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Title: Diversity Terms Unbound: Explore, Engage, and Envision Research through PubMed and the Health Sciences Library
Authors: Lynne M. Fox and John Jones
Affiliations: Health Sciences Library, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Abstract:
Objectives
We created an interactive poster engaging participants at a campus diversity meeting, demonstrating the complexity of search terms available in PubMed, promoting other databases of interest to researchers, and promoting library consultation and search services for anyone conducting research.
Methods
Using the MeSH term Cultural Diversity as our starting point, we created a visual image of term relationships using Knalij for PubMed and a list of medical subject headings using PubMed ReMiner. Using numbers of citations searched from PubMed, we created a wagon wheel diagram of the MeSH’s subdomains. Each subdomain flap could be flipped up to reveal the number of subdomain citations and narrower MeSH terms. During the poster session we discussed creating effective search strategies on diversity topics. We promoted our Ask Us electronic reference services, and in-person consultation services. We asked participants to place a heart shaped sticker by a topic they have researched in the past and a gold star near a topic they might use in a future search.
Results
We spoke with 75 attendees in some depth and 47-49 attendees plotted past and future search terms for our session interaction.
Conclusions
Colorful, interactive poster design is an effective tool for education and marketing in an intra-campus conference setting. While librarians understand structured database complexities, many constituents do not. Using graphics and lists are good ways to help lay searchers grasp the nature of PubMed’s more than 22 million citations. The sticker placements and subdomain flaps encouraged up-close poster examinations.