Technical Notes - e1

Year-End Processing - e2

MeSH Coming Attractions - e3

Fees and New Format for Leasing NLM Databases in 2000 - e4

Scope Expands for PubMed and MEDLINE - e5

Data Changes Expected - e6

Hands On - e7

2000 Update Schedule for MEDLINE on PubMed and Internet Grateful Med [corrected 1999/11/16]

Introduction
NLM databases will be available for lease at no annual data charge for 2000, except for older MEDLINE data as stated below. Current licensees have been informed that NLM is changing to a new data creation and maintenance system as part of its widespread reinvention efforts. Until the transition is complete, data will be created and distributed in the old format using current media. The new format and new media will be phased in with the weekly updates to MEDLINE in the 2000 production year. Eventually more leased data will be distributed via ftp in the new XML (Extensible Markup Language) format. See the New Data Format announcement at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/licensee.html for more information.

Fees

1. MEDLINE:

   a. Current year (2000 production year) data will be available to existing and new licensees at no cost in the new XML-based format via ftp. In parallel, current year data will be available at no cost to existing licensees in the old format on current hard media (9-track tapes or 3480 tape-cartridges). The hard media will not be available to new licensees. Availability of the old format on hard media will cease after the 200007 Entry Month (EM) data are released at the end of May 2000.
   
   

   b. Older (non-current year) MEDLINE data will be distributed to new licensees in XML format, on DLT tapes, at no cost (available Spring 2000). The MEDLINE reload data will be distributed only to existing licensees in January in NLM's traditional ELHILL Unit Record Format on current hard media: 9-track tapes or 3480 tape-cartridges. As in the past, NLM will recover the costs associated with use of these media. The fee is dependent upon the amount of data leased. The 1999 fee structure, available at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/databases/license/price_sched.html [This link was removed because it is no longer valid.], applies for MEDLINE older data (through 1999) leased in 2000.
   
   

2. MEDLINE in-process records (also known as PREMEDLINE records) will be available for lease at no cost to MEDLINE licensees.
   
   
3. All other NLM leased databases will incur no annual fee.

Note: It is possible that AIDSTRIALS data will not be available in 2000 as a distinct NLM database. A new clinical trials database is in development and it will contain AIDSTRIALS data. At this time it is unlikely that NLM will continue to mount or lease the AIDSTRIALS data separately. It is not yet known when/if the forthcoming clinical trials database will be available for lease.

--prepared by Jane Rosov

MEDLARS Management Section

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