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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.