End‐users: threat, challenge or myth?

In spite of ostensibly favourable conditions, end‐user searching of online text information retrieval systems among City firms is relatively uncommon. Online searching is flourishing but is very much the province of librarians. Textline is the exception, being used fairly extensively by intermediaries and end‐users alike. Textline's success is attributed to shrewd marketing, user‐friendly software, a wide and relevant coverage policy, its abstracts and early entry into the market. Job perceptions, job pressures, human nature and attitudes towards information technology appear to be inhibiting widespread end‐user searching. Intermediaries, who are actively encouraging end‐use, or who are trying to get involved in the planning of integrated information systems, still seem to be in the minority.