PubMed

My Search:

               I started out searching MeSH to get ideas on building my search. I find a term I like: ‘health education’. I start typing ‘public libraries’, but the search box suggests ‘public library’, so I use that term instead. I get 499 results, but as I scan through them, I don’t find any that seem relevant to my topic.

Then I see a box on the right side of the screen “Titles with your search terms”. Listed is an article that looks promising “Health Education in the Public Library”.

 I click on it and a new window opens. It seems like it is a good match until I see the date-October 1957. I want something a bit more recent. On the right, I see another useful box “Related Citations in PubMed”.

My Best Result:
  I select an article from 2004 ‘Helping the public ‘Discover Health’ in their local library. Providing health information in public libraries: A Partnership approach in Scotland.’

What I learned, Content:

This article discusses a program called ‘Discover Health’ which, an effort to bring health information to the public by putting informative leaflets in public libraries. The program also permitted patron access to the ‘People’s Network’ online. This program was successful in bringing health information to library patrons and resulted in an expansion to other locations.

What I learned, Searching:

               PubMed is a bit different from other databases users might be familiar with. The ‘extras’ on the sides of the search results page can be very useful. By making use of them, you might find something that fits what you are searching for, but might not have been returned in your original search.

Reflection:

               PubMed was different from the databases that I am used to searching and it took a couple of tries to get my search just right. I really liked what it offered. I’m not sure I would have found a good result-or one that I could understand!-if I hadn’t used the two boxes “Titles with your search terms” and “Related Citations in PubMed”. It made using PubMed easier and less confusing for me.

Resource:
Henry, E, L. Marley. "Helping the Public Discover Health in Their Local Library. Providing Health Information in Public Libraries: a Partnership Approach in Scotland." Health Information & Libraries Journal, no 1 vol 21 (2004) 27-32. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15186288.