A key component of the Cochrane Collaboration's mission statement is to ensure the accessibility of the systematic reviews it produces. Supporting this aim regionally forms an important part of the Australasian Cochrane Centre's strategic plan. During 1994-6 a series of initiatives have been put in place to facilitate the process of ensuring access by a range of potential users of Cochrane reviews. The initiatives have largely focussed around promoting the availability and value of the Cochrane Library through development of strategic alliances with organisations having responsibility for leadership in aspects of health care policy, (such as guideline development and best practice systems at national, state and regional level), in health care practice (including professional societies, practitioner networks, hospitals and health maintenance organisations), in healthcare education (including professional societies, universities and vocational training programs), in health care research (including NH&MRC and charitable research foundations), and organisations that represent and advocate for users of health care services (e.g. Consumers' Health Forum). We have also established linkages with electronic health information providers and begun the process of linking dissemination of the Cochrane Library with national and state/regional research clearinghouses. The paper discusses the relative success of these various initiatives, based on achievements in relation to defined process measures.