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Category: Electronic Resource Access

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From all of us at Himmelfarb Library, we’d like to welcome all of the new residents, fellows, students, faculty, and staff who joined the GW SMHS, GWSPH, and GW Nursing community this month! We are thrilled that you’re here and we look forward to serving you during your time at GW! We know that the start of any new endeavor can be daunting, so we’d like to make it easier for you to get to know Himmelfarb Library.

To help you get the lay of the land, watch this short, video tour of the library with Himmelfarb’s Library Director, Laura Abate:

Himmelfarb Hours 

Our physical space, accessible through Ross Hall, is open the following hours:

Monday - Thursday: 7:30 am - Midnight

Friday: 7:30 am - 10:00 pm

Saturday: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm

Sunday: 8:00 am - Midnight

Our current hours of operation are available on our website and include exceptions to normal hours (i.e. holiday closures). If you can’t make it to the library in person, you can get help from our librarians and staff via chat or phone (202-994-2850), or email himmelfarb@gwu.edu. Our databases, journals, and e-books are available 24/7, so even when our building is closed, you can access our electronic resources from anywhere.

Himmelfarb Resources and Collections

Himmelfarb’s collection is much larger than just the books in our stacks. We have 125 databases to search, including PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL. The search bar towards the top of our library homepage, known as Health Information @ Himmelfarb, can be used to search for physical and electronic books, journals, articles, dissertations, and more all in just a single search box! 

You can also browse and access our collection of journals from our e-journals page, or by using BrowZine. You can use BrowZine directly from your internet browser, or download the app to your IOS or Android device. BrowZine allows you to create a personalized bookshelf of journal titles, follow your favorite journals, and create alerts for new issues and tables of contents.

Here’s another pro tip: installing the LibKey Nomad browser extension on your favorite browser will provide easy access to full text when searching PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO databases, Google Scholar, Amazon, publisher sites, and more. With LibKey Nomad, you’ll be alerted when the full-text articles and e-books are available from Himmelfarb, and be able to get the PDF with a single click in most cases.

We also provide a wide range of e-books from AccessMedicine, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, and R2 Digital Library. You can browse our e-book collections, view our special collections in Health Information @ Himmelfarb, or search for any book via the Health Information @ Himmelfarb search tool on our homepage. We also have print books on the basement level of Himmelfarb. Most print books can be borrowed for three weeks with an additional two renewals. If we don’t have a book or article that you need, we can get it for you through our Consortium Loan Service or Documents2Go services. 

Clinical Resources

Himmelfarb provides specialized apps and information services to support those of you who provide patient care. DynaMed and Lexidrug are our go-to resources for easy access to clinical care resources. If you want resources available on your smartphone or other mobile device, check out our App Shelf to download apps to selected resources. Learn more about resources available to residents on our Residents and Fellows Guide!

Research Support

Himmelfarb is more than just a physical space with lots of study space and great databases, journals, books, and e-books! Our librarians and staff can support you in your research by helping with literature searches, conducting systematic reviews, and organizing sources with RefWorks or Covidence. We can also help guide you through the constantly evolving scholarly publishing landscape through our author services. 

Get help with your research from our knowledgeable reference librarians and staff. Stop by our circulation desk to get your questions answered in person, or use our Ask a Librarian service to chat with a reference librarian virtually. Our Ask a Librarian service is staffed by real Himmelfarb librarians and staff so you can be sure you’re getting the help you need! We also have a wealth of research guides that can connect you with resources on a variety of topics. 

Connect with Us!

Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube for the latest Himmelfarb news and updates! Subscribe to our blog to make sure you never miss a post!

We look forward to serving you! Welcome to the GW community!

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Picture of a medical student of Asian decent taking a history from a patient with long, curly red hair.
Photo by EdTech Stanford University (CC BY-NC-ND-2.0 DEED license)

It’s officially clerkship season! Third-year medical students started clerkships during the past few weeks, so this is a great time to remind you that Himmelfarb Library has some great sources to help you get through clerkships!

A great place to start is our MS3 Clerkship Guide! This guide is packed with resources to help you during each of the six 3rd-year clerkships: medicine, OB/GYN, pediatrics, primary care, psychiatry, and surgery. Each clerkship tab includes:

  • Best Bets: The top 2-3 full-text resources for your searches
  • Key Textbooks: The best textbooks for education and study
  • Mobile/Handheld: Apps for your phone or tablet so you can access information 24/7
  • Recommended Resources: Additional sites and tools recommended by clerkship directors
  • Research Articles: Links to PubMed and MEDLINE
  • Shelf Prep Materials: Books and question banks to help you prepare for the shelf exam
  • Clerkship Contacts: Names and contact information for clerkship directors and clerkship coordinators.

You’ll also find information about the Electronic Health Record systems used at your clerkship sites.

Are you looking to find specific types of resources that you can count on during each clerkship? Check out the following list of resources!

Drug Information - Choosing the right medication, dosage, drug interactions, contraindications, and drug coverage:

  • LexiDrug (aka LexiComp): Clinical drug information with integrated access to multiple drug databases plus access to Trissel's IV Compatibility, drug interaction checker, drug I.D., patient education, calculators, and additional clinical tools. Includes access to adult, pediatric, and neonatal drug information, pharmacogenomics, lab tests and diagnostic procedures, toxicology, and drug allergy and idiosyncratic reactions.
  • NatMed Pro (aka Natural Medicines): Supports evidence-based alternative therapy decision-making including 1,400+ natural ingredient and alternative therapy monographs, and 185,000+ commercial products. Searchable by scientific, common, or brand name; includes interactive tools for safety, effectiveness, and interactions. 
  • ClinicalKey: Search the Drug Monographs section for drug and dosing information to guide treatment.
  • DynaMed Drugs A-Z: Click on Drugs A-Z or the Drug Interactions in the top menu. 
  • Epocrates+: Click on the Briefcase + Icon on the left side of the screen to find tools including Drugs, Interaction Check, Pill ID, etc.

Differential Diagnosis - Creating your Ddx using reputable sources:

  • DynaMed: When looking at a condition in DynaMed, there is a Differential Diagnosis area in the Diagnosis area (on the left side menu).
  • Epocrates+: Like DynaMed, there's a Differential Diagnosis area in the Diagnosis area on the left side menu.

Evidence-Based Guidelines - Finding current practice guidelines to drive your assessment and plan:

  • DynaMed: Check out the Guidelines & Resources area towards the bottom of the left-side menu.
  • Epocrates+: Check out the Guidelines area (under References) towards the bottom of the left-side menu.
  • PubMed: If you use Himmelfarb's link to PubMed, you can use our filters on the left side of the search results page to limit your results by Practice Guidelines.
  • ClinicalKey: Click on the "Guidelines" area to search for clinical guidelines from leading organizations.

As you move into your fourth-year clerkships, remember our MS4 Clerkship Guide! This guide has the same great information as the MS3 Clerkship Guide but is specific to anesthesiology, neuroscience, emergency medicine, and pediatric emergency medicine clerkships.

Access Note:

On Monday, May 20, 2024, Himmelfarb Library, in partnership with GW Libraries and Academic Innovation, changed the underlying system that provides access to our online collections (including ebooks, databases, and journals). We’ve worked hard to make this transition seamless with only minor changes. However, if you experience issues accessing any of the resources mentioned above, please let us know so we can fix the issue. To let us know about a problem with a resource, or if you have questions about access, reach out to himmelfarb@gwu.edu or Ask A Librarian. If you’d like to learn more about this change, read our recent blog post.

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Image of a peach background with white scrabble tiles spelling out the word "Login" in the center of the image.
Photo from Pexels by Miguel Á. Padriñán 

On Monday, May 20, 2024, Himmelfarb Library, in partnership with GW Libraries and Academic Innovation (GW LAI), will change the underlying system that provides access to our online collections including our ebooks, databases, and journals. This change will be seamless for most users as the new system (OpenAthens) uses the same GW Single Sign-On login method used by our current system (EZproxy).

Changes you can expect to see when accessing Himmelfarb’s e-resources include:

  • When accessing a subscription resource through the library, you may be prompted to log in with your GW UserID and password, even if you are on campus or connected to the VPN.
  • If you’ve recently logged in to another resource via GW’s Single Sign On, you may be able to access resources without logging in again.
  • Many publishers offer direct OpenAthens login from their resources by providing an interface that allows users to choose their institution and select a Single Sign On option for access (for example: JAMA’s OpenAthens access)

For GW faculty, instructional designers, and staff who maintain links to course materials in Blackboard and other course management systems, links that use the older EZproxy system will need to be updated. However, additional time is available to make this transition. 

Here are some key points to know:

  • EZproxy links continue to work and users will be forwarded directly to the linked resource.
  • Link forwarding will remain in place for one year to allow for time to update links to OpenAthens. 
  • Most Blackboard links will be updated automatically via a GW LAI project.
  • Links embedded in PDF documents will need to be updated manually.
  • Linking to Electronic Resources provides support for creating durable links:
    • A QuickTool that allows you to generate and test OpenAthens links.
    • Other methods for creating durable links to journal articles, books, streaming videos, etc.

For additional support related to access and durable linking, see the following resources:

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Himmelfarb Library provides the BrowZine journal reader to library users to help keep current and make browsing journal contents online easy. We are pleased to see an uptick in usage of BrowZine by library users this past year!

Infographic showing increased usage of BrowZine bookshelf, table of contents and full-text downloads for 2022-23

When searching Health Information @ Himmelfarb, the library catalog, you may have seen and used the links to View Issue Contents in catalog records:

Article search result screenshot with Download PDF and View Issue Contents options circled

These links direct users to BrowZine to view journal tables of contents and download full-text when available.

Screenshot of BrowZine table of contents for the journal Infants & Young Children

Library users can set up a BrowZine account and follow journals of interest to them by putting them on a BrowZine bookshelf. Whenever a new issue is published for a bookshelf journal, an email notifying of the new content is sent.

You can access BrowZine from a web browser or download the app for iOS or Android. When using the mobile app you can save articles to read offline later.   

Learn more about BrowZine in our Current Awareness Research Guide.

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Picture of a computer with a VPN sign-on page.

In case you have not heard, GW’s Cisco AnyConnect VPN will be retiring on August 8th. The university is transitioning to Palo Alto GlobalProtect. To access the new VPN from off-campus locations, you will need to download, install, and configure the Palo Alto GlobalProtect Client.

Depending on which device you have, you can set up the GlobalProtect Client by following the steps below. 

GW Managed Windows and macOS Devices

For GW Managed Devices, use Software Center on Windows or Self Service on macOS to install the Palo Alto GlobalProtect client. 

GW Managed or Personal iOS and Android Devices

For iOS (including iPads) and Android devices, the GlobalProtect Client is also available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

Personal Windows and macOS Devices

For personal devices, please follow these instructions:

  • Download the GlobalProtect VPN Client for your device from the GW IT Software website.
  • Locate the downloaded files and open/run the installer to begin the installation.
  • Follow the steps in the installation wizard to complete the installation.
  • For macOS 10.15.4 and Later: Select both the GlobalProtect and GlobalProtect System extensions options during installation.

GlobalProtect Portal Address: gwvpn.gwu.edu

go.gwu.edu/downloadvpn

Note: Installation of the GlobalProtect VPN Client will briefly interrupt your Internet connection. If you experience issues accessing the VPN, please report them via the VPN form.

  • Once installed, In the GlobalProtect Client menu, ensure the portal address, gwvpn.gwu.edu, is present. This should be pre-populated for GW Managed device installations.
  • Click Connect and follow the prompts to sign in using your UserID credentials for single sign-on (SSO) with two-step authentication.
  • After successful sign-in, the GlobalProtect Client will show a successful connection.

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact the GW IT department at ithelp@gwu.edu or 202-994-GWIT (4948). 

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Himmelfarb Library has an extensive collection of online books, journal articles, and multimedia materials. These resources can be accessed from both on- and off-campus locations. To ensure consistent access to e-resources from off-campus locations, a durable link may be required. Durable links provide consistent access to electronic journals, articles, books and other materials by ensuring that GW users are recognized and can access library collections. If you are a faculty member preparing for the start of a new semester, Himmelfarb Library’s Durable Link Service can assist you with embedding durable links into your syllabus and other course materials which will provide your students with reliable access to course materials. 

Durable links are URLs that directly connect users with Himmelfarb Library’s electronic resources. These links are reliable and allow faculty members to share resources with students and avoid copyright violations. 

There are four ways to create durable links:

  • Attach a proxy prefix
  • Use a permalink
  • Link by PMID, DOI, ISBN or ISSN
  • Link to databases

 You can attach a proxy prefix to a resource’s URL which will route the link through GW’s systems and authenticate users as needed. Himmelfarb’s proxy prefix quick tool will automatically generate a link with the required proxy prefix. The tool also allows you to test the link prior to adding it to your syllabus or Blackboard course so you are confident that the URL works. 

Himmelfarb’s catalog records have an option to create a permalink for a resource. Search for the resource in the catalog and select the ‘Permalink’ button under ‘Send to.’

This option will direct your students to the resource in the catalog where they can open the item’s full text. Databases such as EBSCO, Ovid and Proquest also have ‘Permalink’ features that can be given to students. 

If you have the PMID, DOI, ISBN or other unique identifier for a resource, you may use this to create a durable link. For example, if you have the DOI for a journal article, you may append it to http://himmelfarb.gwu.edu/doi/ to link directly to the article (e.g. http://himmelfarb.gwu.edu/doi/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2021.11.035). For more examples please see the ‘Link by PMID, DOI, ISBN or ISSN’ section on our Linking to Electronic Resources: Creating Durable Links guide. 

Last, you may link directly to databases. Visit the A-Z List: Databases page, search for the specific database and click the connected dots symbol to the right. A small window will open with a durable link which will connect users to the database’s homepage. 

If you have questions about durable links or if you would like assistance with creating links, Himmelfarb Library is here to help! Our Linking to Electronic Resources: Creating Durable Links guide provides examples and additional information about durable links. Additionally, library staff members will check for broken links, generate new links and embed them onto your syllabus or Blackboard course. Send your syllabus or question to himmelfarb@gwu.edu and a staff member will provide more information.

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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.

Himmelfarb provides a wide range of electronic book titles from Access Medicine, ClinicalKey, EBSCOhost, and R2 Digital Library. You can browse our e-book collections or view our special collections in Health Information @ Himmelfarb. We also have many print books! Our main book collection is on the basement level and most books can be borrowed for 3 weeks with up to 2 renewals.

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.

Research Support

Himmelfarb can support you in your research from helping with literature searches or systematic reviews to organizing sources with RefWorks or Covidence. We can even assist with your data management and sharing plan if you are applying for NIH funding. See our Resources for Early Career Research Guide if you’re just getting started with research. Our Scholarly Publishing tutorials are a great way to learn about all aspects of the scholarly publishing lifecycle at your own pace. For more seasoned researchers, we offer a Research Profile Audit Service to get the most out of the various profile services, like ORCiD and SciENcv.

24/7 Access

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!

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May 4. Network Outage

Update: Access has been restored as of 1:30 pm. You should be able to access Himmelfarb databases from off-campus through the usual browser-based login.

Due to a networking outage, users are currently unable to access Himmelfarb's e-resources from off-campus via web login. Please connect to the GW VPN to access our resources from off-campus. We apologize for any inconvenience.

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Graphic listing holiday hours. Same hours are listed in blog post.

Himmelfarb Library will be closed during the Thanksgiving Holiday. Our hours this week are as follows:

DateDayHours
November 23, 2022WednesdayClosing at 8:00pm
November 24, 2022ThursdayClosed
November 25, 2022FridayClosed
November 26, 2022Saturday9:00am - 8:00pm
November 27, 2022SundayOpening at 9:00am

We will resume normal 24/7 hours after re-opening on Sunday, November 27, 2022.

Even though our building is closed, our electronic resources (including our databases, e-books, and e-journals) are still available during this time. 

Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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Celebrate National Nurse Practitioner Week. Supporting GW Nurse Practitioner Studies. Top E-Books at Himmelfarb.

November 13-19, 2022 is National Nurse Practitioner Week! Himmelfarb Library is proud to support our nurse practitioner (NP) students and faculty by providing a glance at our top NP e-books!

  • Aesthetic Procedures: Nurse Practitioner’s Guide to Cosmetic Dermatology: This textbook offers guidance to both experienced and novice aesthetic NPs. It reviews skin structure and anatomy, facial structure aging, the effects of aging and environmental exposures, pharmacology of aesthetic medications, benefits of treatments, and more. This is a one-stop resource for in-depth learning about cosmetic dermatology!
  • Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review: This is a must-have resource if you are studying for the adult-gerontology primary care NP certification exam (AGNP exam). This concise, well-organized text includes updated information, review questions at the end of each chapter, full-color images, and four practice tests with hundreds of practice questions and rationales (800 questions in total). Get test-ready with targeted “need-to-know” details about diseases and classic presentations you’ll see in patients across the lifespan.
  • Family Nurse Practitioner Certification Intensive Review: This text synthesizes the complex knowledge you’ll need to pass the ANCC and AANPCB certification exams. New test-format questions that include photos of skin and eye conditions and EKGs are included alongside drag-and-drop and multiple-choice questions. Non-clinical topics that are part of the exam are also covered including research, ethics, legal issues, advanced practice law, health practices of various cultures, and reimbursement guidelines. More than 700 practice questions are included to help you prepare!
  • Nurse Practitioner’s Business and Legal Guide: This book explains and analyzes legal issues for relevant nurse practitioners. This edition includes documentation requirements for avoiding malpractice, new case studies on risk management, current state laws, regulatory developments and prosecutions of NPs, and case analyses and lessons from these cases. Additional topics covered include medical bio-ethics terminology, malpractice cases, emerging health policy issues, opioid and controlled drugs prescribing guidelines, clinical performance measures, and much more!
  • Guidelines for Nurse Practitioners in Ambulatory Obstetric Settings: This clinical reference is a comprehensive source for current, evidence-based guidelines for NPs. This text covers clinical topics and practice standards relevant to preconception, prenatal, and postpartum nursing care. Each topic is broken down by definition, etiology, history, physical exam, lab exam, differential diagnosis, treatment, complications, consultation/referral, and follow-up. 
  • The Doctor of Nursing Practice Project: A Framework for Success: This book provides a road map for DNP students to complete their DNP project effectively and efficiently. This text outlines how the project has been used to prepare clinical scholars for practice. This edition includes a newly added chapter on health policy that highlights DNP core competencies used in advocating for healthcare policy change. 

In addition to these high-use titles, Himmelfarb also has a Nurse Practitioners Guide that links to core research databases such as CINAHL Complete, ClinicalKey for Nursing, PubMed, and Scopus to help you research and find full-text resources. This research guide can also help our NP students and faculty identify resources relevant to physical examination, diagnosis, drug information, professional organizations, and evidence-based practice. The textbooks tab provides links to all required textbooks and includes links to additional recommended textbooks. 

Accessing these e-books from anywhere is easy! Check out our Off-Campus Access Guide for tips and instructions on how to access these books from off-campus. And remember - our reference staff is always available to help answer your questions about research or access to our resources!

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