Computer-Automated Reprint Requests

Abstract

The current explosion of information in the medical sciences makes it difficult and time consuming to keep on top of the literature within one's discipline. Computers can eliminate the drudgery of weekly reviews of Current Contents® and writing out reprint request postcards by hand. Computer-based article retrieval is actually less costly than manual methods.

This paper presents a strategy for using existing computer database services to collect citations of interest and automatically generate reprint request postcards. The system developed by the Office of Substance Abuse Studies (OSAS) indexes the citations with user-defined key words, and stores them in a private database for easy location and retrieval. This method requires modem or computer access to a commercial citation database, a word processing program, and a database program. It does not require purchase of any particular software package or preprinted forms of any kind. With an understanding of this method, an article retrieval system can be set up using any full-featured word processing and database programs.

Using conservative estimates, the total cost per article of this system was compared with the total cost of photocopying per article at the University's library. Library cost per article was $1.41, compared to .85 for computer retrieval. An estimated 60% savings rate is achieved using computer-automated reprint requests.