The goal of the proposed project is to establish a strong, resilient and expandable electronic information infrastructure which is known as BaylorLINK. The two institutions involved on this project, the Baylor Health Care System (BHCS) and the Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD), will share access to information creating an electronic library. In this manner BaylorLINK will be able to amalgamate institutional information resources while allowing users online access to a core information dataset. The BaylorLINK system will be user friendly, since the operation and location of various services of the system will be transparent to the user. In brief, this project seeks to develop a """"""""library"""""""" without walls. This collaborative effort will: i Establish and enhance Internet access for BHCS and BCD i Provide access to end user searching of Grateful Med, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health, and PDQ i Provide access to health sciences books, drug books and services such as Micromedex i Link BHCS and BCD computer networks i Enhance and expand a user friendly menu system to link information services i Provide automated access to information resources to facilitate sound clinical decisions i Provide automated access to the Library, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week i Provide patient-oriented information i Facilitate institutional communications with online access to E-mail, calendars, institutional news, electronic publishing of newsletters, and internal home pages i Provide methods for accessing information regardless of the user's hardware configuration. The proposed project will result in the installation and integration of state- of-the-art computer hardware and software into a viable electronic resource. It enables new types of linkages, enhances information access, while improving the electronic information infrastructure. This will impact health care by making commonly needed health care resources easily and widely accessible to health professionals when making health care decisions. BaylorLINK's user friendly environment will make available information to those who require its use by providing information to health care professionals, researchers, library patrons, and students when and where they need it.
