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Database Highlights & Trials

Generative AI Tools for Research

Generative AI Tools in Library Databases

The St. Thomas Libraries are trialing several databases in February, including two with AI-driven search interfaces: Scopus AI and Web of Science Research Assistant. The Libraries are excited about the potential for these tools to help researchers save time and uncover hard-to-find content. As we look at the broad range of AI-based tools that advertise similar functionality, we are closely evaluating their capabilities and differences.

What makes these library tools different from freely available tools?

The tools the library is trialing combine natural language AI search with high-quality, subscriber-only content. Both Scopus and Web of Science index over 20,000 journals, offering rich metadata that enhances summaries, relevancy rankings, and connections to related research. Additionally, as tools connected to our subscriptions, full-text access is often just a click away.

Free tools generate results based on either general web searches (Perplexity, ChatGPT Web Search, etc.), the Semantic Scholar corpus of academic documents (Semantic Scholar, Elicit, Consensus), or a mix of web content and publisher metadata they maintain themselves (Scite). These tools often do quite well at surfacing and summarizing relevant scholarship, particularly in fields with a lot of open access content, but results can vary widely depending on the specific subfield being researched. Some disciplines are well-covered and return excellent results, while others have gaps where important publishers or journals are missing. Free tools may also include predatory journals and student scholarship in the results they return.

So…is the library saying I shouldn’t use the free ones?

Not at all! We’re actively testing them alongside subscription-based tools to understand their strengths and limitations. Right now, it’s a “both/and” situation rather than “either/or”—free tools can help surface insights missed by traditional searches, but the tools we are trialing fill in many gaps left by the free tools, particularly when doing deep, comprehensive research.

We want your feedback!

We would love to hear from anyone who is interested in using AI tools to help them with research and has time to try out either Scopus AI or the Web of Science Research Assistant. If you have tried them, please take five minutes to fill out our feedback form. Faculty input is crucial when we evaluate new tools like this.

February 7, 2025 by Karen Brunner

Database Highlights & Trials

October Research Database Trials (Concluded)

Please note, the October Trials have concluded.

This October, the St. Thomas Libraries are excited to offer trials of two powerful databases: Micromedex and Pragda. These resources will be available for the entire month, giving students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to explore cutting-edge information in healthcare and global cinema.

Micromedex

For healthcare professionals and students, Micromedex provides:

Comprehensive Drug Information: Detailed drug monographs, interactions, and dosage calculators.

Toxicology Insights: Fast, reliable toxicology resources for emergency care.

Disease Management: Up-to-date clinical guidelines for treating a variety of conditions.

Pragda

Film lovers and global studies enthusiasts will love Pragda, which offers:

International Cinema: A curated collection of contemporary films from Spain and Latin America.

Cultural Insights: Films that explore diverse cultures, social issues, and human experiences.

Educational Value: An excellent resource for those studying world languages, film, and global studies.

Both trials are open from October 1st to October 31st, and we encourage everyone to explore these platforms. We value your feedback and want to hear from you! Please share comments or questions with librarians Karen Brunner (Micromedex) or Amanda Breu (Pragda).

Happy researching and viewing!

October 2, 2024 by Mary Stade

Database Highlights & Trials

February Research Database Trials (Concluded)

Please note, the February Trials have concluded.

During the month of February, the University of St. Thomas Libraries is trialing five research databases. This is an opportunity for the UST community to use these subscriptions at no cost and help determine whether or not the libraries should invest in these resources in the future. We encourage you to provide any feedback about these resources — positive or negative — to the sponsoring librarian listed with each resource by February 24th.

ASME Digital Collection

Access the ASME Digital Collection

The ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Digital Collection provides unparalleled depth, breadth, and quality of peer-reviewed content. The platform is an essential resource for professionals seeking engineering solutions to global challenges. It includes:

ASME’s Journals from 1933-present
ASME’s Conference Proceedings from 2000-present and selected proceedings back to 1955
ASME eBooks from 1993-present with selected titles back to 1944

Please contact Jim Kelly with any questions or feedback.

Compendex on Engineering Village

Access Compendex on Engineering Village

Elsevier’s Compendex on the Engineering Village platform comprises journals, conference proceedings, dissertations, standards, books, and, recently, preprints. The content is sourced from thousands of publishers from around the world, including major engineering societies like IEEE, ASME, SAE, ACM, and many others. The amount of engineering-focused scholarly and technical literature in Compendex is vast and global in scope, featuring everything from the latest cutting-edge findings to historical research and innovations.

Please contact Jim Kelly with any questions or feedback.

Inspec on Engineering Village

Access Inspec on Engineering Village

Inspec hosted on Elsevier’s Engineering Village platform contains over 22 million records from across global publishers to deliver quality content to a wide range of research communities.

Inspec uses precise, subject-specific indexing to enhance the discoverability of scientific research across physics, electrical engineering and electronics, computers and control, mechanical and production engineering, information technology, and more.

Please contact Jim Kelly with any questions or feedback.

ProQuest One Business

Access ProQuest One Business

ProQuest One Business is designed to support the unique teaching and learning needs of business faculty and students. Developed in collaboration with faculty, students, and business librarians, ProQuest One Business delivers a mix of practical and theoretical content in an interface that helps students build the research skills they’ll need for success in their courses and careers. A business-focused interface intuitively guides users to content including journal articles, books, and company, industry, and country reports.

Please contact Andrea Koeppe with any questions or feedback.

Trends & Policy: U.S. Immigration

Access Trends & Policy: U.S. Immigration (Use the menu in the upper left corner to limit to U.S. Immigration)

Trends and Policy: U.S. Immigration from ProQuest connects policies implemented by the U.S. government with statistics showing the results of those policies and provides context with analytical reports and news articles. It is designed to be a tool – all the content in one database. It gathers U.S. immigration laws and other materials from the legislative branch, reports and statistics from the executive and judicial branches, and contextual newspaper articles. It includes relevant documents from 1790 to today.

Please contact Andrea Koeppe with any questions or feedback.

February 6, 2024 by Mary Stade

Art, Database Highlights & Trials, New Materials, News & Events

JSTOR: It’s not just for articles anymore!

Two films strips appear horizontally with different images from the JSTOR collections inside the film strip. Images include drawings of plants, art, newspapers, and photos

When we hear the name JSTOR, scholarly journal articles often come to mind. However, over the years, the platform has evolved into so much more than a database of academic journals.

JSTOR is still expanding! It currently contains a vast array of resources, making it an indispensable tool for students and academics across 75 different disciplines. It also includes electronic books from over 300 academic publishers and, by August 2024, will fully integrate the ArtSTOR database into its platform.

Recognizing the significance of primary sources in academic research and exploration, JSTOR has ventured into the realm of primary source collections. The Collections section offers a compilation of images and primary sources contributed by libraries, museums, and archives from around the world. This inclusion broadens the scope of research possibilities and enhances the depth of insights.

Beyond the expansion of its core content, JSTOR sponsors several unique collections that cater to specialized interests and research fields. While you will need a St Thomas ID and password to explore, some noteworthy collections include:

19th Century British Pamphlets : This collection houses over 26,000 important pamphlets held in research libraries in the United Kingdom. It is a valuable resource for the study of sociopolitical and economic factors impacting 19th-century Britain.
Struggles for Freedom : Southern Africa : Comprising of over 190,000 pages of documents and images, this collection documents the liberation of Southern Africa and the dismantling of the Apartheid regime in South Africa.
World Heritage Sites : Africa : Linking visual, contextual, and spatial documentation of African heritage sites, this collection houses over 57,000 objects, ranging from photographs and 3D models, to historical maps, and research.
Global Plants : With nearly 3 million objects, it is the largest community-contributed database in which herbaria share their plant-type specimens. Experts determine and update the names of plants, making it an invaluable resource for botanists and researchers in the field.

With these integrations, JSTOR is truly living up to its tagline “Explore the world’s knowledge, cultures, and ideas.”

By: Ann Kenne, Head of Special Collections and University Archivist

Images in the above media are from JSTOR expanded collections

August 3, 2023 by Conrad Woxland

Database Highlights & Trials, Media/Music Collections, Music, News & Events

CLASSICAL MUSIC OF INDIA

SERIES 1

Music is an inseparable part of Indian Culture which reflects how the nation is diversified for its cultures, language, food, and people. Indian music heritage is an ever-expanding treasure that is passed down from generation to generation. It dates to Vedic times over 6,000 years ago, where chants developed a system of musical notes and rhythmic cycles. There are many genres of Indian music like classical, regional folk, Sufi, Ghazals, Filmi and Indian pop music, and it is the uniqueness of Indian music which brings millions of fans together worldwide.

Indian Classical Music

Indian classical music is very closely connected to nature and takes inspiration from the seasons and times of the day. It has two fundamental elements or concepts named ‘Raag’ and ‘Taal’.

‘Raag’ is a melodic framework and forms the structural framework of the music. It consists of specific set of notes which construct the melody. ‘Tala’, on the other hand, is a rhythmic structure or beat that measures the musical time, and it works as a base on which Raga is created. It can induce specific emotional response ranging from ‘Happy’, ‘Sad’, ‘Calm and relaxed’, ‘tensed’ etc.

Genres of Indian Classical Music

Before 13^th century, there was only one Indian classical music but after that the Indian Classical Music got divided into two sections and different styles. The North Indian Hindustani Classical Music which is practiced in North India and The South Indian Carnatic Classical Music which is practiced in South India
Similarities:

Although they have differences in styles, interpretations, and audience appeal, they both are Raga based and share similar origin and themes.
Both the musical styles use a Tanpura as a Drone instrument which support the melody of another instrument or singer and create the pitch and base for the performance.
Both the music developed through common ancestors, Sanskrit language, and Vedic traditions.

Differences:

Both Raga and Tala being the central notion of both the music traditions, the sound and result is different and same raags and musical concepts have different names due to difference in the language.
The Carnatic music is free from external influences and is pure, while the north Indian music has Persian and Mughal influence.
The Carnatic music was originated in Bhakti Movement, while the Hindustani music was originated in Vedic period.

Namaste!!

Listen via our database about Indian Classical Music, concerts, and the finest musicians:
Rules of Raga (Video)
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?URL=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=99819&xtid=113462
Ravi Shankar Live in Concert: (Video)
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?url=https://video.alexanderstreet.com/p/mq784B4xn
Indian Classical Music: (Video)
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?URL=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=99819&xtid=5066
Ravi Shankar: The Man and His Music (Video)
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?URL=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=99819&xtid=4345
South Indian Classical Music House Concert (Video)
https://login.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/login?url=https://video.alexanderstreet.com/p/gp78oOP83

By Pragya Verma

May 5, 2023 by

Classical Languages, Database Highlights & Trials, Libraries, Modern Languages

Database Trial: European Etymological Dictionaries Online (Brill)

During the month of February, the University of St. Thomas Libraries is conducting a trial for the Indo-European Etymological Dictionaries Online (IEDO). IEDO reconstructs the lexicon for the most important languages and language branches of Indo-European. It is a rich and voluminous online reference source for historical and general linguists.

To access to the trial click this link
Please send comments to Cindy Badilla-Melendez, Head of the Music & Media Collections.

February 1, 2023 by

Art, Database Highlights & Trials, English, Libraries, Media/Music Collections, Music, News & Events

Video Streaming Database Trial: Digital Theatre+

During the month of February, the University of St. Thomas Libraries is conducting a trial for the Database Digital Theatre+. It includes videos of over 900 full-length productions, including Digital Theatre, BBC, Royal Shakespeare Company, Broadway Digital Archive, Royal Opera House, London Symphony Orchestra, as well as in-depth interviews with industry professionals including actors, directors, and all backstage staff: lighting technicians, fight coordinators, stage managers, et al.

To access to the trial click this link
Please send comments to Cindy Badilla-Melendez, Head of the Music & Media Collections.

February 1, 2023 by

Database Highlights & Trials, Latin America, Libraries, Media/Music Collections, Modern Languages, News & Events

Video Streaming Database Trial: Platino Educa

During the month of February, the University of St. Thomas Libraries is conducting a trial for the Database Platino Educa. This platform offers unlimited access to hundreds of Spanish and Ibero-American movies and documentaries. It is classified by subjects and covers themes including Environment, Social Sciences, Language and Literature, Arts, and Social Justice.

To access to the trial click this link

Please send comments to Cindy Badilla-Melendez, Head of the Music & Media Collections.

February 1, 2023 by

Database Highlights & Trials, Political Science

New database trial in October – Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare

The St. Thomas libraries are excited to trial a new database that focuses on U.S. Healthcare policy. Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare provides a single location to connect U.S. Government policies with statistics and news showing the results of those policies.

Trends & Policy is a series of in-depth primary source collections such as public laws, Legislative branch reports, and Executive branch reports and data. Currently, researchers must use multiple disparate tools to find all of the essential executive and legislative content related to a policy. Statistical data can often be difficult to find, extract and use in research and in reports. The focus of these collections is not only on their respective topics, but also brings together primary source content relevant to U.S. policy with statistics and data.

If you type in keywords or phrases related to your topic, results are organized by Topic Pages that give context and pathways into research on a topic, Government materials such as public laws, commission reports, and hearings, Newspaper articles, and Statistical tables.

Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare cuts a wide swath into many disciplines aside from the obvious audiences of political science and nursing students. MBA students can learn about health maintenance organizations, (HMO’s) educators can read about the effects of school bullying on mental health, and students of history can compare pandemics from the past to the present.

You can access the Libraries’ trial of Trends & Policy: U.S. Healthcare here.

Please contact Andrea Koeppe with any questions or feedback you have about the database trial by October 31st.

October 6, 2022 by Andrea Koeppe

Database Highlights & Trials, Libraries

Putting Patients First: Evidence-Based Care Tools

During the month of October, the St. Thomas Libraries will be trialing two evidence-based resources to support health care decision making: UpToDate and Cochrane Library.

UpToDate is a physician-authored point-of-care medical resource. What does that mean in laypersons’ terms? A point-of-care tool aims to provide a clinician with the most recommended course of treatment based on a comprehensive overview of the best available evidence at the point-of-care with a patient.

UpToDate provides over 33,000 graphics, summary and recommendation information for treatment, patient education leaflets, calculators, drug information, and a drug interactions tool.

You can access the Libraries’ trial of UpToDate here.

The Cochrane Library is a powerful database of literature reviews, research protocols, and clinical controlled trials that can be used to inform healthcare decision-making. It consists of six collections:

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials
Cochrane Methodology Register
Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects
Health Technology Assessment Database
NHS Economic Evaluation Database

Try a basic or advanced search in Cochrane Library using keywords related to your topic.

You can filter your results by date, language, type, and topic on the left side of the search results. Be sure to click the tabs at the top of the search results to find different types of sources, such as Cochrane reviews, protocols, trials, and clinical answers.

You can access the Libraries’ trial of Cochrane Library here.

Please contact Karen Brunner with any questions or feedback you have about these database trials.

October 4, 2022 by Karen Brunner

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