Considering setting up electronic reserves to support faculty and students? There is a Electronic Reserves Clearinghouse (dated Aug 2003): [ http://www.mville.edu/administration/Staff/Jeff_Rosedale/ ] . Vendors, publishers, and copyright policies surrounding electronic reserves issues are linked here.

New Pew Internet report: Rural Americans’ Internet use has grown, but they continue to lag behind
others [ http://www.pewinternet.org/reports/toc.asp?Report=112 ]

Keeping up with search engine news? Try the Search Engine Lowdown blog [ http://www.searchenginelowdown.com/ ]. If you have other favorite sources of search engine information that could prove useful to others teaching users, please email them to thartman@unmc.edu .

Google now has access to more than 6 billion items. Story from BusinessWire [ http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20040217005529&newsLang=en ]

The National Library of Medicine's Division of Specialized Information Services (SIS) has introduced the "Review of PDA Applications in Toxicology and Environmental Health," [ http://sis.nlm.nih.gov/Tox/PDAReview/PDAHomePage.htm ] an ongoing descriptive review of selected PDA applications in the fields of toxicology and environmental health.
Individual reports in the review series are based on downloadable demo versions of selected PDA applications. Each review typically covers: General Information, Intended Users, Authorship/Data Source, Contents, Navigation, Requirements, Application Type/Price, Availability, Useful Web Links, and Updates when applicable.

URAC study finds problems with access to credible health information online, calls for more help for consumers [ http://www.urac.org/news_release.asp?navid=news&pagename=news_releases&id=1049 ]

Article of interest: Cochrane proposes further limits on commercial funding. BMJ 2004; 328:366 (14 February) Link to article [ http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/328/7436/366 ]

Article of interest: Information needs of residents during inpatient and outpatient rotations: identifying effective personal digital assistant applications.
Barrett JR, Strayer SM, Schubart JR. Proc AMIA Symp. 2003;:784 PMID 14728289

If you are planning a new library or renovation to your current facility, the National Library of Medicine has a great page of planning resources, links to building projects, and help/advice links. Library as Place Planning Resources [ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/programs/building/index.html ]

Check out new PubMed search filters article in the Jan/Feb 2004 NLM Technical Bulletin: Beta Test on Health Services Research (HSR) Filters for Searching PubMed [ http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/jf04/jf04_hsr.html ]

Article of interest posted by Cathy Jordon, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, on medlib today: Peterson MW. Medical students' use of information resources: is the digital
age dawning?
Academic Medicine 2004 Jan; 79(1): 89-95

Free online magazine of interest: eLearn Magazine-Education and Technology in Perspective [ http://www.elearnmag.org/ ] . There is a column listing Predictions for 2004 in the current issue.