From Bobst Library

Bibliographic Managment Software

Gloria Rohmann

[Ed: Links to web pages and/or e-mail addresses which have become inactive since the publication of this article have been enclosed in curly brackets { }. Replacement links have been provided where possible.]

While researching in the library or on the Web, have you ever wished you had a personalized, easy-to-learn database program to store and retrieve your citations and notes? Bobst Library supports two programs -- ProCite and EndNote -- that might be just what you're looking for. Bobst offers free access to ProCite on all Bobst Library laptops; while EndNote isn't one of the library's software offerings, you can download connection files and import filters for using EndNote with Library catalogs and databases at {www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/bib/} Replacement URL: http://library.nyu.edu/bib/.

Import Results of Computerized Searches

You will probably conduct much of your preliminary research in computerized catalogs, like BobCat or RLIN, the catalog of the Research Libraries Group. After saving the results of a search, you can import these results directly into ProCite or EndNote. Saved results from searches of such databases as Medline, PsychINFO or any of the DIALOG databases can also be imported into your database. Of course, you can always enter citations and notes by hand.

Search BobCat Directly

EndNote has a built-in search interface that allows you to connect directly to library catalogs and databases, like BobCatPlus, that conform to the Z39.50 protocol, and to then import these references into your database. To do this with BobCat, you will need to get and install the BobCat connection file from Bobst Library. PC and Mac versions are available at {http://www.nyu.edu/library/bobst/bib/downloads}.

As you search the web-based BobCat, you can import the records directly into your EndNote database (see image at left). RIS, the company that makes ProCite, offers BookWhere 2000 (sold separately) that performs the same function.

Manage Your Research

You can create as many separate databases as your disk space allows. A database may contain as up to 32,000 records, which would fill about 32 MB. The programs offer matrices for many standard reference types (such as books, journal articles, patents, motion pictures, music scores, manuscripts or computer programs), which can be customized by adding, changing or creating fields. You can search your database using key words and Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT), and sort it by title, date or author. The latest versions of both programs provide a field for Internet URLs, which can be launched directly from the program when your computer is attached to the Internet. Both programs also allow you to capture a web page while browsing the Web, and store relevant information from the page in your database.

Cite While You Write

As you write, insert short references to the citations in your database. Then use either EndNote or ProCite to scan your work and convert these references into text references or footnotes in any of dozens of standard formats (MLA, Chicago, ACS, APA, etc.). If you are using MS Word 7 or higher or WordPefect 7 or higher on a Windows machine, or MSWord 6 or higher on a Macintosh, you can retrieve your references directly from your database by using the built-in toolbars. You can also use the software to create annotated bibliographies that can be exported directly to HTML for posting on the Web.

Share Your Research

If you are working on a project with a colleague or a team, references can be maintained on a network and shared. A new product from RIS, Reference Web Poster, allows you to post your EndNote, Procite or Reference Manager (another bibliographic program from RIS) database on a web server, where anyone can search it using an ordinary web browser (see image at right).

Which Should You Choose?

A comprehensive comparison chart and reviews of the latest versions can be found in Chorus: Electronic Research, an electronic journal published by the University of California at Berkeley (www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/eresearch/).

Because of its advanced support for foreign languages and large number of customizable fields and reference types, some humanities researchers may prefer ProCite. Until recently, upgrades to the Macintosh version lagged far behind those for the PC, but RIS has just released a full-featured Mac upgrade.

Many researchers in the sciences use EndNote. EndNote's Z39.50 client, allowing direct connection to BobCat, is a valuable feature, which further simplifies EndNote's already user-friendly interface. Try ProCite at Bobst Library (you'll need a floppy disk to store your personal database). Special educational discounts are available through the NYU Bookstore.

Bobst offers two-hour hands-on workshops on using ProCite to do library research. This semester, the workshops will be held on March 10 at 10:00 a.m., and on March 25 at 5 p.m., in the Bobst Electronic Research Center (B-Level). Reservations are required. To reserve a spot, call 998-2460. [ C ]

Gloria Rohmann manages Media and Electronic Resources for NYU Libraries.
gloria.rohmann@nyu.edu

Posted February 12, 1999. Revised January 26, 2004.