Biomaterial Database

The rise and fall of the medical mediated searcher. 2000

M C Atlas

Kornhauser Health Sciences Library, University of Louisville, Kentucky 40292, USA.

The relationship between the development of mediated online literature searching and the recruitment of medical librarians to fill positions as online searchers was investigated. The history of database searching by medical librarians was outlined and a content analysis of thirty-five years of job advertisements in MLA News from 1961 through 1996 was summarized. Advertisements for online searchers were examined to test the hypothesis that the growth of mediated online searching was reflected in the recruitment of librarians to fill positions as mediated online searchers in medical libraries. The advent of end-user searching was also traced to determine how this trend affected the demand for mediated online searching and job availability of online searchers. Job advertisements were analyzed to determine what skills were in demand as end-user searching replaced mediated online searching as the norm in medical libraries. Finally, the trend away from mediated online searching to support of other library services was placed in the context of new roles for medical librarians.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007255	Information Services	Organized services to provide information on any questions an individual might have using databases and other sources. (From Random House Unabridged Dictionary, 2d ed)	Information Networks,Information Specialists,Services, Information,Information Network,Information Service,Information Specialist,Network, Information,Networks, Information,Service, Information,Specialist, Information,Specialists, Information
D007993	Libraries, Medical	Collection of information resources relevant to MEDICINE.	Libraries, Health Science,Libraries, Biomedical,Library, Medical,Medical Libraries,Medical Library,Biomedical Libraries,Biomedical Library,Health Science Libraries,Health Science Library,Library, Biomedical
D012106	Research	Critical and exhaustive investigation or experimentation, having for its aim the discovery of new facts and their correct interpretation, the revision of accepted conclusions, theories, or laws in the light of newly discovered facts, or the practical application of such new or revised conclusions, theories, or laws. (Webster, 3d ed)	Research Priorities,Laboratory Research,Research Activities,Research and Development,Activities, Research,Activity, Research,Development and Research,Priorities, Research,Priority, Research,Research Activity,Research Priority,Research, Laboratory
D014481	United States	A country in NORTH AMERICA between CANADA and MEXICO.
D016239	MEDLINE	The premier bibliographic database of the NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE. MEDLINE® (MEDLARS Online) is the primary subset of PUBMED and can be searched on NLM's Web site in PubMed or the NLM Gateway. MEDLINE references are indexed with MEDICAL SUBJECT HEADINGS (MeSH).	Index Medicus