Internet Access to the National Library of Medicine's Toxicology and Environmental Health Databases (1998) / Chapter Skim
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3 Improving the TOXNET Web Site
3 Improving the TOXNET Web Site
Pages 17-24
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From page 17... ...
connecting a bibliographic citation to the relevant information in the TOXNET databases would greatly enhance the use of the TOXNET information and would provide an added service to the MEDLINE searcher. The incredible pace of change in technology makes it potentially imprudent to speculate about distant goals for the NLM Web site.
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From page 18... ...
In the near future, the committee urges NLM to utilize both existing technologies and those in development to integrate the TOXNET databases into the broader context of other NLM databases. This can be accomplished in the short term by adding links from PubMed and Internet Grateful Med to the TOXNET Web site.
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From page 19... ...
As noted earlier, an implicit criteria for selecting search features should be the aligning of the TOILET interface with other NLM Internet search interfaces so that the searcher can easily search all NLM databases on the Internet. Quick Search The most basic interface would be a Simple Search or Quick Search option, which would consist of one input box for entering all search terms.
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From page 20... ...
Advanced Search The third level interface would be for the advanced search and would offer the complexity needed to equal the specificity and the power of the command line interface. In presentations to the committee regarding the Web site, NLM's staff indicated that future plans include an advanced search screen.
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From page 21... ...
Online Help Although there is a wealth of useful and relevant material in the current Online Help screens of the TOXNET Web site, it does not appear that they will be fully utilized in their current format. One barrier for using the help information on this Web site may be the term "Online Help." Searchers frequently did not click the Online Help button because they thought it would have information that would be useful only for trouble-shooting problems rather than for proactively assisting the searcher in planning and executing a search.
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From page 22... ...
Links The committee believes that hypertext links on the TOXNET Web site to Web sites outside NLM should be used primarily to provide the searcher with access to other environmental health databases that are comparable to the TOXNET databases (e.g., the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry's HAZDAT "Hazardous Substance Release/Health Effects] , the Environmental Protection Agency's Envirofacts, and the Environmental Defense Fund's Chemical Scorecard)
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From page 23... ...
NLM's ChemID database links the Registry Number to the multiple synonyms for that chemical and will be a useful feature when incorporated into the TOXNET Web site. To enhance TOXNET searching to meet the needs of health professionals and others, it will be important to include as many common term and brand name synonyms as possible.
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From page 24... ...
It is hoped that resources will be made available to the Specialized Information Services Division so that these opportunities can be explored and implemented. Further, as technology evolves, it is hoped that TOXNET will be integrated into plans for the overall NLM Web site and included in the use of new Internet technologies at the Library.
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