The Missouri Area Health Education Center (MAHEC) Digital Libary (MDL) provides a common web portal with seamless access to a core set of health information resources for all AHEC supported preceptors, students and other health care providers who are practicing in Missouri. Healthcare related institutions may participate in the MDL and institutions with libraries may become affiliate members with the MAHEC Digital Library System.
The resources and services of the MDL include full text journals and books, as well as evidence-based medicine focused resources designed to answer clinical questions at the point of care. The resources are provided in a customized environment that delivers pre-selected and user- selected resources that are of the highest quality to end- users. The customizable web-portal allows for seamlessly combined resources from multiple institutions and libraries via one interface and with one login and password process. Individuals see only the links to the resources they are given access to. Services include mediated searching, reference assistance, inter-library loan services, document delivery and training workshops approved for CME and CEU. MDL personnel develop and maintain the customized web portal and over 100 databases that comprise the MDL System.
This collaborative model provides statewide coverage for the Missouri AHEC System and their community partners at a fraction of actual individualized cost due to the leveraging of infrastructure, personnel, technology, and resource investment.
MDL’s long term goal is to become the portal of choice for health professionals and healthcare related institutions in Missouri.
We accomplish our goals by:
- Building and maintaining a unifying structure for the digital library.
- Forging effective partnerships with other institutions and organizations.
- Creating and maintaining systems which provide accurate, reliable, useable and up-to-date information.
- Educating users how to locate, critically access/assess, and manage information resources.
- Providing service, instruction, and outreach to the MAHEC community and beyond.