Development of SDI services from a manual current awareness service to SDILINE

The Reference Department of The Milton S. Hershey Medical Center Library has offered SDI service to the faculty for over three and one-half years. This study traces the development of SDI services from a manual Current Awareness Service (CAS), with the incorporation of Index Medicus photocopies, to the National Library of Medicine's SDILINE (Selective Dissemination of Information On-LINE). Over 24% of the Medical Center's faculty currently receive SDILINE service. Through questionnaires, the two systems are evaluated and compared. There was 100% return on both questionnaires. Both the manual CAS and SDILINE were favorably received by the faculty, but SDILINE was chosen unanimously as the preferred service. A subscription fee for SDILINE did not significantly affect the system's use. Conclusions reached through the questionnaires indicate that constant evaluation of subject profiles and interaction between the librarian and the user are necessary for optimum use of any SDI service.