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. 2001 Oct;89(4):379-85.

Coping with a MEDLIB-L service outage

C D Brown  1 , S MacCall
Affiliations

Coping with a MEDLIB-L service outage

C D Brown et al. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 2001 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: The study assessed the coping strategies of MEDLIB-L subscribers during an unexpected disruption in the list's service.

Methods: An online survey of MEDLIB-L subscribers was performed following a six-day service outage in August 1999.

Results: Respondents' information needs resulted in two distinct coping strategies. Subscribers without a recognized information need or an information need determined to be not pressing coped by waiting out the interruption. Subscribers with pressing information needs turned to alternative methods of resolving these needs.

Conclusions: While most respondents missed the list and the assistance that it provided, many did not feel that the outage required significant coping strategies. The outage was viewed as a "minor stressor" and did not require secondary-level assessment of the availability and suitability of alternative resources.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Number of respondents with postings during outage
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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