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.