BRS Colleague MEDLINE End User Training Follow-up Survey

The amount of recent literature describing end user training programs is substantial, yet there are few reports evaluating the effectiveness of such training. This article reports on a follow-up survey of the first seventy-five trainees of a four-hour BRS Colleague MEDLINE training program at the Health Sciences Library of East Carolina University. The 90.7 percent response rate to the questionnaire provided information about both those who performed searches and those who had not. It indicated how trainees felt about their training, their ability to perform searches or reason for not performing searches, and types of additional training the trainees desired. Survey results are discussed in terms of effectiveness of the training for the end user with infrequent search needs, possible modifications to improve the effectiveness of the training, and possible alternatives to BRS Colleague MEDLINE.     

Analysis of non-urban end users' MEDLINE training.

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) Library mailed a MEDLINE End User Practice Survey Form to 310 health professionals who had attended MEDLINE seminars supported by a two-year NLM grant. The survey sought to determine how many respondents had obtained NLM codes, reasons for not obtaining a code, searching time done since the seminar, differences in the use of information since taking the seminar, factors helpful in successful searching, and factors contributing to frustrations. The most prevalent reasons for not obtaining a code were lack of a microcomputer and modem, infrequent use of MEDLINE, cost, lack of time, complications, and ability to obtain free searches.     

Evaluation of MEDLINE service by user survey

The use of MEDLINE at the Calder Memorial Library of the University of Miami School of Medicine has grown so substantially over the past one and one-half years that we felt an evaluation of the service was appropriate. A one-page questionnaire was sent to 350 patrons who had requested MEDLINE searches in 1973. The response validated many of our assumptions about the user group and their reasons for using MEDLINE. Most surprising were the degree of enthusiasm, the willingness to pay out of personal funds, the apparent lack of knowledge about SDILINE, and the small number of critical comments. We expect that the experience gained from this assessment will enable us to make improvements in some aspects of our service, as well as to undertake more subject-specific evaluations at shorter intervals in the future.     

The effect of CD-ROM MEDLINE on online end user and mediated searching.

Since 1970, Indiana University School of Medicine Library (IUSML) has traditionally been a high volume online searching institution. The library recently implemented an end user searching program which includes MEDLINE on CD-ROM. The effect of CD-ROM on online end user and mediated searching is discussed. Comparative statistics are provided by category of search service. CD-ROM has had a dramatic lowering effect on online end user searching and has had little effect on mediated searching. IUSML's experience with CD-ROM technology has been a positive one. Trained end users have become IUSML's greatest asset.     

CD-ROM MEDLINE training: a survey of medical school libraries

Most medical school libraries are attempting to provide some form of training for the CD-ROM MEDLINE user, according to this survey conducted in 1989. User guides and vendor-produced tutorials are helpful but are not usually a major aspect of the training. The training sessions vary considerably in length as well as number of attendees, with individualized training being the most widespread. Few facilities offer advanced classes. A core list of training topics has been identified. Evaluation of the training has been done in only a small percentage of the libraries.     

Teaching MEDLINE to non-urban end users.

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) Library conducted a two-year program, funded by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), to teach Oklahoma's nonurban health professionals to perform searches of NLM's MEDLINE files using microcomputers. The training program included lectures, online demonstrations, and hands-on practice time. The initial target audience of non-urban physicians was later broadended to include other health professionals. Data collected on the 334 seminar participants included professions and specialties, previous microcomputer usage, and the size of their hospitals. On-site evaluation indicated a high degree of satisfaction with the trainers' communication skills, preparation, information imparted, and the visual aids used. The results of a follow-up survey to determine how many trainees subsequently obtained NLM codes, the amount of searching done, and the problems experienced await analysis.     

MEDLINE and MeSH: challenges for end users

Through casual observations, formal consultations, and educational sessions, the authors have identified various indexing features of the National Library of Medicine's Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) that pose challenges to end users while attempting to obtain relevant retrieval when searching MEDLINE. These problematic features include the use of Explodes, Tree structures, subheadings, Text Word vs. subject heading searching, and central concept searching. End-user search software is becoming more sophisticated with an increasing number of choices offered for search strategy formulation. Methods of instruction to orient the end user to these systems will also have to become more detailed. A review of the literature, that discusses end-user problems with using MEDLINE and MeSH, is included.     

MEDTUTOR: a microcomputer-based training program for MEDLINE

MEDTUTOR is an interactive, microcomputer-based training package designed to teach medical and health professionals, as well as librarians and information specialists, how to use MEDLINE effectively. The objective of MEDTUTOR is to provide a comprehensive package for teaching the various commands and search techniques required for utilizing the MEDLINE database through the MEDLARS system. MEDTUTOR's menu-driven design allows novice users to learn about the content and use of MEDLINE, such as author searching, text word searching, MeSH indexing, etc., at their own pace and with considerable program feedback. In addition, MEDTUTOR provides the skilled searcher with a way to reinforce or recall previously-learned search techniques without incurring online charges. MEDTUTOR may be used in place of formal training, as a precursor to or as a refresher following formal training, or for review of a particular concept. It provides inexpensive and easily accessible instruction for searching MEDLINE.     

MEDLINE end-user survey: the University of Florida experience

The University of Florida Health Science Center Library (UF-HSCL) surveyed MEDLINE end-user activities of the faculty from the six colleges which the UF-HSCL serves. A questionnaire was developed and sent to all faculty members. The Basic SAS program was used to analyze the collected data. This survey was intended to identify the users, the reasons for faculty members not being end users, the purpose for searching MEDLINE, the information retrieval methods, the level of end-user satisfaction, and the librarian's role in information retrieval activities. Many findings from this survey were in agreement with those of the 1988 study by the National Library of Medicine.     

A user study of manual and MEDLINE literature searches in the hospital library

To determine possible uses for MEDLINE in the hospital library, health practitioners requesting literature searches were provided with both a manual and a MEDLINE search. Patron receptivity to MEDLINE was good, but the manual search was more often preferred. The health practitioners responding to a questionnaire apparently had delegated literature searching and evaluation of material to the hospital librarians, especially when clinically related information was needed. In the community hospitals where both the search and the selection of material are the responsibility of the librarian, MEDLINE can be used as the primary search tool or to supplement material provided.     

MEDLINE training within the library school curriculum: quality control and future trends.

In order to assess the current status of MEDLINE training provided by schools of library science, a survey was conducted of those schools having an educational identification code issued by the National Library of Medicine. Information was gathered on such variables as the instructors' background and preparation, the course objectives and content, and the amount of on-line experience provided to students in each of eleven programs. An evaluation of these measures indicates that more opportunities to gain experience in using MEDLINE should be initiated by library schools and that current efforts should be continued and expanded. Specific recommendations for accomplishing these goals are outlined; they are addressed to health sciences librarians, library school educators, the Medical Library Association, and the National Library of Medicine.     

Teaching end users the CD Plus MEDLINE menu mode in thirty minutes

Guidance through the CD Plus menu mode is warranted and has proved worthwhile. The Stowe Library's Information Services Department offers instruction once per week; the session usually lasts thirty minutes but may run longer if the attendees are particularly astute or enthusiastic. Individuals or classes may also request instruction at times that are better suited to their schedules. Librarians who search CD Plus on a daily basis will undoubtedly become facile with the direct searching mode. New end users will probably enjoy more success by using the menu mode. The menu mode does not provide documentation; therefore, a modified text of this article including the illustrations might be considered an adequate print manual for the menus. However, many of the system capabilities cannot be used unless they are taught by an experienced operator. Such a basic but necessary introduction requires approximately one-half hour. The pace will be brisk, and time for extraneous experimentation is unlikely. A successful instruction session is a result of preparation rather than improvisation. If the specific interests of the clientele in attendance are known in advance, a reworking of the examples would be appropriate. Although no formal evaluation of this instruction technique has been made, most attendees express an appreciation and understanding of the system's capabilities by the end of the session. Tangible feedback comes from seeing an end user who had participated in instruction return to the workstation on an ongoing basis to search the database successfully.     

An end user search service in an academic health sciences library

This paper describes the experience of an academic health sciences library which made BRS/After Dark, an end user search service, available to its clientele as a complement to its mediated search service. The library environment, initial publicity efforts and administrative procedures are discussed. An attempt is made to evaluate the usefulness of the service in a library environment. This evaluation, covering a three-month period, is based on the observations of the librarians administering the service and an exit interview conducted with searchers over a two-month period. User satisfaction, both observed and recorded, was quite high; however, the librarians found that users had more difficulty in constructing appropriate search strategies than had been anticipated. Overall, the service is assessed as highly useful.     

COLLEAGUE: a comprehensive online medical library for the end user

COLLEAGUE, from BRS/Saunders, is an online information service intended for use by health professionals. This article describes both the databases and services available through COLLEAGUE and shows specific search examples. Special COLLEAGUE features are highlighted as well as the differences between COLLEAGUE and both BRS/AFTER DARK and the BRS Search System. In addition, the role of the librarian in end user searching and future directions for COLLEAGUE are discussed.     

The effect of CD-ROM MEDLINE on online end-user and mediated searching: a follow-up study

Indiana University School of Medicine Library (IUSML) has traditionally been a high volume searching institution. The dramatic effect of CD-ROM on online end-user searching and the negligible effect on mediated searching was reported in an earlier study. This follow-up study reveals that the proportion of mediated searching has been drastically reduced from 94% in 1986/87 to 39% as of November 1989. Mediated searches are declining in absolute numbers as well. End-user searching, by contrast, has increased by 54% percent over the previous year. A related trend is the increased use of CD-ROM by the librarian as an alternative to mediated online searching. These trends are expected to continue as IUSML expands its CD-ROM operation to include other databases. As mediated searching declines, the librarian's role will increasingly include end-user training.     

The MEDLINE update on closed-circuit television.

An alternative format for presentation of the MEDLINE Update is presented. Utilization of a statewide closed-circuit television network is time-saving and cost-effective for the audience. Differences in and audience response to this alternative programming are described.     

OneSearch in a dental library: beyond MEDLINE.

MEDLINE, which includes the Index to Dental Literature, has been the database of choice for most search requests generated at Indiana University School of Dentistry. However, many requests extend beyond dentistry and the health sciences into the realms of business, education, psychology, law, and computer technology. For these requests, DIALOG's new OneSearch feature can be a simple and cost-effective mechanism for supplementing searches that would otherwise be confined to MEDLINE.     

Searching the MEDLARS file on NLM and BRS a comparative study.

A comparison of the MEDLARS data base as it is currently available from the National Library of Medicine and Bibliographic Retrieval Services (BRS), Inc., is presented in chart format, and some major capability differences between the two systems are highlighted. The information inlcuded justifies the dual availability of the data base in health sciences libraries. This paper is intended for searchers and others familiar with one or both systems. Administrators considering the acquisition of the BRS system may find the study useful.     

A hedge for searching nutrition and disease on MEDLINE.

Written for online searchers familiar with MEDLINE, this article defines the scope of nutrition as it relates to disease, suggests background literature to familiarize the searcher with nutrition, and presents a hedge for searching nutritional aspects of disease on MEDLINE. Vocabulary decisions, methods for limiting retrieval, and other applications of the nutrition hedge also are discussed.