Is anyone still offering mediated searches of databases? By mediated I
mean that a member of library staff conducts the search, ideally with the
person wanting the information at their side.
Here at University of Reading we have a subscription to DIALOG. Because of
the costs of searching DIALOG databases they are only available via
mediated searches. As use of our other databases are all on a free self-
service basis the mediated service seems quite antiquated and although
DIALOG does offer a range of databases that are not available to our users
in any other way they are hardly ever used, despite our publicizing the
service whenever and wherever possible.
I will be pleased to hear from anyone whose institution offers this kind
of service. I am particularly interested in how you are promoting it, how
are you charging for it, who is using the service and what level of use
you are experiencing. Please reply to me in the first instance. I will be
happy to summarize for the list if appropriate.
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