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Lamar Soutter Library renewed as NIH regional medical library

UMass Chan library provides vital access to biomedical information for health professionals and the public

The Lamar Soutter Library (LSL) has received its third consecutive five-year contract from the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine (NLM) to serve as the regional medical library for New England. As part of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, the LSL will work to fulfill the NLM’s mission to advance the progress of medicine and improve public health by providing health professionals and the general public with equal access to biomedical information. 

In announcing the new five-year contract, LSL director Elaine Martin said, “It is an honor for the Lamar Soutter Library to have been selected again as a regional medical library. There are only eight such libraries in the country with this designation. I’d like to thank the medical school administration and faculty and the New England-area librarians for their support of our proposal. We look forward to continuing our work and in bringing quality health information to those who need it most.” 

The regional libraries and the network perform vital outreach to health professionals and consumers in an effort to increase awareness, facilitate access and provide training in the use of NLM's many web-based information services, including MEDLINE/PubMedMedlinePlus and ClinicalTrials.gov. They reach underserved health professionals in rural and inner city areas, the public health workforce and special populations. Member libraries work with health care providers, public health professionals, public librarians, educators, community organizations, community colleges, health advocacy groups, faith-based organizations and self-help groups, to reach members of the public.