PHYSICIAN USE OF A MEDICAL LIBRARY
PHYSICIAN USE OF A MEDICAL LIBRARY
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1970-06
Authors
Friedlander, Janet
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The use of a medical library by members of the faculty
of a medical school was studied by questionnaire. An attempt
was made to ascertain the part the library played, among the
channels of communication, in work-related information
searches. Generalizations of former use studies (suggesting
that the choice of formal versus informal source was influenced
by experience, type of work, task, and accessibility) were
tested on a new population. The study attempted to describe
the population of users and the kinds of sources they used
in an information search, and to identify some of the factors
which influenced their choice of kinds of sources. It was
hoped that a study of the factors influencing the use of
information sources would lead to the possibility of predicting
use of kinds of sources once the characteristics of the
users were known. The results refer mainly to the information
searching of clinicians affiliated with a teaching
hospital. Most frequently sought information was about a
specific disease. The study showed high use of informal
sources in seeking information. Talking to a man in the same
subject area as the respondent was the most common method
used. The major source which provided the information was
journal articles. More than half of these articles were used
in Xerox copy form. The importance of personal collections
as sources of information was pointed up. Most respondents
found the information they sought themselves, rather than
relying upon library services. The use to which the information
was put v/as evenly divided between clinical and research,
although the majority of the respondents were clinicians.
A connection between experience and type of source used
appears to exist. The high use of informal sources suggests
that type of work may influence method of search. Research
appears to lead to more information searches than teaching.
The study brought out a high use of sources which are
accessible and easy to use. The tabulations show the importance
of co-workers in informal communication. Low delegation
of documentation tasks to libraries is apparent. The
main user of the library studied v/as a clinician in the area
of internal medicine who used journal articles about
diseases for information to use in the treatment of his
patients. Most talked to men in their subject areas to
find a source and did not use library services. Telephoning
wa3 widely used as a means of contacting the library. The
card catalog was little uced by the patron. Of those who
went to the library, more than half used indexes or browsed
on the shelf. The recommendations were made that journals
should be shelved accessibly, with Index Medicus nearby.
Books might be shelved less accessibly. Telephone access
to the library is of major importance as is the provision
of adequate Xeroxing f a c i l i t i e s.
Description
Submitted in p a r t i a l fulfillment of the requirements for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Keywords
PHYSICIAN USE,, MEDICAL LIBRARY