In January we changed the default search scope for Health Information @ Himmelfarb, the library catalog, to automatically include print materials at other Washington Research Library Consortium Libraries. Including this content can improve your search results when searching for books and topics beyond clinical medicine. Print materials can be borrowed for free from the other consortium libraries and delivered to Himmelfarb or the VSTC Library though the Consortium Loan Service. You can read more about the change in our previous Library News article.
The change is temporary as we gather feedback about it from users. You can provide your feedback to us through the form that is linked at the top of Health Information @ Himmelfarb or directly here.
We are particularly interested in your satisfaction with search results using the new default scope. If you report issues with other functions through the form we will reach out to you to find a resolution if you supply your email, or you can get immediate help during business hours using our chat service.
In addition to feedback form input, we plan to hold a focus group for more insights into how you use Health Information @ Himmelfarb and the impact of the scope change. If you would be willing to participate in a focus group, respond on the feedback form and be sure to include your email address. Participants will be entered into a raffle for a $10 Starbucks gift card.
Earlier this week we launched a change to Health Information @ Himmelfarb, the library catalog. The default search scope is now “Articles + GW & Consortium Catalog”. This includes physical materials, primarily print books, from other academic libraries in the Washington Research Library Consortium (including Gelman and other GW Libraries) as well as Himmelfarb’s content (books, journal articles, videos, and more) in your search results.
There are many instances when including this content will improve your search results. Searches for books and topics beyond clinical medicine will frequently be enhanced by inclusion of the holdings of these libraries. The consortium content will be included in your search results automatically now. You’ll be able to see where items retrieved are available when you click through to the full record from search results:
The Consortium Loan Service (CLS) allows you to request these items and have them delivered directly to Himmelfarb Library or the VSTC Library. You will see the option for the CLS Request form when you are signed into Health Information @ Himmelfarb with your GW UserID. Items borrowed on CLS typically arrive within a week of request. There are no charges or limits on how many CLS requests you can make.
If you prefer to use the original default search scope which includes Himmelfarb collections and subscription content only, you can still find it by clicking the down arrow in the search box and selecting the Articles + Himmelfarb Catalog scope.
The change in default search scopes will continue through the Spring 2024 semester and then we will assess whether to make it permanent or revert back. Please provide feedback on the change by clicking on the link in the banner at the top of Health Information @ Himmelfarb pages.
Your feedback will help us make the decision that is most helpful to you, our users. GW SMHS, SON and SPH students, faculty and staff who would be willing to participate in a brief focus group about the change can include contact information in the feedback form and will be entered in a raffle for Starbucks $10 gift cards.
While using the Himmelfarb Library, you may have come across terms like ILL and CLS. The acronyms may seem confusing at first, which is why we are happy to take the time to share more about what these two library services can offer you.
Consortium Loan Service (CLS)
Consortium Loan Service, or CLS for short, is a free service that allows our users to request books that are available within the Washington Research Library Consortium (WRLC). At Himmelfarb, we can borrow items from WRLC libraries, such as American University, or Georgetown, on behalf of our users and have them delivered to Himmelfarb. CLS books are usually delivered within 2-3 business days.
How do I place a CLS request?
Search for the book you are looking for in the Himmelfarb catalog advanced search. Make sure that Articles + GW & Consortium Catalog is selected.
Under “How to get it” click Sign In and use your GW Net ID & password to log in.
Under “How to get it” click “Consortium Loan Service Request”
Specify where you would like to pick the book up: Himmelfarb Library or the GW VSTC Library.
For additional information about CLS, please visit our CLS lib guide.
Interlibrary Loan (ILL)
If you are looking for an article or book that is not available in our catalog or through CLS, Interlibrary Loan (ILL), is a fantastic option. Through our ILL service, we can request books and articles from libraries across the country. Articles normally take around 24-72 hours to be delivered. Books may take longer depending on how far away the lending library is from GW. For detailed information about our ILL service, check out our Interlibrary Loan and Documents2Go guide.
Log in using your GW Net ID & password; make sure to leave out the ‘@gwu.edu/@gwmail.gwu.edu’ part of your net ID.
Selectthe “New Request” in the menu.
Select the type of resource you want to request: article, book, or book chapter
Provide as much detail help us identify the exact resource you need’ Include the journal title, article title, page number, volume, or year, and author.
Click ‘Submit Request’ when you are ready to place your request.
Once you’ve placed your request, we will do our best to find the resource from another library and as soon as we receive a PDF of the requested article or book chapter, you will receive an email notification informing you that you can access your article through your Documents2Go portal. Keep in mind that these articles disappear after 30 days on your account, so download them if you want permanent access to the material!
If the item you requested is a physical book, you will receive a notification informing you that the item is available for pick up at the Himmelfarb Circulation Desk or the VSTC Library depending on your requested designation. If you would like to learn more about these services, you can check out our research guide or contact mlbdoc@gwu.edu.
July 26, 2023, marks the 33rd anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990, the ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against disabled persons and helps ensure that disabled people have the same rights and opportunities as the general public (ADA National Network, 2023). The ADA guarantees equal opportunity for disabled individuals in “public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications” (ADA National Network, 2023).
Being Heumann: An Unrepentant Memoir of a Disability Rights Activist by Judith Heumann: This is the memoir of one of the most influential disability rights activists in US history and tells of Judith Heumann’s lifelong battle to achieve respect, acceptance, and inclusion in society. This book is available through Himmelfarb’s Consortium Loan Service (CLS).
Sitting Pretty: The View from My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body by Rebekah Taussig: Written by disability advocate Rebekah Taussig, this essay collection is based on a lifetime of experiences in a paralyzed body and discusses the themes of identity, accessibility, bodies, and representation. You can request this title through CLS.
We’d like to welcome everyone joining the SMHS, GW Nursing and GWSPH communities this month! Himmelfarb Library has a wealth of resources and services to meet your patient care, education, and research needs and you don’t need to visit the building to take advantage of most of what we offer. Our electronic collections are available 24/7 from anywhere, on campus or off campus when using VPN or web authentication services.
Himmelfarb Resources and Collections
Himmelfarb has 125 databases to search, including PubMed, Scopus, and our library discovery service Health Information @ Himmelfarb. Health Information @ Himmelfarb enables users to search physical and electronic books, journals, articles, dissertations, and more from one search box.
To browse and access our collection of e-journals we recommend using BrowZine. BrowZine can be accessed on a browser or you can download the app to your IOS or Android device. You can assemble a personalized bookshelf of journal titles, follow your favorite journals, and be alerted to new issues with a table of contents.
We also recommend installing LibKey Nomad on your favorite browser for easy access to full-text when searching PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO databases, Google Scholar, Amazon, publisher sites, and more. Nomad will alert you to the full-text availability of articles and e-books from Himmelfarb and in many cases deliver a PDF with one click.
If we don’t have what you need, we can get it for you through the Consortium Loan Service or Documents2Go. Consortium Loan Service provides free loans of materials from most of the academic libraries in the DC metro area. Documents2Go provides scanned article and chapter copies or physical book loans with up to 30 free requests for Himmelfarb users a year.
Clinical Tools and Applications
For those providing patient care, Himmelfarb has specialized apps and information services to support you. DynaMed, Lexicomp, and others are available to be downloaded as apps for easy access from your device. Check our App Shelf to browse for tools.
For residents specifically, we offer NEJM Resident 360. This resource contains interactive cases, videos, rotation prep materials, clinical pearls, morning reports, and more! To learn more about NEJM Resident 360 and our many resources for residents, check out our Residents and Fellows Research Guide.
For most of the academic year, the Himmelfarb Library facility is open 24/7. We will be observing shorter hours during the month of July - but will still be open nightly until midnight. Note that from June 12 to July 26, 2023 entry to both Himmelfarb Library and Ross Hall will be through the Himmelfarb courtyard entrance doors from 7pm to 7am Monday through Friday and on weekends. You need your GWorld badge to enter the library. There is space for quiet conversation and group work on the first floor and quieter spaces for study on the second floor. Reserve our study rooms in advance.
Can’t come to the library? Our librarians can assist you via chat or phone (202-994-2850) during business hours or email us anytime at himmelfarb@gwu.edu. We look forward to seeing you in the library or assisting you remotely!
While we’re currently scrambling to study for finals, wrap up projects, and prepare for celebrations, soon there will be time to relax and kick back with a good book. Most of Himmelfarb’s collections are not your typical leisure reading, but you will find exceptions in a few of our special collections. The Humanities and Health collection, located in the nook on the first floor, has a variety of popular fiction and nonfiction books with a tie in to health topics or health providers. All of these books check out for a three week period with two possible renewals.
All Boys Aren’t Blue: a memoir manifesto by George Johnson, 2020: A collection of essays by an LGBTQIA activist, recounting what it was like to grow up as a Black queer young man. It addresses gender identity, bullying, toxic masculinity and consent and has been a frequent target of recent book banning efforts.
Consumptive Chic: a history of beauty, fashion and disease, by Carolyn A. Day, 2017: In the early 19th century it became trendy to have tuberculosis, or at least look like it. An emaciated body and flushed complexion was the height of fashion. The book examines how fashion practices of the time may have made women more susceptible to the disease and recounts the history of the tuberculosis epidemic in Europe which caused 25% of deaths at its peak.
In Shock: my journey from death to recovery and the redemptive power of hope by Rana Awdish, 2017: Awdish is a critical care physician who found the tables turned on her when a severe hemorrhage caused her to lose her baby and put her close to death. After multiple hospitalizations, Awdish recognized how current medical practice puts physicians at an emotional distance from their patients and makes recommendations for taking down the barriers.
The Jump Artist by Austin Ratner, 2009: Philippe Halsman became famous for his photos of celebrities leaping into the air and collaborations with Salvador Dali. This book focuses on his conviction and imprisonment for the murder of his father in 1920’s Austria where anti-Semitism was on the rise. Halsman was pardoned after leading Jewish intellectuals of the time lobbied for his release.
My Own Country by Abraham Verghese, 1994: Best known for Cutting for Stone, this memoir is about Verghese’s experience as a young infectious disease specialist working in a small Appalachian town in Tennessee at the beginning of the AIDS crisis. Verghese relates the prejudice he encounters, as well as the care and compassion, in meeting the clinical and emotional needs of his patients.
Patient H.M.: a story of memory, madness and family secrets by Luke Dittrich, 2016: The victim of a botched lobotomy, Patient H.M. lost the ability to form long term memory. He became the most studied neuroscience patient, teaching scientists much of what is known about memory today. The book was written by the grandson of H.M.’s surgeon, who confronts his family history and the ethics of early neurosurgical procedures. Winner of the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award.
Ship Fever and other stories by Andrea Barret, 1996: Winner of the National Book Award, the volume includes a novella and several short stories involving science and medicine set in past and present. Mendel and Linnaeus are subjects, as well as relationships between scientists in the field.
The Strange Case of the Broad Street Pump by Sandra Hempell, 2007: In 1830’s London a doctor uses unconventional methods to trace the spread of a cholera epidemic and make the connection to drinking water. The book which reads like a mystery includes details of life in Victorian England and the emergence of public health practices.
Is there a title on your leisure reading list that isn’t in our collection? You can check to see if it’s available from another academic library in DC and request a consortium loan. To search consortium library collections, use the Articles + GW & Consortium Catalog scope in Health Information @ Himmelfarb as shown below.
If another library has it, sign in to use the Consortium Loan Service request form to request borrowing and delivery to Himmelfarb Library. This quick tutorial video shows you how to make a request.
You can also check our Take a Book, Leave a Book Shelf (our free little library) for popular non-health sciences related books.
We wish all of our patrons a safe and relaxing winter break!
The Library Search Box, also known as Health Information @ Himmelfarb, searches the library’s physical and electronic collections simultaneously. It can also search the holdings of GW’s Gelman Library and Jacob Burns Law Library, and all the libraries in the Washington Research Library Consortium! Here are some tips for getting the most out of your search experience.
Refine Your Results
Health Information @ Himmelfarb searches millions of records and searches frequently return very large results sets. The service uses relevancy ranking to bring the best content to the top of results. You can use Refine Results to further narrow the results group to the best matches for your search. Refine options are listed on the left side of the results page.
You can refine by date, content type, subject or availability. Under Availability there are filters for open access and peer reviewed content.
Conversely, you can widen your search to include items outside of Himmelfarb’s collections by using the Expand My Results option at the top of Refine Results.
The Search Box Can Fetch!
Want to quickly retrieve an item with just one or a few pieces of information? Use the Find Item Citation Linker. Select Find Item from the top menu, select your item type (Article, Book or Journal) and input as many pieces of information as you know. If you have a PMID, DOI, or ISBN, that’s all you need.
Use Shortcuts to Full-text
Records for journal articles in the results list frequently include links to Download PDF or View Issue Contents.
These links use the LibKey service to provide shortcuts directly to full-text or to view the full journal issue in Browzine. To learn about other Browzine features, check our Research Guide. LibKey offers a browser extension called Nomad to get to full text faster in PubMed, CINAHL Complete, and Scopus. See this article for more on how to download and use Nomad.
Search and Request Items from Other Libraries
Use the drop down menu next to the magnifying glass on the search box to change the content from just Himmelfarb resources to content from the Washington Research Library Consortium. This will include content from the other GW libraries.
Once you find your item, you can request it from another library in the consortium by signing in with your GW User ID.
Then select the Consortium Loan Service Request.
Your email and the book data should automatically populate the form. Select your pickup library (Himmelfarb or Virginia Science and Technology Campus Library) and indicate if there is a date you no longer need the item after. You will receive an email notice when the item is available for pickup.
Whether you’re a new Himmelfarb Library user, or have been using the library for years, chances are there are things you don’t know about us. We’d like to take this opportunity to help you get to know us, or get reacquainted with us and all that we have to offer!
Getting Help is Easy! Just Ask Us!
Whether you need help finding a specific full-text article, identifying a resource for your research, formatting a citation, or have a more in-depth question about conducting a literature review, a systematic review or managing your data, our reference librarians have the knowledge and know-how to help! Stop by our reference desk, chat with us using the “Ask Us” button on our website, call us (202-994-2850), email us (himmelfarb@gwu.edu), or text us (202-601-3525) for help. We look forward to answering your questions, large or small!
Our Collections
Himmelfarb has extensive collections that include 125+ databases, 6,700+ ebooks, and 6,500+ electronic journals that are available 24/7 from on and off-campus! We also have thousands of print books in our basement level stacks that are available for check out. Most books can be borrowed for three weeks. But don’t worry - if you need more time, you can renew most items twice by stopping by or calling our Circulation Desk (202-994-2962), or logging into your library account.
Remember that masking is still required in the library in accordance with GW’s current mask protocols. Please wear a mask while spending time in Himmelfarb for your own safety, and for the safety of those around you. Hand sanitizer is also available throughout Himmelfarb.
Himmelfarb Tour
Take a quick virtual tour of Himmelfarb to help you get acquainted with our space!
Study Rooms & IT Support
We have plenty of study rooms available on our second and third floors. Study rooms must be reserved and can be booked up to seven days in advance. The SMHS Technology Support Center is located on the third floor in the Bloedorn AV Study Center for all of your IT support needs.
Technology Resources
Himmelfarb’s Bloedorn Technology Center, located on our third floor, offers statistical software, including SPSS, Stata, SAS, NVivo, MATLAB, and Atlas.ti on select computers. We also have equipment such as digital camcorders and digital voice recorders for loan to support curricular development and activities, but these items must be reserved in advance.
All of Himmelfarb’s electronic resources are available 24/7 from anywhere! Just login with your GW UserID and password, or via the GW VPN. If you have trouble accessing any of our resources, reach out to us (himmelfarb@gwu.edu) so we can help troubleshoot, resolve issues and restore access as soon as possible.
Services and Support
Instruction:
We have services to help faculty and instructors use and connect Himmelfarb’s resources in the classroom. Our Durable Links Service will check, fix, or create new links to our resources that work from both on and off campus so your students will be able to access materials from anywhere. Our Course Reserves service provides access to electronic, print, and streaming course materials. Do you use a book in a course that Himmelfarb doesn’t currently own? Contact Acquisitions Librarian, Ian Roberts, and we will consider purchasing items for use in your courses.
Research Support:
Whether you are a faculty member, researcher, or student, Himmelfarb can help you be successful in your research! Are you working on your Culminating Experience project? Himmelfarb librarians provide individual consultations to help get your project started - and keep it going.
Are you working on a systematic review and could use some support? Check out our Systematic Reviews Guide for in-depth information on the process. Himmelfarb also provides access to Covidence, an online tool that streamlines parts of the systematic review process such as screening references, and creating and populating data extraction forms. You can also use our Systematic Review Service for additional librarian support!
Check out our tutorials for help with navigating databases, using specific software such as ArcGix, MATLAB, RefWorks, SPSS, or Camtasia, and for help with a wide array of research topics. Our Resources for Early Career Researchers Guide can help new researchers understand and navigate the research and publishing landscape. Check out our Scholarly Publishing Guide for information and resources related to publishing, researcher profiles, author rights, and measuring the impact of your research. Scholarly communications webinars and short tutorials are also available on this guide!
Himmelfarb Library Can Help!
Whether you are a student, faculty, or staff member, Himmelfarb Library has the resources and knowledge to help make your studies and research successful. From study space, extensive collections of resources, to expertise in systematic reviews and publishing, we have something for everyone!
As Spring semester draws to a close, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with tying up loose ends, completing long to-do lists, and meeting last minute deadlines. Himmelfarb Library can help ease the burden by providing study space and scholarly resources to help prepare you for end of semester exams and assignments, and resources and services to help you prepare for next semester. Here are some things to keep in mind as the end of Spring semester gets closer.
Returning Books
If you have books checked out, whether they are Himmelfarb Library books, Interlibrary Loan or Consortium Loan books, be sure to return these items to the Himmelfarb Circulation desk. Himmelfarb is open 24/7 so stop by and return your items when it’s most convenient for you.
Renewing Books
If you need to renew an item, there are three ways to do so:
Are you looking for a quiet place to study? Or do you need a group study space? Himmelfarb has options for both! If you are looking for a quiet place to study, the 2nd and 3rd floors (with the exception of Bloedorn Technology Center) of the library are reserved for quiet study. Both of these floors are designated quiet zones. If you don’t mind noise while you study, or want to study with other people, the first floor of the library is not a quiet floor and can be a good fit for these preferences.
Study rooms are also an option! Study rooms must be reserved, so be sure to make your reservations ahead of time. Most study rooms can accommodate up to four people and have large computer screens and white boards. White board markers and erasers are available for checkout at the first floor Circulation Desk.
Don’t forget that masks are still required inside Himmelfarb Library in compliance with GW’s indoor mask requirements!
Faculty End-of-Semester Items:
Embedded Librarian Service
Are you planning ahead for Summer or Fall semesters and would like to have a Himmelfarb Librarian embedded in your Blackboard course? Contact Tom Harrod (tph@gwu.edu) to make arrangements!
Course Materials
Are you thinking of adding new books, articles, or other materials to your upcoming courses? Let us know what materials you are considering using. We are happy to look into print or online access options! Contact Ian Roberts (imroberts@gwu.edu) for assistance. And don’t forget to submit your Course Reserves requests for Summer semester.
Library Outreach
If you have residents or students that are new to GW and are interested in scheduling a brief orientation to Himmelfarb Library, let us know! We are happy to meet with your group and provide an overview of all Himmelfarb has to offer and answer any questions you or your residents or students may have. Contact himmelfarb@gwu.edu for more information.
National Library Week (April 3 - 9, 2022) celebrates our nation's libraries and library workers' contributions, and promotes library use and support. This year’s theme is Connect With Your Library!
National Library Week was created by the American Library Association in 1958 to promote reading. Research in the mid 50’s documented the rising popularity of radio and television and librarians and book publishers feared they would displace books and reading as leisure activities. Today social media, gaming, streaming television and other electronic media are an even greater threat to reading. From 2003 to 2018, the average amount of time Americans spent reading for personal interest per day fell by six minutes, to less than 16 minutes per day (American Academy of Arts and Sciences). But there is also evidence that suggests the pandemic fueled a resurgence in reading. The American Time Use Survey by the Department of Labor found a 25% increase in reading among American adults in the second half of 2020. And Publisher’s Weekly reported an 8.9% rise in print book sales in 2021, with the biggest increases in fiction books, especially young adult fiction.
At Himmelfarb Library, the Consortium Loan Service supports the lending of books from any Washington Research Libraries Consortium (WRLC) library to our users for free. This opens a vast world of literature and non-fiction to all our library users. To search for books owned by all the WRLC libraries, use Health Information @ Himmelfarb and change the search scope to Articles + GW & Consortium as shown below.
Then search for any book title desired and if located at a WRLC library, you can place a Consortium Loan Service Request. CLS service usually delivers the item by courier to Himmelfarb Library in 2-5 days. You’ll be contacted when the book is available for pickup. You can view a brief instructional video on placing CLS requests on our YouTube channel.
Did you know that Himmelfarb has a Humanities and Health collection with novels and popular non-fiction titles? The collection is housed on the first floor in the nook area. Books have a 3 week checkout period and can be renewed up to two times. We’ve also recently introduced a free little library leave one/take one shelf in the same area.
Beyond CLS and our collections, we encourage our users to support the public libraries in their community. The DC region has many excellent public library systems and these days public libraries offer much more than just print books. You can loan books for your ereader with services like Overdrive or even get audio books! DC Public Libraries offers streaming audio services and Arlington County Public Libraries has a digital magazine service. Montgomery County Public Library’s Hoopla provides access to ebooks, audio books, TV, comics and more. Visit your local library’s website to find out about all the services being offered.
