Coping with a MEDLIB-L service outage

• Published in: Bulletin of the Medical Library Association Vol. 89; no. 4; pp. 379 - 385
• Main Authors: BROWN, Christine D, MACCALL, Steven
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chicago, IL Medical Library Association 01.10.2001
• Subjects: Anecdotes as Topic; Computer Communication Networks - statistics & numerical data; Computer Communication Networks - utilization; Consumer Behavior; Discussion groups; Downtime; Electronic mail; Exact sciences and technology; Failure; Humans; Information and communication sciences; Information science. Documentation; Information Services - statistics & numerical data; Information Services - utilization; Library and information science. General aspects; Medical Libraries Discussion List; MEDLIB-L; Sciences and techniques of general use; Surveys and Questionnaires; Telecommunications - statistics & numerical data; Telecommunications - utilization; United States; Use and user studies. Information needs; United States; Interlibrary loan; Information service; Outage; Biomedical information; Discussion group; Reference service; User study; User reaction; Information retrieval; Electronic mail; Internet; User behavior
• ISSN: 0025-7338

The study assessed the coping strategies of MEDLIB-L subscribers during an unexpected disruption in the list's service. An online survey of MEDLIB-L subscribers was performed following a six-day service outage in August 1999. 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. 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.