Free MEDLINE and implications for library operations.

The widespread availability of free MEDLINE systems on the Internet raises issues about the continued need to allocate library funds for commercial, fee-for-service MEDLINE vendors. This paper explores the evolution and acceptance of free MEDLINE, looking in particular at NLM's PubMed system. Results of a survey on librarian perceptions of PubMed are discussed. The new generation of PubMed software is evaluated in the context of end-user needs and educational goals of medical libraries.