Re: Endnote Bibliographic Software

Gregory A. Finnegan (Gregory.A.Finnegan@DARTMOUTH.EDU)
Fri, 5 Nov 1993 10:55:58 EST

Can't directly address E J Sobo's query, since I'm unfamiliar with PAPYRUS.
But I can second Richard W. Lindstrom's endorsement of EndNote.

I'd add the following points to what he wrote. At least for the Mac version
(there's also MS-DOS out, and WINDOWS in works), EndNote Plus (the current
version) is an exemplary Mac application: if you already use a Mac, the
learning curve for EndNote is shorter than almost any other software.

Not only can you easily key in new records using the supplied templates, you
can download them. Niles (vendor) also sells a module called EndLink that
lets you download from DIALOG or BRS or Medline with field tags converted for
EndNote. There's also a free converter for EndLink to download properly
tagged records from MELVYL, the Univ. of Calif. system-wide catalog (which is
accessible via Internet.)

For Dartmouth's catalog, you don't even need EndLink: Just connect to us
(address: lib.dartmouth.edu) do your search (many help & explain screens to
make it easy) and, after "set(ting) paging off" to scroll the display, type
"d[isplay] endnote" to get the records formatted for EndNote. Save them as
text file & import into EndNote. We've got a glitch w/ series titles for
monographs in series, but that'll be fixed "soon." You can get to MELVYL
thru our OPAC just by typing "connect MELVYL" (if you don't know their direct
Internet address.)

EndNote will export/import to/from PROCITE, its main competitor in the Mac
world. PROCITE is more powerful, but much more expensive and much less easy
to use. But since the files can be exported, were you ever to need the more
powerful application, you would not lose anything by having begun w/ the far
cheaper/easier EndNote.

EndNote comes with 10 or so mainstream Style templates for formatting the
in-text citations & bibliographies. AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST isn't one, tho'
"Author-Date" is. But as it's easy to customize Styles (as Lindstrom noted
it's easy to custom records), I've created an AA Style.

There is a listserv for EndNote, ENDNOTE-L, which, among other things, has an
FTP archive of customized styles. ENDNOTE-L is also monitored by Niles, so
questions are answered directly; it's an on-line User Group. There's also a
listserv called BIBSOFT-L which is given over to discussion of ALL citation
management software, and which frequently discusses PAPYRUS as well as
EndNote and ProCite. I can supply details.

Have you hugged your librarian today?

Greg.Finnegan@Dartmouth.edu
Reference-Bibliographer
& Adjunct Assoc. Prof. of Anthro.
Dartmouth College Library
6025 Baker Library, Room 104
Hanover NH 03755-3525
603/646-2868 voice
603/646-2167 fax