QuickDOC: an interlibrary loan department in a microcomputer.

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is a critical service in most libraries and one that may consume much staff time. QuickDOC, a software program written by a medical librarian, has been designed to expedite and organize the process of requesting loans, keeping records, and preparing reports on ILL activity. The software communicates with DOCLINE, the automated ILL and referral system of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and simplifies the management of all borrowing and lending, regardless of how requests are transmitted.

Evaluating CD-ROM versions of the MEDLINE database: a checklist.

The emergence of CD-ROM (compact disc/read-only memory) versions of the MEDLINE database requires experienced MEDLINE searchers to examine assumptions about searching MEDLINE, since some expectations may not be fulfilled by this new technology. When applied to a particular CD-ROM MEDLINE product, the evaluation procedure involves testing assumptions concerning database contents; mechanics of searching; display, print, and download capabilities; and user-friendly features. The extent to which a CD-ROM product preserves and exploits important MEDLINE strengths should be assessed, e.

Comparative usefulness of MEDLINE searches performed by a drug information pharmacist and by medical librarians.

The usefulness of MEDLINE searches conducted by a drug information pharmacist who had received online training was compared with the usefulness of searches conducted by medical librarians. Searches for literature pertinent to select drug information requests received at a university drug consultation service during a three-month period were conducted independently by the pharmacist and one of three reference librarians. The three librarians had received extensive online search training and were experienced in conducting MEDLINE searches; the pharmacist was trained by a fourth experienced librarian-searcher using National Library of Medicine (NLM) training materials.

Standards for reference services in health sciences libraries: the reference product.

Standards for reference services were prepared by a committee of the Oregon Health Sciences Libraries Association (OHSLA). The standards are qualitative and address the following: quality control, appropriateness, accuracy, documentation, timeliness, accessibility, confidentiality, and evaluation. The standards are components of minimally competent reference service as reflected in the reference product.