Skip to main content
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association logoLink to Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
. 1998 Jul;86(3):307–315.

Desktop document delivery using portable document format (PDF) files and the Web.

J P Shipman 1, W L Gembala 1, J M Reeder 1, B A Zick 1, M J Rainwater 1
PMCID: PMC226376  PMID: 9681165

Abstract

Desktop access to electronic full-text literature was rated one of the most desirable services in a client survey conducted by the University of Washington Libraries. The University of Washington Health Sciences Libraries (UW HSL) conducted a ten-month pilot test from August 1996 to May 1997 to determine the feasibility of delivering electronic journal articles via the Internet to remote faculty. Articles were scanned into Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF) files and delivered to individuals using Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME) standard e-mail attachments and the Web. Participants retrieved scanned articles and used the Adobe Acrobat Reader software to view and print files. The pilot test required a special programming effort to automate the client notification and file deletion processes. Test participants were satisfied with the pilot test despite some technical difficulties. Desktop delivery is now offered as a routine delivery method from the UW HSL.

Full text

PDF
315

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Hover L. M. Telefacsimile service in a hospital consortium. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 1987 Jan;75(1):35–36. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. McQueen J., Boss R. W. High-speed telefacsimile in libraries. Libr Technol Rep. 1983 Jan-Feb;19(1):7–111. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Pfaffenberger A., Deagle J. H., Pfaffenberger R. C. Rapid delivery of medical information to remote hospital sites by telefacsimile. J Am Osteopath Assoc. 1984 Apr;83(8):604–613. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Whittaker M., Malamud J. UnCover: the article access solution. Bull Med Libr Assoc. 1994 Apr;82(2):181–182. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Bulletin of the Medical Library Association are provided here courtesy of Medical Library Association

RESOURCES