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One of the notable figures in the history of the National Library of Medicine, Davis B. McCarn, died August 16th at his home in Rockville, Maryland. He had small cell carcinoma.

McCarn, who served at NLM from 1967 to 1978, helped guide the Library through an especially fruitful period of technological progress. He managed the development of the first nationwide online information service, MEDLINE, which is now the world's largest health-related database. He also designed and programmed a PC-based search assistant, Grateful Med, to assist physicians using MEDLINE. Over 100,000 copies of Grateful Med software were distributed by NLM. For his contribution to the development of MEDLINE, McCarn earned a Superior Service Award from the Department of Health, Education and Welfare in 1972. For the development of Grateful Med, he and two NLM colleagues received the 1990 Frank Bradway Rogers Information Advancement Award from the Medical Library Association.

Now an Operations Research Analyst with the National Center for Biotechnology Information at NLM, Rose Marie Woodsmall worked with McCarn on the development of AIM-TWX (MEDLINE's predecessor), MEDLINE and Grateful Med. "Having the opportunity to work with Dave McCarn has been a peak experience for me. During the first five minutes of our first conversation, I thought that working closely with him would be exciting and intellectually stimulating," she explains. "And it was -- every day brought new ideas and interesting discussions. His contributions to NLM have been enormous, and I am proud to have worked with him." "There's so much to say about Davis's accomplishments," notes David Kenton, Staff Scientist with the National Center for Biotechnology Information. "But just as inspiring was Davis the man. Once, the three of us who wrote ELHILL in California created a tongue-in-cheek error message to users of a test version of ELHILL II. Unfortunately, our worst fears about the effect that that ill-considered message might have came true when Davis himself received it. Rather than yelling at us and calling us a bunch of clowns, which we were, he said with deliberateness, 'Perhaps you could find an alternate wording for your message.' Not only was he creative and motivating, but he had a wealth of humanity and an uncanny understanding of programmers."

Davis McCarn began his service to the Library as Deputy Associate Director for Research and Development. In that post, he was project officer for the successful AIM-TWX service, which first combined an online system with nationwide commercial telecommunication networks. In 1971, he became Acting Director of the Lister Hill Center and in this position was involved in developing the Library's ATS satellite communications system in Alaska and the microwave television network in New England. In 1972, McCarn became NLM Associate Director for Computer and Communications Systems. He was named Special Assistant for Science Communications (Planning) at the Library in 1977.

McCarn, a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Haverford College, spent a total of 27 years with the federal government; his stint at NLM was preceded by service at the Air Force Intelligence Center and the Defense Intelligence Agency.

After retiring from the government, McCarn became president of Online Information International, Inc., his own company, and worked there from 1978 to 1998. From 1980 to 1982, he also served as Director of Computers at the H.W. Wilson Company, Bronx, New York. He was a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and received awards from numerous library associations. In 1999, McCarn was named an honorary fellow of the National Federation of Abstracting and Information Services.

A passionate champion of libraries, Dave McCarn served as Chair of the Montgomery County (MD) Library Board and the board of the Citizens for Maryland Libraries. He also organized PUBLIUS, a Maryland state political action committee for the promotion of libraries in Maryland. "Dave McCarn was one of the most creative and innovative people I have been privileged to work with," recalls Betsy L. Humphreys, currently NLM Associate Director of Library Operations. "Those who are familiar with the NLM staff will know that this is high praise indeed."

Davis McCarn is survived by his wife, Grace, a former NLM employee, and five adult children from two marriages: Davis, Kevin, Michael, Susan and Stacy.