign in to My NCBI, or register for My NCBI, then
  sign in.
• You can sign in using your Cubby username and
  password

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Set Up
A Quick Course on My NCBI (pt. 2)

• Select Filters from the My NCBI menu.
• Select PubMed from the database list.

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Set Up
A Quick Course on My NCBI (pt. 3)

• This will bring you to Filters Quick Pick list
• Click the Search tab.
• Enter your institutions name in the search box.
  Click Go.
• Select your library from the list of Matching
  Filters.

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A Quick Course on My NCBI (pt. 4)
Set Up

• Make sure both checkboxes under Selections are
  checked.
• Library icons will display on holdings.
• Holdings will be grouped as a Filter tab in the
  search result.

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A Quick Course on My NCBI (pt. 5)
Set Up

• View Filter selections under My Selections
• My NCBI filters will only work when user is
  signed into My NCBI.
• From the Quick Pick list, you can click Browse
  to select from a list of libraries that
  participate in LinkOut.
• Options set using special URLs will be applied
  while user is in My NCBI.

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Step 7 Publicize
Set Up

• Let your patrons know about LinkOut Handouts,
  bookmarks, classes, etc.
• Provide a link to your special URL on your
  library website.
• Bookmark your special URL on your library
  computers
• Share your LinkOut Statistics, which are
  automatically collected by the system, with your
  administrators

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Seven Steps Review
Set Up

• Familiarize read about the program
• Organize review e-journal subscriptions
• Register sign up with NLM
• Enter Holdings input library holdings
• Provide an icon create and store library icon
• Activate display your journal holdings
• Publicize let patrons know collection

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Keeping Up to Date
Using

• Subscribe to the Library LinkOut Announcement
  Mailing list.
• Announcements include new LinkOut developments
  and new titles added to LinkOut
• Send an email message with subscribe in the
  Subject to library-linkout-request_at_ncbi.nlm.nih.g
  ov
• Or on the web at http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mailm
  an/listinfo/library-linkout

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Hands-On Practice
Practice

• Go to the list of LinkOut Libraries and see how
  libraries are listed and what their Web sites
  look like. Make note of the library user name
  for some of the libraries.
• Go to PubMed using the URL to activate holdings
  for these libraries and look at their icons.

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Hands-On Practice (pt. 2)
Practice

• Using your user name and password (if you have
  one) or a class user name and password, sign in
  to the Submission utility and enter
• Library Name
• Library/Organization Public Web Site URL
• LinkOut Contact Persons name and email at your
  library
• Input a URL to provide the icon located at
  http//nnlm.gov/psr/images/lo_psr.jpg

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Hands-On Practice (pt. 3)
Practice

• Enter some e-journal holdings for your library or
  some example holdings using a class user name,
  searching by provider and journal title.
• Sign in to My NCBI and activate LinkOut icons for
  a library. Select free full-text as a filter.

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More LinkOut Tips
Using
Linking to Free Full-Text Localize PubMed
LinkOut beyond journals
Usage Statistics Access library
holdings Searching for Full-Text
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Using
Usage Statistics

• The Statistics function on the Submission
  Utility sidebar shows libraries' LinkOut usage
  statistics.

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Using
Usage Statistics (pt. 2)

• LinkOut Total total full-text and print
  accesses.
• LinkOut Full-Text number of times users click on
  your librarys online full-text icon or the
  Electronic full-text link under your library name
  on the LinkOut display.

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Using
Usage Statistics (pt. 3)

• LinkOut Print number of times users click on
  your library's print collection icon or the Print
  Collection link under your library name in the
  LinkOut display.
• holdinglibrary username number of times
  users access PubMed using the PubMed URL with
  your username, i.e. users activate your LinkOut
  icons.

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Access Your Library Holdings
Using

• Two ways in search box (one search) or in My
  NCBI (every search)
• In the search box loprovmedlibfilter
• where medlib is your librarys LinkOut user
  name.
• Add loprovmedlibfilter to any search
• hypersensitivity mh AND asthma mh AND
  loprovmedlib filter

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Using
Access Your Library Holdings (pt. 2)

• In My NCBI If library is selected as a filter,
  holdings will display as a Filter tab for every
  search.

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Searching for Full-Text (pt. 1)
Using

• Two ways in search box (one search) or in My
  NCBI (every search)
• In search box
• full text filter
• free full text filter
• Use this filter with any PubMed
  searchhypersensitivitymh AND asthmamh AND
  free full text filter

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Using
Searching for Full-Text (pt. 2)

• In My NCBI If full-text is selected as a filter,
  full-text citations will be grouped as a Filter
  tab for every search.

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Using
Linking to Free Full-Text

• Automatically apply library icon to citations
  with free full-text links.
• Use special URL http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entre
  z/query.fcgi?holdingmedlib_fft
• where medlib is your librarys username
• Free full-text journals will not be added to your
  library holdings.

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Special URLS
Using

• Special URLs can be localized to meet user needs.
  For information see
• http//www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/linkout/doc/lo
  calizing.html

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Other LinkOut Resources
Beyond Journals
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LinkOut to MedlinePlus
Beyond Journals
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LinkOut to MedlinePlus (pt. 2)
Beyond Journals
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LinkOut to Guidelines
Beyond Journals
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LinkOut to Guidelines (pt. 2)
Beyond Journals
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Non-Bibliographic Providers
Beyond Journals
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Other Non-Bibliographic Providers A Selection
Beyond Journals

• ClinicalTrials.gov (PubMed)
• Cystic Fibrosis Mutation Database (OMIM)
• FDA Bad Bugs Book (Taxonomy)
• Institute for Transcriptional Informatics
  (PubMed, Nucleotide, Protein)
• National Center for Infectious Disease
  (Taxonomy)
• Protein Reviews on the Web (PubMed, Nucleotide,
  Protein, OMIM)
• ToxNet (PubMed)

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Hands-On Practice (pt. 2)
Practice

• Use the loprov filter to limit a PubMed search to
  the holdings of the library used in Exercise 2.
• Apply the librarys icon to free full-text
  citations.
• Use the Free Full Text filter to limit a search
  to free full text.

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Hands-On Practice (pt. 5)
Practice

• Go to the list of nonbibliographic providers,
  choose some for PubMed, click on link, see
  results.
• Do a PubMed search, view LinkOut display,
  identify the contents.