The demand for physicians in rural areas of Nebraska is great. Yet, young health care providers are reluctant to establish a practice in small communities isolated from colleagues, from large hospital facilities and from information support services. In an effort to attract residents to these less populated areas, the Family Practice Department has established rural residency training programs in Lexington, McCook, O'Neill, and Wayne, Nebraska. The McGoogan Library has the specific aim of improving information support services to all health care personnel in Nebraska. This joint proposal will demonstrate the feasibility of providing such services at remote sites through the use of technology. The successful outcome of this project will aid in placement of Family Practice physicians in rural areas of Nebraska and in support of their information management needs. The objectives are: 1) to provide each site with a minimal core collection; 2) to provide microcomputer capability for end-user searching; 3) to provide AV capability for primary and continuing education; 4) to provide basic education on library management and end-user searching; 5) to provide information management consultation services to health care providers at each site. A project librarian will establish the basic library, select and install the microcomputer configuration with appropriate searching software, conduct educational programs for residents, faculty, and local library managers, prepare searching guides, and provide individual consultation on personal information management to clinicians at each site. This project will demonstrate the value of information support services to health education and health care at remote sites through the use of technology. It will also demonstrate the evolving role of the medical librarian as information manager and educator.
