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.     

Engineering Education in Developing Countries: social relevance versus international comparability

The growing frustration of developing countries with their relatively slow rate of economic progress, their increasing dependence on imports of technology despite genuine efforts for endogenous developemt, and the flight of their skilled manpower for employment in developed countries have combined to focus attention of their educational planners on the ‘appropriateness’ of their engineering education programmes. Since technology is nation- and culture-specific, it is argued that all educational programmes in the field of engineering and technology should be specifically designed to meet the needs of the country concerned. Formulation of such programmes may, however, inhibit mobility of engineers across national boundaries, hamper transferof technology and decelerate global economic and technological development. The paper examines the observable differences in the characteristics of developing and developed countries, the technological framework and projections of economic growth of developing countries and the special features of the engineering educational system needed to respond to their needs. Implications of recent advances in information technology, biotechnology and manufacturing technology on engineering education planning are analysed. The compatibility of socially relevant engineering education with that of internationally comparable standards is examined in detail. It is shown that it is possible to develop programmes in developing countries which are intellectually challenging, meet international standards of achievement and at the same tiem equip students with competence in technology assessment, with awareness of pitfalls of technology transfer and with experience in use of technological solutions for current social and economic problems. It is argued that such programmes while essential for developing countries will be equally useful to developed countries and would accelerate international appreciation of problems of development. The reversal of brain-drain is proposed through the creation of challenging opportunities at home coupled with the utiltisation of intellectual and financial resources of emigré nationals abroad.     

Medical student, resident, and faculty use of a computerized literature searching system

The experiences of medical students, residents, and faculty with a computerized literature searching system were evaluated. Third-year medical students, internal medicine and family practice residents, and full-time and voluntary faculty at one medical school had the opportunity to use a full-text and bibliographic medical literature retrieval system free of charge for an eleven-month period. Subjects conducted nearly nine thousand literature searches over a period of 942 system hours. Questionnaire data showed that participants could learn to use and would use an electronic information system, felt capable of using the system, utilized the system for a variety of purposes and in a number of different ways, and viewed the system as a valuable tool in searching the medical literature. The results are discussed in the context of the educational needs of the four user-groups and medical education planning by institutions.     

“State plans”: Their development and potential for regional depository libraries participating in the GPO depository program

Many librarians affiliated with regional depositories are concerned about the ability of their libraries to receive, process, store, and service all the titles and series available on deposit from the Government Printing Office. Some of them have even questioned whether their library can maintain regional status and fulfill all the service elements specified in the Guidelines for the Depository Library System (1977). As this article demonstrates, regional librarians supported the concept of state plans because they believed that this process offered an excellent means to address their concerns. However, in only a few instances have the plans fulfilled the purpose which regional staff envisioned. Nonetheless, the foundation which they laid, if pursued and if the basic documentation underlying the depository program are rewritten, could lead to the type of changes sought by regional libraries.