Resource of the Month
September 2007


 Each month WSU Libraries' Department of Collection Development features a "Resource of the Month" designed to highlight some of the library's new, interesting, under-used, large, unique, or otherwise noteworthy collections and resources.  You can learn more about the "Resource of the Month" on this website, from the display in the reference area, by attending a workshop (if available), or by contacting the Reference Desk at 978-3584.

If you are interested in learning more about a previous "Resource of the Month," check the archive.

Cochrane Library

Published by John Wiley on behalf of the Cochrane Collaboration, the Cochrane Library is a collection of databases that provides high-quality, independent evidence for healthcare decision-making.  The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organization whose mission is the help people make well-informed heal care decisions.  They do this by preparing, maintaining, and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews on the effects of healthcare interventions.

Upcoming Workshops
Cochrane Library
 Workshops in room 217
September 26 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. Wednesday
September 27 3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Thursday

The workshops are free and although registration is not necessary to attend, it helps assure there are enough handouts.  For more information or to register, contact Li Cao, Life and Health Sciences Librarian at li.cao@wichita.edu or 978-5210. 

How Do I Access Cochrane Library?

There is a link on the WSU Libraries' website under Electronic Resources / Electronic Databases.  You have the option of looking for it under the subject links or the alphabetic links (http://library.wichita.edu/colldev/electrondatabase.htm).  If you are accessing Cochrane Library from off-campus you will be prompted to enter your myWSU ID number and password for authentication purposes.

Why Should I Use Cochrane Library?

Cochrane Library centralizes research on the effectiveness of healthcare treatments and interventions.  Updated quarterly, it provides information and evidence to support decisions taken in health care.  It incorporates hundreds of medical conditions and diverse topics such as injury prevention, alternative remedies, and natural treatments.  Representing the highest level of evidence on which to base clinical treatment decisions, Cochrane Library includes reliable evidence from the Cochrane Reviews, clinical trials, other systematic reviews, medical research studies, and more. 

Need answers to these questions:  1. How do you know if one treatment works better than another or if it will do more harm than good?  2. How can you keep up-to-date with the relevant evidence in your field?  3. How do you know the information is comprehensive, independently reviewed, and reliable?  The Cochrane Library enables all those involved with healthcare decisions to keep up-to-date with all the latest evidence in their field.

Searching The Cochrane Library can be done using the basic search, advanced search, MeSH search, using the search history feature or the saved searches feature.  There are many search options: title, keyword, author, abstract, publication type, plus more.  Browse the Cochrane Reviews by topic, new reviews, updated reviews, alphabetically, or by review group.  Browsing is also available for other resources: other reviews, clinical trials, methods studies, technology assessments, and economic evaluations. 

Features of Cochrane Library

  • Links to MEDLINE Abstracts and ISI Web of Science
  • Wiley InterScience alerting services based on keywords, authors, and other parameters
  • Easy navigation from a reference in a review to the cited journal article
  • Links from many CENTRAL records to the corresponding record in PubMed

Related Websites

For assistance with Cochrane Library, contact Wichita State University Libraries' Research Services Desk at 978-3584.


Updated: December 05, 2008     Contact Dept of  Collection Development    Collection Development Home Page