Following the release of a NLM-sponsored free interface to the MEDLINE data, the library community has begun debating the merits of this particular interface and the impact it may have on library operations. One issue is whether free, in and of itself, is really a cost-savings. Marcy gave her answer on Medlib-L on July 23rd.

"It's only free if your staff time doesn't count... I've been comparing the time I spend with the "surgical approach" to searching, using the full capacity of the system, (explodes, subheadings, asterisks etc), via spirs or telnet to nlm, vs the "free" igm or pubmed interface...I can usually get a good result within 12 minutes using the tools we have had at our disposal in the past... I'm lucky to have anything resembling a useful product in less than 40 minutes with the "user friendly" interface... maybe it's only my connection, (128k frame) but every search is interrupted, even when I'm trying to view results,, "unable to make connection, try again later" (I'm sorry, I don't have "try again later" time in my budget), the print format eats up reams of paper, it is difficult to return to revise search results (this is when I always get the try again later) the system's idea of relevancy is rarely what I need, I get screens with no results, just the buttons at the bottom, and the legend 1-8 of 36 or whatever... I could go on for hours... this is one frustrated librarian and I usually _like_ changes!!! How am I budgeting for next year, same as last, cuz I can't afford FREE!!!!"

You can review NLM's memorandum concerning PubMed here.