Suspension of the Literature Search Service

Due to staff shortages, and the need to focus our resources on our core library services, we have taken the difficult decision to suspend the library’s Literature Search service for the foreseeable future. Literature searches already underway will be honoured but sadly we are no longer able to accept any new requests. Please contact us for further information, advice or referral at library@rsm.ac.uk. Our sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused.

 

Our highly skilled team of RSM Library information specialists can help carry out literature searches on your behalf, including biomedical and scientific databases. 

From help with finding evidence for clinical or patient cases to assisting with publications and research, our Library team can tailor-make searches to help support your continuing professional development.

This service is available to both RSM members and non-members.

Types of searches available

Library - staff working

Database searches 

These provide a comprehensive search of online biomedical and scientific databases, including Medline, Embase and Allied & Complementary Medicine (AMED). 

Our highly trained specialist librarians are experienced at getting the best possible results from online databases and other sources in any medical or healthcare subject. Prior to your search, they will discuss with you the most effective search strategy to meet your specific information needs, and the appropriate databases to use. 

Charges for a database search start at £40, with results delivered within 10 working days. 

Levels of database search

The total cost of the services is dependent on the number of search requests and the databases selected. Searches are completed within a maximum of 10 working days. If required earlier than this, we may be able to accommodate your deadline subject to staff availability and workload.

Level 1: search strategy only

Available to RSM individual members only

The search strategy is supplied to you, with instructions on how to rerun the search in the database(s) and download the full references (up to abstract level only, where available).

Option to provide free results listing (a list of citations without abstracts of all references found) is available on request.

Level 2: search strategy and references

Available to all RSM members and non-members

The search strategy supplied with a bibliography list of the first 40 relevant references (up to abstract level, where available). If there are more than 40 references, these can be supplied at an additional cost.

Option to provide results listing beforehand is available on request, particularly for RSM Corporate/Institutional members and non-members who wish to choose references first subsequent to supplying them to an abstract level. Additional charges apply for providing results listings to non-members.

Please note that searching the Cochrane Library database is charged as a manual search. There are no additional charges for supplying a bibliography with abstracts, where available, for this database.

Library Manual Search

Manual searches 

If a literature search request cannot be answered by a database search, our librarians can carry out a manual search of the RSM's Library catalogue and indexes. They can also search external internet resources.

Charges start at £40 for a half-day (4 hours) manual search, with results delivered as a bibliography within 10 working days. 

 

Library - statue close up

E-monthly updates

Adding an e-monthly update to your literature search allows you to set up a search profile on the latest material added to medical databases, tailor-made to your requirements, and get the search results emailed to you every month.

As part of your monthly update, you'll receive a bibliography of new abstracts that have been added to the databases, along with any other relevant information.

Individual members can set this up for free. For help doing so, please contact the Literature Search team at litsearch@rsm.ac.uk.

For RSM Corporate/Institutional members, charges for setting up an e-monthly update start from £80.

Make a literature search request

To make a request please contact the Knowledge Services team at litsearch@rsm.ac.uk or call 020 7290 2940.