Teaching reprint file management: a hands-on approach.
The development of user-friendly search systems has enabled physicians to perform their own MEDLINE searches These physicians are recognizing a need to learn how to organize their growing reprint collections. Librarians at the University of Michigan, Alfred Taubman Medical Library have developed a unique course that presents a variety of techniques to meet the needs of a wide audience. For some users, such as students or house officers who have limited funds or lack support devices, a variety of manual methods are presented. Advantages and disadvantages of using manual versus computerized systems are discussed. Following the illustration of the manual methods, users are introduced to a simple computerized method using a utility type database management package, PC-FILE. Hands-on training under the direction of librarians allows students to develop and use a practice database while having experts available to answer questions. Users are encouraged to take a copy of PC-FILE (shareware) with them to experiment with before committing themselves to a more expensive database management software package. Before the class ends, those interested in a more sophisticated package with specialized report formats and downloading/uploading capabilities are given a brief demonstration of PRO-CITE. Evaluations have shown that there is interest in all three methods.
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Taubman Medical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.
D003200:Computer User Training; D003628:Database Management Systems; D005371:Filing; D008091:Literature; D016239:MEDLINE; D008824:Michigan; D010820:Physicians; D014481:United States