CD-ROM use and file interaction: An analysis of a sample of medical libraries

Analysis of data recorded in 626 questionnaires on the use of CD-ROM products by type of medical library showed that academic libraries used CD-ROM products to a greater degree than the other types of libraries responding to the survey (70% academic, 32% hospital, 36% industrial, 43% governmental, 32% institutional, and 27% medical centre). Medline was the predominant CD-ROM product consistently used by all types of libraries. Half of the academic libraries edited or further processed search results; only 22% to 44% of the other types of libraries performed this activity. Word- Perfect was the predominant editing software used by all types of libraries. Reference Manager and Procite were used equally to capture search results; Reference Manager was used more frequently to reformat search results. The same systems were used for telelcommunications by all types of libraries: Procomm and Smartcom were used more frequently by all types of libraries than other telecommunications soft ware.