Library Symposia (June 2-6, 2008)

Jump start your research and reading and make the most of your time at the IBC!

The National Reference Center for Bioethics Literature (NRCBL) is home to an unparalleled collection of bioethics literature. The reference staff of this library, the world’s oldest and largest of its kind, offer IBC participants a pre-conference seminar on bioethics resources and reference services designed to orient and introduce attendees to the collection and associated online bioethics databases, and to highlight resources available to them onsite and online.

The library’s holdings include – in addition to more than 250,000 books and articles – archival materials from federal bioethics commissions, videos and documentaries, course syllabi, and several special collections, such as the Kampelman Collection of Jewish Ethics and the Rose F. Kennedy Collection on Women, Infants, and Children. Almost 500 journal and newsletter titles are available.

The Proseminar’s three components cover a range of text and computer based resources, and incorporate hands-on experience and individualized instruction and
consultation.

• In the library, librarians offer an overview of the collection’s extensive and often unique holdings and share a targeted sample of new and classic materials useful for your research, writing, teaching, and clinical practice.
• In the computer lab, participants are: 1) introduced to the use of several free, web databases containing bioethics information (e.g., NRCBL's ETHXWeb database; U.S. National Library of Medicine's PubMed and Book Catalog databases, UNESCO's GEObs databases; and the German Reference Centre of Ethics in the Life Sciences' (DRZE) BELIT combined database); 2) trained in techniques to retrieve bioethics information from these databases, including crafting precise search strategies using the library’s unique numeric classification scheme; and 3) given the opportunity to try these search approaches online.
• Finally, a scheduled consultation with a reference librarian permits each participant to obtain individualized help in identifying resources for primary research interests based on a bibliographic search request submitted in advance of the course. Each attendee will receive an extensive searcher’s manual prepared by the staff: Bioethics Searcher's Guide to Online Information.

Three core symposia are offered:

Sunday	—	1 June 2008	—	4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Monday	—	2 June 2008	—	4:30 pm - 6:30 pm  FULLY SUBSCRIBED
Tuesday	—	3 June 2008	—	4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Consultations with librarians will be scheduled during the week. The Proseminar requires pre-registration and an additional fee of $125. Space is limited! Sign up for the session of your choice on the registration form. To register / apply for IBC 2008, please see the registration form.

Last updated on April 29, 2008 - Feedback