Guidelines for Medicine

Table of Contents

1. Purpose
2. General Collection Guidelines
    A. Language
    B. Chronology
    C. Geography
    D. Publication Date
    E. Treatment of Subject
    F. Types of Materials and Formats
3. Area Resources
4. Subjects and Collecting Levels

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1. Purpose.

Collections in Medicine support a research agenda consistent with the research enterprise at a Carnegie Research Intensive (Very High Research) institution with master's, and doctoral degree programs in the field. See specific collecting levels under section 4.

The collection in medicine supports research and instruction in the School of Medicine leading to the M.D. degree, along with the residency programs in Graduate Medical Education.  Both clinical and basic health sciences are part of the curriculum and the School offers masters, doctoral and interdisciplinary programs which can be pursued in combination with M.D. degrees.

The medical collection includes scientific research, scholarly publications and other information resources useful in an academic medical center and clinical care institution.  Students in other areas such as Nursing, Pharmacy, and Allied Health, also use the resources in medicine, as do hospital staff.  The collection also functions as an important source for physicians and health professionals in Region 2 of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM).

 

2. General Collection Guidelines.

A. Language.
English is the primary language of the collection. Selected foreign or multi-language monographic and serial titles are collected, particularly research works of international importance or value. Facsimile or reprint editions of classic works in foreign languages are also selectively acquired.

B. Chronology.
Emphasis is on the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.  Titles in the history of medicine currently published are acquired for the general collection. The Special Collections & Archives Department is the repository for historically significant retrospective materials.

C. Geography.
Publications of medical research are acquired regardless of national origin, with primary emphasis on those studies relevant to medical and health problems in the United States.  In the field of health care practice and organization, primary emphasis is on the United States. Materials on the health care services of other countries are acquired selectively.

D. Publication Date.
Emphasis is on current imprints except for the History of Medicine collection.  Some retrospective purchasing takes place to add classic works or to replace missing titles still of use to the program.

E. Treatment of Subject.
Comprehensive medical texts and treatises are collected extensively. The primary focus of the collection is materials reporting current research. Materials in the area of patient education are purchased selectively.

F. Types of Materials and Formats.
Materials include monographs, serials, handbooks, anatomical atlases, encyclopedias, directories, abstracts, indexes, bibliographies, dictionaries, and conference proceedings. Primary emphasis is in serials reporting medical research. Acquisition of serials takes precedence over that of monographs. E-journals are preferred over print when it is an acceptable equivalent. The preferred format for reference works is electronic.  Examination guides, self-instructional texts, study guides, laboratory manuals, outlines, pocket-sized books, syllabi, and workbooks are not collected.  Dissertations are added only by special request. Other instructional and research formats for the collection include microform research collections, online databases, data sets, and audiovisuals in the most current technology available.Anatomical models are also collected selectively.  Pertinent local, state, and federal government documents are acquired, as well as publications from the primary professional associations.

 

3. Area Resources.

As a resource library within the NN/LM network, VCU Libraries has the responsibility to function as a primary resource for health science professionals in the region.
 

4. Subjects and Collecting Levels.

Materials and resources in medicine are generally collected at the research level (4).  This includes works in all medical specialties and therapeutics. Materials in veterinary medicine are collected at the advanced study level to support on-going medical research. Other systems of medicine such as chiropractic and osteopathy are also collected at the advanced study level.