• Libraries collect, organize, and provide access to information.

• Scope of information needed by researchers in biology and medicine has grown beyond literature databases

• Growth of data (e.g., GenBank)

• Growth in number and variety of resources (e.g., 10 years at NCBI)

• Increased usage of molecular biology databases by wide range of users

• Widely varying levels of familiarity with resources

• How can I retrieve the nucleotide sequence for the Huntington disease gene?

• How can I retrieve sequences from GenBank that are similar to mine?

• I'd like to view the shape of the p53 tumor suppressor protein.

• I need to download the complete genome sequence of E. coli

• On what human chromosome is the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene found, and what is the official gene symbol?

• What chromosome aberrations are associated with cancer?

• My uncle has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Please send information about it.

• Where can I obtain a multiple sequence alignment program?

• This course focuses on NCBI resources, since it provides some core resources that are commonly used. Other WWW sites exist as well that provide access to varying types of molecular biology databases and software, including academic and commercial sites. A sampling of some other sites is provided in the "WWW Sites" section of this manual.

• What is NCBI? (see also programs and activities)

• Where does it fit within:
  • NLM (Research programs)
  • NIH (Collaborations with other institutes)
  • Human Genome Project (Collaborations with NHGRI and Genome Sequencing Centers)

First:

• Genetics concepts and terms

Then familiar new:

• Similarities between bibliographic and sequence records fields unique to sequence records

• Similarities between bibliographic database search systems and molecular biology text search systems search fields and techniques specific to sequence databases

• Search systems unique to sequence databases, such as BLAST.

• Digress further from bibliograhic databases into 3-D structures, genomes, and maps.

• Gradually learn new terms and resources as time goes on, based on interaction with library clientele and experience.