Biomaterial Database

Searching the literature: Index Medicus or MEDLINE? 1987

H A Olafsson

Index Medicus and MEDLINE are of great importance for searching the periodical literature in biomedicine, and many medical libraries now offer both services. Here the contents and potential of each service are described in order to help doctors in choosing when to search the literature by hand and when to go "on-line".

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008523	MEDLARS	A computerized biomedical bibliographic storage and retrieval system operated by the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. MEDLARS stands for Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System, which was first introduced in 1964 and evolved into an online system in 1971 called MEDLINE (MEDLARS Online). As other online databases were developed, MEDLARS became the name of the entire NLM information system while MEDLINE became the name of the premier database. MEDLARS was used to produce the former printed Cumulated Index Medicus, and the printed monthly Index Medicus, until that publication ceased in December 2004.	Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System,MEDLARS-MEDLINE Information System,Information System, MEDLARS-MEDLINE,MEDLARS MEDLINE Information System,System, MEDLARS-MEDLINE Information
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.