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What's going on at Dalhousie Libraries

Category: Headlines

Anatomy Models at the Kellogg Health Sciences Library

By Sally Wilkie, Kellogg Library Intern

More than 150 years after the founding of Dalhousie Medical School in 1868, the visual educational resources used in anatomy labs have evolved significantly. Today, students have access to digital imaging, hands-on body dissection labs, and the world’s most medically accurate anatomy databases. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, however, medical and health-science students learned visually by studying handmade anatomical models. 

Today, a curation of these antique models is on display at the W.K. Kellogg Health Sciences Library and the Kellogg Library Learning Commons in the CHEB. Many of the objects on display are Clay-Adams Anatomical Models, which were produced in Japan in the 20th century as a cost-effective alternative to the wax or ivory models previously used. Made of wooden frames covered in paper-mache or plaster, these models were hand-painted with intricate details. Alongside models of a stomach, a cross-section of a spinal cord, and a cast of a bronchial tree (to name a few), the Kellogg’s displays boast other educational tools, such as a ca.1900 handheld stereoscope with viewing cards, and a ca.1913 brass microscope. 

Dr. Irena Rot, director of anatomy in the Department of Medical Neuroscience, collaborated with the Kellogg to establish these displays. She says “the collection illustrates the history of models used in anatomy teaching at Dalhousie University during the past 100 years.” She also points out the enduring values of these models, explaining that models are sometimes still incorporated into classrooms today, particularly for “anatomical features difficult to appreciate in dissections”. 

Through this display of anatomical models and tools, Dr. Rot hopes students will appreciate the various ways to visually study anatomy, get a glimpse into the history of anatomy teaching at Dalhousie, and consider the development of anatomy teaching models over the past 100 years. 

Want to learn more about anatomy? Check out our online resources: 

  • Anatomy TV – The world’s most medically accurate and detailed 3D graphic renderings of human anatomy

 

Changes to the way you check in to study rooms

We have a new room booking system and a new check-in process for study rooms.

Book a Study Room

Book a study room online using the new booking system. Study rooms are for current Dalhousie students only. You must have a valid Dalhousie NetId and password to access the room booking system. You can:

  • book up to 7 days in advance
  • reserve a room for up to 2 hours
  • manage or cancel your booking online

New! Check-ins for study rooms

Our study rooms are in high demand! To make booking and accessing rooms easier, we’ve introduced a new self-check-in process that confirms your reservation when you arrive.

How to check in to your study room

You can check in in either of these ways:

  1. Use the link in your confirmation email. Open the link and enter the code from your confirmation email when prompted.
  2. Scan the QR code on your study room. Each study room has its own QR code. Scan the code displayed on the room door and enter your confirmation code when prompted.

You may enter your room early if it is available, but you will still need to complete the check-in process at your scheduled booking time.

Your check-in device must share your location

The device you use to check in must be able to share its location so the system can confirm that you are in the study room you booked.

Neither the booking system nor Dalhousie Libraries stores your location.

If you do not check in within 30 minutes of your booking start time, your booking will be automatically cancelled, and the room will become available for someone else to book.

Leaving early? Check out

If you leave before your booking ends, check out of the room using the same link or QR code you used to check in. Checking out helps us make study rooms available to other students when they are no longer being used.

Need help?

If you have trouble checking in or out, or have questions about your study room booking, visit your library’s service desk.

Explore the Influence of Research: Try Overton During Dalhousie’s Trial

Dalhousie Libraries is offering a limited-time trial of Overton, a powerful research tool that connects academic research with real-world policy. Faculty, staff, and students are invited to explore this resource and see how it can support research, teaching, and learning.

Overton is a global database of policy documents and grey literature. It allows users to discover how research is cited and used beyond academia, linking scholarly outputs to policy documents from governments, NGOs, and international organizations. This helps surface the broader impact of research and how it informs decision-making.

Why use Overton?

Overton supports a wide range of use cases across disciplines:

  • Evidence synthesis and systematic reviews: Identify policy documents and grey literature that may not appear in traditional databases
  • Impact tracking: See where research is cited in policy and explore its real-world influence
  • Policy analysis: Examine how research aligns with policy priorities and societal challenges
  • Teaching and learning: Incorporate diverse, globally sourced materials into course content

Get started

During the trial, users can register through a shared Dalhousie link to create an account and begin exploring. The platform includes example searches tailored to Dalhousie, helping users quickly understand its capabilities and relevance.

As the Libraries consider a potential subscription, your feedback is essential. Please test the platform and share your experiences, what works well, and how it could support your work. The trial ends July 3, 2026.

Email us with your feedback and questions about Overton.

 

Call for 2026 OER Development Grant Applications

The Council of Atlantic Academic Libraries seeks applications for Atlantic OER Development Grants. Funding is provided by the four Atlantic provinces (New Brunswick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island).

Atlantic OER Development Grants provide financial support to instructors in the Atlantic Region who create and adapt new Open Educational Resources. The goal is to support instructors in increasing the availability of high-quality, free, openly licensed resources to enhance student learning. You can apply for three different funding tiers, depending on the scope of your project. The tiers are:

Tier 1: Creating an Open Textbook (up to $7,000) – This funding is intended for the development of a new open textbook. The topic should not be covered in an already existing open textbook. This tier is meant for creation projects at a larger scale.

Tier 2: Adaptation of an Existing Open Textbook (up to $4,000) – This funding is intended for substantive adaptation projects. Sometimes it can be possible to find an open textbook that covers foundational knowledge but needs to be adjusted. For example, the textbook might require adjustments to ensure it adheres to local educational standards, or adjustments might be made to make it relevant to the local context (eg, an American business textbook may need adjustments to make it suitable for a Canadian business context), or new examples and interactive elements may be added to a book.

Tier 3: Creation of Ancillary Materials (up to $1,000) – This funding is intended for smaller creation projects. Ancillary materials can be defined as course materials that are meant to supplement and support a textbook. Examples of ancillary materials include: slide decks, interactive tutorials, and quiz and test banks. Often, ancillary materials can enhance student learning.

The application period closes on February 6, 2026.

Read more about the application process and who can apply.

 

Libraries 2024-2025 Annual Report

Happy 2026! We are pleased to share our 2024-2025 Annual Report. Amid an ever-changing academic landscape, the library remains at the heart of Dalhousie University, providing essential resources, innovative services, and spaces that foster learning and research.

Each year, our staff engage with thousands of students and faculty, while the scholarly information resources we provide are accessed millions of times. Collaborative initiatives undertaken in 2024-2025, such as the development of the Bridge into Agriculture research guide and the preservation of the Anita Martinez photographic collection, reflect our commitment to inclusive knowledge creation and responsible stewardship. Through regional and national partnerships, we also worked to ensure timely and reliable access to resources beyond our own collections and to support grant agency policies that advance open access to research.

We invite you to explore these stories and more in our  2024–2025 Annual Report and join us in recognizing the essential role the Libraries play in advancing Dalhousie’s academic mission.

Upcoming Changes: New EBSCOhost Interface Launching December 31, 2025 

On December 31, 2025, EBSCOhost databases will move to a new interface. This update will change the look and functionality of EBSCOhost. You will need to take action if you want to preserve your saved searches and alerts. All databases and content will remain the same.

Affected Databases

Academic Search Premier, America: History & Life, Business Source Complete, CINAHL, EconLit, Film & Television Literature Index, Gender Studies, GreenFILE, Historical Abstracts, International Bibliography of Theatre & Dance, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, RILM Abstracts of Music Literature, SPORTDiscus, and more.

Note: Dalhousie Libraries’ access to APA PsycINFO and APA PsycARTICLES moved to Ovid on October 1, 2025. Access these via Novanet or the Dalhousie Libraries Database A–Z list.

What Users Need to Do Before December 31

While saved articles and eBook records in MyEBSCO Folders should migrate automatically, saved searches and alerts may not.  To avoid losing important work—especially for knowledge synthesis reviews—we’re asking users to take these steps before December 31:

1. Save Your Search Alerts

  • Go to any EBSCOhost database via our Databases A–Z List
  • Sign in to MyEBSCO
  • Click Folder → Search Alerts
  • For each alert:
    • Click Retrieve Alert → Save Searches/Alerts
    • Name the search and select Saved Search (Permanent)
    • Click Save
  • Repeat for all alerts.

2. Export Your Permanent Searches

  • Go to Folder → Saved Searches
  • For each search:
    • Click Retrieve Saved Search → Print Search History
    • Save as PDF OR copy into a Word document
    • Include database name and date
  • Repeat for all permanent searches.

Want a Sneak Peek?

Need Help?

Questions or assistance? Contact your subject liaison librarian. We’re here to help you prepare for a smooth transition.

Changes to ProQuest: What You Need to Know

If you use ProQuest to find articles, reports, or other research materials, you might notice things look a little different. That’s because ProQuest (owned by Clarivate) has reorganized how its databases are grouped and accessed. Here’s a quick overview of what’s changed and what it means for you.

What’s New?

Our subscription to ProQuest Central has been upgraded to ProQuest Central Premium. This new version includes even more content than before. ProQuest has also bundled its databases into themed collections, which are now grouped under 8 broad subject areas called ProQuest One. For example:

  • ProQuest One Social Sciences
  • ProQuest One Health & Nursing
  • ProQuest One Business, and more.

Each of these includes multiple collections and databases, providing you with access to a broader range of materials in one place.

What Does This Mean for You?

  • More content: You now have access to additional resources that weren’t included before, like J.P. Morgan Research in the Business collection.
  • Fewer direct links: Some individual databases (like Sociological Abstracts) can no longer be linked to directly. Instead, they’re part of larger collections. You can still search them, but you’ll access them through the broader collection or subject area.
  • Updates coming soon: Our library team is updating links on our website (like the A-Z database list and LibGuides) to reflect these changes. You may also need to update any saved links or course materials that point to specific databases.

Need Help?

If you’re unsure how to access a specific resource or need help updating your materials, please reach out to us at library.eresources@dal.ca.

Your Guide to Health Research: Databases and Support at Kellogg Library

The Kellogg Health Sciences Library provides access to reliable and trustworthy information and data to support teaching, learning, and research in health, medicine, and dentistry. Our collection includes top bibliographic databases such as MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and more.

In addition to providing access to these resources, our health sciences librarians offer guidance and instruction on advanced search techniques to help you get the most out of these databases.

Key Biomedical Databases

A thorough search often involves multiple databases, as no single resource indexes all the world’s literature. Below, we highlight two of the largest biomedical databases and how to access them.

Embase

Embase is a comprehensive biomedical database with strong international coverage. It indexes over 45 million records from more than 8,400 journals, including unique non-English content. Embase is available to the Dalhousie community through our libraries subscription. To help you navigate this resource, the Libraries offer an 8-minute tutorial on Embase search techniques.

MEDLINE

MEDLINE, produced by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) in the USA, indexes more than 37 million records from over 5,600 journals. Dalhousie faculty, staff, and students can access MEDLINE through two search interfaces:

  • PubMed: A free public interface supported by the NLM and NIH. Check out our short intro video for getting started with PubMed.
  • Ovid MEDLINE: A subscription-based interface with additional search features. Watch our short intro video on getting started with Ovid MEDLINE.

Please note: If one of these search interfaces is disrupted, try using the other or switch to an alternative biomedical literature database such as Embase.

Access Issues and Alternative Resources

If you experience difficulty accessing a library information source, please report it using our Report a Problem Accessing E-Resources form. While we work to resolve issues, it may take time, so it is important to know about alternative sources for your teaching, learning, or research.

Disruptions can occur due to vendor updates, technological issues, or changes in funding and support, either from the publisher or the university. If a particular database is unavailable, try switching to a different interface or using another biomedical database.

Providing access to reliable health information is a core value at Dalhousie Libraries—especially in times of uncertainty. We are committed to ensuring you have the resources you need.

Get Help from a Librarian

Health sciences librarians at the Kellogg Library are graduate-trained information professionals who specialize in helping students, faculty, and healthcare practitioners find and use high-quality research.

They provide expert support for:

  • Conducting advanced literature searches.
  • Navigating and evaluating clinical guidelines, medical literature, and research data.
  • Supporting evidence-based healthcare decisions and health professions education.

Librarians play a key role in helping healthcare practitioners make informed decisions, supporting trainees in their learning, and facilitating robust research to support the health of our communities. For personalized assistance, contact us at kellogg@dal.ca.

2024 Dal Libraries Survey Results 

At Dal Libraries, we hold ourselves accountable to the university and the community we serve and measure our progress regularly. In January, we surveyed Dal students, faculty, and staff to assess our services and measure our impact. In March, we shared a brief note thanking you for your feedback and announcing the prize winners. 

5,125 people responded to our survey – we are delighted and grateful for such an enthusiastic response. After reading and analyzing the feedback, we are happy to share the following results with you.   

Areas Rated Highly Important Where We Are Doing Well 

  • Wireless access
  • Information resources are meeting needs and helping students and faculty to be successful
  • Students feel comfortable asking staff for help
  • Help is available when needed
  • Staff provide accurate answers to questions

Priorities for Improvement 

  • Improving access to quiet study areas
  • Improving access to group study areas

Other Areas for Improvement 

  • Electrical outlet accessibility and maintenance at specific locations
  • Ease of use of printers at specific locations
  • Hours at specific locations
  • Laptop loaning for specific groups of students
  • Students with disabilities & Faculty: Accessing library resources through mobile devices
  • Faculty: The Libraries’ website and search box

Actions We are Taking 

  • After careful review, the silent, quiet, and conversation-friendly study spaces at the Killam Library, the Kellogg Library Learning Commons at the CHEB, and the Law Library have been rezoned. We are monitoring these areas to ensure they meet users’ needs.
  • We are conducting usability and accessibility studies in preparation for a reimagined Libraries website in 2025. We will seek input and feedback from both students and faculty.
  • While our current budget does not enable us to extend our current building hours, we regularly consult our usage and foot traffic data to optimize our hours of operation.
  • We will be reviewing our laptop loan program in the near future.

We will provide updates on these items as we make progress. 

We were bolstered by messages of support and enthusiasm for our libraries and our staff. One user said, “I am extremely happy with the library system. The staff are helpful, and a lot of thought and effort has clearly gone into setting things up to make it easy for students.”  

Again, we are grateful to all who took the time to respond to our survey and we look forward to making improvements and adjustments to serve you better. If you have questions about the survey and results, please contact Assessment Coordinator Linda Bedwell.

Michael Vandenburg
Dean of Libraries 

Planned DalSpace Repository Updates & Outages

The DalSpace theses repository will undergo updates during October 15-22. These updates will address issues and ensure ongoing functionality. 

From October 15-22 users will experience outages. Please avoid uploads and deposits until the update is completed after October 22. 

If you have any questions about the update, please contact dalspace@dal.ca.

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