Implications of Web-based Loansome Doc for librarians and end-users: preliminary research findings
by Shelley Paden, Andrea Batson, and Rick Wallace

This was presented at SC/MLA, October, 1999 at Greenville, South Carolina at the Contributed paper II session. This research project received the SC/MLA Research Grant for 1999.

Our research collaborators are: Shelley Paden, who has been a librarian at the University of Tennessee Medical Center in Knoxville, Tennessee since 1987. Previously, she was a medical librarian at St. Joseph's Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She is a distinguished member of AHIP. Shelley has presented papers at the local, state and regional level on various library topics including Loansome Doc, Blackwell's Serials Information Manager, copyright, and email. She is currently Vice-President/Chair Elect of the Knoxville Area Health Science Library Consortium.

Andrea Batson is the Science/Engineering Librarian at Tennessee Technological University at Cookeville, Tennessee. Previously, she was the medical librarian at Bristol Regional Medical Center at Bristol Tennessee from 1994-1999. Andrea has presented papers at the SC/MLA in 1996 and 1999. She has been active in the medical library activities in Tennessee. She was editor of Cross-Reference, the quarterly newsletter of the Tennessee Health Science Library Association (1996-1998) and has given numerous presentations for state meetings. In May 1998, she was the recipient of the EBSCO/MLA Annual Meeting Grant.

Rick Wallace is the Outreach Librarian and Adjunct Clinical Professor in the James H. Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. From 1995-2000, Rick served a 13 county region and over 300 professionals as the Circuit Librarian at the northeast Tennessee Area Health Education Center in Johnson City, Tennessee. He has presented numerous papers at the SC/MLA since 1996. In 1999, Rick was part of a group that subcontracted through the NNLM for Internet Training for Health Professionals in the East Tennessee Region.

Shelley Paden has summarized their presentation at SC/MLA1999:

Problem: With the wider access and enhancements to PubMed and GratefulMed on the Web and the increasing training opportunities to learn these search systems, librarians need to look anew at the effects of Loansome Doc on libraries and users. Our research investigates how Loansome Doc services are being implemented and utilized by libraries and registered end-users in the southeastern region. This project explores the effect of Loansome Doc services on the end-user, and their satisfaction with the service.

Methodology: This is a quantitative study of two sample groups using survey research methods.

Loansome Doc Libraries: To provide a comprehensive picture of the use of Loansome Doc in the southeastern region, we surveyed all 251 active DOCLINE libraries in the six states of the SC/MLA. There were 171 responses for an overall response rate of 68%.

Loansome Doc End-Users: We gathered a sample of end-users from registered users of Loansome Doc in Florida and Tennessee, as these two states have the highest number of Loansome Doc users in the Southern Chapter Region. Twenty-three libraries gave permission to survey 512 of their users. At the time of presentation 292 users responded for a return rate of 57%*. *Please note that one library sent out their surveys late and the returns from that mailing are almost complete now. The final response rate may be different from the preliminary results. Final results will be adjusted or revised as necessary for publication.

Questionnaires: Separate questionnaires were prepared for libraries and end-users. For libraries, we focused on the current status of Loansome Doc activities at each institution (including marketing, training, fee structures, type of Loansome Doc users), statistical data (including number of users and number of requests) and subjective assessments of problems with and usefulness of Loansome Doc. The questionnaire for Loansome Doc end-users focused on how they found out about Lonsome Doc, if they received training, the number of requests they made, the problems they encountered, and the reason(s) why they use the service.

Results-Loansome Doc Libraries: Roughly one half of the respondents offered Loansome Doc services to their patrons. Of those who did not, most indicated they would not offer it in the future. The most common method of making users aware of Loansome Doc was informal contact. Problems were relatively rare; user's privileges were seldom revoked. The majority of libraries have a small number of end-users. Increases in interli­brary loan activity were not great. Satisfaction with the Loansome Doc system was high.

Results-Loansome Doc End-Users: Loansome Doc users are usually physicians or other health care professionals. Generally, they request articles for research and patient care. Most end­ users learn about Loansome Doc through PubMed or Internet Grateful Med rather than from librarians. End-users appear to be self-taught or receive informal instruction on PubMed/IGM and Loansome Doc. Loansome Doc fills document requests in a timely manner and end-users report being satisfied with the service.

Conclusion: Satisfaction levels with Loansome Doc services are very high with libraries and their end-users. Loansome Doc libraries are generally not overburdened with requests and librarians appreciate the convenience of the service. Unfortu­nately, a large number of libraries do not have the service and are not interested in offering it in the future. Greater promotion of what Loansome Doc is and how it can benefit libraries can increase the number of participating libraries. Librarians could be more proactive in their institution by publicizing Loansome Doc on their web page, developing brochures and training sessions. While satisfaction of end-users is high, their satisfaction level could be increased with more training.

The major problems encountered in the study: Conceptualizing this large of a study was a challenge! Implementing a timeline for all participants was difficult. The SC/MLA Research Committee was really great for giving us comments and helping us fine-tune our ideas.

Submitted by Helvi McCall
Research Committee, SCIMLA.
Reprinted from Southern Expression, Vol. 6, #2, Spring 2000