Promoting remote use of e-journals by RCN members across the UK and abroad

The Royal College of Nursing has been offering remote access to electronic journals since 2001. Working together with our partners: Blackwell Publishing, Health Communications Network, and more recently Ovid, we aim to provide a friendly service. However, ensuring that the service is used effectively by our large membership--different information literacy skills, different health sectors, in the UK and abroad--is a challenge. This paper outlines the various strategies employed to meet that challenge. Methods used include links from the database British Nursing Index (also available remotely) to the e-journals, as well as being able to search the journals separately. RCN Library and Information Services have also worked with RCN colleagues developing the award winning online Learning Zone to ensure that the e-journals are promoted within an online learning environment. A survey to check whether we are meeting our members' needs was due to take place in February 2003.