Library Services

Library services for alumni: help us spread the word

As we end another academic year, the UT Health Science Center librarians and staff want to congratulate the new graduates and to wish them good luck in their future endeavors. We also want to remind everyone that Health Science Center alumni may continue to use many library resources after graduation.

Alumni must register in person at the Briscoe Library Circulation Desk or at the Ramirez or Laredo Regional Campus Libraries. There is no cost to register but registration must be renewed annually.  Alumni may check out up to three items at a time, generally for up to two weeks, and items may be renewed online up to two times.

Due to licensing agreements and contracts, remote or off-campus access to electronic resources is available only to currently employed faculty and staff, and currently enrolled students. Alumni with professional hospital affiliations should contact their hospital librarians, systems or education staff for details on access to databases, journals or books for staff use.

On-site access to Health Science Center library databases and to print and online resources is available to all. Free computers are provided in the libraries for access to the Internet and other electronic resources for health-related research.  Alumni receive a Patron ID to use library computers and can add unlimited minutes per day to their Patron account.

The Libraries offer reference services and classes at no charge. Fee-based literature search services by our expert librarians may be requested, and practicing health professionals in South Texas may request articles for a fee through the ILLiad system.

For more information about services to Health Science Center Alumni, contact us at AskaLibrarian@uthscsa.edu.

Jonquil D. Feldman
Director of Briscoe Library Services

Briscoe Library Information Commons

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Making way for improvements at the Briscoe Library

Shifting books on the 4th floor of the Briscoe Library

Members of the library staff have been shifting books and print journals on the 4th floor of the Briscoe Library to make room for all of the books that remain on the 5th floor.

Faculty and staff of the newly constructed Office of Undergraduate Medical Education moved into their new offices on the 5th floor of the Briscoe Library in May.  Further changes are planned for this floor in order to provide improved study and collaboration spaces for students.

In the very near future, new carpeting and ceiling fixtures will be installed  on the 5th floor and all furniture on the floor will be replaced with new and updated furniture.  Group study rooms will be equipped with Mediascape tables and flat screen monitors to support collaborative work.  New study carrels, lounge seating, and study booths will also be added to update and improve the study environment.

In order to make as much room as possible for the new 5th floor study area, library staff have been busy in June consolidating the book and journal collection on the 4th floor, so that the few remaining books on the 5th floor can be moved to the 4th floor.  In addition to added space for study furniture, the book move will result in the circulating collection of print books and journals all being housed on one floor of the library.

Stay tuned for more details on the progress of this project in the coming months.

Rajia Tobia, Executive Director of Libraries

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New Information Services hours at the Briscoe Library

Librarians are available to provide assistance with reference questions, with the library’s print and electronic collections, and with one-on-one assistance in searching databases and bibliographic management programs such as EndNote and RefWorks.

At the Briscoe Library, librarians are now on-call Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. During these hours, we can be reached in person, by telephone at 210-567-2450, through email at AskaLibrarian@uthscsa.edu or via Instant Messaging.

Consultation appointments are also available for your in-depth questions.  We look forward to assisting you with your information needs.

Jonquil Feldman

Director of Briscoe Library and Outreach Services
 
 
 

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P. I. Nixon Medical Historical Library and University Archives closed for appraisal

Interior photograph of the Nixon LibraryThe P. I. Nixon Medical Historical Library and the University Archives will be closed to the public and university personnel on March 7 and March 8 from 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.    The Howe Conference Room, which houses part of the rare books collection, will also be closed during that time.

The university’s collection of rare books will be appraised during those two days.  Anyone needing to view rare books or archival items should schedule a different date to do so.  Please contact the Special Collections staff at 210-567-2428 (Anne Comeaux, Assistant Director for Special Collections) or 210-567-2470 (Mellisa DeThorne, Archival Assistant) with any questions.

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Redesigned library website debuts over the holidays

The UT Health Science Center Libraries debuted a redesigned website over the holidays.  The new website went live on Sunday, December 25, 2011.  The new website incorporates a number of ideas developed through usability testing with students, faculty and staff:

  • A new Library Search box is featured in the center of the Libraries’ main webpage.  One tab in that search box allows you to perform a library catalog keyword search from the home page; another will allow you to enter a PubMed Identifier (PMID) for an article to immediately check for online access to that article.  Other tabs allow you to search the database list, e journal list, or e-book list by title.
  • “Resources For…” is a new set of portal pages designed for the unique needs of main groups of library users: custom collections of resources for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the community.
  • The “I Need To…” pages are guides to some of the most common tasks that library users need to perform: researching a topic, finding a specific article or book, finding study space or using computers, and more.

That is  just the beginning — we have incorporated many improvements throughout this new website and hope it will meet the needs of our campus community.  You can still find a link to each of the UT Health Science Center Libraries – Briscoe, Ramirez, Laredo, P.I. Nixon Medical Historical, and the Jesse H. Jones at TRP — on the new home page.  We are eager to hear your feedback and suggestions so we can continue to develop and improve our website going forward.  Let us know what you think!  Comments can be sent to AskALibrarian@uthscsa.edu.

Luke Rosenberger, Director for Library Technology and Historical Collections

 

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The Laredo Regional Campus Library will have new hours beginning September 1

Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday: closed

Sunday: closed

 

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Updates to off-campus access and ILLiad logins

Starting Monday, June 11th the library website will offer a simpler, consolidated login page to access electronic resources from off-campus as well as to place an interlibrary loan request through the ILLiad system.  The changes are being made to simplify and improve one of the most frequently used pages on the library’s website.

UT Health Science Center faculty, staff and students will select the first option and be instructed to use their Health Science Center domain authentication (email username/password). This change will eliminate the need to remember another username/password.  It will also allow requests for interlibrary loan of articles and books to be processed immediately without the previous wait of 24 hours for registration processing.

The second option (Clinical Faculty & All Other Users) is only for users who do not have a Health Science Center domain account.  Users must first register with the library in order to use this login method.  Login using this method uses your library ID and corresponding PIN.  For all clinical and adjunct faculty members the library ID will be your HSC badge number.

This update to the library logins saves UT Health Science Center faculty, staff and students from creating a separate library account to access materials from off campus or to login to our interlibrary loan service, ILLiad.  Please note that all users will still need to be registered with the library to check out materials.

If you have any questions about the upcoming changes, please feel free to contact Eric Willman, Systems Librarian: willman@uthscsa.edu.

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Welcome from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Libraries

Briscoe Library

Briscoe Library

Librarians and library staff would like to welcome new and returning students, faculty and staff.  Here is some information about the libraries, collections and services:

  • The Libraries consist of the Dolph Briscoe Jr. Library at the Long Campus in San Antonio, the Mario E. Ramirez, M.D. Library at the Regional Academic Health Center in Harlingen, the Regional Campus Library in Laredo, and an unstaffed library at the Texas Research Park outside San Antonio. The Library Home Page can be found at www.library.uthscsa.edu. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
  • The Briscoe Library is open until 2:00 a.m. on weeknights during the regular school year, from September to May. Summer and holiday hours vary. The 2nd floor of the Briscoe Library is available for 24 hour study. Branch libraries can be accessed with a UT Health Science Center ID card on an extended schedule when those libraries are not staffed. Full details on library hours, policies and contact information are provided here.
  • We have an extensive print and online collection of health sciences books and journals.  Over 95% of our journals are available online. Electronic Course Reserves are accessed through the University’s Blackboard system.
  • Library services include circulation, reference and research assistance, instruction in use of databases and other resources, interlibrary loan, community outreach, help with using library printers, copiers and scanners, and support for using resources for mobile devices. See the Get Help page for details.
  • Registration: You must be registered to check out library items. Students and Clinical or Adjunct Faculty must renew their library registration annually using the Borrower Registration or Renewal Form.
  • Off campus access to our online collections requires logging in with a UTHSCSA domain account or, for Clinical or Adjunct Faculty, a Library ID and PIN that are set up during registration.
  • UT Health Science Center computer users at all libraries must log on using their UTHSCSA domain account; we also provide guest computers for use by patients, families and others doing research. Please read our Computer Use Policy.
  • We strive to make the library a welcoming place to study.  We have a variety of study areas including open seating; individual study rooms, which are first come first served; and group study rooms, which may be reserved for two or more UT Health Science Center affiliates. Wireless access is available throughout the Briscoe Library and branch libraries. We provide electrical outlets and data lines wherever possible.  Food and covered drinks are permitted in the libraries. More information can be found on our web page on Library Policies.

We look forward to seeing you, and hope you will feel free to ask questions and provide feedback on our services, collections and space.

Jonquil Feldman

Director of Briscoe Library and Outreach Services

feldman@uthscsa.edu

 

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Welcome from the UT Health Science Center Libraries

Librarians and library staff would like to welcome new and returning students, residents, fellows, faculty and staff. Here are some things you need to know about using the libraries in San Antonio (Briscoe Library and Texas Research Park), Harlingen (Ramirez Library) and the Laredo Regional Campus library:

  • The website for The Libraries provides links to the catalog, databases, classes, services, hours of operation, policies and contact information for each library (http://library.uthscsa.edu/ ). You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Faculty, staff and students must register to check out or renew materials, or to use services by submitting the Borrower Registration or Renewal Form (http://www.library.uthscsa.edu/using/borrower.pdf).  Students and house staff must renew their library registration annually. 
  • We have an extensive print and online collection of books and journals.  Library services include circulation and reserves, reference and research assistance, instruction in use of databases and bibliographic management software, expert database searches and consultations, interlibrary loan, community outreach, help with using library printers, copiers and scanners, and support for using resources for mobile devices.
  • Librarians offer classes on a wide range of topics designed to enable efficient use of research tools and to promote evidence-based practice. A list of regularly scheduled classes is available online.  Classes are also offered by arrangement with faculty or university departments (http://library.uthscsa.edu/gethelp/classes.cfm ).
  • More than 100 computers are available in the Briscoe Library on the Long Campus, including 25 in the library computer classroom on the 2nd floor. Branch libraries are also equipped with computers.  UT Health Science Center computer users at the Briscoe Library log on using their UTHSCSA domain account; non-HSC guests obtain a login code from the Circulation staff and are limited to one hour per day. Please read our Computer Use Policy (http://www.library.uthscsa.edu/about/computeruse.cfm).
  • Librarians and library staff strive to make the library a welcoming place to study.  Food and covered drinks are permitted in all libraries. Wireless laptop use is available throughout all the libraries, and we provide electrical outlets and data lines wherever possible.  A variety of study areas are available, including open seating, individual study rooms that are first come first served, and group study rooms, which may be reserved for two or more UT Health Science Center affiliates. At the Briscoe Library, room reservations are made at the Circulation Desk, by email at AskaLibrarian@uthscsa.edu or by phone at (210) 567-2440. Study room reservations must include the names of two persons who will use the room.  Contact the branch libraries to make reservations at those locations.
  • Classrooms on the 2nd floor of the Briscoe Library building are available for after-hours study.

Librarians and library staff look forward to seeing you at one of the UT Health Science Center Libraries or in your classroom or office.  We encourage you to ask questions and provide feedback on our services, collection and space. 

Jonquil Feldman

Director of Briscoe Library Services

 

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Welcome new residents!

The UT Health Science Center Libraries’ staff welcomes new residents to our campuses.  As current affiliated members of the Health Science Center community,  residents have access to e-journals, e-books, and databases as well as access to materials located at  San Antonio, Harlingen and Laredo branches.

Screenshot of new off campus log in systemOnline access to e-journals, e-books, and databases begins from the moment you have an active UTHSCSA Domain Account.  After clicking on library website links, click the “Current Faculty, Staff, & Students” choice to login.  This same login/password used for UT Health Science Center computers, Blackboard, and Inside.UTHSCSA is used for online access to library materials and for requesting interlibrary loans (ILL).

The first time you visit the library to check out a book, library staff will ask you to complete a brief form to set up your in-library account.

Regular classes, including EndNote, RefWorks, PubMed, and Ovid Medline, are offered at the Libraries and are open to everyone.  In the event our regular classes conflict with your schedule, call or email to request a consultation with a librarian.  With advance notice, we can accommodate most requests for personal assistance.  You are also welcome to request special classes for groups or departments.  View the Library Events Calendar for upcoming classes: http://library.uthscsa.edu/events/.

In addition to classes and consultations, librarians are available at the Briscoe Library Monday-Friday from 9:00 am-5:00 pm for your immediate information needs.  While the Briscoe Library does not have a traditional reference desk, reference and information services are available in-person, via email – askalibrarian@uthscsa.edu, telephone – 210-567-2450, and instant message http://library.uthscsa.edu/2011/10/get-help/.

Good links to bookmark:

Again, welcome!  If you have questions about our services or resources, let us know.

Katie Prentice

Head of Education and Information Services

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