One feature of the recently launched honni website is a web-based library membership renewal facility.  Instead of having to acquire, complete and post a hand written form to the library, you can now input your details into an online form and simply click Submit. Or, if you prefer, download a renewal form in Microsoft Word format which, after completion, you can attach and send by email.

We have also introduced a system of alerting members whose registration is due to expire.  This enables members to renew their registration before expiry to avoid any break in service.

The following Science Direct titles have been discontinued through Science Direct and as a result from 2009 the library will no longer have e-access to this title.  The e-access up to 2009 will be unaffected and will continue to be available.

• Operative Techniques in General Surgery
• International Journal of Surgery

The following titles have been transferred from Science Direct to another publisher and as a result will no longer be available.  This will include e-access prior to 2009 which will now disappear.

• European Journal of Heart Failure & Supplements (with effect from March 2009)
• Regional Anesthesia and pain medicine (with effect from Jan 2009)

The latest version of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version 5.0.1 [updated September 2008] is available electronically at http://www.cochrane-handbook.org/.  Print copies of the handbook are also available to borrow from the Medical library.

Free access to electronic content of the BMJ will be changing from January 2009. From this date free electronic access will not be available for the most recent three years. This change made by the publisher of the BMJ will unfortunately affect all honni users resulting in no e-access for the most recent three years. NB. The Medical and healthcare libraries have current print issues available for consultation.

Did you know that you can now access some books from the comfort of your own office? The library has recently started to develop a collection of e-books for health & social care staff that can be accessed via the honni website. You simply need to search the library catalogue and wherever an ‘e‘ appears beside the title of a book this indicates that the book is available electronically. Click on the button, enter your username and password and read the book online. Outlined below are some e-books that have recently been added to the library catalogue.

• Really managing health care, by Valerie Iles (2005)
• Doing a literature review in health and social care: a practical guide, by Helen Aveyard (2007)
• How to write a CV that works, by Paul McGee (2006)
• Write effectively: a quick course for busy health workers, by Tim Albert (2008)
• MCQs for the primary FRCA, (2008)
• Medical histories for the MRCP and final MB, by Iqbal Khan (2007)
• nMRCGP applied knowledge test study guide: sample questions and explanatory, by Aalia Khan (2008)

Articles can now be requested online from honni e-Lib. During your honni searches, if you come across an article for which no full-text is available, just select a ‘Document Delivery’ option to request a copy. The article details will automatically be completed in the online form and it is only necessary to click a button in order to place the request.

As before, you can still submit article requests via ‘Inter Loan Request’ on the Library Catalogue.

We have been hoping to introduce a new service enabling users to talk to library staff online. The plan was to have an instant messaging box called ‘honni live’ appear on honni, by means of which queries could be submitted to the library and answered in real time during the designated opening hours.

However, HSC Trusts have indicated that instant messaging carries a security risk and, despite negotiations aimed at finding an acceptable solution, there has as yet been progress. Consequently the idea of introducing an online talk service on honni has had to be shelved, at least for the time being.

Recent changes made to the method of authenticating to ProQuest appear to have resolved this problem.   If you still experience difficulty at any time please report it to med.info@qub.ac.uk.

Occasionally, when you try to search or connect to ProQuest Medical Library, you will find that you have actually connected to ABI/Inform.  Check the top left hand corner of the screen to see which database is listed.

This sometimes happens if someone else previously used the PC for access to ABI/Inform and did not close their browser when they had finished. We therefore advise all users who may need to access ProQuest resources to close any open browser sessions before logging on to the system.  Otherwise, if this problem is encountered, it will be necessary to log out of honni e-Lib, close the browser and start again. If, having done this, you are still unable to connect to the resource, please contact Medical Library Systems on 028 9063 2511, med.info@qub.ac.uk.

This problem can also arise when trying to connect to electronic journals provided by Proquest Medical Library, in which case, the advice above also applies.