Overview of the Library

The library is an academic department in the School of Medicine and serves as the principal information resource for the School of Medicine, the University Hospital, the School of Graduate Studies, and the School of Allied Health Professions.

The library’s collection includes over 190,000 print volumes (books and bound journal volumes.) The library's holdings can be searched through the online catalog. The library offers more than 2361 journals in either print or electronic format and has moved aggressively to convert print subscriptions to online versions. The library also provides a collection of current audiovisual materials in a variety of formats. The library provides access to 83 databases and 451 e-books.

The library is open 101.5 hours per week (library hours & holiday schedule.) Remote access to the databases and other electronic resources is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through the library’s proxy server. An application form and instructions for using the proxy server are available online.

The library participates in several consortia, shared purchases, and library networks to extend and enhance its collections and services and to facilitate cooperative projects. The South Central Academic Medical Libraries (SCAMeL) consortium consists of academic medical libraries in Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and New Mexico. The Louisiana Library Network (LOUIS) is a consortium of Louisiana academic and public libraries. Additionally, the library collaborates with LSUHSC-New Orleans to share an online catalog and jointly purchase some electronic resources. The shared purchases made through these partnerships greatly extend the library's collections and services. For materials not in the library’s collection, users place interlibrary loan requests electronically using the ILLiad system. The library fills requests through the OCLC and DOCLINE interlibrary loan networks. Whenever possible, incoming interlibrary loans are received via the Ariel digital document transmission system. Desktop document delivery is also available through Ariel and ILLiad. The library provides materials for users through other formal resource sharing and reciprocal borrowing agreements with local, regional, and state libraries, such as the Louisiana Academic Library Information Network Consortium (LALINC).

The library currently occupies over 39,000 square feet on three floors with seating for 239 users at tables, at carrels, and in study rooms, as shown on the library map. The library also houses five small group teaching rooms, teleconferencing facilities (with seating for 26), and two state-of-the-art computer labs.

One lab has 29 Windows XP workstations, two networked printers, and a projection system for teaching. The second computer teaching lab is a shared-use facility, managed jointly by the library and telecommunications services. It has fifteen workstations equipped with Windows XP, a projection screen for teaching, access to a network printer and teleconferencing facilities.

Photocopiers are available to the public on each floor of the library. Two flatbed scanners are provided on the first floor for incorporation of graphic images into PowerPoint presentations. Seven public search stations throughout the library offer access to databases and other electronic resources.