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Evaluating overall usage of a digital health sciences library
M P D'Alessandro1, D M D'Alessandro, J R Galvin
1Department of Radiology, University of Iowa, College of Medicine, Iowa City 52242, USA. michael-dalessandro@uiowa.edu
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
|November 6, 1998
Summary
Usage of digital health sciences libraries (DHSLs) increased significantly, with international users accessing specialized medical information. Continuous quality improvement is key to enhancing DHSLs for diverse user needs.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Digital Libraries
- Information Science
Background:
- Digital Health Sciences Libraries (DHSLs) are crucial for evaluating individual and population usage.
- Continuous quality improvement necessitates understanding DHSL utilization patterns.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate trends in overall DHSL usage.
- To enhance DHSL functionality and user satisfaction through data-driven insights.
Main Methods:
- Web server log file analysis of a prototype DHSL (Virtual Hospital).
- Utilized two log file analysis programs for data from February 1995-1998.
Main Results:
- Overall DHSL usage demonstrated growth from 1995-1997, stabilizing in 1998.
- Fifteen percent of users originated from outside the United States.
- Access focused on specialty medical information for both healthcare providers and patients.
Conclusions:
- DHSLs should offer comprehensive information on common and rare medical conditions.
- Content translation and mirroring are essential to serve international users effectively.
- Indexing and cataloging in major search engines and indices are vital for user discoverability.