MELVYL MEDLINE: reference service implications of an end-user search system

The implementation of MELVYL MEDLINE, a successful online end-user system in the University of California (UC) health sciences libraries greatly enhanced the capabilities of reference desk service by providing immediate access to current medical literature from the MEDLINE database. With these enhancements, the extent of the impact on the delivery of reference service was not anticipated. Concurrent with providing traditional reference service requests, there was a constant need for individualized end-user instruction by MELVYL MEDLINE users, and continual maintenance of workstation equipment and supplies. This paper describes the experiences at the UC Irvine (UCI) Biomedical Library and compares these experiences with other UC health sciences libraries. The purpose of this paper is to discuss some of the issues which must be considered when planning for the implementation of an end-user system within the reference service function.