Beginning May 18, 2020, the PubMed interface will look different. One of the most used resources of VCU Libraries, PubMed is the world’s premier biomedical and health sciences database, providing access to more than 30 million citations. This free resource is developed and maintained by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and the National Library of Medicine (NLM), located at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Updates to PubMed will help users access information more quickly while also working more efficiently across mobile devices.

New features include: 

• Ability to page from abstract to abstract;
• Improved sidebar navigation;
• One-click citation formatting for selected citation styles; 
• Ability to share citations via social media or permalink; 
• Mobile responsive design.

To prepare VCU faculty, students and staff for the transition to the new PubMed interface, VCU Libraries has created resources to support users. 

• Health sciences librarians are available to provide one-on-one assistance with PubMed. 
• Librarians have created a self-paced tutorial to guide users through the changes. 
• In addition, librarians will host two online information sessions about the new PubMed interface. Registration is required for the Monday, May 18 from 2 to 3 p.m. or Thursday, May 21 from 10 to 11 a.m sessions. Registrants will receive a link to the session. Sessions will be recorded. To receive a link to the recording,  Ask Us.

The NLM has created quick tours, tutorials, and videos featuring more information about the new PubMed interface as well as a list of New PubMed Transition Frequently Asked Questions. According to NLM, access to Legacy PubMed will continue for an undisclosed amount of time and the new PubMed interface will continue to undergo updates, improvements and changes. 

Faculty, students and staff interested in more robust search options to support systematic reviews or comprehensive literature searching are welcome to consult their liaison librarian. Additional options for searching the biomedical literature including Ovid/MEDLINE are available through VCU Libraries.