The background of online information retrieval at the Institute for Medical Literature (IML), South Africa's center for providing such services to the country's biomedical community, is briefly sketched as an introduction to this description of IML's program to train medical librarians in online searching techniques. Materials used in the training courses are discussed under the following headings: (1) printed materials; (2) audiovisual presentations; (3) simulation techniques, especially the use of Mediatron, a system which faithfully replicates online searches; (4) computer-assisted instruction using a program called *MEDLEARN*; and (5) hands-on online practice in searching medical databases. An analysis of three courses held up to the end of 1978 provides a breakdown of course components in terms of lectures, exercises, and audiovisual aids. The results of a course evaluation survey are also reported. References are listed. (FM)