Technical Notes - e1

Impact of the NLM ILS on CATLINE® /AVLINE® /SERLINE® - e2

CANCERLIT® and PDQ® To Be Removed from the NLM Databases - Available from NCI's Web Site - e3

Introducing Internet Grateful Med Version 2.6 [corrected 1998/11/24] - e4

NLM Online Training Program - 1999 - e5

Gold Standard Search - e6

Impact of the NLM ILS on CATLINE®/AVLINE®/SERLINE®

NLM has selected Endeavor Information Systems' Voyager as its new integrated library system (ILS) to support basic library functions including: acquisitions, serials control, cataloging, collection management, circulation, preservation, and binding. Voyager will also serve as the NLM Online Public Access Catalog (OPAC). In the ILS, the OPAC will provide the retrieval engine for online access to the Library's cataloging records for monographs, audiovisuals, and serials, replacing the existing online access services Locator®, CATLINE, AVLINE, and SERLINE.

The initial phase of the Voyager implementation will affect the AVLINE, CATLINE and SERLINE databases. These files are currently available free of charge via Locator from the NLM Web site http://locatorplus.gove and also on the ELHILL mainframe computer, where they are billed databases.

As NLM makes the transition to the ILS, there will be an impact on both online access and record distribution from these databases.

Impact on Online Access

• NLM will cease adding bibliographic records to CATLINE and AVLINE in late September 1998. Although the files will remain available online, these databases will be effectively frozen for approximately 3 months until they are replaced by the NLM OPAC when it becomes available on the Web. Users should be aware that the content of these databases will not be current during this period. (Note: All SDI searches in these files have already been discontinued).
  
  
• Year-end processing for the public AVLINE and CATLINE databases will take place in conjunction with regular year-end in December 1998. Changes to the files relate primarily to the transition to the 1999 MeSH vocabulary. No new bibliographic records will be added to these rebuilt files.
  
  
• SERLINE will continue to be available during this transition period. The last full update to SERLINE will occur at the end of September. Future updates to SERLINE will not update all bibliographic fields, and data in some fields will reflect changes in format. Users should be aware that the General Notes (GN) field will not be updated, nor will GN information be provided for new records.
  
  
• When the NLM OPAC becomes available on the Web, now planned for early 1999, CATLINE, AVLINE and SERLINE will no longer be available for public searching on ELHILL. Also, Locator access will be discontinued at that same time. All information currently accessed through Locator will be available from the ILS.

Impact on Data Distribution

• Distribution of SERLINE in ELHILL format to licensees will continue until a new system for distribution is developed in 1999. All licensees have been informed of this forthcoming change.
  
  
• Beginning in October 1998, NLM will stop distribution of AVLINE and CATLINE records in USMARC format for a period of 1-3 months or until it completes the programming necessary to provide this service in the ILS environment. All licensees have been alerted of this hiatus.
  
  
• In this interim period, however, NLM will continue to provide bibliographic records for biomedical cataloging-in-publication (CIP) titles to the Library of Congress as part of the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC) program. Such records will appear in OCLC and other bibliographic utilities, as distributed by the Library of Congress, but will not be represented in the NLM online files until the NLM OPAC becomes available on the Web.

NLM's new Online Public Access Catalog available through the ILS will provide improved and expanded search capabilities. For further information, see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about NLM's Upcoming Integrated Library System Fact Sheet available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/services/faqlp.html. In addition, there will be more information in the September-October NLM Technical Bulletin on the transition to the ILS and how it will impact other databases.

--prepared by Alice Jacobs and Dianne McCutcheon

Technical Services Division

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